The US Army Field Manual 7-22: Holistic Health and Fitness, defines H2F 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:

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

We asked Sergeant First Class Kenneth B. Weichert (aka SGT KEN), the Course Manager for Tennessee GRIT, about how he uses D-Balls to support his training goals, and improve Soldier readiness.

 

SGT KEN, what is your role with Tennessee GRIT and the Army’s H2F system?

RESPONSE: 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 which we call 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. It is our mission to inspire others to be relentless and resilient!”

Could you speak to the importance of accessory training with tools like heavy D-Balls?

RESPONSE: I believe that D-Ball training is incredibly important to prepare Soldiers for combat missions and events that require moments of sudden strength, explosive energy, intense endurance, alertness, agility, and advanced aerobic output. D-Ball training can serve as a tremendous training tool to help with military tasks such as breaching doors, climbing obstacles, and hand-to-hand combat.

How does this style of training help improve soldier physical and mental readiness?

RESPONSE: D-Ball training serves as a holistic health force multiplier, allowing Soldiers to experience the advantages of weight training while also the opportunity to diminish daily stress by performing max effort throws.

What are your D-Ball training weight recommendations?

RESPONSE: I have found great benefits by scaling up and down with my D-Ball strength training, standing power throws, and functional fitness movements. Scaling up to heavier balls in the 50lb-80lb range, and down in weight to 14lb-30lb balls provides several benefits, including preventing injuries by allowing you to train at a level appropriate for your fitness level, promoting better form, maximizing progress by avoiding plateaus, maintaining consistency in your workouts, and adapting to changing conditions in your body, all while minimizing the risk of overexertion. The heavier balls assist with strength adaptations while the lighter balls allow me to develop more explosive power. I may also superset heavy and light D-Ball exercises for both the neurological benefits and to build physical skills like stamina and endurance.

How often can you incorporate heavy D-Ball exercises into a workout routine?

RESPONSE: I incorporate D-Ball training into my weekly routines 3-4 times per week. I have noticed that my D-Ball training has helped me significantly strengthen my core muscles, improve my stability and balance, enhance muscle coordination, and intensify my aerobic output by forcing my heartrate to spike upward with every throw, resulting in increased overall human performance. D-Ball training is one of my favorite holistic health and fitness training tools for Soldier readiness.

Sergeant First Class Kenneth B. Weichert (aka SGT KEN) is the Course Manager for Tennessee GRIT, supporting the Holistic Health and Fitness (H2F) program for the Tennessee Army National Guard, SGT KEN serves the larger fitness community through his impressive resume of titles, skills and certifications: USA-MFT, USA-MRT-FC, USA-MHPO-I, USA-CHWLC, ACE-GFI, WaterRower-DoP, STROOPS-TFL, MATRIX-MFT, COOPER-BCCL, TRX-CST, JumpSport-TFL, Dynamax-TFL

CEC Provider: ACE, NASM/AFAA, REPS UAE, canfitpro