Auckland waterfront 'fitness bombed'

Soldiers "fitness bombed" joggers on Auckland's waterfront as part of a campaign to improve the fitness of those wanting to enlist.

An eye-catching promotional video devised by Saatchi and Saatchi saw about 20 super-fit male and female soldiers dropping in on joggers out for a run.

The idea was to show the joggers getting a nudge from NZDF staff - a real-world version of NZDF's new smartphone fitness app which has been the most popular health and fitness download on iTunes for the past month.

The app helps people work out their level of fitness then devises a six-week fitness regime aimed to help people meet entry level requirements for joining any of the three branches of the defence force.

Users carry out a series of exercises dictated by the app to work out a starting fitness level and then follow the path dictated to reach basic entry requirements six weeks later.

Brigadier Howie Duffy, Assistant Chief Personnel said only a third of teenagers met basic physical activity guidelines. "The basic problem we've found in defence is the increasing number of people not meeting our entry requirements."

He said the app - like gaming consoles - offered users graduated "reward" accomplishments for reaching new levels of fitness.

"It speaks the language of teenagers today - but anybody can use it."

Air force, army and navy all have different fitness requirements. Those wanting to enlist in the army need to be able meet the following: Men; 2.4km in 12 minutes, 45 curl ups and 15 press ups. Women; 2.4km in 14 minutes, 35 curl ups and eight press ups.