Every year, 150 students find their way to the Marine Air Station in Meridian, MS, on their way to becoming a top weapon pilot, but many will not endure the incredibly difficult process. In the new documentary series by National Geographic, Top guns: the next generationViewers get unprecedented access to the trainees while they take on advanced challenges, such as diving at speeds with which they have never been confronted before, Up to 575 buttons (662 MPH or 1,065 km/h)Or drop bombs with pinpoint accuracy, and entering into head-to-head dog fights to graduate and earn their wings.
For Austin Claggett, the dream started to become a pilot at the age of 9 when he was photographed in the cockpit of an F-18. Fortunately, he remained grounded long enough so that we could learn more about his training and mentality. “I have always had this fascination for machines and the edge of human engineering,” says Claggett M&F. “And a fighter jet is absolutely on the edge of where the capacity and skills of our engineer are.”
These incredible flying machines are one thing, but in terms of his own human skills, Claggett does not come from a military family – his love for fighter jets, and his conviction that life revolves around ‘setting unrealistic goals’ is what reaches him to the clouds. To stay there, however, Claggett has to break the physical and mental barriers that require this level of flying skills.
Sleep and hydration are essential for G-Force tolerance
“Something that is not mentioned is the importance of sleep and hydration,” explains the passionate pilot. He knows that when rest and drinking enough liquid is neglected, his performance is suffering. When G-forces are high, pilots squeeze into their legs to prevent them from fun. “Your g -tolerance is remarkably less,” he says about the pitfalls of being dehydrated. “Which means that you squeeze your legs harder.”
Flying with an airplane with such a speed also requires a huge physical toll. The seats on the jet hardly have any foam support and are not formed for the individual such as in high-end racing cars. As such, pilots often feel pain in their back after flying. “I certainly felt it in my neck,” says Claggett. “We always make 5G turns, so your neck just hangs around,” he explains. Because the seats are so standard, Claggett also points out that “the core costs a bit of a beating. You have to keep yourself stable.”
How Austin Claggett is super-fit to fly
Pilots such as Claggett should not only be super fit to fly, but also them Regular fitness tests to maintain their position. Individuals are expected to pick out their own fitness plan. “We all just come with our own training sessions that work for us, and we are physically tested by the Marine Corps twice a year,” he shares.
The Fit Fighter Pilot says that he likes to stay in shape with a mixture of body weight and weighted practice sessions. With little free time, Claggett focuses on the exercises that he finds the most “efficient”. He uses functional movements such as Pistool Squats on legend day. “That is a great power manufacturer,” he explains. “I will also take on calf increases with one leg.” Claggett says that, in order to remain stimulated, he changes his routine, sometimes retains the weight of the elevator for strength, and in other sessions he will focus more on volume for endurance. “For the chest I work with pushups with one arm,” he says. “If you can’t do pushups of one arm, I couldn’t initially, instead of an archer-push-up, which in essence does an asymmetrical push-up where you are usually leaned on an arm. They are great for strengthening your arms, chest and core.”
Claggett is currently working for his arms to complete pullups with one arm. To do that, he uses the same method he used to unlock some arm-pushups and to lift himself with a bias on one side to strengthen each limb. For core training, the pilot introduces himself with hanging leg increases. He further shoots his legs, arms and core with pike pushups and tells M&F that his favorite pushup variation is the handstand pushup. “That’s a great for the shoulders,” he shares. “I’m not talking about garbage, but if you want to be smart with your time and a blast for your money, a machine that touches one muscle group is not much value for money, in my personal opinion. So if time is short, I switch to these Calisthenian workouts that affect many different muscle groups.”
Mentally has training to become a top gun of the next generation really tested the Ethos of Claggett of setting ‘unrealistic goals’, and yet he has learned more about himself by completing the things that have not come as easily as touching the right height under stressful circumstances. “While I pass through my military career, I constantly work and learn. How can I improve myself?” He reflects. “I don’t think that will ever stop, right?”
Although this must-see documentary Chronicles Claggett’s trip on Naval Air Station Merdian, it seems that even heaven is not his limit. “I want to go to space,” he says M&F. “At a certain point I want to be involved in designing sports cars, whether it’s GT series or Formula 1. And outside of career goals I want to become a father someday.” You can only imagine the amazing stories that Austin Claggett will tell.
Top guns: The next generation is now streaming National Geographic, Disney Plus, And many other large platforms.
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