The IDF Chief of Staff, Lt.-Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi, and about 20 of the IDF’s top commanders spent the morning sweating, in a high-profile physical workout held as part of the IDF’s Fitness and Health Week.
The officers donned physical training outfits but first listened to a lecture by Chief Medical Officer, Brig.-Gen. Nachman Ash, who got them up-to-date on research regarding proper health habits and physical activity. They also heard a lecture from Col. Avi Moyal, Head of Combat Fitness Department in the Ground Forces, regarding changes in the IDF’s “culture of combat fitness.”
At that point, the generals got up and began climbing 146 stairs to the roof of the General Staff Building in Tel Aviv, where they promptly began a 45 minute spinning (indoor cycling) lesson under Moyal’s guidance.
They followed with some muscle relaxing exercises and Pilatis for the cool-down,
A healthy breakfast topped everything off.
When he was done barking orders at the IDF brass, Col. Moyal said that he was “very pleasantly surprised” by the level of the officers’ fitness. “I know that most of them carry out routine physical fitness as part of their work day.”
Moyal pointed to “a very meaningful trend” of “a change in the life span” [presumably towards longevity – ed.] of both combat soldiers and noncombatants and said that “more and more military people participate in physical activity.”
The IDF’s sixth annual Fitness and Health Week is a joint initiative of the Combat Fitness Department and the Medical Corps. The entire IDF participates in the activities, which include study days on nutrition and health at the Wingate Institute and various fitness competitions and activities.
The week will culminate with a long-distance run at the Officers’ School in Mitzpeh Ramon, led by Ground Forces Commander Maj.-Gen. Avi Mizrachi. 4,000 soldiers have already signed up for the run.