Wednesday, Jul. 04, 2012

Mobile Murph boosts functional fitness

Soldiers may not need to worry about going to the gym because Susan Moore wants to bring the gym to Soldiers.

Attached to Moore’s gray Chevrolet Silverado is MobileMurph, which she described as a portable version of Audie Murphy Athletic Performance Center.

The main feature of the truck, attached to the roof, is a collapsible pull-up, monkey bar and anchoring system. Of course, she said, it doesn’t include cardio machines, but those who use MobileMurph will get the same kind of workout they would going to Audie Murphy.

“With gyms on post, during PT hours, you can’t have a whole unit in there,” Moore said. “I can work out up to 100 people at a time.

“If (Soldiers) are stuck training in the field, wherever they are, I can go to them.”

Moore, an Aerobic and Fitness Association of America-certified trainer and TRX Force master trainer, hosts a MobileMurph boot camp, open to anyone, every Monday, Wednesday and Friday adjacent to Doughboy Stadium.

“There’s nothing like it,” said Mirna Nowlan, 42, who has been going to the boot camp since April. “It’s the most rewarding (exercise) — if you can suck it up and take the pain.

“One day your arms will be killing you, and the next you feel like you just went horseback riding from all the squats. I realized I have back muscles I didn’t know I had.”

Moore has already done a PT class for the Ranger Special Troops Battalion and the Marine Corps Detachment. “It’s a change from the norm,” said Joe Weinburgh, commander of Headquarters Company, RSTB. “It’s a different way of varying their PT. It’s not resource intensive. Because it is a truck and trailer … she can take it anywhere.”

Both Moore and Weinburgh said Soldiers are most prone to injury during PT hours.

Because MobileMurph offers a total body workout, those injuries can be prevented, Moore said. She said improper body movement usually causes those injuries, and if Soldiers are only using weightlifting machines at gyms, they are decreasing joint integrity and not strengthening connective tissue.

“It’s going to add structural integrity to their bodies,” she said. “These guys are required to stay in shape, but who’s teaching them how to do it?”

Weinburgh said he thought having Moore work with the Soldiers during the class was the most vital part of MobileMurph. He said he would encourage more company commanders to have their Soldiers learn the exercises because it prepares them to do their daily activities.

“It’s all the things that involve moving your body and body weight. It’s all things geared around … movements associated with climbing, walking, lunging, jumping and carrying,” he said.

The only con, he said, would be the time it takes to educate units.

“That could be balanced out with (Moore) going from unit to unit to educate leaders,” he said.

To schedule a class and for pricing information, email Moore at themobilemurph@gmail.com.