The influence of differential physical conditioning regimens on simulated aerial combat maneuvering tolerance.

The influence of physical conditioning on tolerance to a centrifugation profile called the Simulated Aerial Combat Maneuvering (SACM)--was determined using 24 young men as subjects. These subjects were assigned to groups as controls (no physical training, C), runners (R), and weight trainers (W). They followed a 12-week protocol of specified physical training. During this study, tolerance to the SACM, maximum oxygen consumption, muscle strength, and body composition were periodically determined. SACM tolerance was defined as the total time that a subject could withstand continuous exposure to a 4.5 and 7.0 +Gx centrifugation profile as determined by his voluntary endpoint of fatigue. The +Gx tolerance of the runners and controls increased at an average rate of 4 s/week during the course of the experiment. On the other hand, the weight trainers increased their G tolerance at an average rate of 15 s/week. The difference between group W compared with groups C and R was statistically significant at the 5% level. Fatigue scores indicate that group W subjects take longer to reach a given level of fatigue than did the subjects of the other groups. It appears therefore that a physical conditioning program of weight training will improve human tolerance to aerial combat maneuvers.