Australian Institute of Sport turns to SAS Commando Training to Select Future Cycling Gold Medallists

The Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) has turned to the brutal selection processes of the SAS and special forces commandos to inspire the next generation of women cyclists to gold medals. Sports scientist David Martin designed the program after briefings on secret army techniques for picking and nurturing their best and brightest. “They were very… Read More

US Army Instructors’ Use of Mobile Devices in the Infantry Advanced Leaders Course

In contrast to investigating the educational effects of mobile devices on students, this research aimed to investigate the potential utility of supplying instructors (rather than students) with mobile devices to be used in conducting training. Following a review of the state of mobile devices development and potential mobile applications, a suitable tablet was selected and provisioned with apps.… Read More

Diabetes Evidence & People Aged 80 or Older…

Very few diabetes trials have ever included people aged 80 years or older (BMJ, 2015). Yet a search of the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink between 1990 and 2013 identified 12,881 people who were newly diagnosed with diabetes in that age group and who were given drug treatment (Hamada & Gulliford, 2015). Although the number… Read More

Channel 4 to put Men through SAS Selection Process for New Series

Channel 4 has announced that it will put members of the public through the demanding SAS selection process for a new series. The series, which currently has the working title SAS: The Selection, will see a group of men from different walks of life put through the physically and mentally challenging entrance tests. Each test… Read More

Dose-Response Relation with Obesity is Identified

Postmenopausal women who are overweight of obese have a raised risk of invasive breast cancer, follow-up data from the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) trials have shown (BMJ, 2015). Research published in JAMA Oncology highlighted a dose-response relation where a higher BMI (body mass index) was associated with greater relative risk (Neuhouser et al., 2015). The… Read More

ATRA Code of Practice for [Military] Instructors (1998)

Below is a copy of the Army Training and Recruitment Agency’s (ATRA) code of practice for instructors from 1998, obtained through an FOI request. All instructors where to have a personal copy for reference and knowledgeable on its contents, and adhere to its ethos when acting in an instructional capacity. ATRA is now known as… Read More

Personal Training: Loaded March

I had a lovely start to the day with a 7.2 mile loaded march carrying 38 lb, though typical of Scotland it was raining. A light drizzle at first turning heavy, conveniently, at the half way mark. It took me 75 mins (0610 to 0725) and it went ok, no hotspots, or shoulder burns, although… Read More