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Our Strategies and Our Impact

BALANCE Strategy

The Canadian Armed Forces Physical Performance Strategy

Why a physical performance strategy?

Physical performance is an essential component of operational readiness. Research indicates that, to perform at your best, you need to be trained and fit, properly fueled, well-rested, and free from injury.

How will this happen?

The decision to be active, eat healthy, adopt proper sleep habits or train safely lies with you. Small changes, like cycling or walking to work, getting an extra hour of sleep per night, eliminating junk food from your diet, proper warm-up to avoid injury can make a big difference. Infrastructure, like new bicycle racks and walking paths on bases, and policies that support healthy, safe, active living will make it easier for you. At the national level, a steering committee made up people from all commands will oversee the plan and take on national activities to support you in meeting the objectives.

The BALANCE Strategy is designed to enhance our culture of fitness, and improve operational effectiveness through Performance 4 (P4) behaviours.

Physical Performance:
  1. INJURY PREVENTION
  2. PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
  3. SLEEP/ REST
  4. PERFORMANCE NUTRITION
Over the next few years, you will notice a more supportive environment to maintaining a fit, healthy lifestyle. There may be new food options, improved fitness facilities, or policies that take into account your general wellness. One such example is the FORCE Rewards program that helps motivate members to challenge themselves to improved fitness targets.
 
  • Walk the walk! Remember that how we eat, sleep, exercise and prevent injury can have a significant impact on all aspects of our lives – not just operational performance. We all have a responsibility to take charge of our own fitness and health. 
  • Help foster a culture of fitness and wellness around you, with your colleagues, those you command and your family. Lead the change and be a champion! 
  • Touch base with your local PSP Fitness or Health Promotion teams. Let them know what you’d like to see at your location to help make a healthy choice the easy choice. 

Informed by previous efforts, and based on best practices in behavioural sciences, this strategy contains many elements that set us up for success, including: 

  • Involvement at all-levels in all stages of development and implementation. 
  • Base and wing-level steering committees armed with best practices to lead initiatives at the local level. 
  • A mix of individual responsibility and CAF accountability to the performance behaviours. 
  • A plan that considers your environment and the influence of those around you in supporting your efforts toward a more active lifestyle. 
  • National and local level activities with a detailed evaluation plan. 
  • What are we trying to accomplish?
    The BALANCE Strategy is designed to enhance our culture of fitness, and improve operational effectiveness through Performance 4 (P4) behaviours.

    Physical Performance:
    1. INJURY PREVENTION
    2. PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
    3. SLEEP/ REST
    4. PERFORMANCE NUTRITION
  • What's in it for me?
    Over the next few years, you will notice a more supportive environment to maintaining a fit, healthy lifestyle. There may be new food options, improved fitness facilities, or policies that take into account your general wellness. One such example is the FORCE Rewards program that helps motivate members to challenge themselves to improved fitness targets.
     
  • What can I do to help?
    • Walk the walk! Remember that how we eat, sleep, exercise and prevent injury can have a significant impact on all aspects of our lives – not just operational performance. We all have a responsibility to take charge of our own fitness and health. 
    • Help foster a culture of fitness and wellness around you, with your colleagues, those you command and your family. Lead the change and be a champion! 
    • Touch base with your local PSP Fitness or Health Promotion teams. Let them know what you’d like to see at your location to help make a healthy choice the easy choice. 
  • What makes us think it is going to work?

    Informed by previous efforts, and based on best practices in behavioural sciences, this strategy contains many elements that set us up for success, including: 

    • Involvement at all-levels in all stages of development and implementation. 
    • Base and wing-level steering committees armed with best practices to lead initiatives at the local level. 
    • A mix of individual responsibility and CAF accountability to the performance behaviours. 
    • A plan that considers your environment and the influence of those around you in supporting your efforts toward a more active lifestyle. 
    • National and local level activities with a detailed evaluation plan. 

Resources

There are numerous health benefits associated with physical activity, which include reduced risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Physical activity further improves cardiovascular health, strength and overall wellbeing.

Promoting an active lifestyle in and around the workplace begins by creating an awareness of the benefits of certain activities and then encouraging their adoption as part of one’s day-to-day routine. The following document, Promoting Physical Activity in the Workplace, describes each initiative, how to implement it, and gives an idea of the behavioural impact that could be expected once in place. Be part of making BALANCE, the Canadian Armed Forces Physical Performance strategy, a success.

Resources for leadership, BALANCE strategy committee members and those looking to help create change. 

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