For those of you who don’t know, the Marine Corps switched from the old daily 7 physical training (PT) program to the new daily 16. Today here at Semper Fitness, we intend to illustrate and explain the new program to you for future use.In an attempt to be more injury conscious, the new daily 16 consists mainly of stretches and mobility exercises followed by a cool-down period of stretches. This PT schedule is a part of the regular PT schedule at the Staff NCO resident course and the Career course at Quantico, Va. For those of you who are out in the Fleet and running PT, you might want to start implementing this into your regimen.
The first exercise of the daily 16 consists of a slow jog around the field (1).
The second event is slow joint rotations (10 count both directions). With the slow joint rotations, there are approximately four of them. Neck rotations, arm circles, hips and knee & ankle rotations. With the neck rotations you will just rotate your neck slowly in circles for a count of 10. The arm circles are conducted by holding your arms out to your sides, palms down and rotating your arms in circles. Rotating your hips is like doing the hoola hoop. Finally, rotate your knees by bending them slightly and rotating them in circles. To go along with the knee rotations are the ankle rotations. Rotate your ankles in circles.
The third event is reach for the sky. This is where you hold your hands in the sky and reach as far as you can.
The fourth event is the chest stretch. Interlace your fingers behind your back and straighten your arms. Start to raise your arms upward, keeping them straight to stretch your chest.
The fifth event is the upper back stretch. Interlace your fingers in front of you with your palms facing away from you. Push forward as far as you can.
The sixth event is the tricep stretch. Hold one arm up in the air. Bend your arm at the elbow until your hand is in the center of your back at the base of your neck. Use your other hand to grab your bent elbow and stretch the tricep.
The seventh event is the hip and back stretch. Sit on the ground with your legs straight out. Bring your left knee up until your foot is flat on the ground near your other knee. Take your right elbow/tricep and place it to the left of your left knee, rotating your hips and back. Switch to the exact opposite to work the other side.
The eighth event is the groin stretch. Sit on the ground similar to the Indian style with the bottoms of your feet together. Grab your feet around the toes and place your elbows close to your knees. Start to stretch the groin muscles.
The ninth exercise is the thigh stretch. Stand up straight and lift one of your feet behind you. Grab that foot that is lifted with either of your hands. Stretch your thigh muscles.
The tenth event is the hamstring stretch. Stand up straight and bend at the waist to stretch your hamstrings.
The eleventh event is the calf stretch. Events twelve through fifteen are actual exercises. They are conducted in the regular four count, 10 repetition manner of the Marine Corps.
Number twelve is called stride jumps. These are done just like side straddle hops or jumping jacks with the difference being the arms do not come all the way up. They are brought to shoulder length, so as not to put added stress on the shoulders.
The thirteenth is called steam engines. You will be standing up with your hands behind your head. You will lift your left knee to meet your right elbow and then lower your knee. Then you will alternate and lift your right knee to your left elbow. You will alternate back and forth between your left and right knees and elbows.
The fourteenth event is called cross country skiers. You will be hopping as if you were skiing. It's sort of like doing a hopping march in place.
The fifteenth event is called bicycle crunches. These are done in the same manner as the steam engines with the difference being, you will be lying on your back.
The sixteenth and final event is a compilation of cool-down exercises repeating events four through eleven.
So let’s get a clear list of the daily 16.
WARM-UP STRETCHES
1. SLOW JOG AROUND FIELD
2. SLOW JOINT ROTATIONS (10 CT. BOTH DIR.)
neck rotations
arm circles
hips
knee & ankle rotations
3. REACH FOR THE SKY
4. CHEST STRETCH
5. UPPER BACK STRETCH
6. TRICEP STRETCH
7. HIP AND BACK STRETCH
8. GROIN STRETCH
9. THIGH STRETCH
10. HAMSTRING STRETCH
11. CALF STRETCH
MOBILITY EXERCISES -- 4 COUNT-10 REPS
12. STRIDE JUMPS
13. STEAM ENGINES
14. CROSS COUNTRY SKIER
15. BICYCLE CRUNCHES
16. COOL-DOWN STRETCHES
calf stretch
hamstring stretch
thigh stretch
groin stretch
hip & back stretch
tricep stretch
upper back stretch
chest stretch
Well, that’s the scoop on the new Marine Corps daily 16. Join us next time for some good tough PT. Stay pumped, stay motivated and OO-RAH!
Semper Fidelis!
