JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, Va. –
The Pregnancy Postpartum Physical Training program at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia is an Army-wide mandatory physical training program for pregnant Soldiers, which focuses on helping Soldiers stay fit and able to pass a PT test six months after giving birth.
The P3T Program consists of mandated PT sessions held every morning at McClellan Fitness Center from 6:30 to 7:30 a.m. with occasional educational classes on Fridays.
“What I have learned through the program is that a lot of women had a hard time adjusting to being pregnant, whether it is their first child or their fourth child,” said U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Candace Barnes, Headquarters and Headquarters Command, 7th Transportation Brigade (Expeditionary) chemical, biology, radiological and nuclear non-commissioned officer in charge. “So different exercises can be hard; for instance, sit-ups. Sit-ups are one of the hardest things for women to come back to after having a baby. We work on different techniques and exercises to get [the abdominal muscle] back intact and in shape.”
The workout plans are adapted from other installations to fit the needs of the Soldiers at JBLE while maintaining standards.
“We have been piggy-backing off of other installations to get our program to where it needs to be,” Barnes said. “I think it is beneficial that we are now bringing this program up to standard and putting it out there because it is a good program for women.”
Once a Soldier reaches postpartum, they have 180 days to pass a test in order to return to unit PT.
“I stayed in the postpartum side (of the program) the whole time I was pregnant so I feel like I’m ready,” said Sgt. Crystal Padgett, 359th Inland Cargo Transfer Company. “I’m actually taking a PT test tomorrow and I’m confident about it.”
For more information on the P3T program on Fort Eustis, contact Staff Sgt. Candance Barnes at candace.l.barnes2.mil@mail.mil.