Effects of basic training on Canadian forces recruits.

One hundred and fifteen male and 96 female recruits aged 17 to 33 years were evaluated prior to and following a 10-week programme of basic training on strength and anthropometric characteristics. Recruit training had little effect on anthropometric indices, including measures of body fat. The effects of training on muscular strength were variable, with some tests indicating gains and others indicating either no improvement or a slight loss of strength. The ILM was evaluated as a useful device for the measurement of upper body strength; scores were only moderately correlated to body size and other measures of strength. Sixty-six percent of the male recruits and 71% of the female recruits successfully completed basic training. In males, there were no significant differences between successful and unsuccessful candidates with respect to initial pre-training scores for muscular strength and endurance and the various anthropometric variables. However, in females, the mean suprailiac skinfold thickness for unsuccessful recruits was significantly greater than the value for successful recruits.