Effect of mixed basic military training on the physical fitness of male and female soldiers

Abstract

Introduction: Mixed gender basic military training (BMT) is adopted to integrate the female South African soldier into the military. This study aimed to assess gender differences before, during (12 weeks), and after a 20-week mixed BMT course and determine if BMT significantly reduced these differences. Methods: A total of 186 soldiers (114 male: mean age = 21.0 ± 1.1 year; 72 female: mean age = 20.5 ± 1.2 year) completed the BMT course and all anthropometric, physical fitness, explosive power, and hand grip strength measurements. Repeated-measures analysis of variance was used to model BMT data with main effects for gender comparison between males and females, and time main effect for evaluation of differences between weeks 1, 12, and 20 of BMT, as well as an interaction effect for differences in changes over time for males and females. Alpha was set at α ≤0.05. Results: Male soldiers were significantly taller (p < 0.001) and scored better in all measurements at the start of BMT, differences ranged from 1.6% to 50% between genders. Differences narrowed by up to 18.5% in aerobic, push-up, abdominal measurements, and to 4.6% in the South African National Defense Force fitness test. Differences in power output and hand grip strength remained unchanged. Conclusion: Large initial anthropometrical and physical fitness differences decreased but were still obvious at the end of BMT. BMT should bridge the physical gap between male and female soldiers to ensure they can all perform the same duties. The enforcing of equal minimum physical fitness requirements for acceptance into BMT; conditional acceptance into the military subject to the successful completion of a bridging course aimed at improving physical fitness in individuals who do not meet the minimum physical fitness requirements for acceptance; and developing a cyclic physical training program with different entry points, dependent on initial physical performance at the start of BMT, ensuring adequate progression and overload for all soldiers are possible avenues to explore to achieve this goal.