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Physical Fitness
- Thread starter TCulkeen
- Start date
Well it depends on the individual. Are you overweight? Can you pass the PFA within Good standards, if not what are you weak on? Push ups, sit ups or the run?
RobotSailor
Weller-known Member
Run. Start with 4 miles, 5 times a week. It'll suck and You'll walk a lot of it at first but you'll build up in a week or two you'll be able to run the thing without breaks and then start working on your speed by pushing yourself and sprint based workouts. To get fit, check out bodyrock.tv for their daily workouts. That'll help you get a baseline and help you learn what to focus on. I run a mock pft twice a month to track my progress and do the pushup and situp portion every MWF. Check and double check the form guidelines and make sure you adhere to them for pushups and situps.
If you're trying to lose weight, remember that it's 70% diet and 30% exercise.
-AW
If you're trying to lose weight, remember that it's 70% diet and 30% exercise.
-AW
20 miles a week is pretty excessive, especially for a fitness test that involves a 1.5 mile run...
It would be excessive for a 1.5 mile run, if the PFT were the only running you were going to do at OCS.
RobotSailor
Weller-known Member
That's just how I did it. Strangely enough I didn't get shin splints or anything, which used to plague my running attempts in the past. Just make sure you hydrate and stretch maybe 45 minutes before you run and then again a mile or half-mile in. Stretching from rest right before exercise will get you injured.
Keep in mind that getting hurt will do you no good so keep your limits in mind.
Do you want to just get by at OCS? My thinking was that there's enough to be stressed about at OCS, at least you can prepare yourself so that the run seems like a breather.
Keep in mind that getting hurt will do you no good so keep your limits in mind.
Do you want to just get by at OCS? My thinking was that there's enough to be stressed about at OCS, at least you can prepare yourself so that the run seems like a breather.
Thank you for all of the replies. I am currently outside the fitness standards, but have been losing weight steadily for about two months while building muscle. I will check out the bodyrock site and work on running more consistently. Do you think it would be okay to keep my current weight lifting regimen or should I gear my workouts entirely toward pushups, sit-ups and pull-ups? (along with the cardio of course)
djguernsey
Pro-Rec SNA - OCS Class Date 27 May 2012
If want personalized advice, I'd say try finding a fitness coach who you can go through and explain your goals and who can tailor something so that injury risk is reduced. Ask your physician before beginning any time of physical plan, yadda yadda.
Being generally fit will probably help you most. practicing pushups and situps for form and to pass the test is good, but stronger back, core, etc will aid in that as well as practicing just those exercises, and probably get you a more well rounded/fit body.
As someone who was out of phyiscal standards and is working hard every day to get/stay in standards before going to OCS, I think you should achieve your weight goals, get a plan, follow it, and don't look back.
Not sure that really helps much, except for the fact that it can be done!
Being generally fit will probably help you most. practicing pushups and situps for form and to pass the test is good, but stronger back, core, etc will aid in that as well as practicing just those exercises, and probably get you a more well rounded/fit body.
As someone who was out of phyiscal standards and is working hard every day to get/stay in standards before going to OCS, I think you should achieve your weight goals, get a plan, follow it, and don't look back.
Not sure that really helps much, except for the fact that it can be done!
RobotSailor
Weller-known Member
I've never been one for weight lifting, so I can't speak to that. If you're heavy, muscle weighs more than fat so you might want to cut back a bit. I've always been one for high intensity interval training with a lot of body weight exercises.
In the end, whatever works for you. My own adventures with weight lifting ended in my getting heavier when I was already 5 pounds over. HIIT like what's at bodyrock will give you muscle and help drop pounds, and you'll actually do it quickly if you stick with it and don't eat like crap.
I was like 205 when I first weighed in at the office, I needed to be 191. I'm now around 175 doing mostly what I posted. My personal goal is to run 1000 miles by mid-march, started in March
.A fitness couch probably wouldn't be a horrible idea, I've never had one so I wouldn't know.
texag2010
Member
Both the Navy and Marines have pre-entry PT programs to help you prepare physically. You might take a look at those and see what works for you and you may even see if there are any crossfit groups in your area. Below are the PT programs I was talking about. They both have suggested running plans and workouts.
Navy: http://www.umich.edu/~umnrotc/docs/PRT_Prep_Guide.pdf
Marines: http://www.trngcmd.usmc.mil/OCS/caninfo/fitprep/Lists/90Day/AllItems.aspx
Navy: http://www.umich.edu/~umnrotc/docs/PRT_Prep_Guide.pdf
Marines: http://www.trngcmd.usmc.mil/OCS/caninfo/fitprep/Lists/90Day/AllItems.aspx
I'm 2 years removed but physically, I'm sure things at OCS haven't changed. Things I did to get ready for OCS was to start out running 2 miles 3-4x a week. I did do alot of walking in the beginning but as I got better, I started running longer and I think I was doing 10 miles easy a couple months before OCS. I then scaled it back to just 5 miles 3x a week as I didnt want to get shin splints or overdo it for OCS.
If you want a fitness coach, then by all means do it. But you don't necessarily need to spend that money right now unless you're obese and trying to get to OCS. You just need discipline and a solid nutritional meal plan. That is where a nutritionist or fitness coach could definitely help.
As far as individualized programs, load up your iPod with songs and high BPM music you can run to so you're not bored. Don't start off timing yourself. Get your endurance up first and work on speed later. If you jump in too much too soon, you'll just get discouraged and hurt yourself. The speed will come with time. Robotsailor is right about one thing, don't focus too much on weights right now. Save that for after you out of OCS and you have time. You won't be going to the gym at any point during OCS until probably your candidate officer phase. And even then you'll be so busy you'll barely have time. There is more than enough PT at OCS. Not saying you shouldn't hit the weights a bit, but thats dependent on your body type and what you want to do personally.
Here are a few things that helped me. There is a podcast called "Motion Traxx" that you can download and it consists of running/biking/etc programs that are set to music. The BPM of the music corresponds to how fast you run. It absolutely helps.
There is also the couch potato to 5k program which is awesome and will help get your endurance up and time down.
http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml
Next I also used the "100 Pushups, Situps, Squats" etc. programs. These are awesome and will help you with your pushups and situps. Don't be too worried about form right now, but get your muscles used to cranking these out. Especially during OCS when you will run the PFA and be extremely sleep deprived among other things and so your body will have to suck up every last bit of energy it has. There are links to the other programs on his site as well. http://hundredpushups.com/
Lastly, set a goal for yourself. If you don't know what you should be shooting for in order to pass the PRT, then its worthless. I'm not sure what you need at OCS now to pass but for our IN-PRT, we had to pass with a satisfactory, which you should be able to do in your sleep. Strive for outstanding, don't just settle for the bare mins. Also there are pushup and situp workouts on this site as well, but check out what you need to pass for your age group.
http://www.navy-prt.com/malestandard/malestandard.html
There are a huge myriad of other exercises that you'll do at OCS, but if you can nail out the pushups, situps, run and other PT stuff, you'll be fine. Once you get good, start incorporating some high intensity stuff (sprints, etc) or run stadium steps to music too.
Good luck.
If you want a fitness coach, then by all means do it. But you don't necessarily need to spend that money right now unless you're obese and trying to get to OCS. You just need discipline and a solid nutritional meal plan. That is where a nutritionist or fitness coach could definitely help.
As far as individualized programs, load up your iPod with songs and high BPM music you can run to so you're not bored. Don't start off timing yourself. Get your endurance up first and work on speed later. If you jump in too much too soon, you'll just get discouraged and hurt yourself. The speed will come with time. Robotsailor is right about one thing, don't focus too much on weights right now. Save that for after you out of OCS and you have time. You won't be going to the gym at any point during OCS until probably your candidate officer phase. And even then you'll be so busy you'll barely have time. There is more than enough PT at OCS. Not saying you shouldn't hit the weights a bit, but thats dependent on your body type and what you want to do personally.
Here are a few things that helped me. There is a podcast called "Motion Traxx" that you can download and it consists of running/biking/etc programs that are set to music. The BPM of the music corresponds to how fast you run. It absolutely helps.
There is also the couch potato to 5k program which is awesome and will help get your endurance up and time down.
http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml
Next I also used the "100 Pushups, Situps, Squats" etc. programs. These are awesome and will help you with your pushups and situps. Don't be too worried about form right now, but get your muscles used to cranking these out. Especially during OCS when you will run the PFA and be extremely sleep deprived among other things and so your body will have to suck up every last bit of energy it has. There are links to the other programs on his site as well. http://hundredpushups.com/
Lastly, set a goal for yourself. If you don't know what you should be shooting for in order to pass the PRT, then its worthless. I'm not sure what you need at OCS now to pass but for our IN-PRT, we had to pass with a satisfactory, which you should be able to do in your sleep. Strive for outstanding, don't just settle for the bare mins. Also there are pushup and situp workouts on this site as well, but check out what you need to pass for your age group.
http://www.navy-prt.com/malestandard/malestandard.html
There are a huge myriad of other exercises that you'll do at OCS, but if you can nail out the pushups, situps, run and other PT stuff, you'll be fine. Once you get good, start incorporating some high intensity stuff (sprints, etc) or run stadium steps to music too.
Good luck.
I train for the PRT by doing the core 3, but still lift about 4 days a week. You want to transform your weight lifting regimen from Anaerobic (Heavy weight, low reps), to lighter weight aerobic lifting . This builds muscular endurance. Think about a boxer vs. a power lifter. While the power-lifter may lift twice as much as someone who fights, the fighter can last much much longer than that power-lifter.
At OCS, the DI's don't just stop at pushups, situps, and running for PT as it sounds like, so it's important your body has a solid foundation. I have switched to Olympic lifts such as Squats, Bench, Cleans and a few others instead of my normal routine. The goal isn't to increase your muscle mass, but to condition your body to be stronger even through unfamiliar exercises. A lot of people get hurt from doing exercises that they aren't used to; much of that is due to their bodies not being trained well enough and strong enough to handle the stress.
It's a good mixture of both that's important. Solely doing pushups, situps and running is great for excelling at the PRT, but that is about all it. Personally, if I am serving in the military, I want to look the part.
djguernsey
Pro-Rec SNA - OCS Class Date 27 May 2012
I'd say try Crossfit, but that's a high injury risk... Though I did love it while I was doing it. It had a good mixture of everything, but it always kicked my butt.
There are a few things that you'll need to focus on to be ready for all that OCS has to offer. Obviously, being within weight standards and performing decently on the PRT is important. The second thing, as touched on above, is being ready for all the weird stuff you're going to do in PT sessions and beatings, to reduce your risk of getting rolled due to injury. Each DI has his own favorite exercises and style, but there are a few things you can count on doing a LOT of. Lunges, squats, bear crawls, planks, mountain climbers, 8-count body builders, and flutter kicks are things you'll be doing almost daily. The bear crawls are the one that injures the most people. It's pretty hard on your wrists.
It may be different right now, since it's warm, but we didn't run much (I was there Dec-March), and when we did, it was mostly sprinting around indoors mixed with the kind of crap I described above. If you want some more detailed and specific help, PM me. I do have a pretty big background in that stuff.
It may be different right now, since it's warm, but we didn't run much (I was there Dec-March), and when we did, it was mostly sprinting around indoors mixed with the kind of crap I described above. If you want some more detailed and specific help, PM me. I do have a pretty big background in that stuff.