Penalty pushups

Lt. Col. Kennith Wright, commander of the 476th Medical Detachment, holds the feet of Senior Airman Aaron Joyner, a medical technician, during “combat bowling” January 11 at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia. Combat bowling penalizes opponents with activities such as pushups, setups or jumping jacks based on the bowling pins knocked down. Wright chose to take the detachment bowling during their Unit Training Assembly as an indoor inclimate weather activity. (Photo by Tech. Sgt. Emily F. Alley)

Teambuilding

Airmen from the 476th Medical Detachment completed a teambuilding combat bowling activity January 11 at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia. Combat bowling penalizes opponents with activities such as pushups, setups or jumping jacks based on the bowling pins knocked down. Wright chose to take the detachment bowling during their Unit Training Assembly as an indoor inclimate weather activity. (Photo by Tech. Sgt. Emily F. Alley)

Commander joined teambuilding

Chief Master Sgt. Ken Koyles, superintendent of the 476th Fighter Group, laughs at Col. James Travis, commander of the 476th Fighter Group, as the two complete squats during a combat bowling teambuilding challenge January 11, at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia. Combat bowling penalizes opponents with activities such as pushups, setups or jumping jacks based on the bowling pins knocked down. Wright chose to take the detachment bowling during their Unit Training Assembly as an indoor inclimate weather activity. (Photo by Tech. Sgt. Emily F. Alley)

Rolling the way to fitness

Published Jan. 20, 2015
By Captain Denise Haeussler
442d Fighter Wing Public Affairs

MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. -- Parts of the United States were buried in snow on Sunday, January 11. To a few of the natives of southern Georgia- Reservists working at Moody Air Force Base- 55 degrees and sunny counts as inclement weather.

Regardless of geography, fitness is still a priority at any Air Force base.

Lt. Col. Kenneth Wright, 476th Medical Detachment commander, found a fun way to still work up a good sweat at Moody Air Force Base during that Unit Training Assembly weekend without Airmen shivering with blue lips and frost bitten fingers and toes.

Combat bowling is a unique way to mesh physical training into team building during the duty day when the weather is less than cooperative.

"I was looking for ways to entertain the troops, and boost morale while maintaining fitness," said Wright. "I found combat bowling right here at our bowling alley."

To combat bowl, Airmen are spilt into teams, and they compete against each other. If a team mate bowls a strike, the other team has to complete a series of 10 exercises each of pushups, sit-ups, crunches, jumping jacks, penguins, bicycle crunches, and squats. If a team member throws a gutter ball, everyone on their own team has to do the exercises.

"It was fun at first, but towards the end I started to get tired," said Senior Airman Carmen Armstrong, a 476th MD medical technician. "I was apprehensive at first about it, but it was a great work out, I had fun and I'm happy it did it.

"I had a great time sweating and panting," said Senior Airman Emily Reeves, also a 476th MD medical technician, who is just beginning her prerequisites for her nursing degree at Florida State College in Jacksonville, Florida. "Towards the end I was hoping for all strikes so I didn't have to do anymore," she said with a laugh.

The teams kept score, but after a fun UTA afternoon no one felt like a loser.