'Isolated' troops to get new army fitness guide

The British Army is rolling out an 'improvised' fitness guide to all soldiers operating in isolated spots away from main bases.

Staff Sergeant Chris Leare, from 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards, designed it for troops in Afghanistan who don't have access to basic gym equipment.

It uses objects that soldiers usually have to hand, such as ammo boxes.

Staff Sergeant Chris Leare's guide is being given to troops in isolated spots

"If you haven't got a fit soldier, you haven't got an army," said Staff Sergeant Leare.

He also told Newsbeat that the regime can help maintain troop morale.

"Being on the sharp end, coming back from patrols, missing your family, missing your girlfriend, missing your children and all that sort of thing, guys need to train and they train really hard when they're on operations.

"At the end of the day it's morale and it's the welfare of the troops.

"If it works and it keeps them fighting fit and giving them the edge over the Taliban then I'm all for it."

Soldiers' view

Lance Corporal Gary Quigley says the exercises help him when he's on tour

Guardsman Paul Steane, 20, used the guide when he was on tour in Afghanistan and said it helped him cope with the pressures of the job.

"It's just something else to keep your mind occupied. It helps you relax and takes you out of the current environment."

Twenty-year-old Lance Corporal Gary Quigley also found the pocket-sized guide useful.

"It's good mentally and it's good for team building," he said.

"You can also bond with blokes you're working with day in, day out. It kept my mind off things, kept the morale up.

"Obviously, when you're doing it with your mates it's something else to do away from the day to day routine, and also you look toned so you don't waste away."