HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. -- Officials from the Hanscom Fitness and Sports Center have developed a program to keep service members and their families active and in shape while gyms and many public parks are closed.
The weekly challenges and training programs enhance components of the Air Force fitness assessment and are slated to be released in the coming weeks.
“It’s hard enough to start and stick with a fitness program that helps you reach your goals when everything is normal,” said Paul Shoesmith, Fitness and Sports Center Operations director. “We wanted to create something that would not only get people moving, but help them maintain their fitness levels.”
The first challenge features four weeks of workouts, progressing in difficulty each week for the service member to complete via pushups, core strengthening, and runs. However, fitness center staff adapted the challenges to allow family members to help meet the goals.
“If the weekly goal is 100 pushups, each member can do 20 a day so it adds up by the end,” said Shoesmith. “We incorporated other activities like freeze tag and Frisbee, just to get everyone outside together.”
Other training programs include a self-paced 5k training regimen and events to hold during a family Olympics.
Shoesmith says his staff members are encouraging families to track their progress on the forms available at www.hanscomfss.com and post photos of their challenges at www.Facebook.com/Hanscom-Fitness-Sports-Center.
“The idea of sharing your journey through photos helps not just the family doing it, but could encourage other people who may be at a standstill,” he said.
Inspiring the community to stay active and fit, whether to meet fitness requirements or just to be healthy, will always be the fitness center staff’s goal, said Shoesmith.
“Our motto is ‘don’t do zero,’” he said. “No matter what you do, just don’t do nothing. Stay focused and active, and you can do anything.”