41RNSWR First of many Reserves to land a TacFit Unit.
TFS Owner Leon headed down to Coffs Harbour to deliver the first TFS Bravo unit to the Reserves at 41RNSW.
We chatted with WO2 Ash McMurrich from 41 RNSWR to find out what this means for the Reserves units.
Ash what is the intended use of 41RNSWRs’ TFS Unit?
We will train Tuesday night and training weekends, that the team regularly parade for
battle focused PT. The Unit will be used by all members during the week instead of wasting
money at a gym, as the Bravo has the lot, and we can take it when deployed on activities or OP spt.
What sort of Training/activities do you currently do?
Everything that is required of a full time member as these guys need to be
ready to deploy with various units at all times. They conduct FMP sessions
replicating first aid (TCCC), section and PL attacks, battle PT, HIIT and low
impact cardio, and strength and conditioning training.
What do you see as the perceived benefits for 41RNSWR from procuring your TFS Unit?
All of the above training can now be done using the one TFS Unit and
equipment within. The unit (41 RNSWR) can pack it up and take it to any
activity, or another location/depot if required, and they have the ability to further
the physical training of their members who they currently only see once a week.
How has fitness training in the Defence force changed over the years?
Dramatically from when I joined 25 years ago, the injury rate has decreased
and the focus is more on strength and conditioning, recovery (stretching and
self-administered therapy like Myofascial release and other pain reduction
methods) and education on injury prevention. All building a stronger soldier
who is more physically and mentally resilient and strong.
Do you see any gaps or weaknesses in the current training in Barracks or in
Field training that the TFS unit will fill.
The biggest gap this will fill is in the way of available facilities, as we don’t have
any training facilities at almost every outlying depot in the part-time units that are spread out as
we are. The benefits for units like 10/27RSAR who are spread from far north SA
to inland SA near Port Lincoln, Adelaide and down to Mount Gambier or 5 hours from Adelaide
NORFORCE who have a huge footprint. Having a TFS Bravo Unit at somewhere like Mount Gamier in the middle of nowhere hours away from anything and no facilities for training and rehab and injury prevention of the Reserves and
as part of our requirement to stay fit, no facililites at all of these depots unlike our ARA counterparts who have full facilities available.
Norforce are the same with highly isolated depots.sometimes 5-6-7 hours away
These Units with an ARA member on site to manage and support Reserve have enabling them to be ready.
Isolated from major head
What sort of workouts will you use the TFS Unit for? are you able to give an
example?
Every activity we currently use a gym, and the “make-do” kit and borrowed gear
that we use and try to adapt to the training we do is no longer required.
A session like any of the Combat PT and CrossFit focussed training can be done
in a much shorter period and to an extremely improved standard with the TFS
Unit. We can now include training with an Olympic bar and weights which
we’ve never had unless we go to the gym – example:
Complete 4 x sets, increasing the weight each time and lowering the reps.
The reps are 15, 12, 8 then 6.
The Set:
High Pulls (Standing – good posture pull bar knees to chin with a wide grip)
Behind the head press
Bent over Row
20 Squats
20 Push ups
20 Sit ups
Upright Row
Bicep Curl
Mil Press
10 heaves
Start with only a bar (20kg) – only add 5 kg each set, IT WILL HURT IN THE END
Do you have any future plans for the use of your Bravo Unit?
All the sessions spoken about earlier including educating the team on recovery
and stretching as the Unit came with bands and rollers etc. so we work on education around training plus injury prevention strategies to avoid injury and build stronger, more resilient soldiers.
Why would you recommend TFS Bravo Unit?
Versatility and excellent quality, paired with brilliant design makes for the
perfect training platform for all-round use and adaptable to be able to use in
varied ways and portability.
How will the employment of the TFS Unit Benefit the Soldiers?
Enables them to use a platform that is ready anytime, available at no cost to
them and has all the equipment they would be using in a gym or during
training within a larger base with their equipment. It also allows them to
become stronger and be better educated by full time staff on how to train
better as it’s located at the depot.
Utilisation of the Delta Units?
It’s going to be of use not only to our unit and its soldiers, but to transiting
units and those who base themselves out of here for exercises/activities and
domestic operations such as supporting flood assist, bush fire assist and COVID
assist where they spent a month or more here full time. There are 400-600
people who come through and stay here throughout the year. I can’t wait until
the news is out…
WE HAVE A DEPLOYABLE GYM AT COFFS HARBOUR.
We can easily load it up on the 40M Truck which is part of the new land 121 Project,
the way this Unit packs up is absolutley Awesome. We are so stoked be fulled kitted out by Australian Made and Veteran Owned business.
We are the first Reserve Unit in Australia to receive a TFS Unit. Out of 5 locations wihtin our Unit located betweed Tweed heads to Port Macquarie 5 locations only 1 has a gym set up and now we have our Bravo all in one gym that we can take any location.
