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Introduction
As one of the foremost institutions in Israeli society, and especially as it is a
combat organization requiring its soldiers to engage in strenuous physical and
mental activity, the IDF views health, physical fitness and a healthful way of
life as critical values.
The Center for Combat Fitness in the IDF is in charge of promoting and
improving the physical and mental fitness and vigor of its soldiers, including
those doing their compulsory service as well as regular army personnel and
IDF reservists.
In light of lessons generated by the Second Lebanon War, when it became
clear that the physical fitness of the combatants was not at the level expected
of them, the combat fitness structure in the IDF has spearheaded a significant
program of reform in the field of physical and combat fitness in the IDF.
During the last 3 years, IDF’s combat fitness structure has focused its
activity on three levels:
1. Enhancing combat fitness of combat units.
2. Adjusting and regulating stress measures in selections and
physical assignments to elite units.
3. Assimilating a culture of a healthful way of life into the IDF.

1. Enhancing Combat Fitness of Combatants

Realizing the purpose of the IDF, i.e. defending the citizens of the State
of Israel, requires continuous operational fitness on the part of the
combat units. In order to continue improving the operational
performance of commanders and soldiers in the field, the IDF has
undertaken many changes in programs designed to enhance combat
fitness. These are particularly apparent in three areas:

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• A change in the training program and in the stress measures of the

combat units:
The combat fitness structure has implemented many changes in the training
programs of the different units as the result of several instances in which the
level of fitness was found to be insufficient for handling the missions at hand.
As a result, a unique training program and stress measure has been designed
for combatants in relation to the nature of their unit. This means shorter hikes
than in the past, as these have been shown to be more effective in improving
combatants’ combat fitness. As a result, the number of stress fractures has
steadily gone down over the years thanks to commanders’ follow-up and
awareness of the stress measures. In addition, the chief officer of the infantry
and paratroopers announced directives regarding training programs that
include a measure to graduate physical effort in IDF units, a return to physical
activity after it was dropped from the training program, and tracking the
implementation of physical training programs at the unit and individual levels.
The improvement in the training program may be seen in the changes in
combat fitness level in infantry brigades: a 23% increase from 2006 until
2009 in the level of fitness of infantry brigades as is shown by the
control index.

‫ חטיבות‬-‫שינויים ותמורות ברמת הכשירות במדדי הביקורת‬

‫הח"יר‬

23% increase 73.40%

80.60% 100.00%
65% 80.00%
57.60%
60.00%

40.00%

20.00%

0.00%
2006 2007 2008 2009

[chart name:] Changes in fitness level measured by control indices –

infantry brigades

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In addition, from 2002 until 2009 there was a 14% increase in prospective
soldiers who passed the combat fitness exam; in the same period there was a
10% increase of prospective soldiers taking the exam. So, for example, in the
Southern Command, there was a 53% increase in examinees from 2008 to
2002-2009‫אחוז המש תתפים בבוחן כוש ר מבצעית בש נים‬ 2 002-2009‫אחוז ה עוברים בבוחן כ שירות מצבעית ב ש נים‬

89%
10% increase 90% 14% increase 92% 95%
88%
88% 87% 86% 90%
86%
82% 84%
81% 81% 84% 85%
80% 82%
79% 78%
80% 80%
78%
75%
76%
74% 70%
2002/3 2003/4 2004/5 2006/7 2007/8 2009 2002/3 2003/4 2004/5 2006/7 2007/8 2009

2009.
[chart name, left:] The number of participants in the operational fitness
exam, 2002-2009
[chart name, right:] The number of people passing the operational fitness
exam, 2002-2009

As part of the changes in the training programs and because of the

many injuries sustained by combatants because of muscular weakness
and incorrect use of the body, the decision was made to develop and
incorporate strength and stability training, in order to prevent injuries,
including orthopedic damage, during the training period and in order to
inculcate an awareness in the soldiers of proper work in strength and motion
exercises.

• Expanding the corps of combat fitness trainers:

In recent years, the IDF opened a physical fitness trainers’ course for IDF
service people already serving in other capacities, and in 2009 over 300
physical fitness trainers were certified. (To date, over 800 physical fitness
trainers among IDF service people already serving in various capacities have
been certified.) In addition, professional personnel are being referred to all
infantry and reconnaissance battalions. All of these changes indicate that IDF
commanders are internalizing the importance of physical fitness. From 2007

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until 2009, there was a 55% increase in physical fitness trainers’ certification
among IDF service people already serving in other capacities.
The number of IDF service people already serving in orther
capacities ceritified as physical fitness trainers

increase 55%

As part of the activity of the Center for Combat Fitness, there are routine
spot checks, including attending training, close tracking of unit
performance, and continual lesson-learning and adjustments The
inspections are carried out in relation to the nature of the units’
activities.
The physical fitness structure views such inspections as an impetus to
learning, motivation and improving a unit’s physical and combat fitness.
Therefore, there has been an increase in inspections taking place in practice
in various units, with stress placed on combat units. In 2009, some 24
General Staff checks were planned as well as 32 inspections at the GOC
Army Headquarters. In addition, there are pinpoint checks in various units in
order to make sure combatants achieve optimal combat fitness.

2. Adjusting and Regulating Stress Measures in Selections and Physical

Assignments to Elite Units
As a result of several unfortunate events, in which two prospective IDF
recruits died during selections in the summer of 2006 and six
prospective IDF recruits suffered heat strokes in 2007, the fact that it is

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necessary significantly to change the physical selection processes in

the IDF has become better understood. There have been significant
improvements in command and control processes in these selections. The
IDF has established a professional committee headed by the chief infantry
and paratrooper commander that incorporates medical, safety, psychological
and combat fitness experts. The committee is charged with approving the
physical selections in the army in general and is the authorized body in
charge of the placement and selections processes. Alongside, a selection
division has been established in the Center for Combat Fitness that is
responsible for examining and approving training programs and exercise
routines of all physical selection processes in the IDF. Today, the selections
are not carried out on the basis of the consideration of the unit commanders
but are rather carried out in accordance with the directives of the one
authorized body. This division is responsible not only for approving the
directives but also for supervising their implementation in practice.
In addition, a unique training program was developed that certifies reserve
and regular army soldiers to become physical selection commanders. This is
to ensure that all selection commanders have up-to-date, appropriate training,
thereby preventing situations in which commanders who themselves have not
been in training for a number of years are in charge of physical selections. As
part of these changes, some 100 physical selection commanders in the
reserves and the regular army have been certified.
The results of these changes have already been felt in the last 2 years. In this
period, only a single incident of heat stroke, the result of a prospective IDF
recruit not reporting on medications he was taking, took place during the
various physical selections.
The IDF is also working to improve the selections and stress measures
for students at the IDF preparatory high schools. Today, such
improvements in physical and combat may already be seen among the
students in the 12 preparatory schools where physical fitness trainers
are working. During the year, most of the students arrive for selections for
special and/or volunteer units. Therefore, physical training done ahead of time
with professional supervision and with a designated goal in mind is necessary

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for every student at such a prep school. Physical and combat preparation will
prevent unnecessary injuries, stress fractures and early dropouts of potential
combat soldiers.

3. Assimilating a Culture of a Healthful Way of Life into the IDF

As part of the growing awareness in the IDF of the importance of a
healthful way of life, several projects are today working to strengthen
the culture of physical fitness in the IDF: the Healthful Way of Life
Project, cross-country teams in the IDF, the Change in Shape Project,
and Fitness and Health Week.

• The Healthful Way of Life Project:

The project allows regular army personnel to improve their physical fitness
and make their way of life a more healthful one. The Healthful Way of Life
Project started in 2008 with 5 units. During 2009, the project expanded to
include 47 units, and this year another 15 units will be joining it. So far, 2,000
regular army personnel have participated. The project uses a professional
team of experts on healthful living, physical fitness officers, unit physicians,
fitness trainers and nutritionists. The project is active during business hours,
without exception, and the physical fitness program of the project is held three
times per week. The project includes tracking of personal indices of all the
participants, and individualized meal plans for every regular army service
person created by a clinical nutritionist.

‫מספר המשתתפים בריצת מפקדים בפילוח ע"פ שנים‬

6723
7000
5052
6000
3991 4171
5000
4000
3000
2000
1000
0
2005 2007 2008 2009

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[chart name:] Number of participants in commanders’ runs, segmented

by year

• Cross-country teams in the IDF:

As part of the IDF’s program to promote and improve soldiers’ physical

fitness, during their compulsory service and in the regular army, cross-
country teams have been established throughout Israel. Today, there are
4 such teams in various locations – Beer Sheva, Tel Aviv, the Wingate
Institute, and Safed – and over 300 regular army service people participate in
them.
‫מספר המשתתפים בקבוצות ריצה‬
350

350
250
300
250
200
150
70
100
50
0
2007 2008 2009

[chart name:] Number of participants in cross-country teams

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[chart tags, clockwise from top:] Improving fitness, Preventing

hypertension, Preventing accumulation of blood lipids, Balancing blood
sugar, Life expectancy increase, Stress reduction, Preventing smoking,
Improving quality of life

• The Change in Shape Project

The Change in Shape Project is a program that combines physical

activity with individualized menus designed to lose weight. The project
takes place in intimate, personal groups, providing a supportive and rewarding
setting for participants making one of the biggest changes in their lives.
During the program, designated for regular service personnel with the rank of
major and above, participants receive individualized menus based on
nutritional counseling and individualized physical training programs. In
addition, the project provides close personal tracking of the various body
indices to allow for optimal results.

• Fitness and Health Week:

Maintaining the health of IDF service personnel is a basic commitment

the army has to its soldiers. Led by the Medical Corps and the Center for
Combat Fitness, the IDF has for a number of years been maintaining an
extensive program designed to improve fitness and health in all units.
Promoting this is achieved through a variety of means, such as supporting
cross-country running teams, supporting soldier participation in the Tel Aviv
Marathon, and opening dozens of special, innovative courses and workshops
for all IDF personnel. Fitness and Health Week is an important component
of this program and is designed to promote awareness of and
encourage a healthful way of life.
Fitness and Health Week in the IDF has been held for the past 4 years and is
an established part of the IDF’s training graph. This week takes place May 17-
27; this year it was held for the fifth time. During the week, all IDF units hold
activities and workshops on the topic of physical fitness, health maintenance,
and making better life choices, as well as practical training (running, walking,

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ball games), unit-wide sports days, lectures on healthful living, physical

examinations, and BMI measurements. The climax of the week is the 10K run
at Training Base 1.

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Information Update:
Combat Fitness in the IDF – February 2010

As one of the foremost institutions in Israeli society, and especially as it is a combat

organization requiring its soldiers to engage in strenuous physical and mental activity,
the IDF views health, physical fitness and a healthful way of life as critical values.
The Center for Combat Fitness in the IDF is in charge of promoting and improving
the physical and mental fitness and vigor of its soldiers, including those doing their
compulsory service as well as regular army personnel and IDF reservists.
In light of lessons generated by the Second Lebanon War, when it became clear that
the physical fitness of the combatants was not at the level expected of them, the
combat fitness structure in the IDF has spearheaded a significant program of reform in
the field of physical and combat fitness in the IDF.

During the last 3 years, IDF’s combat fitness structure has focused its activity on
three levels:

• Enhancing combat fitness of combat units.

It is already possible to see improvements in the level of physical fitness in combat

soldiers in the infantry in particular and in the combat corps in general, as a result
of changes in training programs and the stress measures. The various training
programs and stress measures have been adjusted to match the nature of the
activity required and of the units’ operational missions.
4. Changing the training program and stress measure in the combat
corps and adjusting these to the nature of the unit: The improved
training program is reflected in the changes in the level of fitness in the
infantry brigades: an increase of 23% between 206 and 2009 in the level of
fitness in infantry brigades as is clear from the control indices (Graph 1 in
the Appendix). Moreover, there was an increase of 14% in the number of
prospective soldiers passing the combat fitness exam from 2002 until 2009
and 10% increase in the number of prospective soldiers participating in the
combat fitness exam from 2002 until 2009 (Graph 2 in the Appendix).

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As part of training courses offered at the School for Combat Training at

Training Base 8, new contents were incorporated into the course entitled
Strength and Stability Training to Avoid Battle Injuries of Combatants.
The course is held in conjunction with the Medical Corps and is designed
for physical fitness officers and physical fitness trainers with emphasis on
combat soldiers.
5. Expanding the structure of combat fitness trainers: In 2009, more than
300 IDF service people already serving in other capacities were certified
as physical fitness trainers. From 2007 until 2009, there was a 55%
increase in physical fitness trainers’ certification among IDF service
people already serving in other capacities (Graph 3 in the Appendix).
6. Increased inspections and tracking of physical fitness in various units,
with stress placed on combat units: In 2009, some 24 General Staff
checks were planned as well as 32 inspections at the GOC Army
Headquarters. In addition, there are pinpoint checks in various units in
order to make sure combatants achieve optimal combat fitness. In addition,
GOC Commander Brig.-Gen. Sammy Turjeman decided to institute a
combat fitness test for combat commanders as a condition of promotion.

• Adjusting and regulating stress measures in selections and physical

assignments to elite units: The IDF has established a professional committee
headed by the chief infantry and paratrooper commander that incorporates
medical, safety, psychological and combat fitness experts. The committee is
charged with approving the physical selections in the army in general and is
the authorized body in charge of the placement and selections processes.
Alongside, a selection division has been established in the Center for Combat
Fitness that is responsible for examining and approving training programs and
exercise routines of all physical selection processes in the IDF. In addition, a
unique training program was developed that certifies reserve and regular army
soldiers to become physical selection commanders. To date, some 100
physical selection commanders in the reserves and the regular army have been
certified.
The IDF is also working to improve the selections and stress measures for
students at the IDF preparatory high schools. Today, such improvements in
physical and combat fitness may already be seen among the students in the
preparatory schools where physical fitness trainers are working. This year,

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Training Base 8 (The School for Combat Fitness) is hosting the IDF
championship in combat fitness for the IDF preparatory high schools.

• Assimilating a culture of a healthful way of life into the IDF: At

present, several projects are in place to strengthen the culture of physical
fitness in the IDF: the Healthful Way of Life Project, cross-country teams in
the IDF, the Change in Shape Project, and Fitness and Health.
1. The Healthful Way of Life Project: The project involves some 50 units
and over 2,500 regular army service personnel. During the project, the
individuals’ indices of all the participants are tracked and clinical
nutritionists prepare individualized meal plans for all participants.
2. Cross-country running teams in the IDF: Today there are five cross-
country teams throughout Israel and more than 300 regular army personnel
are members (Graph 4 in the Appendix).
3. The Change in Shape Project: This project is designed for regular army
personnel with the rank of major and above. The program provides
nutritionally sound menus and individualized fitness programs for 45
officers in the coming year.
4. A new IDF swim team in which 150 commanders with the rank of
captain/master sergeant and above are members.
5. Fitness and Health Month: October 2010 will be designated Fitness and
Health Month and all IDF units will hold activities and workshops on the
topic of physical fitness, health maintenance, and making better life
choices, as well as physical activities (running, walking, ball games), a
unit-wide sports day, lectures on healthful living, physical examinations,
and BMI measurements. The climax of the month will be the 10K run at
Training Base 1. Originally, this program lasted only one week, but
because of the positive feedback and response generated the program has
been extended to last a full month.

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