Ahead of the annual rivalry game between the Army Black Knights and Navy Midshipmen, the Washington Nationals on Monday hosted more than 100 soldiers and sailors for a special high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workout at Nationals Park.
The event featured eight strength, endurance and agility workout stations; and the chance to take home bragging rights ahead of Saturday’s matchup on the gridiron.
“Our military does so much for our country,” said Nationals Senior Vice President Gregory McCarthy. “They are really unsung heroes and we want to give back to them in every way we can. We look forward to having them back in 2025.”
The workout stations included stadium stairs; body weight squats and wall sits against the visitor’s bullpen; core work and planks in right field; ladder work drills on the outfield warning track; and more. The day wrapped up with a head-to-head “Wheel of Death” – a push-up competition to failure. Army ultimately took home the victory and with it, earned a specially designed trophy.
“Today’s event was all about building relationships between the Arny and Navy,” said Army Gen. Trevor J. Bredenkamp, commanding general of Joint Task Force-National Capitol Region and the U.S. Military District of Washington.
Bredenkamp predicted that Army would best Navy in Saturday’s matchup.
“They are 11-1,” he said. “The unique thing about Army Navy and the service games, is sometimes it doesn’t matter what the regular season records are. There’s a heightened sense of competition during that game between the midshipmen and cadets.”
The event also included music from the Army and Navy bands; the Racing Presidents and Nats mascot Screech.
“We went through eight different stations, some really tough exercises, Army soldiers and Navy sailors side-by-side getting some good exercise,” said Navy Rear Admiral David J. Faehnle, commandant Naval District Washington.
Faehnle also predicted the outcome of the game.
“It’s definitely Navy over Army, probably 27 to 20,” he said. “It’s probably going to come down to a last-minute drive. It’s going to be a great game.”
The special edition of Base HIIT is part of Nats on Base programming, which provides year-round experiences that contribute to the quality of life for service members and their families in the Washington, D.C. region.
In its third year, Base HIIT offers a unique opportunity for service members to take the field at Nationals Park and utilize areas like the bullpens, field and stadium steps for five-minute workout stations.
One of the longest-running and historic rivalries in all of sports, the 125th meeting between the Black Knights and the Midshipmen will take place on Dec. 14, at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Md.
For more information about the Nationals military initiatives, visit here.
Reach Julia LeDoux at Julia@connectingvets.com.