FM 7-22, Army Physical Readiness Training (PRT)
Physical Readiness is the ability to meet the physical demands of any combat or duty position, accomplish the mission, and continue to fight and win. Soldier physical readiness is acquired through the challenge of a precise, progressive, and integrated physical traiign program.
The Army's Physical Readiness Training (PRT) system creates a daily opportunity to build the valuable Soldiering skills of strength, power, speed, and agility required to help Soldiers meet their mission. PRT is rooted in established principles of exercise science designed to build the Soldier Athlete and includes training activities that directly support war-fighting tasks within the full spectrum of operations. As a result, the program is essential to individual, unit, and force readiness.
Army PRT is guided by three principles of readiness training:
- Precision: ensures all PRT activities are executed using proper technique, in order to reduce injury risk.
- Progression: gradually increases the intensity and duration of PRT activities to allow the body to properly adapt to the stresses of training.
- Integration: includes a variety of training activities (such as conditioning, climbing, and movement drills) in the program to achieve a balanced development of strength, endurance, and mobility.
Army PRT incorporates three components of training:
- Strength: the ability to overcome resistance.
- Endurance: the ability to sustain activity.
- Mobility: the functional application of strength adn endurance for movement proficiency.
Quick Facts about PRT!
- Designed to minimize injuries commonly sustained in fitness training
- Prepares Soldiers for the Army Physical Fitness Test
- Training activities will increase skills related to warrior tasks and battle drills (such as jumping, crawling, lifting, and negotiating obstacles)
- Uses aerobic (cardio) and anaerobic (lifting & sprinting) exercises to optimize performance
- Includes a four-phase training cycle (similar to the ARFORGEN cycle), designed to train Soldiers from recovery from deployment (or extended absence from unit PRT) to deployment and/or combat missions
- Includes a reconditioning program for Soldiers recovering from injury
Check out the Physical Readiness Division's (PRD) PRT Resources!
The Army's PT doctrine includes training for functional fitness. Functional fitness training uses drills, exercises, or activities that are specific to movements, skills, and physical demands needed for a given task. For example, performing single leg squats, lunges, crunches, and medicine ball throws requires the physical skills needed to react to man-to-man contact. Functional fitness is composed of strength, endurance, and movement skills (agility, coordination, and balance), which will get you fit for your mission and reduce the risk of injury.
Shoot. Move. Communicate.
Deployed Soldiers have identified that the most important tasks related to physical readiness involve:
- acquiring and engaging targets
- conducting individual movement techniques in full combat gear
- walking long distances under extreme conditions in full combat gear
- sending and receiving communications during physical exertion
Pregnancy Postpartum Physical Training Program
The Pregnancy Postpartum Physical Training Program (P3T) provides exercise recommendations in accordance with guidelines from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. Visit the P3T webpage for more information.