Physical Fitness (Jogging, Diet, Cardiovascular, and Strength )

[Humphrey Bogart]

I am a woman, but I also want to join the army. I do not practice in the gym, but I do fast 10-minute muscle shock workout with a dumbbells and then I add 15 minutes of training with such a thing https://www.bestadvisor.com/slide-boards to correct the inner part of the thighs. I try to focus on problem areas to save time. I also do yoga at home using video tutorials. Do you think this physical preparation is enough? :

http://www.startingstrength.com

Combine this with Prowler/Sled Training and some accessory and mobility work and you will have all the preparation you will ever need.

The reason strength training isn't more popular is because it is very hard and it doesn't appeal to peoples fitness goals which usually revolve around vanity and trying to conform to societal values.  i.e. looking like someone in hollywood or a magazine.

Lift weights properly with good technique and form and you will become more flexible, gain strength and those aches and pains you have will all go away.

You'll thank me when you are carrying a rucksack for long distances. 

Aerobic training first and foremost, it should be everyone's base. Second comes muscular strength, followed by mobility and stability work to avoid injury. 

Professional sports and actual strength and conditioning experts would disagree.  Aerobic conditioning is phenomenally easy to achieve and training see's rapid progression.  Actual strength is phenomenally hard to achieve and takes many months to years of training to build to. 

I have played Rugby at the Varsity Collegiate Level and played Ice Hockey competitively.  All off season training programs revolve heavily around strength training with some speed and agility thrown in.  The reason for this is simple, during the season, your actual strength and speed will atrophy as the season progresses due to the aerobic demands of the sport and lack of recovery time.  It's the same in the military, go on an exercise for a month or two and your physical strength will atrophy due to the demands of the training.  I've lost 20lbs on an exercise just from walking around carrying a big bag for a month while eating hard rats the entire time. 

When working up to and exercise, maximum focus should be placed on strength with a short period just before that brings conditioning up.   

 

[RedcapCrusader]

Stronglifts5x5 App.

Everything you need in one place.

 

[Humphrey Bogart]

Stronglifts5x5 App.

Everything you need in one place.

I've done both Stronglifts and Starting Strength, I find Starting Strength to be the superior program.  Rip's books are also awesome and his site is an excellent resource.  They've also go an App now which is every bit as good as the Stronglifts App.

Don't get me wrong, Mehdi did a good job, but Rip is way more knowledgeable and is a freaking machine still.  How many 60 year olds do you know that can deadlift 500lbs:

Rippetoe 500lbs deadlift at 58 years of age, 5 years ago.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkCBWgwml7I

 

[mariomike]

Do you think this physical preparation is enough?

Is my prep for BMQ enough?
https://army.ca/forums/threads/93302.0

Physical Fitness (Jogging, Diet, Cardiovascular, and Strength )
https://army.ca/forums/threads/23364.0
21 pages.

 

[Jarnhamar]

http://www.startingstrength.com

Combine this with Prowler/Sled Training and some accessory and mobility work and you will have all the preparation you will ever need.

I don't know my friend, I'm not that familiar with sled training but I feel like if someone isn't coming in to the CAF with a solid fitness-lifestyle then 15&20 minute workouts won't really prepare them for the longer bouts of physical exertion they'll face in training. Which we know can be mental as much as it's physical.

Students I've had were surprised (and upset, some complaining abut hazing and harassment) because they went for runs or ruck marches during the day after their morning PT.

 

[Humphrey Bogart]

I don't know my friend, I'm not that familiar with sled training but I feel like if someone isn't coming in to the CAF with a solid fitness-lifestyle then 15&20 minute workouts won't really prepare them for the longer bouts of physical exertion they'll face in training. Which we know can be mental as much as it's physical.

Students I've had were surprised (and upset, some complaining abut hazing and harassment) because they went for runs or ruck marches during the day after their morning PT.

The key to Prowler training is maintaining your heart rate at a certain level for a certain amount of time.  It's essentially a form of high intensity interval training and can be used as such.  It also isn't eccentric training so you don't burn yourself out doing it.  It's a way of maximizing your training gains while saving time for other things.  I use the Prowler and the Sled for almost all my conditioning now and instead of running for an hour I spend 20-30 minutes on a Prowler or Sled Workout and another 45-60 minutes doing Mobility.  By using the Prowler on off days, I can still lift the next day with very little muscle soreness due to no lactic Acid from eccentric training.  Guess what makes you better at some of the tasks on the Force Test as well, you know the simulated casualty drag:

He is dragging a Prowler

The thing is, and you've seen it like I have, many people who join the military are actually in piss poor shape.  They associate fitness with vanity workouts and crap they see in Magazines, you know, like six packs and huge biceps. 

Here is an example of a guy who looks like he isn't in shape by Muscle Magazine standards but is in fact a world class athlete:

From what I've seen of your aforementioned whiners, most are simply physically weak.  If they could actually squat even just their own bodyweight, they would have no trouble completing a ruck march. 

 

[war2001v]

I am a woman, but I also want to join the army. I do not practice in the gym, but I do fast 10-minute muscle shock workout with a dumbbells and then I add 15 minutes of training with such a thing https://www.bestadvisor.com/slide-boards to correct the inner part of the thighs. I try to focus on problem areas to save time. I also do yoga at home using video tutorials. Do you think this physical preparation is enough? :

I know it sounds odd, but you could try simulating your own FORCE test using things around your house, to see what level you're at and if you're not at that level it might make a decent workout. You just have to be creative.

 

[daftandbarmy]

I know it sounds odd, but you could try simulating your own FORCE test using things around your house, to see what level you're at and if you're not at that level it might make a decent workout. You just have to be creative.

Or just visit the Land of Nod https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GH3SAWdbSXU

 

[war2001v]

Or that... That works too... :rofl:

 

[RedcapCrusader]

I've done both Stronglifts and Starting Strength, I find Starting Strength to be the superior program.  Rip's books are also awesome and his site is an excellent resource.  They've also go an App now which is every bit as good as the Stronglifts App.

Don't get me wrong, Mehdi did a good job, but Rip is way more knowledgeable and is a freaking machine still.  How many 60 year olds do you know that can deadlift 500lbs:

Rippetoe 500lbs deadlift at 58 years of age, 5 years ago.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkCBWgwml7I

It was simply for the integration and tracking of workouts, shows progression, also has videos of each work out built into the app.

It's a quality of life thing really.

 

[BeyondTheNow]

I am a woman, but I also want to join the army. I do not practice in the gym, but I do fast 10-minute muscle shock workout with a dumbbells and then I add 15 minutes of training with such a thing https://www.bestadvisor.com/slide-boards to correct the inner part of the thighs. I try to focus on problem areas to save time. I also do yoga at home using video tutorials. Do you think this physical preparation is enough? :

Chances are if you’re not sure about whether or not you’re ready for the physical demands of training, there’s a good chance you’re not.

People who are in fantastic shape end up becoming injured sometimes, so those who are not in peak condition run as much risk, if not more.

The frequency, duration and intensity of physical exercise during BMQ can be extremely strenuous, and becomes more so as the course progresses at certain times. The course is very cardio-intensive and requires a lot of stamina. There are weight-room PT classes and lots of pushups. There are lots of circuits with varying intensity. There’s a ton of stair-climbing, there’s heavy lifting and pushing. As well, in a lot of instances it’s not so much the difficulty of the task being done, it’s simply the repetitive movement over and over again that can start to take its toll. Besides other aspects that I haven’t mentioned, throw in that you’re tired and hungry. This stresses the body making the possibility of injury greater.

I was in decent shape when I went. (Could I have been in better shape? Yes.) I’m female. I thought I would be okay. I wasn’t. I got hurt and while it didn’t end my career (although it ALMOST did), it sure as hell complicated the F out of everything.

Don’t settle for being in ‘ok’ shape. Be in the best shape you can be. Yes, there are people who go to basic who are in awful shape, but if they don’t get hurt (by sheer luck) or manage to find people to carry them through course, they instead risk losing a lot of respect from their platoon mates. They payoff isn’t worth it.

Do the prep work needed. Personally, at the extreme least, be able to run 10k, have strong cardio, be able to do at least 25 push-ups. And do lots of conditioning/weights.

 

[Bbmoveup]

Simple?

Bench press your own weight, squat your own weight, at a minimum dead lift your own weight and what, run a minimum 6km at a pace of at least 5:30min/km? Oh and of course stretching/flexibility.

Is the 2.4km still a bench mark?

 

[war2001v]

Wouldn't bench pressing your own bodyweight come way after squatting your own bodyweight? If you can bench just as much as you squat and or/deadlift that is a serious imbalance and you should probably get it checked out.

 

[Cloud Cover]

Or just visit the Land of Nod https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GH3SAWdbSXU

The Trenasium looked interesting, potentially a pain in the face

 

[cld617]

Professional sports and actual strength and conditioning experts would disagree.  Aerobic conditioning is phenomenally easy to achieve and training see's rapid progression.  Actual strength is phenomenally hard to achieve and takes many months to years of training to build to. 

I have played Rugby at the Varsity Collegiate Level and played Ice Hockey competitively.  All off season training programs revolve heavily around strength training with some speed and agility thrown in.  The reason for this is simple, during the season, your actual strength and speed will atrophy as the season progresses due to the aerobic demands of the sport and lack of recovery time.  It's the same in the military, go on an exercise for a month or two and your physical strength will atrophy due to the demands of the training.  I've lost 20lbs on an exercise just from walking around carrying a big bag for a month while eating hard rats the entire time. 

When working up to and exercise, maximum focus should be placed on strength with a short period just before that brings conditioning up. 

You're free to disagree, but you've failed to convince me. Don't get me wrong, I'm not suggesting strength training takes a back seat to aerobic training, the two need to be train simultaneously to see maximum results. Anyone looking to join the military should stay away from isolation training, and focus on heavy compound lifting once they've achieved structural balance and learned how to move correctly. However, I am reiterating what is already told by those who specialize in training military athletes, CANSOFCOM training programs, studies done following SAR courses to develop a new PT standard, as well as the army fitness manual; that aerobic fitness is the predominant requirement of a successful military athlete.

Wouldn't bench pressing your own bodyweight come way after squatting your own bodyweight? If you can bench just as much as you squat and or/deadlift that is a serious imbalance and you should probably get it checked out.

Agreed, a balanced athlete should have a squat which is significantly stronger than their bench. This is usually a result of poor training that focuses on the look at me muscles rather than putting performance first.

 

[ballz]

Wouldn't bench pressing your own bodyweight come way after squatting your own bodyweight? If you can bench just as much as you squat and or/deadlift that is a serious imbalance and you should probably get it checked out.

Haha you got that right... if you can't deadlift your own body weight you probably have a hard time doing anything.

I created a Platoon fitness incentive that the CO supported with 2x short days for anyone who could achieve it.

Bench press, squat, and deadlift.... 5x 85% of bodyweight
7 chin-ups
23m 5km run

For a 215 lb guy, that works out to...
Bench 5x 185lbs
Squat 5x 275lbs
Deadlift 5x 370
+ chin-ups and the run.

If I had a platoon of guys that could meet that standard I'd have the fittest platoon in the Battalion no doubt. I regret not putting something like that in place earlier but generally once you figure out what you're doing, they move you into a new position.

However, I am reiterating what is already told by those who specialize in training military athletes, CANSOFCOM training programs, studies done following SAR courses to develop a new PT standard, as well as the army fitness manual; that aerobic fitness is the predominant requirement of a successful military athlete.

Who? PSP? Not exactly who I would use for an argument from authority, but where have they explicitly stated your assertion?

 

[Cloud Cover]

Remember no crossfit workout is complete until you post about it on facebook.

I don't do that, but I do take 24 hr Aleve twice a day.

 

[cld617]

Who? PSP? Not exactly who I would use for an argument from authority, but where have they explicitly stated your assertion?

No, the people with all sorts of letters before and after their names who create the standards we follow, PSP is responsible for administering the tests and putting you through random circuits they saw online.

Based on the physiological review of occupational tasks similar to the SAR-Tech trade, it is
evident SAR-Techs likely require a relatively high level of aerobic fitness (VO2max~45 ml·kg-1 min-1) as
well as a sufficient amount of muscular strength and endurance to perform lifting and carrying activities.

Predicted one-repetition maximum for the members of Course 41 on the bench
press exercise with free weights was 86 (± 11.9) kg in August and 89 (± 18.2) kg in June
suggesting that strength did not change during the course. The anecdotal evidence from
the SAR trade that fitness level worsens during the QL5A course is not supported by the
data acquired by systematically tracking the members of Course 41.

So a relatively unimpressive 1rm bench hovering around 190lbs yet a rather impressive vo2 max is what a successful QL5 sar-tech has.

https://www.cfmws.com/en/AboutUs/PSP/DFIT/Documents/Publications%20and%20Reports/Search%20and%20Rescue%20Technicians%20Physical%20Fitness%20Selection%20Standard.pdf

The physical fitness components necessary for the successful
completion of Phase III selection in order of importance are:
• Aerobic Power (VO2peak): This is the maximum rate that your body
uses oxygen to fuel the work that you are doing. It is also a critical
component of your body`s ability to recover during and following
intense intermittent work, to endure repeated days of intense
work, and to resist heat stress.
• Aerobic Capacity: This is your ability to work at a reasonably high
rate for a prolonged period of time. It reflects your endurance over
hours and days and is an important component of Phase III.

https://www.cfmws.com/en/AboutUs/PSP/DFIT/Fitness/Correspondence/Documents/JTF2/SOA_Manual_Eng_2016_web.pdf

Again, I'm not suggesting you slack on any facet of fitness. People just seem to get up in arms when they're told that maybe getting out there for those long run/rucks is actually necessary after all. Usually by gym rats who talk about how much better HIIT training is than steady-state cardio....who skip the HIIT in the end.

I like your fitness incentives, wish more people would adopt something like that.

 

[Humphrey Bogart]

No, the people with all sorts of letters before and after their names who create the standards we follow, PSP is responsible for administering the tests and putting you through random circuits they saw online.

So a relatively unimpressive 1rm bench hovering around 190lbs yet a rather impressive vo2 max is what a successful QL5 sar-tech has.

https://www.cfmws.com/en/AboutUs/PSP/DFIT/Documents/Publications%20and%20Reports/Search%20and%20Rescue%20Technicians%20Physical%20Fitness%20Selection%20Standard.pdf
https://www.cfmws.com/en/AboutUs/PSP/DFIT/Fitness/Correspondence/Documents/JTF2/SOA_Manual_Eng_2016_web.pdf

Again, I'm not suggesting you slack on any facet of fitness. People just seem to get up in arms when they're told that maybe getting out there for those long run/rucks is actually necessary after all. Usually by gym rats who talk about how much better HIIT training is than steady-state cardio....who skip the HIIT in the end.

I like your fitness incentives, wish more people would adopt something like that.

Nowhere did I say that aerobic training wasn't necessary.  It is, just not to the extent the military preaches.  Aerobic training and strength training work different systems. 

Also HIIT develops anerobic capacity which is different from aerobic capacity.  As I said, aerobic fitness can be developed very quickly.  Look at boxers or professional fighters who are some of the most physically fit people on the planet.  The purpose of a fight camp which are usually 6-8 weeka in length is primarily to work on conditioning; however, pre and post fight camp training should be primarily focused on strength and power.

 

[Bbmoveup]

Wouldn't bench pressing your own bodyweight come way after squatting your own bodyweight? If you can bench just as much as you squat and or/deadlift that is a serious imbalance and you should probably get it checked out.

I was just using that as a bench mark for an individual. A lot of different factors for every one. Lean body type? Example I am 6'1 173lbs. Stupid high metabolism its hard to put weight on im also lean. I can bench 185, squat 200, deadlifft 260 at 5 reps. But I also run so that kills my squat. Run 1.5k under 10:00min, 10k under 50 min. Also, people may have trained different to create different types of muscles for years, I trained explosive strength for years for vertical and speed and quick reaction for action sports so changing that is hard. So I was just using that as a bench mark for some people to get an idea but again factors are so drastically different for everyone like in the posts above. You may not look like an athlete by the magazine fitness programs etc.

But I do agree your body has to be balanced but there is a lot more to it then hey what do you bench.