An Cosantóir

10 PANDEMIC P.T. "No spitting", I call back down the line during a 7km scout pace, as I hear the distinctive sound of a student clearing their throat and jettisoning the contents out into the mid-morning Atlantic air; just another thing to be hyper-vigilant about while training troops in the midst of a pandemic. This is the second 2-3 star course I have been involved with since Covid-19 changed everything last March. The first as platoon sergeant and PTI and now the current group (two weeks in) solely as PTI. We had managed to get through a very hectic four weeks where our main concerns, with a large group of sixty-five, were space, equipment, transport and instructors. The first lockdown meant the course was postponed indefinitely. Fast forward approximately three months to the end of June when we finally resumed training, with a much smaller group of twenty-two and things were vastly different. We may have had only a third of the students from before the lockdown but PT sessions would be a lot less straightforward. • We were reforming as a single unit after 3 months so, for the first two weeks at least, social distancing where possible would be important. • While before we could fit sixty-five inside the barracks gym for indoor circuits, the gym was now out of bounds for twenty-two. • Use of gym equipment was less practical, as anything used would have to be sanitised before and afterwards. So each student would need their own individual set of equipment throughout each outdoor session. • Time was short. Any fitness gains made in weeks 1-4 would have regressed for many and we only had a further 4 weeks until consecutive week-long MOUT and patrolling exercises. So, how do you prep physically for the exercises, to ensure students get through them injury-free, performing efficiently and also passing the DF fitness test? 1. Circuit Training (Outdoors): For anatomical adaptation, muscular endurance, core & joint stability and conditioning. Here, along with standard-timed circuits, I decided to use an Escalating Density Training (EDT) protocol that I had recently become aware of and used myself, during lockdown. EDT had been initially developed by a strength coach, named Charles Staley, as a muscle building programme where Improvise: "to make or fabricate out of what is conveniently at hand". Adapt: "to become adjusted to new conditions". opposing exercises are paired into 2-3 supersets and, using a 10-12rm for each exercise, 5 reps of each are alternated continuously for 15 minutes per superset. The idea is to complete as many quality repetitions of each exercise as possible within the time-frame. You progress by completing more reps in the same time-frame in your next session, eventually increasing the weight used. The bodyweight protocol I used, taken from Sam Portland (@ coachsportland), involved doing 5 reps of each exercise in a pair too. However superset duration started at 5 minutes and 4 pairs were used. Progression was made by adding a minute per superset each session, up to 15 minutes. Once you reach 10 minutes you can reduce the supersets to 3 or even 2. Example: 1. (a) Push-up, (b) Squat 2. (a) Sit-up, (b) Split Squat/Rear Foot Elevated Split Squat/ Lunge variation 3. (a) Glute Bridge/Single Leg Glute Bridge/Glute Bridge March, (b) Dead-bug 4. (a) Lateral Squat/Lateral Lunge, (b) Bird-dog/Anti- Rotation plank. As technique starts to falter, reps can be reduced to 4, then 3 and so on. The list of exercises above is not exhaustive of course and if you had access to a pull-up bar, then pull-ups or chin-ups would be a perfect addition. We do have a rig behind our gym, but due to the current pandemic, it wasn't initially practical for 22 students. We're also lucky enough to have a good supply of weighted (8-15kg) ammo-boxes that have been passed on from platoon to platoon over the last few years. I utilised these in some timed circuits, usually at a work: rest ratio of 1:1 or 2:1, (20- 40 seconds on: 20-40 seconds off), for 3-5 rounds. We had sufficient boxes for each of the 22 students to have their own set for each session, sanitised before and afterwards. Example: • Squat Jump/Power lunges (without box). • Zercher Squat (box cradled to chest). • Shoulder to shoulder overhead press. • Single arm bent over row. • Split stance deadlift. • Zercher split squat/Walking lunge. • Woodchop. • Famers/Suitcase carry. Troops standing with ammo boxes in full combat gear with weapons prepared for the P.T. session Circuit training being conducted By Sgt Michael Lennon Photos by Sgt Michael Lennon

• Cover