Making the Performance Triad a Lifestyle

By Guest Blogger Sergeant First Class Sean A. Green, Master Fitness and Resiliency Trainer for Army Central Command

While assigned to the Wounded Warrior Transition Brigade(WTB), I had the extraordinary opportunity to work with many of our nation’s heroes who sustained injuries while serving in combat overseas or in the line of duty. Most were preparing for their transition either back to civilian life or reintegrating back into active duty. Many of the injuries sustained by the service members included physical and behavioral injuries.

Often times a warrior in transition will have to take multiple variations of medications in order to assist with their functionality during daily activities. However, I witnessed the strength, ambition and resilience that is ingrained within our veterans. I witnessed these very same veterans arduously train for and eagerly participate in the Warrior Games, Invictus Games, and a number of other competitive adaptive sports.

During my assignment within the WTB, Gen. Patricia Horoho (Ret.) launched the Performance Triad, or P3 initiative. She realized the extreme importance of physical activity, sleep and nutrition as it pertains to optimal performance for all soldiers within the Army.

Sleep

Sleep seven to eight hours every day.
Finish physical activity three hours before bedtime.
Create a “wind-down routine” for the 30–60 minutes before bedtime.
Stop consuming caffeine six hours before bedtime.
Seek help if you have sleep problems for more than two weeks.

Physical Activity

Vary workouts and include strength, endurance, balance, agility and coordination.
Warm up.
Decrease inactivity (sitting) time.
Walk 10,000 steps a day.
Manage injuries quickly.

Nutrition

Eat good quality food.
Stay well hydrated.
Be informed about dietary supplements.
Focus on whole foods.

Combining the aforementioned components are hugely important for our wounded warriors in transition and veterans with disabilities, as well. There have been numerous studies and extensive research on the positive effects physical activity has on our veterans. Some benefits of physical activity for our disabled veterans include: reducing stress, improving weight management and increasing flexibility. Many veterans who are consistently consuming proper nutrition have reached their ideal weight goals and are operating with a new level of self-confidence.

Agencies such as the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairsunderstand the importance of physical activity, proper nutrition, and adequate sleep for veterans as well. In fact, researchers from the Chicago-based Jesse Brown VA Medical Center incorporated a web-based remote coaching tool calledPOWERS (Personalized Online Weight and Exercise Response System) along with a physical activity toolkit coupled with nutritional advice for a group of veterans. After nine months of participating in the program, many of the veterans each lost a total of nearly six pounds. The results are pretty astonishing considering the varied types of injuries each of these veterans has encountered.

In my own experience, I have observed how the magnificent benefits of physical activity, proper nutrition and adequate sleep have impacted the wounded warriors under my care. Just as importantly, Veterans’ family members have approached me and expressed how much of a better mood their husband or wife is in after participating in “wheelchair basketball” or “aquatic therapy.”

Proper nutrition and adequate sleep nested with our veterans’ physical activity plan creates a road map for optimal performance and forward progression for our nation’s heroes. The Performance Triad can be incorporated among family, friends, and communities in order to foster a comprehensive healthy lifestyle. For more information on the Performance Triad, please visit http://hprc-online.org/total-force-fitness/performance-triad.