125 FW fitness specialists offer running, strength clinics Published July 27, 2017 By Staff Sgt. Carlynne DeVine 125th Fighter Wing Jacksonville, Fla. -- The 125th Force Support Squadron’s fitness division has implemented a new program to help members of the 125th Fighter Wing increase their level of physical activity. Running clinics are now on the weekly calendar for Tuesday mornings and Saturdays of drill weekends. Strength clinics are scheduled on Thursday afternoons and on Sundays of drill weekends. “It’s really just to help people who need to improve on their fitness assessment score or if they want to maintain their overall health,” said Tech. Sgt. Kelsey Brunson, a fitness specialist for the 125 FSS. “That’s pretty much the whole idea behind this.” A lot of people work out before their test, but afterward they totally stop working out altogether, said Brunson. That makes it harder to get back into, whereas if you just maintain some kind of physical activity, even just two days a week, it’s a lot easier to stay fit. Fitness clinics are a way to encourage everyone to be active. “You have your fitness gurus in every unit, people that are excited about it, that’s their lifestyle,” said Senior Master Sgt. Amberlee Helm, the services superintendent for the 125 FSS. “This is one way that we can offer it to the wing, to a bigger audience.” The clinics also provide a training opportunity for 125 FSS members. “Part of services is fitness, that’s one of our functional areas,” said Helm. “That’s one way our Airmen can get training, by setting up these different clinics and getting the experience of running some type of group exercise.” Services also offers the BE WELL course (Balanced Eating Workout Effectively Live Long), a requirement for anyone who fails the fitness assessment or receives an unsatisfactory scoring. That now can be done either online or in person. “We do a mass briefing of that if people don’t want to do it on Advanced Distributed Learning Service,” said Helm. “It also gives you a face-to-face opportunity to ask any questions or clarify anything with people who have a little bit more knowledge about it.” Fitness comes easy for Brunson. She has a passion for working out, but realizes not everyone else does. “I think it’s fun to work out but some people hate it”, said Brunson. “If you hate it you’re not going to have as much motivation to go and work out, but if you have a schedule… you’re going to have a lot more willpower.” Brunson embraces heading up this fairly new program. “I enjoy being the fitness lead, it keeps me motivated,” said Brunson. “You want your name attached to something that’s doing well. I always try and keep that in the back of my head, anything I’m doing I want it to be the best.”