In 2022, the Army and National and Active Guard Reserve started implementing the ACFT (Army Combat Fitness Test: https://www.army.mil/acft/) as the primary physical assessment to evaluate a Soldier’s physical readiness. To better understand the purpose, benefits, and how to improve this test, we interviewed Sergeant First Class Kenneth B. Weichert of the Tennessee Army National Guard. Sergeant Ken is the Course Manager for Tennessee GRIT, which drives Tennessee Holistic Health and Fitness (TNH2F). TNH2F “works to train, elevate, and retain the readiness of the force through integrated and standardized programs that empower Soldiers and their families to live sustainable healthy lifestyles.”

D-BALL: The Standing Power Throw (SPT), also referred to in strength and conditioning circles as the Reverse Overhead Throw, Stone Throw, or Reverse Log Toss, has been used for decades to build explosive power in athletes. Why did the Army choose this exercise as one of their six events to assess Soldier readiness?

Sergeant Ken: The US Army chose the Standing Power Throw (SPT) to effectively evaluate upper and lower body explosive strength by rapidly engaging the leg and hips and following through with the back, shoulders, and arms. The SPT is one of two of the Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT) events that was not designed to approximate combat tasks, however, has proven to be a suitable power measurement for the test.

D:Ball: What are the ball specifications needed that make the D-Ball the medicine ball of choice for the SPT?

Sergeant Ken: According to the equipment list specifications, the medicine ball must be:

  1. 9-inches in diameter.
  1. Made from hard rubber and heavy duty.
  1. A durable weighted rubber shell specially designed to withstand normal impact.
  1. A surface that is easy to handle.
  1. Weatherproof.

The D-Ball meets all of these requirements.

D-Ball: You’ve had a great deal of success working with soldiers to help them to improve their overall ACFT scores. What training protocols do you apply to help Soldiers improve their SPT score?

Sergeant Ken: Our Soldiers have found great success scaling up and down with different weighted D-Balls to maximize the distance with the regulation 10-pound D-Ball. We currently use 8, 10, 12, and 14-pound D-Balls for our school curriculum. After an initial test to record their baseline, we put them through a training protocol that is repeated throughout the GRIT program to improve the Standing Power Throw.

An example of a workout the Soldiers in our program will perform to improve their SPT score looks like this:
– Perform 6 SPTs with a 12-14lb – 9” D-ball. Increasing the load of the ball forces the Soldier to recruit more muscle fiber.
– Perform 6 SPTs with a lighter 8lb – 9” D-ball ball. Decreasing the load allows the Soldier to move faster. This trains their neuromuscular system to generate more speed, increasing the acceleration of the object.
– Perform 6 SPTs with the required 10lb – 9” D-ball. After performing this sequence we see an immediate improvement in a Soldier’s SPT score. Performed over the duration of the GRIT program we see a significant improvement in scores.

D-Ball: Besides these training protocols using 9” D-Balls, what other ball weights, sizes, and exercises do you like to perform to improve speed and power to help Soldiers improve their score?

Sergeant Ken: We have a total of 20 different medicine ball and SLOG training programs in our curriculum. For example, we have a program called “Operation Heavy or Not” that features Atlas balls, D-Balls, SLOG’s, and 14-inch diameter soft-shell medicine balls, utilizing several controlled and explosive movements in all three planes and energy systems to help our Soldiers improve strength and stamina for the ACFT.

D-Ball: Beyond the physical testing and preparation, what is the vision for the Army’s Holistic Health and Fitness Program (H2F), and how have you helped apply and shape that with your GRIT program?

Sergeant Ken: The US Army Field Manual 7-22: Holistic Health and Fitness, defines H2F in the instruction as the following:
“The holistic health and fitness (H2F) system is the Army’s primary investment in Soldier readiness and lethality. It seeks to optimize physical and non-physical performance, reduce injury rates, and improve rehabilitation after injury, ultimately increasing the overall readiness of the total Army. The system empowers and equips Soldiers to take charge of their health, fitness, and well-being to optimize individual performance while preventing injury and disease. H2F is an enterprise-wide readiness system that combines all aspects of physical and non-physical human performance optimization under a single governance structure to enable commanders (CDRs) to improve Soldier health and fitness. This system encompasses five domains:

  1. Mental Readiness: The ability to meet the mental demands of combat or duty position.
  1. Sleep Readiness: The ability to implement the requisite sleep principles and behaviors to support optimal brain function.
  1. Nutritional Readiness: The ability to recognize, select, and consume the requisite food and drink to meet the physical and non-physical demands of any duty or combat.
  1. Spiritual Readiness: The development of personal qualities needed to sustain a person in times of stress, hardship, and tragedy.
  1. Physical Readiness: The ability to meet the physical demands of any duty or combat and accomplish the mission.”

I was tasked by Major General Holmes and Major General Ross in 2023 to create and implement a program to support the H2F system for the Tennessee Army and Air National Guard. Called GRIT (Guard Readiness Improvement Training), we have successfully integrated all five domains in a 19-day wellness camp that is conducted four times per year.
We added a sixth domain – Financial Readiness: The state in which successful management of personal financial responsibilities supports Service Members’ ability to perform their wartime duties.
The objectives of H2F TN GRIT are to:

  1. Retain the force by implementing 19-day comprehensive health and wellness camps to help Service Members reduce body fat, improve physical, nutritional, mental, spiritual, financial, and sleep readiness.
  1. Empower the force by providing powerful growth mindset strategies to help Service Members avoid thinking traps, detect icebergs, build self-confidence, push for positive perspective, enhance excitement, and restore resilience.
  1. Strengthen the force by integrating an extremely effective Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT) training system to determine areas that require improvement and reveal evidence of individual success.

We recently completed our third class and are excited to announce a 100% graduation rate to date with reports of higher morale, better sleep patterns, improved ACFT scores and reduced BMI, stronger spirits, and effective eating habits!
It is our intent to significantly improve the quality of life for all Tennessee Guard Service Members through safe and extremely effective holistic health and fitness training.

Interview with:

Kenneth B. Weichert
Sergeant First Class
Course Manager, Tennessee GRIT
Holistic Health and Fitness (H2F)
Military & Family Readiness Operations (J9)
Tennessee Army National Guard