females ususally do better at curl-ups. our center of gravity is in our favor...or so I'm told. That's why there isn't really a difference between male and female curl-ups. Plus, the smaller your torso the shorter distance you have to go. My roomate, who was like 5' nothing, always maxed out the curl-ups and smoked all the guys. Upper body strength is a MUST at OCS. You are going to make yourself a HUGE target if the DIs or Chiefs catch you dropping your knees. I did once during Welcome Aboard (first week) and my Chief saw it. He stood over me and watched me, called me out every time we got dropped if I didn't have perfect form. That lasted for about 5 weeks until I got stronger than some of the other females. Believe me, you don't want that kind of attention. Do what it takes to get in the best physical shape possible before OCS. There only so much you can do to be prepared mentally, other than being determined, but you KNOW what you need to do physically and that will help with the stress when you're actually AT OCS. There is some good gouge about improving push-ups. See what works for you.
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Looking for a female perspective on OCS
- Thread starter TrickyFish
- Start date
abracadabra11
Member
Colonial and military intelligence. You get positive rep just for making me laugh.
redbeard1682
New Member
0 incentive signing bonuses other than going through the best commissioning program 
You need to be able to max out your PT and it would behoove you to do it before you came to OCS. It's actually quite easy. @ 5:30 M-Sat. run 2.5 miles, do 105 situps, and 85 pushups. Doesn't matter time while your training, if you have to take a rest, rest in the "up" position and keep doing it. And save yourself the trouble and do Marine-style-OCS pushups/situps.
Other than that keep cranking away apps. at the community you want until they let you in.
Good luck.
You need to be able to max out your PT and it would behoove you to do it before you came to OCS. It's actually quite easy. @ 5:30 M-Sat. run 2.5 miles, do 105 situps, and 85 pushups. Doesn't matter time while your training, if you have to take a rest, rest in the "up" position and keep doing it. And save yourself the trouble and do Marine-style-OCS pushups/situps.
Other than that keep cranking away apps. at the community you want until they let you in.
Good luck.
redbeard1682
New Member
....right.....
If you don't want to attract negative attention to yourself on the PT portion of your days at OCS (which if I recall is a lot), and you want to be at the top of your pack....it would BEHOOVE you to max out your PT before you come to OCS.
If you don't want to attract negative attention to yourself on the PT portion of your days at OCS (which if I recall is a lot), and you want to be at the top of your pack....it would BEHOOVE you to max out your PT before you come to OCS.
So you're saying the guy who maxes the in-PRT and becomes the PT body (with a LOT of scrutiny from your DI) and has to lead class PT is under the radar LESS than the guy who gets an excellent-low and is unnoticed by the DI??
redbeard1682
New Member
IMHO....I would say I'd rather be the PT Body who had the scrutiny and respect from the drill instructor than the guy that fills a rack and a pair khaks and not much else. But that's just me.
So everyone who isn't a PT stud is a sack of shit? I know plenty of guys who busted their ass to get to 75 pushups or a 10:00 run. I'm not sure I understand your point.
redbeard1682
New Member
Those guys that did bust their tail to get to that level are not dirt-bags. I was one of them! From barely passing to maxing out. Now I do have a problem with people that sandbag it initially to look good for improvement sake or for not standing out. Those people are dirtbags and I don't know how you can argue that sandbagging is a good thing for that person, that class, or the Navy. If your not trying at 110% - STFU and GTFO.
Now, I'll recommend that you max out before you come to OCS because IF ANYTHING you don't want to go down that road to H-Class. A med-low score can become a PRT failure with a little help from a cheerful DI/Chief. And it happens all the time. If you ever got zeroed out at 30 pushups, then you probably know what I'm talking about. But if I got zeroed out at 30 on my out-prt, then I knew that I could still hammer 50 out before the time limit and still pass. On my in-prt, that would not have been the case.
But hey, let the OP do what she wishes. You want to be that IC/OC that sandbags it or performs in the middle of the pack so you don't get noticed - fine. If you want to be that IC/OC that everyone sees blazing by on the in-PRT and everyone says "WHOA!" - good on ya. I guess I would rather be the latter of the two. In the end, #1 in the class and #50 in the class are both Ensigns after 12 weeks.
So I will happily disagree with anyone that says - don't worry about the PRT - just be middle of the pack, show constant improvement, and you'll be fine. With that I will get off my soap box and go run!
Now, I'll recommend that you max out before you come to OCS because IF ANYTHING you don't want to go down that road to H-Class. A med-low score can become a PRT failure with a little help from a cheerful DI/Chief. And it happens all the time. If you ever got zeroed out at 30 pushups, then you probably know what I'm talking about. But if I got zeroed out at 30 on my out-prt, then I knew that I could still hammer 50 out before the time limit and still pass. On my in-prt, that would not have been the case.
But hey, let the OP do what she wishes. You want to be that IC/OC that sandbags it or performs in the middle of the pack so you don't get noticed - fine. If you want to be that IC/OC that everyone sees blazing by on the in-PRT and everyone says "WHOA!" - good on ya. I guess I would rather be the latter of the two. In the end, #1 in the class and #50 in the class are both Ensigns after 12 weeks.
So I will happily disagree with anyone that says - don't worry about the PRT - just be middle of the pack, show constant improvement, and you'll be fine. With that I will get off my soap box and go run!
Woah woah woah, easy up there cowboy. Maybe you misunderstood, but NOwhere did I intend for someone to think I was saying to sandbag the in-PRT. That debate already happened long before I went to OCS. Bust your ass. You WILL improve on your med/out PRT so don't try to "game the system" to guarantee you improve and don't roll.
'Nuff said.
I am the skinniest fat kid I know. I worked my ass off to get to an 11min PRT before OCS and I barely passed the in-PRT when I got there. I busted my ass to get the middle-of-the-road PRT scores that I got. By the end I had maxed PU and SU but still had an OK run time.
The ONLY thing I meant in my original post was that she she try to get in shape, but don't bust your ass and risk injury to MAX every category. It isn't necessary. If you don't max every category, you aren't going to get "negative attention" from your DI right off the bat. Work hard, get in shape as much as you can without injuring yourself, and if you're not maxed out, then relax and bust your ass at OCS.
Donno where you got that I said it was OK to sandbag, but to clarify: it's NOT. DIs are pretty adept at spotting effort and drama.
Spekkio
He bowls overhand.
Is doing less than your maximum amount of pushups or situps in order to perform them perfectly considered "sandbagging?" I went into OCS able to do 75 pushups; I did about 60 on my in-PFA to ensure my form never broke.
You don't need to max out prior to OCS to avoid rolling to H. My scores going in were good-low run, good-high CU, excellent-low PU. I was one of the lucky minority who graduated with my original class. Not only that, but I've seen PT studs get rolled at OCS because they got zeroed on the in-PFA. Sometimes a DI or Chief spots something he doesn't like and luck isn't on your side.
As otto pointed out, you don't want to be #1 in PT. You will be made PT body and have to deal with more stress and responsibility for no benefit in return. Our PT body got fired and beat because his sub 8:30 run time was beat by someone with a sub 8 run time, despite the fact that the sub 8 couldn't max SU and CU.
Moreover, I noticed no difference in regards to our class team favoring people who were PT studs and people who were not. Yeah, if your knees went down first while getting beat you might get someone screaming in your ear, but that's the military's way of motivating you to improve. If everyone in the class maxed out the in-PFA, they'd STILL scream in people's ears. It's part of the "game."
No one's advocating not to try. You said that you need to max out the PFA before going to OCS. That is a false statement -- you need a good low to go and a satisfactory medium to pass while there, hardly anywhere near max scores.
No of course you don't NEED to, but like he said, it behooves you to try. TRY. Just making good-low is going to mean that when your form really counts and DI's are looking for their roll-quota, you're going to be hanging on to the bottom rung of the numbers ladder, with no margin of error.
One more side-note I'd like to mention is that there will be times in OCS where you just can't win, no matter how well you do. The important thing is to roll with the punches and keep working toward that graduation day.
One more side-note I'd like to mention is that there will be times in OCS where you just can't win, no matter how well you do. The important thing is to roll with the punches and keep working toward that graduation day.
Lyric - from one woman to another,
It sounds like you are doing what I did before OCS (way back) and trying to be prepared. Good job, and don't give up. BUT I want you to be ready for a shock. I am 5 feet tall and in decent shape. I got a personal trainer when I joined up and by the time I got to OCS, I had worked up to a 12:30 mile and half. Although this was within passing, it was so much slower than the majority of the class that I ended up working my ass off for the next 13 weeks. For the first 9 weeks, it was pretty rough. I'm not telling you this to dissuade you; only to prepare you. It may be the most physically tasking 13 weeks of your life, but it will be worth it. The most important thing is that you keep TRYING. When it comes to push-ups, if you are having a hard time, just put your butt in the air and make an upside-down V. DO NOT let your knees drop or you will never hear the end of it. For the runs, just try your best and don't willingly get in the following van - I would fall out of runs all the time in the beginning, but I was trying my damnedest and they knew it. A few times they made me get in the van because my 5'0' legs just couldn't keep up with the 6"3" guy setting the pace, as hard as I tried. Your positive attitude and perseverence will show and make a big difference.
Someone mentioned SWO, with good reason. If they tell you that you have to go SWO, strongly question that statement and do your research. As an aviator, I am a bit biased, but the SWO community can be a tough one unless you're a workaholic who doesn't need much sleep. (C'mon, SWOs, you know it's true.)
My little brother is an enlisted Army National Guardsman; we poke fun at each other, and he salutes me, but it's all good. Don't worry, you and your brothers will be fine.
Being a female Naval Officer for 6 years has been a very interesting experience - if you have any more questions, please let me know and I'd be happy to help.
ODB
It sounds like you are doing what I did before OCS (way back) and trying to be prepared. Good job, and don't give up. BUT I want you to be ready for a shock. I am 5 feet tall and in decent shape. I got a personal trainer when I joined up and by the time I got to OCS, I had worked up to a 12:30 mile and half. Although this was within passing, it was so much slower than the majority of the class that I ended up working my ass off for the next 13 weeks. For the first 9 weeks, it was pretty rough. I'm not telling you this to dissuade you; only to prepare you. It may be the most physically tasking 13 weeks of your life, but it will be worth it. The most important thing is that you keep TRYING. When it comes to push-ups, if you are having a hard time, just put your butt in the air and make an upside-down V. DO NOT let your knees drop or you will never hear the end of it. For the runs, just try your best and don't willingly get in the following van - I would fall out of runs all the time in the beginning, but I was trying my damnedest and they knew it. A few times they made me get in the van because my 5'0' legs just couldn't keep up with the 6"3" guy setting the pace, as hard as I tried. Your positive attitude and perseverence will show and make a big difference.
Someone mentioned SWO, with good reason. If they tell you that you have to go SWO, strongly question that statement and do your research. As an aviator, I am a bit biased, but the SWO community can be a tough one unless you're a workaholic who doesn't need much sleep. (C'mon, SWOs, you know it's true.)
My little brother is an enlisted Army National Guardsman; we poke fun at each other, and he salutes me, but it's all good. Don't worry, you and your brothers will be fine.
Being a female Naval Officer for 6 years has been a very interesting experience - if you have any more questions, please let me know and I'd be happy to help.
ODB