What do you do for a workout??

[putz]

I don't think this has been covered before, if it has sorry.

Just curious I'm quite a fitness buff and I was wondering what people here do for workouts?  For example I weight train 5 days a week and Run 6 days a week.  I'll go more into detail if this post takes off.  Just though this could turn into good information for people looking to improve themselves Physically.

 

[Gouki]

I posted my workout on the www.groundnpound.com forums .. so I'll just copy and paste it to here:

Current schedule:

mon- cardio | work
tues- weight training | work
wed- cardio | work
thurs- weight training | Jiujitsu class
fri- cardio | MMA training
sat- work | MMA training
sun- recovery day

(for non-work weeks)
mon- cardio | plyo
tue- weight training | Jiujitsu class
wed- cardio | MMA training
thurs- weight training | work
fri- cardio | work
sat- cardio | MMA training
sun- recovery day
=====
weight training is as follows:

Russian step ups
Seated cable rows
Incline barbell presses
Back extensions
Close grip benchpress
Arnold presses
Cable upright rows
Reverse grip ez-bar bicep curls

All supersetted, 2 sets per exercise, 10-12 reps per set. Emphasis on strength and muscle mass/size building (I finished 2 months of endurance training so I want to switch it up a bit). I do this Tuesday and Thursday mornings.
======
My MMA training is always changing depending on what I want to work on. It will always contain a rough balance between striking, throws/locks, drills and ground fighting though - but as I said depending on my needs I may concentrate more on one area.

My MMA training for this Wed night is like this:
------
- 3 laps around gym to warm up and get heart going

Striking:
Round1: jab, roundkick
Round2: jab, cross, teep
Round3: Freestyle, mixed with intermittent bursts of 5 rapid fire same leg round kicks to thai pads
Finish: 1 round clinching (fighting for control) as well as knees

Each round is 5 min long w/ 2 min rest in between

Throws/Locks:

-Headlock escapes (armbar w/ kick and armbreak) x 10 each

Groundfighting:

- 1 round groundnpound in dominant position, 1 round groundnpound in defensive position trying to escape
- 5 rounds groundfighting

---

Training phases:

This more or less corresponds to weight training than anything else.

Dec-Mar: Fat loss and endurance orientated, highly strict diet. Designed for this time to counteract the usual fat gained due to winter hibernation and holiday foods.

Mar-June: Mass orientated. Diet is still strict but somewhat looser in what foods I can eat due to bulking up. Designed to build muscle mass and strength after losing the bodyfat in the prior months.

June-Sept: Focus is on maintaining mass gained while reducing the bodyfat gained during the bulking phase.

Sept-Dec: Maintenance phase. Just keep what I gained while giving my body some down time to prepare to do it all over again.
===

That's about it in a nutshell. I started training seriously in January and since then have lost 31 lbs of fat and still going. Hope to be 180 by mid-April with ... 14-15% bodyfat would be nice, although I'm ultimately aiming to hover around 8-9%...but all in due time.

 

[winchable]

I'm pretty sure improvements to a physical training programme has been covered at one point,

http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/23364.0.html

Might try that thread.

As far as your workout goes, just use discretion, know one knows your body's limit better then yourself.(Though if you do end up in the military specifically the infantry, what you thought your limits were will be tested and exceeded at some point)
I would say Add Swimming in there if you can.
Swim passes are cheap and you can't be the fitness you get from swimming daily at either a competetive pace or a slow steady one.

Also, not sure if you're doing a body weight resistance circuit.
A mixture of pushups, sit ups, dips, pull ups, squats, thrusts broken into 3 sets, switching from one excersize to another, I use the Royal Marines buildup to PRMC right now for circuits.
I'll do that in the morning, go for a swim at lunch, then later in the evening I'll go hit the weights (aiming for high repetitions for the most part)
Right now the ground is icey so I don't run outside as much as I would like (no one likes a slip on the ice and a broken bone), so I've got to use the treadmill unfortunately, aiming for about 5-6 minute miles(though I'll do a Fartlek session twice a week)...and of course, resting on Sunday.

 

[putz]

Well I'm not aiming to improve anything at all I just wanted to know what everyone is doing.... Here is my work out:
Cardio 6 days a week
Monday, Wednesday, Friday Upperbody
Tuesday, Thursday Lowerbody
Sunday Rest

Upperbody:
3x12 Benchpress
3x12 Pectoral Deck
3x12 Isolateral Press
3 21's (don't know if many people know what those are but it hard to explain)

Lowerbody:
3x12 Leg Extension
3x12 Leg Curls
(I don't do much lower body as I run 13km a day)

For cardio I do 13km of running a day (usually split between morning and evening but sometimes do all at once).  During the winter months though I've had to run a treadmill as Ice + Me = Hospital.  During the spring and summer months I usually go trail riding (River valley trails in Edmonton are great) on top of my running.

I also spend 15-20 minutes every morning and evening working out my abdominal and Quads.  As for diet I've been pretty strict over the winter (exception XMAS and New Years) but now that spring is coming I am letting up a bit.

Steve,

That is a very Impressive regime that you have going!  Good Job!

 

[Gouki]

Thanks, I wish I had your cardio and running ability - If I did then I'd be totally set for basic.

How did you train yourself to run that distance? What are your times? I'm always interested to hear more when it comes to improving running

 

[putz]

Thanks, I wish I had your cardio and running ability - If I did then I'd be totally set for basic.

How did you train yourself to run that distance? What are your times? I'm always interested to hear more when it comes to improving running

I used to do just weights and Bike riding then I got into a conversation with a buddy on mine who is ex airborne and now in LER.  His statement was along the lines of " You know that your not going to be riding bikes in basic you should start running."  That was a year and a bit ago.

I pretty much just starting running, put my mind into it (as well as a good long conversation with the handy people at sport check in regards to shoes) and just ran.  I started off at the 2.5km at around 10.5- 11 minutes mark and worked upwards from there.  I started increasing time and distance around the three week mark (first I would increase the distance then after a few weeks increase my pace for the same distance) and voila now I can run 13km in just over an hour.  The best I did was 1:02:34 not the greastest but at least it will help me a bit in basic!  I just kinda did my own thing, developed my own routine and did it.

Steve when are you hoping/going to leave for basic??  Regs or reserves?  I hope to be gone by mid May (guessing didn't hit the April BMQ)
Regs Infantry

 

[Gouki]

I'm going Reg, Navy, RMS CLK. Didn't go infantry due to some concerns with my left knee (2 previous scopes done on it).

So basically, you just ... ran and increased distance than time huh? Simple yet effective. I may have to start doing that soon..

I'm guessing I'll be sent away in May (I hope...).

I can do 3k in about 16 minute right now (my distance running is not a strong point despite all the other training I do - maybe i'm just not a runner?)

You think I could buff it up to 5km in 25 minutes or less in a month? Running ain't my strong point so I was wondering if you think this is realistic or not

 

[putz]

I'm going Reg, Navy, RMS CLK. Didn't go infantry due to some concerns with my left knee (2 previous scopes done on it).

So basically, you just ... ran and increased distance than time huh? Simple yet effective. I may have to start doing that soon..

I'm guessing I'll be sent away in May (I hope...).

I can do 3k in about 16 minute right now (my distance running is not a strong point despite all the other training I do - maybe i'm just not a runner?)

You think I could buff it up to 5km in 25 minutes or less in a month? Running ain't my strong point so I was wondering if you think this is realistic or not

Personally, I think that it is possible.  If you are worried about your knee though go at your own pace.  Just DO NOT increase time and distance at the same time you could drive your body into the ground.  I believe that I would work on your current time and once you get in then the BMQ PT will build you up to where you should be at for them.  IF your doing it just for yourself though I would go at the comfortable pace.  Judging by your routine you know what pace you should be able to pace yourself at.  Hey, maybe will run into each other a basic.

 

[P-Free]

I do a set of pushups in the morning and again in the evening before bed. Each day I try and add one to my previous days number. Right now I'm at about 30 but I've been slacking the past week or so and haven't really been improving any.

Situps I haven't really been doing all that often, but when I do them I can do 40 in a set. Should probably start doing those on a more regular basis.

As for the running, my weekly schedule looks like this:

Monday - 1.6 km
Tuesday - None
Wednesday - 1.6 km
Thursday - 1.6 km
Friday - 1.6 km
Saturday - None
Sunday - 6km

 

[winchable]

I'm telling you lads, get some swimming in when you can you'll see your running results improve exponentially.

 

[putz]

I'm telling you lads, get some swimming in when you can you'll see your running results improve exponentially.

I plan on it, big problem with me is that their are no close pools to me.  However, my gym access does allow me to use the one in the hotel across the street.......

 

[ReadyAyeReady]

Those are some pretty intense workout schedules!

The routine I followed was borrowed from the British Army's Parachute Regiment.  I haven't been doing it for a month now because I've been Busy/Lazy...but it's a great workout...I've stuck the link below if anyone is interested because I am not going to bother typing the whole thing out.  On top of this I play Ice Hockey, Rugby and Squash on a failry regular basis (when I have the time off work and on weekends) to keep my cardio up.  I've found squash to be particularly good for the cardio.  Its said to be one of the best sports you can play for keeping up fitness.  Rugby on the other hand...well, its a great workout for both cardio and muscle strength (esp if you're a forward) but it can tough on the body and injuries are common.  I wouldn't recommend it for anyone planning on joining the CF because you can end up with a broken knee or something like that a month before basic training.  I'm planning on cutting it off pretty soon.

Hey Che...is there anyway one can get a hold of the RM training program online?

Here's the para regiment link: 

http://www.parachute-regiment.com/rec_selection_career/physical_preparation.htm

 

[winchable]

However, my gym access does allow me to use the one in the hotel across the street

That's all you need,
Doesn't have to be regulation length, doesn't even need lanes really, just somethng where you can see how bloody amazing your cardio will improve when you swim (Not to mention how ill you'll feel if you dont swim regularly haha)

And the RM PRMC training prooogram.
Keeping in mind, I've altered it slightly to fit more swimming and more cardio in. (I swim and run 6 days a week on top of this circuit in the morning and light weights in the evening.
Running myself ragged 6 days a week, but PRMC is nails.

http://mfat.co.uk/rm.php?page=rm1

Also if you search around there somewhere there's a diary of someone who completed PRMC.

 

[Sh0rtbUs]

How common is it for Units to pay for gym memberships for troops? (Res at least). Im yet to find a CFB without its own gym...

 

[chriscalow]

I've just been following the routine from the "Army Fitness Manual".  I've been on it for about 5 weeks now.  I like it because It has several options to break up the routine and keep it interesting.  I like how it seems to focus more on fitness and endurance rather than looking like a Calvin Cline model.

 

[foerestedwarrior]

Sunday- Run for 60mins(usually about 10-13km) then spin on Wind trainer for 2 hours
Monday-Spin on spin bike for 60 minutes, then swim for 1 hour.
Tuesday-Off
Wednesday-Run for 60 minutes, swim for 1 hour.
Thursday-Off
Friday-Run for 30 minutes
Saturday- run- 90-120minutes

This all depends on work and stuff.

 

[winchable]

I've never done a session on a spinner, how do they differ from regular stationary bikes?

 

[Chags]

If you want a challenging workout, and be able to view progression and compare results with other folks, check out

http://www.crossfit.com/

they have a workout of the day (WOD) that a guarantee will  knock you on your butt.. and you'll see improvements..  It's a good mix of strength trg, cardio, interval, flexibility, etc..

Check it out..