Developing Corps Strength | Gregory Hess

[stef]

Acknowledging strength as the most important physiological adaptation for human existence and performance is an initial step towards a service member’s physical readiness improvement [1]. This, however, generates the obvious question of “How does one train for strength?” As is usually the case with seemingly complex and fashionable topics, the simplest approach is the best.

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[J. Killmond]

Weightlifting was respected, but not widely pursued among the dozens of West Point graduates that I've known (male, classes 1966-1989).

If they had known how attainable it is to train up to a 500 deadlift, lots of them would have done it (they were all Ranger School graduates, so motivation and fitness are not an issue).

If they'd known how to get to 500, they would have scorned anyone who didn't, just like they all looked down on those who couldn't hang on a 6-mile run or a 12-mile rucksack march.

But they don't know how to get to a 500 deadlift.

At West Point, if I were Mr. Hess, I would target the top 50 cadets on the order of merit who are not intercollegiate athletes. Even if you could get only ten of them for one hour a week (cadets are somewhat "overscheduled"), half of them probably would get a deadlift well over 400 in one school year. Word would get around fast.

Caution: Don't tell them that they may grow out of their cadet uniforms. That is a real downside for them.

[Gregory Hess]

I agree that advertising for cadet involvement may work; however, the intent of our elective "Strength Development" course is just that. We offer all that we can in the 19 lesson round of instruction. Outside of anything formal or incentivized, it is very difficult to attract them away from other requirements or high-priority (to them) items. The Strength Development course "committee" is the squeaky wheel within DPE for prioritizing strength. It's an ever-hill battle.