• Victoria L Richmond, James M Carter, David M Wilkinson, Fleur E Homer, Mark P Rayson, Antony Wright, and James L J Bilzon.
• Optimal Performance Ltd, The Coach House, 26b Oakfield Road, Clifton, Bristol, BS8 2AT, United Kingdom.
• Mil Med. 2012 Jun 1; 177 (6): 709-15.

AbstractThis study compared the physical demands and progression of basic training for male and female British Army recruits in single-sex platoons. Thirty male and 30 female recruits were monitored for energy expenditure (EE) (doubly labeled water), physical activity (3-dimensional accelerometry) and cardiovascular strain (percent heart rate reserve) during 6 weeks over the 14-week course. First time pass rate was similar for male (60%) and female (57%) recruits. Average daily percent heart rate reserve (female 31 +/- 4%; male 32 +/- 5%), physical activity levels (female 2.2 +/- 0.2; male 2.3 +/- 0.2) and percentage improvements in 2.4-km run time (female 10 +/- 4%; male 10 +/- 5%) were similar for both sexes (p > 0.05), although male recruits had 12% higher physical activity counts (p < 0.01). Although the absolute physical demands of basic training were greater for male recruits, the relative cardiovascular strain experienced was similar between sexes.

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