Improving Running Skill in the Army

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Improving running skill in the Army is an important initiative. At any given day, there are approximately 46,000 soldiers training to become a member of the U.S. Army. The Army continues to adapt and innovate, protecting the health and safety of its people while maintaining the readiness of the force.

The physical readiness domain focuses on a particular goal called “movement lethality,” which is the ability to destroy the enemy on the battlefield and successfully return home. Movement lethality is an essential skill for every Soldier to have, regardless of their specific military occupational specialty, as every Soldier has the potential to be deployed.

 

THE PROBLEM

Running Skill is not officially taught at any stage of training throughout a service member’s career. Running Injuries are a big problem in the Army, costing 577 million per year, and more than 2 out of 3 injured soldiers face injuries from running. Training service members in Running Skill retroactively (after Basic Training or AIT) has not been a feasible option until now.

 

…we had a myriad of soldiers who were plagued with lower extremity overuse injuries. What are we doing that’s causing this to happen? I realized that if the way we do aerobic fitness in the military is running, then we need to know how to do it right.

– LTC Angela Diebal-Lee

 

THE SOLUTION

Health and Holistic Fitness, or H2F is a big initiative by the Army to revamp training protocols. One of the major updates in the new doctrine is the addition of Running Skill (Pose Method) in FM 7-22 (Chapter 7).

Running Skill training is now available, on demand – forcewide – through the ArmyIgnitED program. Individual Soldiers can watch Pose Method running skill training videos online.

POSE METHOD® OF RUNNING + ARMY TRAINING

Members of all branches of the military have participated in the The Pose Method of Running courses since 2008. On October 1, 2020 the updated US Army Holistic Health And Fitness Field Manual (FM 7-22) and Holistic Health And Fitness Drills And Exercises Army Techniques Publications (ATP 7-22.02) were published and they included the Pose Method as the method for the running skill program and running technique drills.

The Pose Method of Running training course and the Certified Running Technique Specialist credential are aligned with the Soldier Common Core (MOS) and P5 Master Fitness Trainer (ASI).

POSE METHOD® OF RUNNING Training Course