Lieutenant hones mind, body

Published Sept. 22, 2006
By Meredith March
66th Air Base Wing Public Affairs

HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. -- First Lt. Casey Turner is not a person who rests on his past accomplishments.

This summer Lieutenant Turner, Air Force Research Laboratory Infrared Sensor Technology Branch Cruise Missile Detection program manager, took the Medical College Admissions Test, was certified as a fitness trainer with the International Sports Sciences Association and began working toward a bio-medical certification from Boston University.

His interests and achievements, however, are far from strictly intellectual. His fourth place Light-Heavyweight turn-out in the 2006 Oregon Ironman Bodybuilding Championships shows that Lieutenant Turner's body is as finely tuned as his mind.

The lieutenant, who played baseball for Linfield College in McMinnville, Ore., became interested in bodybuilding during his junior year when he observed a work-out partner training for a competition.

"I always loved training, and I wanted to do something competitive. I checked [bodybuilding] out, and I just thought it was pretty intense and something really different, so I thought I'd get involved," he said.

Already in excellent physical condition because of his baseball participation, the biggest change Lieutenant Turner had to make when he began bodybuilding was in his diet.

"For college baseball, I went and worked out, then I'd go eat. I didn't care. When I started wanting to compete, everything changed."

Lieutenant Turner dramatically increased his protein intake to encourage muscle growth, while slowly cutting down on carbohydrates and fats to promote fat-burning, he said.

He also began augmenting his diet by varying and cycling multi-vitamin and multi-mineral packs, protein supplements, digestive enzymes and amino acids to naturally enhance his diet and exercise programs.

Adhering to Air Force substance regulations is not an issue for Lieutenant Turner because he prefers a slow and steady approach toward fitness. "Air Force regs don't hinder, but support my love of bodybuilding from an over-all healthy and natural aspect," he said.

In addition to a healthy diet, Lieutenant Turner adds four to five high-intensity weigh-lifting sessions, three 20 to 30 minute cardio sessions and several posing sessions per week while training for a competition. He appreciates the physical training time that working in the Air Force allows him.

"I have to work out three times per week for PT, so it helps that I can take the time to do some of my training here at work," he said.

The lieutenant's work and training goals often go hand in hand; bodybuilding keeps him in excellent shape for the Air Force Personal Fitness Test, he said.

"Bodybuilding is definitely the hardest sport that I've been involved in because it is more than training and practicing. You have to totally dedicate yourself to it. You can't just go to the gym and expect to grow. You have to train right, drink water all day long and even sleep well. You have to be really focused on what you're doing," he said.

Lieutenant Turner said that having a dedicated support system is the key to achieving his goals.

"It's definitely a lifestyle and a sacrifice for the people around you. My training partner sacrifices his training to help me out. My wife, she's gone through two shows with me now. She's very supportive of me."

Lieutenant Turner feels that bodybuilding has greatly benefited both his work in the Air Force and his life in general.

"It makes me more focused in everything I do. Focusing on one thing makes me want to be well-rounded, so that focus leaks out into other areas in my life and I've become more motivated," he said. "My main goal is to be able to help people. People just get intimidated; they don't know where to start. If you don't know where to start, you're less likely to start. If I can help someone have a healthier lifestyle and a better quality of life, that is awesome."