Fit-to-fight: Whiteman Body Building Team leads by example

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Stephen Linch
  • 509th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, mo. --  "I was enjoying a peaceful slumber when I was harshly awakened by the alarm clocks' cacophony," said a member of Whiteman Body Building Team. "They all said 4 a.m.; I never was a morning person."

He knows his teammates and his competition are probably preparing for the day too. Soon breakfast is on the table and then he is off to the gym.

This is a normal day for the members of Whiteman Body Building Team who strive to promote a fit-to-fight force showing that anyone can be fit-to-fight.

"The original design of this team was to highlight the Air Force's fit-to-fight mission by teaching people how to work out and diet and to have an award winning body building team," said Capt. Michael Boswell, the head coach of the Whiteman Air Force Body Building Team. "We made this possible through precision planning in which myself and Dr. Nita Hawk, the teams assistant coach, constantly monitored and assessed the individuals current state."

Anyone can do it but it is a lot of hard work, he said. Of 15 hopefuls only five made it to competition day, and amongst them they lost more than 120 pounds and spent more than 40,000 hours in preparation in the months leading up to the competitions where they won six trophies collectively.

"If anyone had told me three years ago I'd be on a body building team, I'd have told them they were crazy," said Murica Simmering, who placed 2nd in her division and 3rd in the overall contest for female body building at the Best of the Midwest Bodybuilding, Xtreme Fit and Figure Show Oct. 25 in St. Louis and the oldest member of the team. "In fact, when Captain Boswell first approached me about joining the team, I told him I didn't think I could do it."

"It doesn't matter if you're 17 or 70, you can do this," said Mrs. Simmering. "Now is the perfect time to take charge of your life. Set goals for yourself and become a healthier you."

Although the body builders spent countless hours in the gym, the majority of their preparation took place in the kitchen.

"The diet was actually harder than the weight lifting," said Master Sgt. Dana Fraher, a member of Whiteman Body Building team who placed 5th in her category and 6th overall in figure at the 2008 Organization of Competitive Bodybuilders Nov. 22 at Dekalb, Ill. "Eating chicken breast and brown rice when you really want pizza is not very fun at all, but when you start to see the results of your hard work its very rewarding."

"Plus the training and diet definitely helped me with my physical training test this year," she added.

The diet accounts for about 70 percent of an overall bodybuilding program and takes up about 30 percent of a body builders day, said Staff Sgt. Roney Campbell, a member of Whiteman Body Building team.

"I had to cook all night so I could have six meals over the next two days," he said. "Our hardest part was trying to plan out everything and follow up with eating at the right times of the day to take the right amount of calories, proteins, carbs and even fats for the day.

"We even weighed our food before placing them in containers and marked them down with before workout after workout, lunch after lunch, dinner and after dinner," he added.

This is a tough sport, warned Sergeant Campbell. "It doesn't stop after your workout is done or after 5 p.m. when you're off of work. You are constantly in training even when you sleep."

It is worth it though, he said. "I am healthier than I ever was in high school or any other time throughout my life."

The Whiteman Body Building team is looking for new members for the 2009 competition season. For more information contact Captain Boswell, the team's head coach at Michael.boswell@whiteman.af.mil and Mrs. Simmering, the team's assistant coach at murica.simmering@whiteman.af.mil.