An Cosantóir

An Cosantóir October 2011 22 | By SGT STeve CONRAN (62 ReS CAv SQN) "Fit to Fight" a slogan that applies to all PDF/RDF personnel alike For those of you who are perhaps sceptical about the emphasis placed on fitness in the RdF (Reserve defence Forces) in times past, this article will hopefully reaffirm your belief that the term "Fit to Fight" is a slogan that applies to all defence Forces personnel, be they professional or reserve soldiers. T he first PTls (Physical Training leaders) in the Army Reserve were qualified in 2005, when stu- dents were selected from the Reserve BTCs (Brigade Train- ing Centre). They joined their PdF counterparts as students for two weeks, to complete the PTl module on the PdF Potential NCO course. How- ever since then, the concept of RdF PTls has evolved and a dedicated RdF PTl course has been established, with three such courses having been successfully run in the dFTC in recent years. This newly comprised "RdF PT leaders course" is a highly sought after amongst RdF personnel with student allocations from each brigade being in high demand. This relatively recent introduction of PTls into the Battalions and Corps RdF units, as distinct from solely in BTCs, should not be down played or underestimated, as it enables these units to conduct physical training on parade nights, weekends or periods of Full Time Training (FTT), all of which could not be carried out, in the absence of PTls. This years All Army RdF PT leaders course, run under the auspices of the dFPeS (defence Forces Physical education School) and the RdFTA (Reserve defence Forces Training Authority) qualified a further 16 Army Reserve personnel as PTls. This in turn will enable them to return to their respective units and conduct PT for the benefit of all ranks. In most of the cases, this years students will be the only PTls in their units (company/squadron), and as such will be a new training resource. There are strict regulations pertaining to exactly what a PTl can and cannot do with regards train- ing troops. A PTl is allowed to warm up and stretch troops prior to exercise, bring troops for a run, conduct games etc. in sports gear and running shoes, to cool down troops and conduct a post-stretch following exercise to insure cramp and injury do not occur after training. However the course itself goes into far more detail and explores areas such as: diet, nutrition, anatomy, physiol- ogy, the human skeletal sys- tem, muscle groups, manual handling, morale boosting and incentivising the students during PT, circuit training, games, running methods, exercise strategy, unarmed combat and self defence, sea survival, water confidence training, weights training, and more, and all with a huge emphasis on team work. In many ways the PTl course is an introduc- tory point for other more advanced courses such as; PTS (Physical Training Supervisor), PTI (Physical Training Instruc- tor), life guard, unarmed com- bat instructor. Some of these courses are unfortunately not open to RdF personnel at the moment due to the duration of these courses, combined also with the current man-day restrictions which limit and curtail the number of paid FROM THE ARCHIVES An Cosantóir Volume 71 Issue 08, October 2011

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