Effectiveness of One-Year FMS Based Training on Physica Function and Fitness of College Pilot Trainees

PURPOSE: The fitness and health of airline pilots are essential for the safety of billions of the people traveling on commercial airlines around the world every year. Yet, no effective intervention has been developed to improve pilots’ fitness using a simple and easy approach. Using a randomized controlled trial design, we examined the effectiveness of 1-yr. supervised FMS (functional movement system) based training. METHODS: 122 male, healthy college pilot trainees (20.1 ± 0.3 yr.) were randomly assigned to FMS training (n = 62) and regular physical education control (n = 60), 178.99 times, about 192 hours in total, during one year, and their height, weight and a set of fitness were measured before and after the study. RESULTS: Overall adherence to prescribed exercise sessions was 178.99±12.95 times or a 93±6% adherence rate, and there is no difference between groups. FMS scores in the training group increased by 29.7% (from pretest of 13.8 ± 1.44 to posttest of 17.9 ± 1.03), but only 5.1% improvement in the control group (from 13.7 ± 1.28 to 14.4 ± 1.06). Similar changes were observed in weight, BMI, hand-grip (HG), stand-long-jump (SLJ) and Sit-&-Reach (S&R), which are summarized in the table below (M±SD):