Budding fitness leaders run on water

Of all the achievements recorded on Indo-Pacific Endeavour 2022, few would have been more physical than the first sea-borne ADF Fitness Leaders (ADFFL) course run by the Royal Australian Navy for the Australian Army.

The sight of the soon-to-be fitness leaders being put through their paces became a familiar one on HMAS Adelaide, as they worked their training around work commitments and the day-to-day movements of the ship.

The timeframe of the course was expanded to accommodate the scheduling requirements of the students and Adelaide’s operations.

Physical Training Instructor Petty Officer Jacob Machen’s passion for supporting his students to graduation was the main driver for the adaptability he and his team brought to the training.

“With the challenges faced in the maritime environment, innovation in certain aspects within the ADFFL course was imperative,” Petty Officer Machen said.

“Cooperation with the embarked Army element and the training establishment ashore, along with the ‘how-can-we’ attitude, allowed us to run the course safely and effectively without losing any elements of the course.”

Promoting the culture of fitness in Defence, the ADFFL enables graduates to safely run physical training sessions with their units, which Petty Officer Machen said would enhance health and morale.

“The passion, motivation and level of safety awareness the students showed throughout the course was outstanding,” Petty Officer Machen said.

“What the team have learnt, and hearing what they want to take back to their units, will make us a stronger, more mobile and more capable force.”

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