Mark Jones talks about the importance of fitness for military members and veterans

If you are a member of the United States Armed Forces as well Veterans whose active careers behind them, fitness is more than a hobby, it's literally a part of the job. They don't have to get ready because they stay ready and Mark Jones is no exception.

Mark Jones is a US Army veteran, and he thrives in both fitness and strength. Jones thrived in a weight room. His Personal best in the deadlift was 675 pounds with lifting straps. He pulled 630 pounds in competition. He could also squat 585 pounds and bench press 405 pounds at a bodyweight of 220 pounds. While he found success in powerlifting, his connection to fitness dates back to his childhood, and he credits a basketball coach from his youth, Health Burns, for helping him strive for higher standards of excellence.

“This is where my love of weightlifting came in, he trained us all summer on the Bigger Faster Stronger program and taught us more about life than anyone in my life ever has.”

When Mark Jones began his Army career, he knew that was where he belonged. A third-generation military member, Jones himself served for 10 years in various locations around the world and had a goal of making it to 20. He had been the first to do this, if he had done it. Unfortunately, he was medically retired. His service was important and made a difference in the freedom of those living in his homeland, but that Injuries became more common this decade. He also had to change his focus on fitness.

“I enjoyed every second of the service, but I’m glad I’m out,” he said. "Recently, I've been forced to develop a taste for functional fitness and more cardio training. So I'm shifting gears towards living a healthy lifestyle while still being as strong as possible. My new ventures with fitness along with a bit of bodybuilding, I find that adding volume of movement and not having to worry about extremely heavy lifting is much easier on the joints and body."

While on active duty, Jones spent his time as a civil engineer and corrections/corrections officer. He also worked as an instructor at the Corrections Schoolhouse for his graduate work, and he found this position very rewarding.

"In my daily work I see the so-called semi-clinical population, what I mean here, we see the participants of the Army Body Composition Program, individuals who have failed one or more of the six events of the ACFT (Army Combat Fitness Test). Or those who are close to failing one of the previous ones. Therefore, our primary mission for my organization, the Army Wellness Center, is to provide services that promote improved and enhanced health sustainably healthy lifestyle to improve the overall readiness of the Army.”

The difference Mark Jones made was profound, but one must understand the scope of his work to fully appreciate it. Not only did he work directly with many people, but those people then helped and inspired others.

"Not only did I start college during this assignment, but I impacted thousands of lives during my time there. I loved helping Soldiers and showing them better ways to improve their fitness. This passion for teaching got me to where I am now and has had a big impact on my degrees to date."

These degrees include a Masters in Exercise Science and Human Performance from the American Military University. a certification as an exercise physiologist from the American College of Sports Medicine and a Tactical Strength and Conditioning Coach and Certified Personal Trainer from the National Strength and Conditioning Association. He also holds numerous certifications from ISSA & NCI.

Jones’ ability to help and influence others was evident during his college years. One of his professors, Dr. Joe Elrod, often encouraged and nurtured this passion.

"In every class we were in, he sent me a message poking me for how I presented myself. Even as a student, I try to educate and help others. He pointed out that I was one of the few who took the time to talk to all the students (virtually), and that got me thinking about a career in teaching at higher levels."

While his playing career is in his rearview mirror, he hasn't strayed too far from the army or fitness. Mark Jones currently works at the Army Wellness Center at Fort Bragg, NC. He is the Supervisor Health Educator responsible for seven health educators and two health promotion technicians.

“My role at the wellness center is to monitor metabolic and body composition testing and conduct nutrition and health classes for Soldiers and their families,” he explained. “When I retired early, I wanted to stay and help until I couldn’t anymore.”

There are several components to serving or supporting those who do this, but Jones highlighted four that really stand out.

• Geschwindigkeit und Ausdauer – Laufen und ruckeln Sie weiter und schneller, damit die Mission erfüllt wird.
• Flexibilität und Mobilität – Bewegen Sie sich nicht nur in Trainingsumgebungen, sondern auch im Kampf problemlos über unterschiedliches Gelände und Hindernisse.
• Stärke und Kraft – Heben Sie Ausrüstung, Ausrüstung und Personen nach Bedarf an.
• Muskelausdauer – Fähigkeit, unseren Körper und unsere Ausrüstung für die Dauer der Missionen nach Bedarf zu bewegen und vieles mehr.

“Broadly speaking, what matters is the tactical athlete’s relative strength, strength per body weight,” he explained. "Tactical athletes do not need to be superhuman or as strong as possible. This is because an overemphasis on strength training comes at the expense of other necessary fitness attributes such as endurance and work ability."

Even though his job is to educate, he also learns in this job. He writes Dr. Michael Jarka for helping him succeed and grow in his position.

“He is our current head of the AWC department, I say he is something of a mentor as he provides guidance for the CUC program that I am a part of and has contributed tremendously to my growth within the organization.”

The career he is in now is different than the one he had before, but it is one where he can regularly see the fruits of his labor.

"I would say the most rewarding part of the job is working with new health educators to train them on running equipment and analyzing test results. The main test I'm referring to is our fitness test (VO2max and SUB max)."

Mark Jones sees himself continuing this career for a long time, and he believes it can make a huge difference to the overall well-being of those who continue to defend freedom.

“My focus now is to work with Soldiers and give them as much information as possible so that one day they can pass that same information on to their Soldiers or know how and where to send them for support.”