U.S.M.C

[PentiumOrange]

So I'm joining the United States Marine Corps. I already have a recruiter, yet my DEP ( Delayed Enlistment Program ) is set for 9 months because the Marine Corps is full. I just got back from PT (Physical Training) and I have realized that all the cigarette smoking is catching up to me. I literally threw up after running 1.5 miles in 12 mins. YES I AM OUT OF SHAPE! Since I have 9 months to get into shape I just wanted some information from either Marines or Health nuts on what's a good way to build cardio/workout routine.

 

Any Marines out there with any helpful information would be much appreciated.

 

Any other comments that are full of shit will be ignored so don't waste your time. This is a serious issue not to be looked upon for comical reasoning.

 

So far I can run a 1.5 mile in 12 mins. 31 crunches in 2 mins and I can barely do a Marine dead hang pull-up.

 

Please help, lol.

[9WoN8eR]

if you dont like puking, sweating, bleeding,being shot at or being just plain miserable all the while liking it then you need to think about joining another gun club hoss!

 

if a 1.5 mile is whipping your ass right now you had better start your ass running alot more everyday and doing some fuckn dead hangs while your at it...Get you a perfect pull up bar at wal mart and get your ass up on it!

 

There is no easy way to be in the shape of a U.S. Marine...your ass is going to have to sweat and earn it!!!

 

IF you become a United States Marine...& I mean IF...you will learn that all the help you need is in your muther fuckn blood pumper!!!

 

Good luck cuz your ass is going to need it when you get to either san diego or the Island! Your life will NEVER be the same once you hit the yellow foot prints that much I can fucking promise you!

 

Semper Fidelis

[PentiumOrange]

Thank you sir, and trust me I want to earn it. I have a long time until I go into boot camp. I also had no idea that wal-mart sold that shit. Good call.

 

p.s I'll be going to CA.

[shai]

I think the USMC takes care of any physical shortcomings on your end, so good luck with that.

[Swindle]

are you a writer? its always interesting how many writers join the armed services

[christo-f]

Do interval training, as in sprint 10 meters, jog 90, sprint 20 meters, jog 80, sprint 30 meters, jog 70..., and so on. This will help your recovery and that is what fitness actually is, your body's ability to recover quickly after exertion.

 

Keep doing your mid distance runs but don't make every one of them a cane session. Do a couple of max outs that make you spew each week but also do some mid paced jogs each week as well.

 

You also need to do some long distance running to build up stamina. Your body will learn to use the oxygen more efficiently and stamina will improve. Don't make these cane sessions, just keep a healthy pace for an hour or two. Do that a good 3 times a week but not too much more as you will start to get more injuries if you over do this.

 

Upper body strength is important and you CANNOT pussy out on this. You need chin ups, push ups, shoulder dips and rope climbing. Focus on lifting your own body weight foremost but also do shit like military press and some leg work outs. Do some good core stuff (look it up) to improve your overall strength. 2-3 good circuit classes a week will do you wonders, treat them as fucking smash sessions. If you don't spew up, your playing soft.

 

Last and just as important, get your body used to carrying weight. After you've done this above shit for a few months start doing it with webbing and pack. Get some webbing from somewhere and chuck in 10 pounds to start off and start building that up. Fucking run with it and carry something about 4kgs in your arms, like a rifle. Not being able to swing your arms and relax your upper body when you run is a whole new running and you will do yourself some favours getting used to it.

 

Get a pack and chuck in 20 pounds. Walk at a stern pace for an hour and over time build up the weight and the distance. Don't smash yourself too much with this and get a decent pack to do it with. Injuries may occur otherwise.

 

 

At ALL TIMES practice your running, walking, exercises WITH YOUR HEAD UP, EYES ACTIVE AND MIND ALERT. Do NOT get in to the habit of putting your head down and letting your mind go in to a little bubble. You need to stay alert and get in to the habit of noticing as much around you as you possibly can. Have some one lay 10 objects out on the bed before you hit out for a good long distance or smash session. You have 2 mins to memorise the items and when you come back see how many of them you can remember. Start learning the capitals of countries around the world and recite them as you exercise. Learn tab data and characteristics of basic infantry weapons and recite them as you exercise. Keep your mind and eyes active whilst you're exerting yourself, will be a habit that will help keep you alive.

 

 

Good luck with it, if you had any balls you'd go airborne.

[R@ndomH3ro]

dude, isnt going to be a operator!

 

The running is on point if you want to practice rucking you can, but boot should get you trained for it.

Everything that christo said you will learn in boot camp. So dont worry about it much. Just try to get into some kind of shape before you go. They have the mentality that everyone that shows up is an out of shape asshole and your DI's are going to break you down to get you in Marine shape. If you show up in some kind of shape it will just be a little better on you and not get you so much such from your DI. Just dont hurt yourself and stay healthy. The biggest thing about training is trying to stay healthy, most people get injured trying to be hardcore, you will get sick cause recruits are nasty and covered in germs.

 

Stay safe, LISTEN TO YOU DI, dont be THAT GUY, and really have fun. Boot camp is probably the most fun you are going to have playing "Marine" doing super cool stuff like shooting and obstacle courses. After that its just a job

 

Christo: Marines dont get dropped out of planes, its hard for those guys to get wings.

[christo-f]

Yeah, we were built up in to humping/rucking as well. Didn't really need to do it before hand but I was glad that I did. Don't know what the US is like at basic but I'd assume it's the same as us. The less of a profile you can offer the better off you are. That's the advice I was given before hand and am glad I followed. I could do 90% of everything expected of me before I marched in. That made my life at Kapooka so much easier and tolerable as I didn't stand out during PT at all.

 

And yeah, that's what I meant. The Marines are solid but airborne is where the glory is.

 

 

 

 

 

/end nostalgia

[R@ndomH3ro]

You guys jump like the Canucks and have that five point harness known as the "button of death"?

Shit is brutal.

 

Yeah, if you show up in shape it just makes it easier and you dont stand out...in fact you look awesome.

But dont worry, there will always be some fatty snackfaces that will slow your whole platoon down and make your life hell. Cause YOU ARE ONLY AS STRONG AS YOUR WEAKEST TEAMMATE!

 

I think that is also important before you go to boot. You and your team need to learn to work together. It will help resolve a lot of issues that will come up cause really dude, some one is going to fuck up...all the time, and you guys are going to have to solve it. I used to hate when details and shit would come around and instead of people manning up and saying "this is what we need to do lets get together and work it out". There was instead a lot of bitching and moaning and then the DI will get all up in your shit and make life worse.

[Prime Chaos]

http://www.crossfit.com NIGGA DO THE WOD! EVERY DAY! AND YOUR RDY TO GO.. and read the book LONE SURVIVOR

[R@ndomH3ro]

Crossfit will get you in shape but you need to run. Cross fit barely runs for long distances

[russell jones]

I think Christo is giving you some good advice. I would say work on your core and stamina more than anything. Only being able to do 31 crunches means your core is in bad shape. I can do 60 in 60 seconds, and that is one tenth of my core workout. Once you are strong in the middle everything builds from there, upper and lower body. I couldn't do a pull up when I started martial arts training, but now I can kill em. My core strength allowed my upper body strength to develop. It also gives you balance, assists your breathing and keeps you alert.

 

With cardio, you have to push yourself. If you think you can't do it anymore, keep going. Christo's advice to break up the cardio into sprints, walking, jogging, is good. You'll develop faster that way and be mentally alert while you do it.

 

Just remember to take breaks. Work hard, rest, work hard. Give yourself a good week off every 8 weeks or so. During those times I developed more than I was working out, and was able to come back to my workout with more strength and endurance.

 

Challenge yourself to mental tasks after your workout. If you can't do it tired, you can't do it at all.

[lord_casek]

I've got something that will help you: Meet your new best friend.

The Bulgarian Bag

 

You'll need a tire inner tube, duct tape, and a bag of sand.

 

Also, to your American military guys: Thanks for serving.

The Aussie gets nothing! We're gonna take over your damn island and let Disney have it.

[lord_casek]

What style Russell?

[B R U I N S]

PO, when I began the DEP, I was about on the same shit bag level that you are on now. Getting stronger and faster comes with time. Make all the PT meetings and work out some on your own time, but dont kill yourself. Like the rest of the guys said, the physical is less then half of it, you have to stay mentally strong, keep your head up and know that someday, which may seem like forever away, you will earn the EGA.

 

You will have to make sacrifices on lifestyle. I dont know you or anything about you, but everyone has to sacrifice something in order to get physically and mentally ready for boot camp.

 

Whoever said "Dont be THAT guy" is right....dont be him and your life will be a little better.

[russell jones]

What style Russell?

 

 

Hap Ki Do

[mackfatsoe]

9 month wait? the core is full? really?

[lord_casek]

Hap Ki Do

 

 

Nice. I took Shorin Ryu as a youngster. Always curious about

what styles others take....unless it TKD.

[angelofdeath]

 

So far I can run a 1.5 mile in 12 mins. 31 crunches in 2 mins and I can barely do a Marine dead hang pull-up.

 

 

 

the crunch part is the least of your worries in the PT test. get those pullups numbers up. you gotta get atleast 3.

 

but you have half the battle won already. you have a plan. most people dont have a plan and just start 'working out.' you have a goal already. hate to break it to you, but the want be able to squat 315 and your current max is 225, you first have to squat 230. there is no magic formula.

also, get a work out partner to motivate you. just by talking to you when training i could probably motivate you into doing 2 more pull ups or make you not do even 1. get a good partner. if this wont work, find some way to psych yourself up before and during training.

 

about the only things you are gonna do to bring up your pull up reps is to do pull ups. vary your grips. you can probably do chins (palms facing you) easier then palms facing away pull ups. bent over rows will build your upper back as well. pull the bar to where you touch when you bench. most guys who can really bench touch low... usually below the chest. lat pull downs, going for max reps has helped me in the past. choose a weight you will fail @ around 20-30 reps and go for broke for a couple sets after you perform as many chins as possible.

once you get can perform 10 chins, get a dip belt and add weight.

a few years back i started out being able to do 3 dead hang chin ups... my record today is 24. i can do 18-20 almost any day

 

the run will come with time. HIIT, tabata, intervals, hill sprints, sled and prowler dragging and pushing, barbell and dumbell complexes are all great for general conditioning... however these quick conditioning techniques are not the same as long static runs. do both.

 

if i were you i would follow a basic HST weight lifting template, 5/3/1 or modified westside style power lifting routine (like defranco's westside for skinny bastards) to get your strength up in this time before you go to the island or pendleton. no sense in being a total pussy.

concentrate on squat, dead lift, bench, chins, dips, military press and barbell rows. thats all you need when starting out. maybe throw in the assistance work that defranco recommends in his program (westside for skinny bastards) leave the 'arm days' for the curl warriors. get strong. do interval training. run. you'll be doing 15 pull ups in no time.

 

good luck

[russell jones]

Nice. I took Shorin Ryu as a youngster. Always curious about

what styles others take....unless it TKD.

 

Hap Ki Do has some TKD elements in it. :)

 

It is a synthesis of Japanese and traditional Korean styles. We learn kicks and strikes from Korean martial arts, and falling techniques and arm bars from Japanese styles.

[viperface]

I had a friend in junior high who had been training Hapkido since very young age. He toppled dudes much bigger than him without punching or really hurting them.

I suppose it's relatively rare martial art though. I was always impressed by how improvised and unorthodox it looked like.

 

/not martial arts dude

[cunt sauce]

damn out of all of the armed services the USMC would have been my last pick.

[PentiumOrange]

9 month wait? the core is full? really?

 

 

I guess so, I'm an high school grad. They pretty much told me that all high school grads can't get into the marine corps. So here i sit and wait, while in the mean time doing my physical training.

 

I appreciate all the helpful advise. Thank you.

 

 

Not to be cliche and corny, but I wan't to be apart of the "Few and the Proud" Why settle for second best. FIFO First In First Out.

 

I have also memorize all my enlisted ranks and my 11 general orders, I'm already two steps ahead of most of the poolies in my pt group. Many of them have been in there for months and haven't memorized shit. I did it all in two days.

[lord_casek]

I guess so, I'm an high school grad. They pretty much told me that all high school grads can't get into the marine corps. So here i sit and wait, while in the mean time doing my physical training.

 

I appreciate all the helpful advise. Thank you.

 

 

Not to be cliche and corny, but I wan't to be apart of the "Few and the Proud" Why settle for second best. FIFO First In First Out.

 

I have also memorize all my enlisted ranks and my 11 general orders, I'm already two steps ahead of most of the poolies in my pt group. Many of them have been in there for months and haven't memorized shit. I did it all in two days.

 

 

Good luck, man. Be proud of serving in the United States Marines. You're doing something that a lot don't have the balls to do.

 

If you want any of the crossfit stuff let me know.

[PentiumOrange]

Yeah man, that would be killer. Hook it up.

[lord_casek]

Will do. I'll post in here in case anyone else wants them.

[christo-f]

R@ndom should be able to answer this for me, do the USMC do much humping/rucking?

 

Regardless of whether you're airborne or general infantry, Australian soldiers are fucking hump mongers. Always about the 35kg in the pack and fucking walk.

 

Now I always seem to think that most places aren't too far to walk and people look at me strange whilst hailing a cab!

[Fist 666]

a bit late, but i think airborne is dumb.

not because jumping out of planes is not awesome, but because its used so little. i don't understand how the army justifies having so many airborne units but has made so few airborne missions since 2001.

thats all.

 

i'm too much of a punk to have made it in the marines, i've gotten lucky in the army in that my nco's understand that my need to question everything is not going away and i don't get smoked for it anymore...

 

anyhow, good luck. crossfit is where its at. crossfit w/ cycling has put me in great all around shape.

[lord_casek]

 
[b]Crossfit Journals[/b]
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=WIT9QX30

[christo-f]

a bit late, but i think airborne is dumb.

not because jumping out of planes is not awesome, but because its used so little. i don't understand how the army justifies having so many airborne units but has made so few airborne missions since 2001.

thats all.

.

 

Australia has done away with its one airborne battalion. It's more of a conventional capacity that is used in all out nation state to nation state war. In the current climate militaries are not being used to take and hold large amounts of territory in the same way they used to. With the massive growth of air capacity and precision guided munitions assaults can be made by ground and supply lines created as you move. Also the creation of vehicles like the MRAP, LAVs and so on tactical moves can be made in greater safety with greater firepower carrying a decent amount of logistical requirements with them as they go.

 

Most air insertions on company scale and up (using roundies) runs at an average 10% attrition rate just hitting the ground. Large numbers of troops are vulnerable whilst in the air in the aircraft and under canopy. Then if a ground resup route isn't quickly established more air resup routes have to be kept open and they are vulnerable from the ground and the air. Airborne is traditionally used to take air fields , beach heads and insertion points so the ground forces can then push through. That capability hasn't been required in enough demand for decades now and technology has largely caught up.

 

Most militaries still retain an airborne capacity in the form of smaller commando units and SF for deep insertion and covert ops. However, large militaries such as the US, Russia and other countries like France and the UK that have interests in places like Africa and abroad that require insertion of troops to gain entry points that would otherwise be unavailable without airborne battalions. Look at what is happening in Niger right now. France gets 40% of its uranium from there and 70% of France's energy needs are satisfied by nuclear power. There was a coup in Niger last week and if the new government decides to dissolve all current contracts the French need to react and get on the ground quickly to secure their interests. Niger is a land locked country and you can get around 1000 boots on the ground to secure key installations with 15 C-130s where as you'd require around 120 helis to do the same job. France also has a number of peace keeping forces in northern Africa and they can be quickly moved via aircraft to take a landing strip and then within 12 hours or less start ferrying ground troops by the thousands to fan out and take hold.

 

Countries like the US and Russia still require this capacity for the same kinds of reasons. With NATO and CSTO countries on the periphery of "empires" and many, many of them landlocked there is absolutely nothing to say that a QRF will need to be deployed to any of these places should push come to shove. The Russian invasion of Georgia in 2008 indicates very clearly that this scenario is not at all far fetched. Smaller countries with no strategic interests elsewhere in the globe need not waste the money on retaining a battalion plus size airborne capacity, they just need to align themselves with a greater power to protect their interests. But that greater power still needs to keep a number of options open that may seem useless right now. But if strategic concerns arise far from their home and especially in land locked countries these forces will become necessary. Not only is it netter to have it and not need it, etc. but the capability itself also acts as a deterrence to other smaller forces that may consider their remote location as a tactical advantage.