Getting ready for boot camp

[conaan]

I ship out in the winter for Marines boot, from now til then I am looking to prepare myself physically as much as possible. The problem is, getting accurate information the workouts that I will be performing during boot camp is rather tough, as it seems drill instructors vary in their programs.

Besides being able to complete the PFT, what styles of workouts should I strengthen in order to prepare?


EDIT: removed date

[Alex1996P]

Honestly, Marines use P90x. But simply, Run and run, and run. I'm 15 and training to go in the navy MOS for a Navy SEAL. I do p90x as I need to loose about 15 pounds and bulk up. P90x is perfect for you. They have Plyometrics, which is jump training,which helps endurance. Hope this helps.

[Kunther]

I ship out on December fifth for Marines boot, from now til then I am looking to prepare myself physically as much as possible. The problem is, getting accurate information the workouts that I will be performing during boot camp is rather tough, as it seems drill instructors vary in their programs.

Besides being able to complete the PFT, what styles of workouts should I strengthen in order to prepare?

Each drill might his own way of doing PT, there are SOP's that decide what PT is done. I just left the Army after 6 years. It isn't the same branch but it's similar. I would suggest you run, a lot. Doing a lot of Sit ups, push ups, and Pull ups will help. You'll be doing a lot of these. You won't be going to a gym, you'll be running the roads / trails, and the other things.

Honestly, Marines use P90x. But simply, Run and run, and run. I'm 15 and training to go in the navy MOS for a Navy SEAL. I do p90x as I need to loose about 15 pounds and bulk up. P90x is perfect for you. They have Plyometrics, which is jump training,which helps endurance. Hope this helps.

Don't do this, you won't be able to take supplements while in training. So you should go ahead and do things naturally.

Some pointers:
You will be tired, every day, until the day after you graduate. Everyone will get angry at everyone else, usually about 2-4 weeks into training. You might even see people break and cry. Just remember that the Drills aren't doing what they do because they love it. It's their job to be angry and yelling all the time. I would imagine it's the same as in the army, where if you want to make the senior NCO ranks you have to do either recruitment, drill, or some other staff job.

Something that helped me, was forgetting what day it was. Just focus on the task at hand and the future tasks you know about. If you try and count down the days it will take forever.

[Fenicks]

Well I was in the Army, but make sure you can pass whatever requirements there are for your age/gender.

If it's anything like Basic Training, you won't be 100% ready no matter how much exercise you do. The drill instructors will push you past your physical limit, then keep pushing until you break, then push even more. You get used to it after a few weeks.

Edit: Also, TAKE NOTHING PERSONALLY. It's easy to get mad when you haven't slept well in weeks and your energy is spent while you're getting smoked/yelled at. It's all a game, remember that. You'll see plenty of people starting fights with each other over stupid shit, and everyone suffers for it.

[Alex1996P]

Very nice advice Kunther, there are different ways. I hope ,conaan, you take our advice and other to come. - Alex

[conaan]

Each drill might his own way of doing PT, there are SOP's that decide what PT is done. I just left the Army after 6 years. It isn't the same branch but it's similar. I would suggest you run, a lot. Doing a lot of Sit ups, push ups, and Pull ups will help. You'll be doing a lot of these. You won't be going to a gym, you'll be running the roads / trails, and the other things.



Don't do this, you won't be able to take supplements while in training. So you should go ahead and do things naturally.

Thanks, any reccomendations on times/distances for runs?

I am currently at:
~60 crunches (IST/PFT is 2 minute time limit)
~11 minute 1 1/2 mile (13:30 IST minimum/3 mile 28 minute PFT minimum)
~7 pull ups (2/3 IST/PFT minimum)

If it's anything like Basic Training, you won't be 100% ready no matter how much exercise you do. The drill instructors will push you past your physical limit, then keep pushing until you break, then push even more. You get used to it after a few weeks.

The most exciting part of it, nothing like reaching the end and going past it. 13 weeks of pain for a life long investment

[Marine1]

Kunther is right, run, run, run. Sit ups, push ups, pull ups, jumping jacks(called side strattle hops in the Marines), STRETCH - a lot. Make sure you're drinking lots of water too, you WILL get dehydrated in bootcamp. So where are you doing? Parris Island or San Diego? I went to San Diego myself

When I was in Marine boot, the minimum requirements were:

3 mile run: 28 minutes or less
3 pull ups
at least 50 situps in 2 minutes(I think, can't remember)

Well, best of luck to you!

Semper Fi

[conaan]

Kunther is right, run, run, run. Sit ups, push ups, pull ups, jumping jacks(called side strattle hops in the Marines), STRETCH - a lot. Make sure you're drinking lots of water too, you WILL get dehydrated in bootcamp. So where are you doing? Parris Island or San Diego? I went to San Diego myself

Well, best of luck to you!

Semper Fi

Parris Island, god, I would hate the mountains out there, Ill take the swamps over that any day.

Then again, I do believe my SERE school is in washington, which is gonna be just tons of fun.

[Fenicks]

Thanks, any reccomendations on times/distances for runs?

I am currently at:
~60 crunches (IST/PFT is 2 minute time limit)
~11 minute 1 1/2 mile (13:30 IST minimum/3 mile 28 minute PFT minimum)
~7 pull ups (2/3 IST/PFT minimum)

Well your run time seems about right, although your pull ups do seem kinda low. You probably want around twice that. How are your push ups?

[Sanctioned]

Run. But get ready for a schedule of PT that usually consists of muscle workout one day and run the next. On and off schedule like that.

[Cotterize]

It doesn't matter what exercise you do now. The only thing that will matter is getting your stamina up as high as possible however you can. They don't design basic/boot to make you fail. They're designed to show you just how far the human body can possibly go even when your past experiences tell you it's not possible. Run your butt off. Push ups, situps, etc. do them all. do them all the time. do them as much as you can and then do them some more. it's getting tired that will cause you to quit. mentally and physically. Just keep in mind that they want you to succeed. don't quit. don't give up. don't fail. it's not an option.

[conaan]

It doesn't matter what exercise you do now. The only thing that will matter is getting your stamina up as high as possible however you can. They don't design basic/boot to make you fail. They're designed to show you just how far the human body can possibly go even when your past experiences tell you it's not possible. Run your butt off. Push ups, situps, etc. do them all. do them all the time. do them as much as you can and then do them some more. it's getting tired that will cause you to quit. mentally and physically. Just keep in mind that they want you to succeed. don't quit. don't give up. don't fail. it's not an option.

You are a good bit more inspiring than you might think sir :P

Well your run time seems about right, although your pull ups do seem kinda low. You probably want around twice that. How are your push ups?

My pull ups slacked behind because of an injury during my work, I dropped 3 full pull ups after recovering . Push ups are between 50-70, depending on prior activity, it would be higher except my recruiter just LOVES planks.

[Badpaladin]

From what I understand, you're going to be doing a lot of marching. That's physical endurance more than anything else, so you need to train your muscles to be able to handle hours of work.

[Marine1]

Parris Island, god, I would hate the mountains out there, Ill take the swamps over that any day.

Then again, I do believe my SERE school is in washington, which is gonna be just tons of fun.

Well you see on the other side of that, I had friends who went to Parris Island and said they hated the mosquitos out there - combined with being we a lot. Yeah I hear SERE school is a blast!

[Treesuss]

I feel like this might be the best place to ask on mmo-champ so I guess ill ask away...

Has anyone been to Valley Forge Military School? Im not sure if its right for me.

[Darkdruidelf]

Each drill might his own way of doing PT, there are SOP's that decide what PT is done. I just left the Army after 6 years. It isn't the same branch but it's similar. I would suggest you run, a lot. Doing a lot of Sit ups, push ups, and Pull ups will help. You'll be doing a lot of these. You won't be going to a gym, you'll be running the roads / trails, and the other things.

Really? Sit ups? One of the most ineffective and bad for your back exercises you can possibly do. You are far better off doing bicycle crunches.

[Fenicks]

My pull ups slacked behind because of an injury during my work, I dropped 3 full pull ups after recovering . Push ups are between 50-70, depending on prior activity, it would be higher except my recruiter just LOVES planks.

Well your push ups are good, I don't see you having any trouble during PT tests.

And like Cotterize said, your drill instructors won't allow you to fail.

The hardest part isn't physical, it's mental. They will break you then build you back up into a stronger person.

[Nythious]

Well, I won't be able to give you Marine style info and I know their Boot Camp is 5x harder than Army, but I'll give you a few tips that I did for Army BCT.

1) Stop all stimulants, meaning caffeine. If you are a heavy caffeine user like I was, you will go through a 10-15 day period of headaches. They will not allow you to have caffeine in BCT/Boot Camp.
2) I used P90X, did 2 a day + ran 1-5 miles.
3) Pay close attention to your legs, shin splints are common if you aren't incredibly active. . . They take time to heal if you damage them too much.
4) Their goal is to piss you off. If you are a shitbag, you simply won't make it. They go home every night laughing about the stuff they do to you guys on a daily basis, realize that now. . . Let 90% of what they say go through one ear and out the other. They will purposefully do things to screw with you, get used to it. Your weapon will never be clean enough and if it is, they'll make you low crawl through sand until you've gotta clean it again.
5) Do everything you are told, exactly how they tell you to do it and remove anything but the word "Yes" from your vocabulary. This will make the experience much easier.
6) Despite what I conceived popular belief, you will not get a phone call.
7) Pay attention to combat training, it could save your life one day.

Overall, enjoy the experience and know that it is simply a hazing process/right of passage. It's three months of suck.

[Marine1]

Oh yeah, I almost forgot......enjoy speaking in 3rd person for 13 weeks!! Oh and don't use the word bathroom. It's "head". Recruit "so and so" requests permission to make a head call sir!

[Alexandyr]

Rule #1 about anything military, OPSEC. Never disclose anything about when you'll be leaving anywhere for anything military related on a public forum. I know it sounds retarded, but a few of us in my old unit got grilled really hard for disclosing stuff like that on the internet. I know you're just starting out, so I'll take it easy on you. =P

OT: I dunno exactly how the Marine Corps does it, but in the Army, workouts are varied depending on who's running PT. But as others have suggested, cardio, cardio, cardio.