MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT, San Diego -- The grand opening of Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego’s new Functional Fitness Center took place here Dec. 7 with a ribbon cutting ceremony that included the commanding general of the depot and approximately 80 others.
The fitness center expansion was built because there was a need for functional fitness that stretches beyond the traditional weight room, said Brent Poser, Semper Fit Director, MCRD San Diego.
The deputy commandant for combat development and integration has approved a concept for functional fitness. The intent of the concept and the program to follow is to help commanders as they prepare their units for the demands of combat operations.
According to Marine admini-strative message 579/06, functional fitness is most accurately measured by ones capacity to perform well at the various tasks a Marine is faced with on a daily basis in training or in combat. The newly developed concept will provide the basis for the development of a commander’s program for functional fitness.
Additionally, MARADMIN 579/06 explains that the current practices of physical fitness training do not take advantage of many of the recent developments in athletic preparation that U.S. athletes are benefitting from in many sport disciplines. This observation and recent experiences in combat operations have indicated a need to reexamine the way Marines are physically prepared for the challenges of combat.
The fitness center expansion took approximately five months to complete from vision to completion and approximately $90,000, said Poser.
Fitness Guru Todd Durkin attended the opening and led a physical training session for 30 service members and afterwards, signed copies of his latest book for all attendees.
“It’s an honor to be here, to celebrate this momentous event,” said Durkin. “This is a beautiful fitness expansion.”
Durkin is an internationally recognized performance enhancement coach, personal trainer, massage therapist, author and speaker. He is the founder and creator of Fitness Quest 10 & Todd Durkin Enterprises in San Diego, Calif., where his team focuses on personal training, massage therapy, Pilates, yoga, sports performance training, nutrition, physical therapy, and chiropractic.
“It was a good workout,” said Lance Cpl. Codey Crawford, infantry weapons repairman. “It was fast-paced and got your heart pumping.”
Some of the equipment that was presented and used during the workout was medicine balls, kettle bells, rings, ammo cans and TRX suspension trainers.
“They (the workout group) were awesome,” said Durkin. “I worked them harder than I do pro-athletes, and I kept pushing and challenging them. I was trying to break them.”
Also present at the ribbon cutting ceremony were professional baseball players Tim Stauffer and Chris Young of the San Diego Padres and Mark Prior of the New York Yankees who helped Durkin with the workout and signed baseballs for everyone.
“It’s motivating to have so many push and challenge themselves,” said Durkin.