Ambulatory Physical Activity during United States Army Basic Combat Training

Abstract

Electronic pedometers were used to quantify locomotor physical activity during an entire 9-week United States Army Basic Combat Training (BCT) cycle. Pedometers were worn on the hips of 4 trainees in each of 10 BCT companies during all BCT activities. Investigators obtained pedometer readings (steps) on a daily basis, and estimated travel distances were obtained by multiplying steps by the average individual step length. A short questionnaire was administered daily to assure trainees wore the pedometers and trained with their companies all day. Trainees performed an average ± SD of 16 311 ± 5826 steps/day and traveled an estimated 11.7 ± 4.4 kilometers/day. The highest daily locomotor activity was during the field training exercise in which trainees took an average ± SD of 22 372 ± 12 517 steps/day traveling an estimated 16.2 ± 9.7 kilometers/day. Differences among the 10 companies ranged from 14 720 ± 6649 steps/day to 18 729 ± 6328 steps/day. This survey provided the first examination of locomotor physical activity during an entire BCT cycle.