MARINE CORPS BASE, Hawaii -- Marines practiced cross-country skiing and acrobatics without leaving Marine Corps Base Hawaii’s main pool.
More than 55 Marines were trained in the new Aquatics Maximum Power-Intense Training program during trainer sessions, Wednesday and Thursday. The AMP-IT program was developed from an Army exercise program but re-calibrated to a more intense workout for Marines.
“The program consists of a warm-up, deep water cadence, shallow-end muscle strength and endurance, and a cool down with stretching,” said Kari Hemund, a former Marine Corps Base Hawaii aquatics specialist who is now the aquatics specialist for Headquarters Marine Corps.
Mary Wykle, who has a doctorate in exercise program development, initially developed the foundation of the program. Hemund suggested adding in water towing and resistance. The two, along with physical therapist Mary Mitchell, have been touring Marine Corps installations to teach the program to active duty Marines since September 2012.
“We’re also leaving the Marines with materials to continue learning and training,” Wykle said. “We train the personnel all together so they can start bringing their units to the pool. We’re hoping they employ this to keep them healthy, fit and ready to deploy.”
The Marines learned exercises at one of three stations, located at different parts of the pool.
“Using this training will give us another tool,” said Sgt. Savanna Tardif, a Corporals Course instructor with the Staff Noncommissioned Officer Academy. “This can offer more variety for students and broaden their horizons.”
During one portion of training, Hemund offered monitors to Marines to track their heart rates.
“I could feel my legs and mid-core especially during the workout,” said Lance Cpl. Marcom Gomes, a rifleman with Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment. “At the end of the towing, I pulled so much my heart rate was 185.”
Sinking their hearts into AMP-IT, the Marines rose to meet the challenge.