Military Review English Edition September-October 2014 | Page 14

Capt. Nathan Showman, U.S. Army, and Phillip Henson, Ph.D.
Capt. Nathan E. Showman is a combatives and unit fitness instructor at the United States Military Academy. He
earned an M.S. in kinesiology from Indiana University. Capt. Showman served a total of 27 months deployed in support of
Operation Iraqi Freedom. He is a graduate of the U.S. Army Ranger, Airborne, and Air Assault Schools.
Dr. Phillip Henson is an assistant professor in the Kinesiology Department at Indiana University. He earned his Ph.D.
in human performance from Indiana University. Dr. Henson has over 40 years of experience coaching, officiating, and
researching the sport of track and field at the collegiate Division I and professional level.

C

ompany-level leaders and above frequently
discuss concerns about how to train soldiers
physically for the rigors of combat. How should
the U.S. Army conduct physical readiness training
(PRT)? Common concerns include—
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The wide-ranging and often unpredictable physical tasks soldiers may be called on to perform.
Overall low levels of fitness and perceived high
rates of excess weight in new recruits.

September-October 2014  MILITARY REVIEW