By Dylan Roy

Are you fit, soldier? Do you have what it takes to make it in the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF)? War is upon the world since 1914, and we need brave young recruits like yourself to take up the mantle of freedom and fight for the Crown!

However, before you can join the fight, we need to ensure that you are ready for the arduous rigours of battle! I do not say that lightly; it will be a gruelling task. Are you up for it?

To get you in shape, we need you to exercise regularly. However, the Special tables. Physical training note that “Exercises if correctly performed strengthen and stimulate every portion of the body. Some are harmful if correct positions are not assumed.” So remember, not only do you need to exercise, but you need to do it properly for it to be effective.

To get you in gear whilst carrying your gear, we need you to carry out the following exercises.

First, we need to train you how to stand at attention. Although it may seem like a simple thing, you must avoid two main faults: do not slouch back nor lean too far ahead. We need you straight and narrow. If you can first properly stand at attention, you are well on your way to being a disciplined soldier. For visual cues, consult the picture below:

Guide on how to stand at attention (MIKAN 3831498).

Marching effectively is a fundamental aspect of any soldier worth his salt. However, one cannot simply march around willy-nilly. There needs to be structure and order in the way a soldier marches. The image below shows how to execute both a proper march and jump within the CEF’s principles:

Guide on how to properly march and jump within CEF’s principles (MIKAN 3831498).

Now that we have the fundamentals in order, we need to show you how we are going to make you true soldiers who can overcome the numerous obstacles that await you on the other side of the pond. This requires strength, agility and flexibility, and there are numerous exercises that will test such abilities.

“On-the-hands” exercises will allow you to rise up from a prone position. This is essential in warfare as taking cover and recovering from the prone position is crucial to success during battle. It could also be the determining factor between life and death.

Leg raises will test your core muscles as well as your upper body and legs. All these muscles work in conjunction with one another to facilitate full-body movements. A good soldier needs to be able to contort and control his body in many ways in order to execute both simple and complex actions.

Leg raises are great exercises as they can be performed in a variety of ways. You can do a sideways one-handed leg raise; a two-handed variation with the trunk facing the floor; and, finally, leg raises with your back on the ground. Remember, the core is the connector of both the arms and legs, and it therefore needs to be strong and flexible!

Below you will find examples of on-the-hands movements and leg raises, as well as the trunk backward-bend, which aids in flexibility. All these exercises will help to ensure both your safety and that of your comrades-at-arms while in battle!

Guide of leg raise exercises and trunk backward-bend (MIKAN 3831498).

Where would the CEF be without the speed and agility of its soldiers? One way to ensure quick speed is through strong legs. To make a powerful lower body, train it! Exercises like heel raises and knee bends will strengthen the multitude of leg muscles necessary to run, sprint, march, jump, dip, duck, dodge and dive. Fortify them and you in turn fortify yourself! For examples of these two critical movements, see the picture below:

Guide on how to build strong legs (MIKAN 3831498).

Where would the legs be without the arms? We need strong soldiers who can lift their share and shoulder the burden that is sure to surface during the war. One of the best types of exercises to improve the strength of the arms is heaving exercises. As the Manual of physical training explains, “Heaving exercises are those in which the body hangs by the hands from some apparatus, either without other support or with the weight partially taken by the feet.” To see examples of heaving exercises, consult the image below:

Guide on how to improve arm strength through heaving exercises (MIKAN 3831502).

To conclude, we need soldiers who can not only face the hardships of war but who can overcome them. To do so requires strict discipline, obedience and regimentation. So what say you, soldier, are you fit enough to join the CEF?

Dylan Roy is a Reference Archivist in the Access and Services Branch at Library and Archives Canada.