Face of Defense: CrossFit Coach Helps Soldiers Stay Fit

By Chung II Kim

2nd Combat Aviation Brigade

CAMP HUMPHREYS, South Korea, July 31, 2015 – A brunette woman in a black Army physical training uniform lifted a dark kettlebell over her shoulders, then slammed it down. Beside her, a man with a black spandex T-shirt lifted a gigantic barbell that was so heavy that the bar bent a little above his head.

Their shirts were drenched with sweat. Before most people get out of bed in the morning, these soldiers were training.

“Swing it higher!” a woman commanded the sweating soldiers. She is Army 1st Lt. Laura Hinton, an assistant brigade logistics officer with the Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Combat Aviation Brigade here.

Hinton is a volunteer CrossFit coach for Camp Humphreys. She earned an official CrossFit Level 1 trainer certificate at Fort Stewart, Georgia, in 2012.

Improving Physical Fitness

“CrossFit is a fitness program designed to provide effective exercise for its participants without specialization,” Hinton explained. “Regardless of age, body shape, and gender, CrossFit can improve an individual’s fitness level.”

Hinton started CrossFit at Hunter Army Airfield in Georgia, which was her last duty station. She has been doing CrossFit for three and a half years. Since she came to Camp Humphreys, she has voluntarily spent her own time to coach fellow community members how to do CrossFit.

“I teach a 5:30 a.m. class every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday,” Hinton said. “I have to constantly look after the people in case of injury.”

Hinton said she does her own workout after classes are over.

The participants are positive about the CrossFit classes.

‘Every Part of You Hurts Afterwards’

"I don't know how to describe how good it is. Every part of you hurts afterwards. There's a lot of upper and lower body exercises and those are key elements to improving your APFT," said Army 1st Lt. Amanda O’Leary, a medical officer from the 2nd Combat Aviation Brigade.

Hinton said she recommends CrossFit to people who like varied, intense workouts and enjoys workouts with a community. The CrossFit program, she said, is divided into five processes. The first one is dynamic warm up, and the second is strength portion. Then, the workout of the day, core exercise, and stretching.