Functional Training Strategies for Military Workouts

Photo by Joel Rivera-Camacho on Unsplash

Military physical training (PT) is known to be demanding, requiring great strength, endurance, agility, dexterity, and resilience. This is related to repetitive high-impact drills (e.g., running, ruck marches, obstacle courses), which contribute to high rates of overuse musculoskeletal injuries within military training.

Injuries often lead to periods of detraining, resulting in a partial loss of fitness adaptations during the recovery period. And the longer the injury recovery process, the stronger the drawback, defeating the whole purpose. 

A practical solution to this is functional training within H2F. That’s because it incorporates high-intensity movements by utilizing multi-joint, task-specific exercises, while also being less aggressive towards the body, resulting in fewer injuries.

And that’s what this article is all about. 

We’re highlighting how functional training, which is already embedded in U.S. Army Holistic Health and Fitness (Field Manual 7-22; focus: endurance, strength, mobility, nutrition, mental readiness, recovery), supported by ATP 7-22.02 (a techniques publication supporting FM 7-22 by providing detailed drills, exercises, sample programs), can help maintain readiness and manage overuse load during run- and ruck-heavy training to mitigate injury risk.

Move out!

1. Cycling

Cycling is an excellent low-impact method of boosting your cardiorespiratory fitness that reduces stress on hips/knees/feet – useful in a military context where lower-limb overuse injuries are present. According to the Defense Health Agency, 95% of military injuries are musculoskeletal injuries (MSKIs), with up to 2/3 being ‘overuse’ injuries. Lower-body overuse MSKIs are most common. Acute MSKIs (fractures, sprains, strains) are mostly caused by falls.

According to a study published in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, cycling increases maximal oxygen uptake (VO₂ max) and your overall endurance while also being easy on the joints (compared to running). Cycling primarily strengthens the lower body and the core, as well as maintaining optimal lung capacity – all essential in long-duration field performance (military).

VO₂ max is the maximum rate at which your body can take in, transport, and use oxygen (during intense exercise).

A safer alternative is indoor cycling using a stationary bike (spinner, recumbent, upright) – controlled conditions without traffic hazards. –

Outdoor cycling carries with it a crash risk (e.g., you’re hit by a car while in traffic, or a jogger takes a freak unannounced turn and you cycle into that person full speed) – the next step depends on the context.

If you were riding off duty as a private citizen, you follow civilian reporting/medical/insurance/claims procedures; meaning you may need to call a bicycle accident attorney for legal help (there are exceptions; see below).

If, however, you were participating in a unit-organized activity/event or military training, then you report through the chain of command and follow Army protocols (safety/LOD).

Exceptions to the ‘civilian procedures’ rule:

• On a military installation (federal property)
• If a federal employee/vehicle on duty is involved
• The accident occurred overseas
• The accident happened on a unit-organized event or training ride (even off base)

2. Swimming

Swimming can be used to build cardiovascular fitness with lower joint loading and full-body muscular activity. In water, you can train longer without too much added joint/muscle stress – excellent when you’re required to limit impact volume.

Comparative data show swimmers exhibit increased lung volumes and expiratory flows compared to non-swimmers – effective for military personnel, as they’ll have higher endurance paired with faster recovery, plus better resilience under physical stress.

Indoor swimming can be used as a way to create predictable conditions.

3. Free-Weight Strength Training

U.S. Army doctrine prescribes resistance training with external loads alongside calisthenics. The focus areas are development of strength, endurance, and mobility.

Foundational movements (e.g., squat, hip hinge, deadlift, overhead press) with loaded carries simulate combat-relevant skills (climbing, dragging, load carriage, etc.). 

Free-weight training allows for progressive overload (gradually increasing resistance once target repetitions are exceeded), which drives long-term adaptation without unnecessary risk.

Adopting these aligns well with Holistic Health and Fitness (FM 7-22) and ACFT preparation.

Note: Doing weight training is often ineffective because the proper technique and form aren’t being used. Correct movement technique and supervision are critical, especially while learning new lifts.

Basic Free Weight Training Routine:

• Squat (3 sets of 10) – lower-body strength & load carriage
• Overhead Press (3 sets of 8) – upper-body endurance
• Deadlift (3 sets of 6) – posterior chain & grip strength
• Farmer’s Carry (3 x 30 seconds) – Simulates real-world (military) load carriage

These four exercises build functional strength – essential for combat readiness.

4. Yoga + Mobility Workout

Flexibility and mobility are already integral to Army training, prescribed in H2F. Adding structured Yoga and mobility sessions can enhance these foundations.

Yoga is excellent for joint range of motion and recovery after high-impact training.

Systematic reviews show that chronic stretching for  ≥ 2 weeks significantly increases the range of motion (ROM). Furthermore, a recent meta-analysis confirms that a greater time under stretch yields larger, measurable gains in muscle hypertrophy and joint ROM – increased ROM could make movements such as crawling, climbing, sprinting, and swimming more efficient for soldiers.

Another benefit of Yoga is that it can be used as a non-pharmacological treatment option for stress reduction – often present in a military environment.

5. Rowing

Rowing machines simulate a low-impact, full-body workout with reduced joint stress compared to upright impact exercises. It distributes load across legs, core, upper back, and pulling musculature, all while reducing joint impact.

For soldiers who partake in run-heavy training, rowing is an excellent way to develop pulling muscles and the posterior chain since these muscle groups are less emphasized in running/cycling.

Ergometer (rowing machine that measures work output) rowing builds cardiorespiratory fitness, muscle endurance, and coordination – all necessary for military tasks that require pulling/dragging/load handling and any tasks involving sustained work.

Furthermore, rowing is great for adaptability, as it can be used for both low-intensity active recovery and high-intensity interval training (HIIT).

Conclusion

Functional training isn’t a better/worse alternative to military workouts, nor is it just a simple add-on that you can throw into the mix. Think of it as a safeguard against injury, plus it’ll only improve your performance levels. 

If you mix in functional training (cycling, swimming, free weight training, Yoga, mobility, rowing, etc.) into your current workout plan, you’ll have a more balanced body, you’ll reduce overuse injuries, you’ll be a tougher athlete that’s healthier and more adaptable.

It’ll keep you active for longer, and it’ll make you a better soldier.

If you aren’t injured, you’re active.

Work on your body so that it can serve you in times of need.