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Marine Corps to launch new holistic fitness program

Features, On Target  //  May 30th, 2012  //  By Lance Cpl. Chelsea Flowers

(U.S. Marine Corps photo by Staff Sgt. Jennifer Brofer)

You may be physically fit, but are you MCFIT?

The Marine Corps is developing a new fitness program called Marine Corps Fitness Improvement Tool to improve awareness of the total fitness of Marines.

A group focused on creating resiliency in Marines, convened by the assistant commandant of the Marine Corps, created MCFIT to help Marines recover from the stresses and demands of both combat and garrison in a healthy, holistic fashion.

| More: Read about ways to get fit. |

The program will include two phases, the first a paper-based questionnaire, the second a web-based assessment. MCFIT phase 2, which is still under development for launching at the end of 2012, will provide a more in-depth approach to fitness. All participation is anonymous.

Gunnery Sgt. Carlos Aguilera, a platoon sergeant with Echo Company, 1st Light Armored Battalion, and 31-year-old native of Los Angeles, works out with Ahlim, a linguist with Echo Co., using portable suspension training equipment during an overnight post here, April 26, 2012. After a rigorous day of patrolling or holding a vehicle checkpoint, the Echo Marines utilize their mobile gym to maintain the Marine Corps standard of fitness. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Alfred V. Lopez)

The goal of the program is to create and analyze total Marine fitness to include body, mind, spirit and social fitness. Ideally, Marines should aim for fitness in all four aspects.

“MCFIT starts the conversation that fitness has more components than physical,” said Greg Goldstein, future operations officer, Behavioral Health Branch. “This tool assists with providing Marines an understanding of their fitness levels and offers resources to enhance this fitness. It is also a snapshot of unit fitness levels during a particular time period. MCFIT is a tool for personal and unit assessment and raising awareness of resources available to marines.”

The MCFIT program doesn’t just raise awareness of fitness levels; it assists Marines in improving those fitness levels as well.

“MCFIT is designed to improve a Marine’s awareness of his or her own total fitness and provide the resources for self improvement,” Golstein said.

After Marines within a unit fill out Phase 1 of the MCFIT assessment, responses will be collected and the commander will receive a summary view of responses within the unit. These responses will be categorized and color-coded to represent the fitness levels of each Marine and the unit overall. The four zones are green, yellow, orange and red with green representing high levels of fitness and red indicating a need for immediate help.

This will provide commanders with areas for fitness growth within the unit and available resources to address those deficiencies. The program is not designed to assess a commander’s leadership or performance.

For MCFIT resources, click here.

  • Chris

    It is also very immature and ridiculous to argue over social media. Marines.

  • Luvpayton34

    My own opinion.. Each individual brings different strengths and weaknesses. Running all the time breaks down joints and puts at risk for unwanted knee and ankle injuries. I feel each individual shoukd continue to gain whatever it is he/she is good at. Thats y one pulls together in a group. Mind. Absolutely!! becuz if your not mentally prepared, physically doesnt matter .. God bless and thank you for serving!

  • SGT Duq

    Kettlebell training needs to be added!  That will get your butt in shape! 

  • William Mendez

    That’s why the Marines are always ready to rock and kick ass, PT all day devildogs hoooooooorrrrraaaaahhhh

  • Ken

    Well………. it’s too bad that the PFT is seen as the ‘end all/be all’ of physical training.  Folks… it is a test…. only a test – used to evaluate the Physical Training Program of a Marine Unit.  Yes, you can ‘train’ to ‘pass’ a PFT, but look at how you’re short changing yourself and your Marines. 

    Focus on the REAL purpose of Physical Training and the ‘test’ will take care of itself. 

  • Raijin2004

    I think the concept is good on paper but we need to call a spade a spade and realize that we are talking about the ‘Warrior Culture’ of the Marine Corps.  Hippie BS or not we are professional warriors who for all purposes are trained in the art of war.  We should adopt that warrior culture and take that culture to the next level.  By indocrinating the warrior mindsets of previous cultures into our own we can overcome the issues of mind and body.  We are the elite of the world.  Lets blend what we already have and add to it with a little bit more and we have a recipe for success.

  • DevilDog Retired

    The real reason behind this BS;  This will be used to weed out those Marines who feel it is their duty to actually kill the enemy.  There are those, high up, in our gov’t. that want America to fall and become a passive state.  This new “MCFIT” will ID those Marines that will be willing to play their “touchy-feely” games.  I hope I never see the day when The U.S.A. falls.  I have to agree with Fallujah ENGR 2004.  We are “Devil Dogs”;  Hounds from hell;  If the higher up, yellow cowards would “unleash” the hounds, the islamic-extremist would not only cease to attack us, they might even cease to exist.

  • 3529 in Oki

     From you mastering your PMOS…

    I still think that as a commanders tool it will help the overall fitness of the unit by preventing those previously mentioned 40 mile runs each week.  The commander should, and in most cases do, understand that unit PT should be challenging but not to the extent that your Marines fail and lose moral.  Once they do that they lost the Marines interest in doing it on their off time to improve themselves or even to put out 100% effort.  They sometimes use available time to focus on other aspects of being a Marine which limits time they can improve on physical fitness, so if they know they are in the red they can hold off the other, less critical training, for a later time.

  • Gerald Williamson

    I can’t resist but McFit…sounds like a new diet menu for McDonalds. What’s next…instead of locate, close with, and destroy the enemy by fire and manuever or repel the enemy’s assualt by fire and close combat…are Marines going to start sitting around the campfire holding hands and singing Kum Ba Yah? Knitting Circles? “Look Gunny, I just crocheted a pair of dog tag silencers for you”. “Nice job Marine, now go press those daisies.”. There were things in place 20 years ago to help Marines including, but not limited to, the Battalion Chaplain. A good leader knows his or her people. They know the strengths and weaknesses of each. They know how to get the most and best out of them. A good leader can tell if someone is struggling. I have been out for 20 years but I seem to remember how we all knew each other, looked out for each other, and had each others’ back. Yes, we knew our strengths and weaknesses, they were called Pro/Con marks and Gunny was sure to inform you of your weaknesses.

    Gerald Williamson
    Corporal of Marines
    1987-1992

  • http://www.facebook.com/lopezsm7 Sal López

    Very well put.

  • http://www.facebook.com/lopezsm7 Sal López

    I think the article was about judging a Marine’s fitness on more than PFT scores and helping with the morale and mental problems and to make sure that we don’t piss everyone off when we open our mouths.

  • http://www.facebook.com/lopezsm7 Sal López

    Yea, and assholes who make comments like you cause Marines who are fucked up feel even more fucked up and isolated because they don’t have anyone to turn to and kill themselves. 

    I didn’t see any combat while I was in but I did security duty in the armory when I was in Iraq.  Some infantry Marines were really fucked up about what they had to do and they needed someone to talk to and I was happy I could help even if it was just listening.  They had to shoot Iraqis in the back while they were running away and their brains and bloody handprints were smeared all over walls. 

    Yea, fuck that “hippie BS,”  it’s better that Marines possibly kill themselves. 

  • Janet H.

    You know if Any one can do it. :The Marines can….

  • Anonymous

    I think this is good. To be a whole person, you need to do work your body, mind, and spirit everyday. Give it a chance Brothers.

  • 53E Pilot Al Asad 2006

    It is good that the Marine Corps is begining to appreciate that all Marines have a mind, body and soul. This type holistic stuff can be useful in dealing with PTSD, suicide and other post combat issues.

    I think Fallujah ENGR 2004 does raise some valid concerns about doing the “dirty” side of our business. People that into mind, body, spirit, and social fitness may question taking rapid violent action or using overwhelming force to suppress adversaries.

    I think there are merits to the idea proposed, but the Marine Corps may need to spend a little more time understanding the end results.

  • Fallujah ENGR 2004

    What a bunch of Hippie BS, Mind, Body, Social, Spiriitual. Marines are anti-social as a part of being Marines, That is the way it must be. Well-adjusted people don’t strike fear into the hearts of islamo-fascists. Remember this quoteThe Marines I have seen around the world have the cleanest bodies, the filthiest minds, the highest morale, and the lowest morals of any group of animals I have ever seen. Thank God for the United States Marine Corps! Eleanor Roosevelt, First Lady of the United States, 1945

  • ATtt

    Who is all this for? Definitely not for AD Marines like me, where is the time to do this gonna come form?

  • Jah3a1b

    This sounds pretty ludacris. Marines who are out of shape know it, and are reminded every PFT and CFT. A questionnaire about how fit they think they are is crazy. How about adding programs to the base gyms that could elevate Marines’ level of fitness. Powerlifting, cross fit, triatholon or marathon training. Even increase the number of free personal trainers that are available to Marines. While the old Marine Corps adage of running 40 miles a week is still prevalent even in resident courses, focus on total fitness is often neglected.

    Also, not every Marine will be interested in the same thing. Folks interested in powerlifting aren’t typically interested in how many miles they can run that week. Nor are advid runners concerned with what their squat or deadlift max will be for the week.

This entry was posted on May 30th, 2012 at 2:12 pm and is filed under the Features, On Target category. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.