Headquarters
Department of the Army
Washington, DC
30 September 1992

FM 21-20

PHYSICAL FITNESS TRAINING

Editor's Note: This version incorporates Change 1,
1 October 1998.

Table of Contents

Change 1, 1 October 1998

PREFACE

CHAPTER 1 - INTRODUCTION

LEADERSHIP RESPONSIBILITIES

COMPONENTS OF FITNESS

PRINCIPLES OF EXERCISE

FITT FACTORS

WARM-UP AND COOL-DOWN

PHASES OF FITNESS CONDITIONING

TYPES OF FITNESS PROGRAMS

AGE AS A FACTOR IN PYSICAL FITNESS

EVALUATION

CHAPTER 2 - CARDIORESPIRATORY FITNESS

PHYSIOLOGY OF AEROBIC TRAINING

FITT FACTORS

RUNNING

ROAD MARCHES

ALTERNATE FORMS OF AEROBIC EXERCISE

CHAPTER 3 - MUSCULAR ENDURANCE AND STRENGTH

MUSCULAR FITNESS

MUSCULAR CONTRACTIONS

PRINCIPLES OF MUSCULAR TRAINING

WORKOUT TECHNIQUES

MAJOR MUSCLE GROUPS

KEY POINTS TO EMPHASIZE

EXERCISE PROGRAMS

EXERCISE CHART

CHAPTER 4 - FLEXIBILITY

STRETCHING TECHNIQUES

FITT FACTORS

WARM-UP AND COOL-DOWN

COMMON STRETCHING EXERCISES

CHAPTER 5 - BODY COMPOSITION

EVALUATION METHODS

DIET AND EXERCISE

CHAPTER 6 - NUTRITION AND FITNESS

GUIDELINES FOR HEALTHY EATING

CONCERNS FOR OPTIMAL PHYSICAL PERFORMANCE

NUTRITION IN THE FIELD

CHAPTER 7 - CIRCUIT TRAINING AND EXERCISE DRILLS

CIRCUITS

CALISTHENICS

GRASS DRILLS

GUERRILLA EXERCISES

CHAPTER 8 - OBSTACLE COURSES AND ADDITIONAL DRILLS

OBSTACLE COURSES

RIFLE DRILLS

LOG DRILLS

AQUATIC EXERCISE

CHAPTER 9 - COMPETITIVE FITNESS ACTIVITIES

INTRAMURALS

UNIT ACTIVITIES

ORIENTEERING

UNIT OLYMPICS

CHAPTER 10 - DEVELOPING THE UNIT PROGRAM

STEPS IN PLANNING

EDUCATION

COMMON ERRORS

A SAMPLE PROGRAM

USING THE PRINCIPLES OF EXERCISE

CONCLUSION

CHAPTER 11 - PHYSICAL TRAINING DURING INITIAL ENTRY TRAINING

PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT

SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS

ROAD MARCHING

CHAPTER 12 - ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS

TEMPERATURE REGULATION

HEAT INJURIES AND SYMPTONS

ACCLIMATIZATION TO HOT, HUMID ENVIRONMENTS

EXERCISING IN COLD ENVIRONMENTS

ACCLIMATIZATION TO HIGH ALTITUDES

AIR POLLUTION AND EXERCISE

CHAPTER 13 - INJURIES

TYPICAL INJURIES ASSOCIATED WITH PHYSICAL TRAINING

OTHER FACTORS

CHAPTER 14 - ARMY PHYSICAL FITNESS TEST

METHODS OF EVALUATION

OVER-FORTY CARDIOVASCULAR SCREENING PROGRAM

OVERVIEW

TEST ADMINISTRATION

DUTIES OF TEST PERSONNEL

TEST SITE

TEST PROCEDURES

TEST SEQUENCE

TEST RESULTS

SCORES ABOVE MAXIMUM

TEMPORARY PROFILES

PERMANENT PROFILES

ALTERNATE EVENTS

APPENDIX A - PHYSIOLOGICAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE SEXES

APPENDIX B - POSITIVE PROFILE FORM

APPENDIX C - PHYSICAL FITNESS LOG

APPENDIX D - STATIONARY BICYCLE TEST

APPENDIX E - SELECTING THE RIGHT RUNNING SHOE

APPENDIX F - CALCULATIONS OF VO₂MAX

APPENDIX G - PERCEIVED EXERTION

APPENDIX H - THE MAJOR SKELETAL MUSCLES OF THE HUMAN BODY

GLOSSARY

REFERENCES

AUTHORIZATION LETTER

DISTRIBUTION RESTRICTION: Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.

^*This publication supersedes FM 21-20, 28 August 1985.