Heroes of Tomorrow Fitness Center

 

No Weights at Bootcamp - Learn to PT and Run

This week I received an email from a young man who says he is a former high school athlete who wanted me to critique his weight lifting routine as he prepares for Bootcamp. Being a former weightlifting football player myself, I stepped back into time some eighteen years and saw many of the same things I did to prepare for Plebe Summer at the Naval Academy. The only bad thing about the plan and the way I prepared for USNA is that it was the wrong way to train for the military style fitness.

I soon realized when I took my first physical fitness test (PFT) that one maximum set of pushups was not the same as bench press and no matter what weight machines you use there is no substitute for pullups. Sure pull-downs, bicep curls, bent over rows all work the same muscles groups as the pullups, just as bench press is the same motion as the pushup -- BUT nothing prepares you for pushup and pull-up tests quite like doing pushups and pullups to failure during your workouts. Check out my articles on pushups and pullups for workout ideas.

Situps and running: The two other events of many physical fitness tests seemed easy enough. Anyone can do situps and run right? Sure most young people can do 50 - 60 situps in two minutes, but I realized to be competitive with other scores and to make a high grade in the situps test, you needed to be able to do 80-100 in 2:00. The only way to reach numbers like that is to practice situps several times a week with timed intervals and pacing yourself. Once I saw people hitting 100 situps in 2:00, I increased my pace (situps per second) and reached 30 situps in 30 seconds. I was moving fast -- felt strong until about 40 seconds into the two minutes test where the lack of training caught up with me and I was only able to do another 30 situps in the remaining 1:30 for a total of only 60 situps. I barely passed the minimum standard.

When it was time to run, I was a bit worried when half the guys in my group all ran track and cross-country. I tried to hang with them on the first lap of a quarter mile track as they ran it in 80 seconds. After the first lap, I could not hang at a 5:20 mile pace and was spent for the remaining five laps struggling to breathe and run at my comfortable 7:00 mile pace. I just passed the run with only seconds remaining. How could this be? I was a very fit guy who lifted weights for three hours a day prior to coming to the Naval Academy's version of Bootcamp. See interval training article for more info on workouts to run faster.

Now, even at the age 36, I can nearly double my PT scores at my age of 18 and run sub-6:00 miles for a few miles. The moral of this story is "There are no weights at Bootcamp -- start doing the events you will be tested in immediately!" If you want to be in the following branches of the service, here is what you need to be able to do to be competitive and remove the added stresses of physical discomfort and failure:
 

Service Run (Men - Women) Pushups Pullups Situps
Marine Corps 3 Miles (18-22:00) Not tested - 50 reps non-stop 15-20 80-100+
Navy 1.5 Miles (9-11:00) Men 80-100
Women 40-60
Not tested 80-100+
Army 2 Miles (12-14:00) Same as above Not tested 80-100+
Air Force 1.5 Miles (9-11:00) Same as above Not tested 80-100+
Coast Guard 1.5 Miles (9-11:00) Same as above Not tested 80-100+


*Note - these are not minimum standards but above average competitive standards recommended by Stew Smith

The hardest thing about failing a physical fitness test or not performing as well as your fellow soldiers is you have to play catch up. The good news is that at the age of 18-20, it is easy to get into shape and become competitive with your comrades, however, it is tough to do while in the middle of Boot camp or other military training. My recommendation is to get in the competitive range PRIOR to attending these military programs. I promise you it will save you from becoming discouraged, reduce the pain of muscle soreness, and enable you to focus on your job at hand -- becoming a Soldier, Marine, Sailor, Airman, and Hero of Tomorrow.

 

Links to Stew Smith eBooks
Army Navy Air Force USMC Coast Guard
eBooks eBooks eBooks eBooks eBooks

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Stew Smith is a former Navy SEAL and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) by the National Strength and Conditioning Association.  He specializes in military and law enforcement fitness, particularly Special Operations units.  Please feel free to email him at Stew@stewsmith.com with any comments or questions.



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                                         New Training Methods and Motivational Website

Stew Smith's published books can be found in major bookstores and online retailers. They include:

Published Books / DVDs 

Complete Guide to Navy SEAL Fitness (Book / DVD)
Maximum Fitness
 The Special Operations Workout
 The SWAT Workout - From Recruit to SWAT Team Member
The Combat Swimmer Stroke DVD

The Pre-Habit Workout DVD

The Complete List of Stew Smith's eBooks:

 

General Fitness and Nutritional Guides for Everyone

The 90 Day Beginner Guide to Fitness
The Advanced Maintenance and Recovery Program

Reclaim Your Life - The Erin O'Neill Program

Veteran's Fitness - Baby Boomer and a Flat Stomach

The Diabetic Prevention Workout / Diet

The Athlete Workout - Rugby, Soccer, Lacrosse & Football
The Busy Executive Workout Routine

The Six Week Advanced Weight Training / PT Guide
The Perfect Pushup Workout

 

The Special Forces Physical Fitness Workouts
New - Combat Conditioning Workout

Navy SEAL Workout Phase 1  Beginner Weeks 1-6
Navy SEAL Workout Phase 2 - 3 - Intermediate Weeks 1-12
Navy SEAL Workout Phase 4  Grinder PT -  Four weeks before Hell Week

Navy SWCC Workout

The Army Special Forces / Ranger Workout  Phase 1 & 2

The Army Air Assault School Workout

The Army Airborne Workout

USMC RECON Workout Phase 1 & 2

Air Force PJ / CCT Workout

NEW - The Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer Workout - NEW

The OCS, ROTC, Service Academy, & Bootcamp Workouts

Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard OCS Workout

USMC OCS / TBS Workout
The Air Force OTS Workout

The Service Academy Workout (West Point, Navy, Air Force Academy)

The Navy, Air Force, Marine Corp Bootcamp Workout

The Army OCS and PFT Workout
The Army Air Assault School Workout

The Army Airborne Workout
 

The Law Enforcement Physical Fitness Test Workouts

The FBI Academy Workout

The DEA Workout

The FLETC Workout - Ace the PEB / Same as Blackwater's Test

The State / Local Police Academy Workout

The Public Safety Diver Workout
The Fire Fighter Workout
 Border Patrol Agent Workout
ATF Agent Workout

                 
               

          

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click to buy the Perfect Pushup __________________________________________________________________________________________

Some Titles Above available in Print Softcover Format

to www.stewsmith.com