Sports, Recreation and Fitness: Almost Second Nature for Airmen

  • Published
  • By Maj. John Northon
  • 48th Security Forces Squadron
ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England --  I'm an athlete. I started playing organized sports when I was 6 years old. Physical fitness has always been part of my life. It is part of who I am. 

I have been going to Air Force fitness centers most of my adult life. I've been around long enough to remember when they were called gyms. The gym used to be a place where cops would go after shift with a few other select die-hards from other squadrons. We lifted a lot of weights and then tried our best to kill each other playing combat basketball or some other rule-modified contest. For about 10 months out of the year, the gym was our sanctuary. 

Then came the invasion of the couch potatoes. Every January and February, the gym was infested with hundreds of smokers, snackers and slackers. Their heads were filled with delusions of fulfilling New Years resolutions and their bodies were covered with the latest, overpriced workout gear. Inevitably, only a few would survive the attempted metamorphosis and still be around come April. Life in the gym was back to normal. Normal, however, has taken on new meaning. 

Over the past couple of years, as I prepared myself for the annual "invasion", I have noticed a difference. The two month surge has been replaced by year-round activity. Gyms have truly evolved into fitness centers. Running trails and tracks are regularly populated. Strength and conditioning have replaced the, "I-can-bench-450lbs-so-stop-looking-at-my-40-inch-waist" mentality. Squadron physical training programs are fully operational. Fitness has become second nature -- for most of us. 

I still see a few of my fellow Airmen who are missing the concept. I have heard the excuses and I am unsympathetic to all of them. For those out there who think PT is only about passing a test, you are woefully behind the rest of us who "get it." Fitness requires discipline, teamwork and perseverance. It involves pushing one's self to be better. Fitness is a subset of the warrior mentality. Self improvement, teamwork, discipline and perseverance are qualities that all Airmen should possess and develop. These qualities make possible our professional development, educational growth and physical fitness. It's not about passing a test; it is making a committed decision that improves overall quality of life. 

As the title of this article suggests, fitness, sports and recreation are second nature for most of us. I'm proud to be part of a culture that has moved from a two-month surge to a year-round commitment. Most Airmen have embraced the healthy-living culture and embedded fitness into the duty day. And in case you haven't noticed, leadership at all levels of the 48th Fighter Wing is setting the example. 

Be an athlete. Continue to make fitness a part of your life; make it second nature. Have fun and I'll see you in the gym.