CANTON, Miss. - In the Army, being physically fit is a mission in itself. Soldiers must train constantly because they have to be ready for any situation. Once a year, Soldiers are given an Army Physical Fitness Test. Some Soldiers train to meet Army standards, while others train to go above and beyond.
“Just get out and work daily. You really don’t have to do a lot - maybe 100 situps, 100 pushups, and run a mile daily - and your body will adapt. (Physical training) is based on muscle memory. So if you work out daily, your body and muscles will be used to the exercise,” said Spc. Neikolus Johnson, a motor transport operator with the 112th Military Police Battalion, in Canton, Mississippi.
Johnson along with other Mississippi Army National Guard Soldiers from the 112th took their annual APFT on Oct. 17, 2015. Johnson has made a perfect score of 300 for four consecutive years.
Johnson trains at least six days out of a week; he likes to reserve Sundays for church and relaxing with family and friends. He has been in this unit since the start of his military career. He hopes to be promoted within the unit soon and transition into a military police slot.
“I usually set my standards higher for myself versus what the unit standards are. I like to push myself to do better than what’s expected,” said Johnson.
Army standards for the APFT are according to age and gender, and consists of three main events: two minutes of pushups, two minutes of situps and a timed 2-mile run.