Altus AFB set to open new Functional Fitness Center

ALTUS AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. – The first of two rooms that house new equipment waits for its first patrons inside the fitness center Jan. 7, 2014. The equipment in the newly added Functional Fitness Center includes two Olympic weightlifting platforms, five rowers, a 30 foot pull-up rig, 20 barbells, more than 2,500 lbs in rubber plates, kettlebells and wall balls. Altus AFB will open the new Functional Fitness Center beginning Jan. 8, 2014. The workout center is located inside the Altus AFB Fitness Center and will be open for use Monday-Friday from 5 a.m. to midnight and Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. – 11 p.m. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Dillon Davis/Released)

Altus AFB set to open new Functional Fitness Center

ALTUS AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. – The second of two rooms that house new equipment waits for its first patron inside the fitness center Jan. 7, 2014. The equipment in the newly added Functional Fitness Center includes two Olympic weightlifting platforms, five rowers, a 30 foot pull-up rig, 20 barbells, more than 2,500 lbs in rubber plates, kettlebells and wall balls. Altus AFB will open the new Functional Fitness Center beginning Jan. 8, 2014. The Functional Fitness Center is one of several projects funded by the $700,000 awarded to Altus AFB for winning the 2014 Commander-in-Chief’s Installation Excellence Award. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Dillon Davis/Released)

Altus AFB set to open new Functional Fitness Center

Published Jan. 7, 2015
By Senior Airman Dillon Davis
97th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs

ALTUS AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- All Department of Defense ID card holders will have access to Altus AFB's all new Functional Fitness Center beginning Jan. 8.

The new workout center is located inside the Altus AFB Fitness Center and will be open for use Monday-Friday from 5 a.m. to midnight and Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. - 11 p.m.

"At its core, functional fitness is a fitness mentality that will prepare you to face the physical challenges you encounter every day, and potentially those things that we hope we never have to do," said U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Paul Hammer, 97th Logistics Readiness Squadron fuels flight superintendent.

Hammer is a CrossFit level-1 certified instructor who helped to complete the organization and setup of the new Functional Fitness Center alongside the 97th Civil Engineer Squadron, 97th Force Support Squadron, 97th LRS and 97th Mission Support Group Contracting Flight.

The Functional Fitness Center is one of several projects funded by the $700,000 awarded to Altus AFB for winning the 2014 Commander-in-Chief's Installation Excellence Award.

"The new functional fitness center is comprised of the two furthest racquetball courts," said Hammer. "These rooms will be available for people to use any time the fitness center is open."

The new equipment includes:

· Two Olympic weightlifting platforms
· Five rowing machines
· A 30 foot pull-up rig with adjustable weightlifting rests
· Twenty barbells
· More than 2,500 pounds in rubberized weights, kettlebells and wall balls
· Climbing rope

The Functional Fitness Center is an addition to the base gym that will help provide an overall increase in Comprehensive Airmen Fitness.

"As of right now, there will not be any instructor-led classes," said Hammer. "In the meantime, there will be several different programs available for people to take with them and follow on their own in addition to a posted workout-of-the-day. These workouts are fully scalable to all fitness levels so everyone can do every workout."

The wing plans to have an official opening workout-of-the-day in the coming weeks. More information will be released as it becomes available.