56th OSS improves PT test scores with CrossFit

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Melanie Holochwost
  • 56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. --  About four months ago, 20 Airmen from the 56th Operations Support Squadron were sent to CrossFit Luke to improve their physical fitness scores.

Sherri Biringer, 56th Force Support Squadron Cross- Fit supervisor, said most of the Airmen were either failing or almost failing their tests before they began training with her at the beginning of the year.

Senior Airman Nicole Rios, 56th OSS Aircrew Flight Equipment parachute packer and one of the Airmen who trained with Ms. Biringer, said she failed her test in October mainly because she couldn't finish the mile-and-a-half run.

"I improved on all portions of the test after working out with Sherri and running with my supervisor, Staff Sgt. Michael Cramer, who went from an 84 to a 94 on his test," Airman Rios said. "For the first time in my career, I wasn't worried about failing and I scored an 84."

Airman Rios said she also lost weight and inches and is going to continue doing CrossFit.

"CrossFit is addicting, especially after seeing the results," she said. "I went from a 33.5 - inch to a 29.5 - inch waist and lost about 25 pounds. I also went from not being able to finish a mile-and-a-half run to training for a half marathon. I ran six-and-a-half miles this morning."

The whole group of 56th OSS Airmen succeeded with CrossFit, Airman Rios said.

"Airman 1st Class Lauren Benge lost about 20 pounds and ran her mile-and-a-half in under 12 minutes," Airman Rios said. "[Another NCO] scored an 81, which was his highest score ever."

Ms. Biringer said the workout routines were specifically designed to improve physical fitness test scores.

"I do the Military Athlete workout of the day with them," she said. "The Military Athlete workout is CrossFit, but it is longer and focuses on a lot of the muscle groups needed for the physical fitness test. We do a lot of abdominal work, pushups, running and rowing. The workouts vary daily so it doesn't get boring."

Airman Rios said her most memorable workout was circuit training with sit-ups, pushups and rowing.

"We start with a round of 20 pushups and 20 sit-ups," she said. "We increase by five repetitions every round until we hit 45, and then went all the way back down to 20. There is a 200-meter row between rounds and a 1,000 meter row at the end."

Ms. Biringer said more workouts of the day and other CrossFit information can be found on CrossFit Luke's Web site: http://www.crossfitluke.blogspot.com.

Stand by for next's week's health and fitness article focusing on the 56th Logistics Readiness Squadron Airmen who also improved their physical fitness test scores with Ms. Biringer and CrossFit.