Early data analyzing Army brigades using the service’s new all-encompassing fitness program shows less injuries, behavioral health problems and substance abuse, and quicker return to duty for injured soldiers in brigades with program staff.
As the Army nears it halfway point of fielding Holistic Health and Fitness, or H2F, program to its soldiers, key next steps include managing data, educating new commanders and fitting it into the Guard and Reserve, the general overseeing the program told Army Times.
Maj. Gen. John Kline, head of the Center for Initial Military Training, said, “Although we’ve accelerated the fielding of H2F teams, if we really want to spread the goodness of H2F it’s got to spread to the greater than half of the active duty that’s not going to get a team and the same with the National Guard and Reserve.”
Three new approaches that could benefit the entire Army include a full day spent on the program at the Army’s School for Command Preparation’s Chief of Staff of the Army’s Core Course, the pivotal training course for battalion and brigade leadership; the use of an additional skill identifier and possible special qualification identifier for H2F trainers; and a wearables pilot launching this summer at Fort Moore, Georgia to compare data for new recruits throughout basic training.
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The Army began fielding health and human performance teams along with fitness equipment such as free weights, rowing machines, kettlebells and stationary bicycles to close combat brigades in 2021.
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The original goal was to field all 110 active duty, close combat brigades by 2030 at roughly 10 brigades annually.
The program is scheduled to hit 50 brigades by September. Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George ordered that the program double its rate, which it is set to begin in fiscal year 2025. If sustained, that will mean all 110 brigades will be fielded by fiscal 2027, Kline said.
But the training center over the brigade fielding has already begun to gather data on how the program is doing.
Coming out of a near-sedentary 2020 due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, the brigades measured, both with and without H2F, have seen increased numbers of musculoskeletal injuries, reports of behavioral health problems and higher rates of substance abuse.
But in all those categories, units with Holistic Health and Fitness teams saw significantly fewer injuries, behavioral health and substance abuse reports. Units with the teams also saw shorter recovery times and quicker return to duty rates for physical injuries and behavioral health reports, according to data provided by Dr. Andrew Thompson, a research physiologist with the training center.
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Army units with Holistic Health and Fitness teams also saw significantly higher rates of soldiers who qualified as experts in rifle marksmanship training. Those units also saw a 23% higher increase in Army combat fitness test passing rates as units without the teams.
Thompson measured these categories from fiscal 2021 to 2023 between more than two dozen Holistic Health and Fitness-resourced brigades and similar brigades without the teams. He also extrapolated what the data would mean if applied across the entire Army, including active duty, Guard and Reserve.
Holistic Health and Fitness-resourced brigade data:
30% lower increase in musculoskeletal injuries lasting more than 90 days = 3,002 fewer injured soldiers on profile for more than 90 days.
22% lower increase in behavioral health reports = 2,962 fewer soldiers on behavioral health profiles.
20% lower increase in behavioral health reports lasing more than 90 days = 3,002 fewer soldiers on behavioral health profiles greater than 90 days.
502% lower increase in substance abuse profiles = 13,947 fewer soldiers on substance abuse profiles.
23% greater Army combat fitness test passing rate = 4,455 more soldiers passing the ACFT.
27% more soldiers reaching expert on rifle marksmanship qualification = 88,000 more soldiers receiving expert rifle marksmanship qualification.
*Brigades analyzed, both with and without Holistic Health and Fitness teams, saw increases in most areas from 2021–2023, but those units with H2F teams saw significantly lower increases in all categories.
Source: Center for Initial Military Training
The center expects more data to flow into their spreadsheets as the Army launches a wearables pilot requested by Congress in 2023. Phase I of the pilot will be held at one station unit training at Fort Moore, Georgia, beginning later this summer. Phase II will include basic training units at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, in 2025.
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The pilot will equip soldiers training with Holistic Health and Fitness with smartwatches, chest straps and sleep rings.
Kline expects the data to be delivered to Congress by the end of fiscal year 2025.
“We’re going to be able to see things like soldier sleep, if their resting heartrate is declining, now long they’re in their VO2 Max. Is our (physical training) program building a more fit soldier?” Kline said.
Evaluators will begin measuring these areas on the first day of training through graduation.
The Center for Initial Military Training held its first daylong session with students of the pre-command course for battalion and brigade leaders at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, on April 23.
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A pre-command course student participates in the physical readiness portion of the Holistic Health and Fitness Day at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, on April 23. (Jon Dahms/Army)
That event included a 90-minute low-intensity Holistic Health and Fitness training session, and experts in each of the domains: physical, mental, nutrition, sleep and spiritual. Staff also invited students’ spouses, as the Army seeks to share Holistic Health and Fitness aspects with families, Army civilians and veterans as the program grows, Kline said.
“As the Army’s future senior commanders, you can help promote the health of the force by continuing to implement and embrace the Holistic Health and Fitness system,” Kline told students, according to an Army release. “I don’t have nearly the influence that you all can have on its success, and I’d like to thank you in advance for all you will do to support H2F in your formations.”
For one noncommissioned officer, the day’s event was a way to better understand a program he’ll oversee at his unit.
“I think it’s important for senior leaders at battalion and brigade level to understand H2F completely and get the buy-in, because this is going down to the lowest level,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Craig Anderson. “So, being at brigade level, I think I now understand more about how H2F can be used as a resource to better our soldiers in all aspects of fitness, the spiritual domain, the sleep domain and the physical domain and in the mental domain as well.”
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In 2023 the Army changed the name of the U.S. Army Physical Fitness School at Fort Jackson to the Holistic Health and Fitness Academy.
Senior leaders also began reviewing an additional skill identifier for soldiers who received a short course on Holistic Health and Fitness to return to their units and manage physical training.
Kline said the additional skill identifier for master fitness trainer already existed and the school has modified training to add some elements from Holistic Health and Fitness.
A longer, potentially eight to 12-week course at the school would dive deeper into Holistic Health and Fitness domains and provide a special qualification identifier.
Senior leaders have not yet decided if the skill qualification identifiers will be developed, which could allow soldiers to serve as Holistic Health and Fitness trainers full-time on temporary duty before returning to their primary jobs much like recruiters or drill sergeants do now, he said.
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Todd South has written about crime, courts, government and the military for multiple publications since 2004 and was named a 2014 Pulitzer finalist for a co-written project on witness intimidation. Todd is a Marine veteran of the Iraq War.
The sun is a welcome addition to our exercise routines come summer – but the novelty of a sunny run or hike can quickly wear off as the temperature climbs. With heatwaves and record-breaking temperatures already this year, it’s important to know the best time to exercise in the heat for the weeks ahead.
Obviously, if you don’t like the heat and would rather be inside, then you can exercise in an air-conditioned gym or studio at any time of day. A good swimming workout is another way to stay cool. However, if you enjoy running, hiking, cycling, or a garden strength training workout, it makes sense to choose the coolest times of day. In the peak of the summer, this is before 10 am and after 5 pm, but the earlier (or later) you can go, the better.
The body reacts differently in the heat, making exercise above 20°C degrees feel harder, even if you’re doing the same workout you did in the cooler months. As the temperature climbs, blood vessels dilate to push blood towards the surface of the skin to cool it down, which means there is less in the muscles. This means your heart has to work harder and beat faster.
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You also naturally sweat more, which is the body’s way of cooling down. However, important micronutrients called electrolytes are lost in sweat, and if they aren’t replenished (through hydrating foods or electrolyte supplements), it can lead to lower blood volume, triggering symptoms like fatigue, rapid heart rate, and dizziness that extend beyond your workout.
As well as checking the day’s top temperature, you should check the heat index. This indicates how humid it can be, which can be more of a problem than the warmth and can leave you sticky and sweaty before you’ve even pulled on your running shoes.
With that in mind, Brian Maiorano, coach liaison for sports-tech company CORE, has some tips for exercising in the heat. “When the weather begins to really heat up, these are the best ways to train during a heatwave, and to really stay safe,” he says.
Don’t be afraid to sweat: You can gradually adapt to the heat within 4 to 5 days by raising your core temperature in a controlled way. Top athletes call this ‘heat training’, and it’s very effective if you’re careful to not overcook yourself.
Stay hydrated: As well as drinking water, you can douse your head and torso in it to stay cool.
Lower your intensity during the heat: Monitor your heart rate and stick to zone 2 if you’re exercising in the heat. This is 60 to 70% of your maximum heart rate (220 minus your age), and stop at any signs of dizziness, nausea, or headache.
Choose when to do your most vigorous training: During intense sessions, you don’t want the additional stress of heat, so Brian recommends doing it in climate-controlled conditions (like switching your run to a treadmill workout) or choosing the best time to exercise in the heat.
Don’t spend the whole day in an air-conditioned room: “Too much time enjoying the cool air can make you miserable when you are exposed to heat,” says Brian.
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Kylie Minogue has stayed active her whole life, but, refreshingly, she doesn’t follow a punishingly strict routine to stay fit.
‘I wish I was one of those women who do their exercises first thing in the morning, or run straight to the fitness studio as soon as they get up,’ she told Star Magazine. ‘But unfortunately, I’m just not that disciplined!’
Instead, the ‘I Should Be So Lucky’ singer partly relies on her hectic schedue to keep her moving. ‘I don’t really work out, but I’m constantly on the go,’ she told Express.
‘My guilty confession is that there isn’t [a routine]!…I think I stay in shape with an active (read, exhausting!) lifestyle,’ she continued on Reddit. ‘My fitness is really sporadic. I have to thank my mum for good genes.’
Kylie Minogue’s go-to exercises
Despite her self-professed low-key approach, the global multi-platinum recording artist incorporates several workout methods into her day, preferring mainly low-impact and moderate-intensity exercise.
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‘I do Pilates,’ she continued to Star. But she’s careful to keep things balanced. ‘I don’t overdo it,’ she clarified.
‘I like to at the very least do 15 minutes on the Yoga Studio app. I know how to do it without the app but the tone of the woman’s voice and that it’s timed, it goes by so quickly,’ she told WSJ. ‘Then I feel like that’s done and I feel good.’
Often, her exercise of choice also depends on what equipment is available.
‘If there’s a treadmill nearby, I like to do that. We say in my family, “Minogues don’t run.” None of us run. But we like to walk, so that works for me,’ she added. ‘If I’m somewhere where there’s Pilates, I love that.’
Workouts that provide holistic physical and mental benefits are often a favourite.
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‘I’ve also tried Gyrotonics; that was really fun,’ she continued, referring to the gymnastics-and-swimming-inspired movement system developed by Julia Horvath in the 80s. Designed to decompress the body, build strength and flexibility, and improve posture, it’s increasingly being adopted by Olympic athletes and celebrities alike.
‘I loved aerobics and I used to do Callanetics,’ she added to Express. Created by classical ballet-trained Callan Pinckney around 40 years ago, Callanetics uses ‘small, precise pulsing movements’ to ‘activate muscles’. ‘I would travel everywhere with this home workout on a VHS tape and put it on in hotel rooms,’ Kylie revealed.
However, being the ‘Princess of Pop’ does mean that the physical demands are considerable, and often her endurance, coordination and overall fitness are put to the test when she’s on stage.
‘I would say my ultimate workout is being on tour. I’m never as fit as when I’m on tour, so I can’t wait to tour again. My body needs it.’
One of our most frequently asked questions here at Women’s Health? How to build muscle and burn fat at the same time. So, we asked superstar trainer Oyinda Okunowo exactly how to do it. In this 4-week plan – created exclusively for Women’s Health COLLECTIVE members – you’ll get the workouts and nutrition guidance needed to help you on your way to better body composition. Tap the link below to unlock 14 days of free access to Oyinda’s plan and start training today.
Exercise played a pivotal part in Alison Hammond, 51, losing 11 stone. The This Morning presenter hired personal trainer Ellis Gatfield five years ago, and while introducing regular strength training helped her hit her goal, there were a few fitness habits she was also required to quit.
Below, Gatfield shares exactly what she stopped doing, how doing so helped her lose weight and build muscle and her full weekly workout routine.
A quick caveat: sustainable weight loss isn’t driven by exercise or nutrition alone. Movement helps preserve muscle, support metabolic health and improve how your body uses energy, but what you eat still matters. The most effective approach combines smart training with nourishing, realistic nutrition habits you can maintain long term.
@luimancini//Instagram
1. She stopped doing long treadmill sessions
Gatfield says: ‘She never particularly enjoyed traditional cardio, so instead of forcing long treadmill sessions, I focused on raising her heart rate through resistance training performed in a circuit format, using mainly compound movements. This allowed her to get the cardiovascular benefits while also building strength and shaping her body. The biggest mistake from her training before was believing that exercise had to mean long, boring cardio sessions to lose weight. That mindset made training feel like a chore rather than something to enjoy.’
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2. She stopped forcing exercise she didn’t enjoy
Gatfield says: ‘Once we shifted to a style of training she genuinely liked, everything became easier. Training stopped feeling forced, consistency improved naturally, and results followed. Enjoyment is often the missing piece in successful weight loss and it’s something I prioritise with all my clients.
‘Strength training played a huge role in Alison’s weight loss because it allowed her to burn calories, build lean muscle, and improve her metabolism, without relying on long or exhausting cardio sessions. Resistance-based circuits kept her heart rate elevated while also improving strength and body composition which is key for long term fat loss.
‘Just as importantly, she genuinely enjoyed this style of training. She loved being able to come in, work hard for 30 minutes, feel accomplished, and get on with her day. That enjoyment made consistency easy, and consistency is where results come from.
‘With Alison, the priority was keeping training effective, enjoyable, and realistic around her schedule. Sessions were always kept to around 30 minutes, which meant they were easy to commit to and never felt overwhelming.’
3. She stopped skipping rest days
Gatfield says: ‘Rest was equally essential [to her results]. Scheduled recovery days helped regulate stress, reduce fatigue, and allow her body to adapt and improve. That balance between training and recovery meant she could show up strong, train with intent, and sustain results long term.
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‘For most women, especially those new to resistance training, I’d recommend two-three sessions per week. The focus should always be on learning proper technique, moving well, and recovering properly. More isn’t always better – consistency and quality matter far more.’
Alison Hammond’s weekly workout schedule
According to Gatfield, a typical week in workouts for Alison included:
Monday: 30-minute resistance circuit
Tuesday: 30-minute boxing session
Wednesday: rest or low-intensity walk
Thursday: 30-minute kettlebell circuit
Friday: 30-minute boxing session
Saturday: rest or low-intensity walk
Sunday: rest
One of our most frequently asked questions here at Women’s Health? How to build muscle and burn fat at the same time. So, we asked superstar trainer Oyinda Okunowo exactly how to do it. In this 4-week plan – created exclusively for Women’s Health COLLECTIVE members – you’ll get the workouts and nutrition guidance needed to help you on your way to better body composition. Tap the link below to unlock 14 days of free access to Oyinda’s plan and start training today.
Get the plan
As Women’s Health UK’s fitness director and a qualified Pilates and yoga instructor, Bridie Wilkins has been passionately reporting on exercise, health and nutrition since the start of her decade-long career in journalism.
After earning a first-class degree in journalism and NCTJ accreditation, she secured her first role at Look Magazine, where she launched the magazine’s health and fitness column, Look Fit, before going on to become Health and Fitness writer at HELLO!
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Since, she has written for Stylist, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, Elle, The Metro, Runner’s World and Red. Today, she oversees all fitness content across Women’s Health online and in print, spearheading leading cross-platform franchises, such as ‘Fit At Any Age’, which showcases the women proving that age is no barrier to exercise.
She has also represented the brand on BBC Radio London, plus various podcasts and Substacks – all with the aim to encourage more women to exercise and show them how. Outside of work, find her trying the latest Pilates studio, testing her VO2 max for fun (TY, Oura), or posting workouts on Instagram.
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/archetype/PM3O3FLF5NHSHAKOLB6F7KRFWM.jpg?ssl=1 "Army says fitness plan cut injuries and drug use, aids mental health")
