A review on physical fitness studies in military forces Print

Military and police forces look into physical and other fitness indices as a priority issue to be fit ensures safe and complete accomplishment of missions. A critical survey in national studies published in this regard can unveil strength and weaknesses of forces and may stand as an underpinning need to revolutionize the act of monitoring the basic levels of readiness of the forces. All papers accessible when searched with appropriate keywords were recruited for this critical review. Most articles were in Persian and only a few were written in English. A quarter of a century has passes since the publication of the first systemic but limited investigation in the field, which gave the evidence of unfitness in those volunteers enlisted as non-commissioned forces of Basij. Studies covered in present review prove that little or no attention has been paid to the main worries of the research principles and this is the very reason that makes any draw of conclusion nearly impossible. Averaging and grouping of the yearly-collected data, mainly carried out for rank promotion, is unjustifiably claimed to bear the national physical fitness criteria (and scores). In addition, this review is targeting to highlight the critical necessity of investment on research offices in main military forces as headquarters of eligible experienced and academically-oriented conductors of research and collectors of data. Moreover, a thorough and multi-centered, multi-faceted study is to be designed carefully to develop domestic physical fitness test criteria and scores based on national needs and priori. To overcome the current shortcomings, establishment of a school whose primary vision and missions are to screen, monitor, quantify and revise the physical fitness for different ranks within the whole spectrum of Iranian military and police forces is strongly recommended.