MCRD San Diego -- Physical endurance and development is important throughout recruit training. Recruits are tested during each phase to see where they stand through physical fitness tests, which is designed to measure one’s physical strength, agility, and endurance.
Recruits were seen sprinting back and forth between yard lines as Company I, 3rd Recruit Training Battalion, participated in ability groups July 12 aboard Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego.
The purpose of having recruits run in ability groups is to see how they’ve developed themselves since they ran their initial strength test when they arrived at the depot three weeks prior, according to Sgt. Javier Salguero, senior drill instructor, Platoon 3202, Co. I.
The IST is a shortened version of the PFT that Marines run annually. Recruits must be able to pass an IST in order to begin their training by completing pull-ups, sit-ups, and a 1.5-mile run. The PFT consists of the same principal but has a three-mile run.
“The ability groups specifically focus on improving the recruits run time so that they can get a higher score when they run their PFT,” explained Salguero, a 27-year-old Los Angeles native. “Each station has a dynamic exercise that helps build their overall strength and endurance.”
The company is split into eight groups, each lead by a drill instructor. Each station has exercises that vary from sprints, crunches, planks, push-ups, cut-drills, and ammunition can lifts that are intended to help improve cardio, endurance, strength, balance and agility.
Recruits are required to be at each station for a minute. Once the minute is up, they go to the next station until the next whistle blast.
Once the stations are over, recruits are split up into ability groups based on their IST run time. Then, they go for a two-mile run set at a drill instructor’s pace.
“I think this helps us a lot because it’ll build up our endurance and eventually make you faster,” said Recruit Kasar Webster, Plt. 3202. “This is definitely helping us prepare for our PFT.”
The final PFT is a graduation requirement for recruits. Receiving a high score on a PFT will reflect on a Marine’s proficiency and conduct marks, which can also be a deciding factor for promotions.
“Becoming stronger and faster will help us get that high score on our PFT and allow us to be successful in our Marine Corps career,” explained Webster, a 17-year-old Fort Worth, Texas native.
Company I is scheduled to run an initial PFT July 20 aboard MCRD San Diego. The recruits and drill instructors will be able to see the results from the dynamic exercises, explained Salguero. Depending on the recruit’s performance, drill instructors will be able to identify and focus on the weaknesses of a recruit’s physical performance and help build them into United States Marines.