BREST, 15 February (BelTA) – The 38th Independent Guards Air Assault Brigade based in Brest has been in the highest state of readiness for six days now as part of the ongoing inspection of Belarus’ Armed Forces. The military personnel are busy passing a complex exam involving tactical and special training, firearms training, and physical fitness. What exercises the paratroopers use to build up strength and endurance has been investigated by a BelTA reporter.
During the current stage of the Belarusian army’s inspection the military personnel have to pass strength and endurance qualifications. Representatives of the Security Council have evaluated pull-up results of the Brest paratroopers. “We usually do them in the gym in winter. But as part of the inspection we have decided to hold the qualifications in the military training area to bring the conditions closer to battlefield conditions. All units had to pass qualifications according to their age group,” explained the deputy commander of one of the battalions of the 38th brigade.
Pull-ups reveal the physical strength of a defender. “Every soldier must be able to hold a weapon in their hands and carry a lot of gear on their shoulders. Pull-ups help develop explosive strength and strengthen the back. This is probably the most common exercise. There is a horizontal bar in the barracks, outdoors, in the gym. Regardless of the season of the year every soldier can come at any time and train, gradually increasing the number of pull-ups. In other words, the soldier works on his own results,” emphasized the deputy commander.
The physical training program for Brest paratroopers is very diverse. This is understandable, as they are an elite special operations unit. The servicemen start their day with exercises, which they do for about an hour before breakfast. During the day they may have to run for several kilometers, do pull-ups, and do abdominal exercises. “Last year the brigade introduced the ‘lift with a twist’ exercise. It’s more complicated. Sit-ups are added to pull-ups: the legs are lifted towards the torso, then twisted, thereby training the core muscles. This makes the soldiers even stronger,” noted the deputy battalion commander.
Military personnel from the 38th Independent Guards Air Assault Brigade had to complete a 5km forced march with full loadouts. The inspectors evaluated the strength and endurance of the soldiers in this manner.
In line with the Armed Forces’ combat readiness inspection plan upon the decision of the head of state the 38th brigade was brought to the highest state of readiness on 10 February. The paratroopers had to pass a tactical and special training exam during the first stage. An evaluation of their firearm qualifications and physical fitness qualifications began after that.
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