JOINT BASE CHARLESTON, S.C. –
Sailors at Joint Base Charleston's Naval Support Activity are implementing the Navy's fitness program, Navy Operational Fitness and Fueling Series, introduced last year.
The program, developed and designed using the collaborative forces of leading fitness, health and nutrition leaders, provides Sailors with guidelines for proper exercise, nutrition and injury prevention as well as a new approach to operational readiness.
"NOFFS uses sports science methodologies combining both human performance and injury prevention strategies resulting in safer training and higher performance outcomes," said Nancy Haynsworth, JB CHS - Weapons Station fitness and aquatics coordinator. "It focuses on the needs of each Sailor, giving them levels of fitness to work towards and allowing them to become not only more educated about the proper way to exercise, but on proper nutrition and how to prevent injuries while exercising."
At JB CHS - WS, the command Command Fitness Leader, Master-at-Arms 1st Class Jacob Moore, and his assistant CFLs, are responsible for providing the proper tools and guidance for Sailors in maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
"It is leadership's responsibility to promote a healthier lifestyle within a Sailor's life, both on and off duty and that is exactly what the CFLs and ACFLs try to do for the Sailors at NSA," said MA1 Moore.
According to MA1 Moore, one way to ensure the command's physical fitness program succeeds, is by implementing the NOFFS program into weekly PT sessions.
"Maintaining physical health is ultimately the responsibility of each individual Sailor," said MA1 Moore. "We've implemented a physical trainer in our program to establish a level of fitness that improves our overall physical health here at NSA.
"Using the NOFFS program along with our regular exercises makes our PT program much easier to administer because it is all written out for us," he continued. "There is no guessing on what type of exercises we should be doing."
NOFFS addresses the two most common problems many Sailors face while exercising during long deployments and in group settings; space and equipment limitations. The answer - more than 90 exercises specifically designed for the Navy environment in which Sailors work. These exercises eliminate the guesswork in developing workout routines.
Laura Allard, personal trainer at JB CHS - WS, said, "Rather than just focusing on how many push-ups and sit-ups a Sailor can do for the Navy's physical fitness assessment, NOFFS creates a more overall total-body fitness level, utilizing aerobic and anaerobic conditioning as well as body movement skills during group PT."
Exercises are designed to replicate the activities Sailors conduct in their daily and operational duties such as lifting, pushing, pulling and carrying. The program is divided into four specialized series tailored for use on submarines, surface ships, large deck ships and in a group environment.
"The exercises taught to Sailors Navy-wide and here at JB CHS - WS can be used throughout their daily activities and are designed for any platform around the world," said Mrs. Haynsworth. "Whether a Sailor is on land, on top of or under the water, these physical activities go hand-in-hand with the needs of the Navy to keep our Sailors in top physical shape while maintaining full operational capability."
"Physical training helps maintain Sailors at a high-state level of readiness to be able to complete the Navy's mission," said MA1 Moore. "The Navy requires all Sailors to be physically fit and here at NSA, we're finding that the NOFFS program is really working for our Sailors."