Materials handling ability of regular and reserve British Army soldiers

The main objective of this research was to compare the materials handling ability, aerobic power, and body composition of fully trained Reserve and Regular male British Army soldiers (approximately 6-7 years of military experience). Twenty-one Reserve soldiers and 15 Regular soldiers completed fitness tests, including a maximal box lift to 1.45 m and a repetitive 22-kg box lift-and-carry test. There were no statistically significant differences (p > 0.05) between the two groups in any parameter measured. The performance levels observed in these fully trained soldiers (maximal box lift approximately 63 kg, repetitive lift and carry approximately 34 repetitions) were broadly comparable to those reported previously for new recruits. The physical training performed by the Regular soldiers (both within and beyond their military service) and the Reserve soldiers (predominantly outside their military duties) seems to be of sufficient volume and intensity to maintain performance levels comparable with each other and equivalent new army recruits.