RNZN – Strength in numbers for PTIs

Strength and mobility combined with legacy and symbolism when Devonport’s Physical Training Instructors combined for a photoshoot.

19 September, 2024

Physical Training Instructors (PTIs) are seen as inventive moral boosters, even if a bit of sweat is involved.

So it was hardly surprising when Devonport Naval Base’s PTIs got imaginative when they requested a staff photo.

They wanted to pay homage to the staged images of the 1950s and 1960s, where PTIs demonstrated improbable feats that blended acrobatics and gymnastics.

Leading Physical Training Instructor Hayden Rogers, based at the Fleet Fitness Training Centre, says there is still that aspect of gymnastics with PTIs, but times have changed. Mobility and strength are key factors.

Physical Training Instructors at the Fleet Gym, Devonport, in a set piece for their staff picture.

And it’s not all Navy at the Fleet Gym; the instructor in the photo wearing Multi-Terrain Pattern (green camouflage) pants is NZ Army, posted to the gym.

“That, and the red shirts, show that we are a tri-service trade. We’re all the same, apart from the different insignia. The red is also handy because it means instructors don’t blend in with the trainees.”

In the photo, the PTIs are holding crossed Indian clubs. It’s the trade symbol of Navy PTIs, who are known as ‘club swingers’ due to the legacy of a Navy exercise technique.

Originating in colonial India, Indian Club Swinging is a form of rhythmic and circular weight training while gripping two clubs. It was adopted by militaries, including the Royal Navy, as an upper body exercise. It became a fitness fad worldwide in the early 19th Century.

“The clubs shown are gifts from PTI and they are more for show, but they have a great backstory. When the Royal Navy adopted it as part of their training regimen, the Royal New Zealand Navy naturally copied it. If you come into the Fleet Gym, just on the right at the entrance there’s a good write-up about it.”

The photo was tremendous fun, he says.

“There’s not many times we can all get together, especially when there’s a lot going on and we’re everywhere. I currently look after facilitating inter-unit sports and assist in the running of inter-services sport. We’ve even got an E-Sport competition going on next month.”

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