Summary
Jeff Cavaliere of ATHLEAN-X discusses the US Army’s shift away from traditional fitness testing toward more functional, integrated movement assessments. He proposes an upgraded version of one of the Army’s new balance drills, making it more challenging by incorporating unequal weights and a low, athletic stance.
Key Points
- The US military is replacing traditional fitness tests with more functional assessments that better simulate real battlefield demands, such as dragging a 180 lb sled to simulate rescuing a fallen soldier.
- One Army drill involves carrying two 30 lb jugs of ammunition while walking a balance beam — testing balance and postural stability under load.
- Jeff argues this drill can be improved by using unequal weights (e.g., 20 lb in one hand, 40 lb in the other) to create a greater stability and core challenge.
- He adds a second upgrade: staying low in a split squat position throughout the movement rather than walking upright, reflecting the athletic principle that a lower center of gravity provides a competitive advantage.
- The Army’s shift toward functional testing aligns with the core ATHLEAN-X philosophy: train movements that integrate multiple muscle groups and carry over to real-world performance.
- Isolated exercises like leg extensions are contrasted with integrated movements — the latter simultaneously train upper body, lower body, balance, coordination, core stability, and explosiveness.
Exercise Details
Upgraded Balance Beam Carry (ATHLEAN-X Version)
Target Muscles
- Lower body (quads, glutes, hamstrings via split squat position)
- Core and stabilizers (resisting lateral lean from unequal loads)
- Shoulders and grip (carrying asymmetric weights)
Proper Form Cues
- Hold a lighter weight in one hand (e.g., 20 lb) and a heavier weight in the other (e.g., 40 lb)
- Drop into a split squat / low athletic stance — stay low throughout the entire movement, do not stand tall
- Keep your head up and maintain awareness of your surroundings and balance
- Try to keep feet roughly in line with each other to replicate balance beam conditions
- Switch hands at the midpoint so both sides are challenged equally
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Walking upright instead of staying low — this removes the postural challenge and reduces athletic carryover
- Using equal weights in both hands — this eliminates the rotational and lateral stability demand
- Raising up out of the low position mid-movement
Sets/Reps
- No specific sets or reps mentioned; the exercise is demonstrated as a continuous carry drill for distance, switching hands at the halfway point