Keeping Army, Air Force in 'step'

Photo By Staff Sgt. Tabitha Kuykendall | Staff Sgt. Monnett Bushner, 218th Military Police Company physical therapy technician and combat medic, teaches an hour-long step aerobics class Feb. 2. Bushner has been teaching the step class, a series of basic routines using the step and light hand weights, since October.  

KIRKUK, IRAQ

02.05.2010

Story by Master Sgt. Martie Moore 

506th Air Expeditionary Group

Most people might just be stepping out of bed at 5:30 a.m. but that's when one Army staff sergeant is in front of about 20-plus Soldiers and Airmen starting the count-down.

5, 4, 3, 2, 1 basic right! She shouts over the blaring music and, like any disciplined military unit, everyone starts the constant up and down footsteps of the hour long step aerobics class.

Staff Sgt. Monnett Bushner, 218th Military Police Company physical therapy technician and combat medic, has been teaching the step class since October.

The class is a series of basic routines using the step and light hand weights.

"I keep it simple but also switch it up sometimes to keep it interesting," said Bushner. "You don't have to be coordinated to do it. By about the third class, people have it down."

Incorporating the weights in the class helps Staff Sgt. Cornelius Service, 506th Air Expeditionary Group PERSCO operations, save time.

"It definitely helps increase my durability and cardio with the repetition and weight," said Service.

The beginning of the class starts out at a slower pace; however, during the second half hour she picks up the speed to push the cardio work out.

"I want to make sure people are sweating," she said. "They joke that I'm trying to kill them, but they keep coming back so they must like it."

Her class was originally three days a week, but because of the high interest in the class she now teaches five days a week: Tuesday and Thursday at 5:30 a.m., Wednesday and Friday 6 p.m., and Saturday at 6:30 a.m.

Spending her days outside the wire as a medic she knows the pressures of being a Soldier.

"Working out helps with stress, morale and motivation," she said.

Whether you are a morning person or a night owl, Bushner has a class for everyone to step into at the Mt. Warrior gym.

• Date Taken: 02.05.2010
• Date Posted: 02.05.2010 06:18
• Story ID: 44967
• Location: KIRKUK, IQ