ABSTRACT
A fighter pilot's physical training programme should consist of a combination of strength, muscular endurance, aerobic and stretching exercises. The workout protocol for strength can include leg presses, bench presses, lat pulls, arm curls, triceps extensions, sit ups and a series of neck exercises including rotation, flexion/extension and lateral flexion. The physical ability to execute the fatiguing straining manoeuvres necessary when exposed to high, sustained and repeated G-loads is crucial. Gains in muscle strength and muscle endurance of various muscle groups from strength training seem to increase G-force tolerance. Strength training should make a pilot able to strain more productively and with less effort than he or she could without such conditioning. Some findings showed statically nonsignificant improvements in the strength measures on +Gz tolerance in flight personnel using a centrifuge. A certain amount of endurance training is also helpful for maintaining G-force tolerance, but high levels of aerobic conditioning decrease orthostatic tolerance.
