While serving in Iraq, I had to leave my car in storage for almost 12 months while deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. When I returned home, I hopped in the parked vehicle with extreme eagerness and excitement at the thought of rejoining my family. As I drove off, my car sputtered, was sluggish and even stalled in the middle of traffic. Needless to say, I was not a happy Soldier as I literally lived the phrase "going nowhere fast." What I later discovered was that my car's poor performance was the result of underuse and immobility for an extended period of time. I had to learn the hard way that if you don't move it, you will eventually lose it.
This "move or lose it" philosophy provides the perfect language to explain the first component of our body PMCS program. The "P" in PMCS represents the physical fitness checks that we must personally perform on a routine basis. Our bodies were never designed to sit idle or remain sedentary. We improve the body's overall performance and functionality by making it perform its designed purpose, which is to move.
The motto of the Army Transportation Corps is, "Nothing Happens until Something Moves." Your challenge for this week is to adopt that same motto and provide your body with the necessary movement it desires to operate effectively. It doesn't matter if your body happens to have been parked or immobile for an extended period of time. Don't be discouraged if you sputter, are sluggish or even stall while in motion. I encourage you to keep moving until success happens. It's time to move! Don't be the one to lose it because you refused to move it.
Serving to Heal! Honored to Serve!
- PERFORMANCE TRIAD CHALLENGE (this week is Part 3):
- [From Part 1] Schedule an appointment at your nearest dealership (health care provider) for your body PMCS.
- [From Part 2] Take yourself down for maintenance and REST by performing no strenuous exercise for a week.
- Engage in some form of physical activity each day that requires you to move. Walk, jog, dance, kick box or perform aerobics or yoga. Whatever activity you choose, just Move It!
Agent Orange
