<p>How should my son be training for plebe summer? He has an LOA and is committed to attending, but we don't know how he should train over the next six months. What kind of mile time, how many miles, how many push ups... I know the answer is "as many as possible plus 20 more" but is there some general numbers to start at?</p>
<p>I believe there was and hopefully still is a suggested running/training program (6-8weeks?) posted on the USNA site. If I can find the link I will post it. </p>
<p>What kind of shape is he in now? If he is in good shape all he may have to do is maintain his current level. If not he would obviously want to work harder on getting in good shape. My son ran cross country and track and still had to work hard during Plebe summer. I wouldn’t worry about his mile time, endurance, not speed is what you need. They will sort the Plebes into running groups so your son won’t be running along side a guy that can clock a 4:10 mile. (Only a very select few of those anyway…) </p>
<p>I would suggest he run at least 3 times a week, 3-5 miles from now until early spring and then crank up the effort and move to the recommended program from the USNA site 8-10 weeks out. </p>
<p>Get started in good running shoes if he doesn’t already have some and come spring buy a new pair of good running shoes and start to break them in so they are ready for Plebe summer. My son was partial to Asics, but there are lot’s of good shoes out there. He may already know this, but spend the money and if possible make the trip to a runner’s shoe store, get someone to fit the shoes and make sure he doesn’t have any issues with under/over pronation. If you can't get to a store in your area or there isn't one around, some of the better running shoe web sites have shoe selection help that also explains and helps you measure your foot/ankle condition. </p>
<p>Having running shoes that fit and work with your body mechanics are as important as showing up in shape.</p>
<p>I think this is the link you mean</p>
<p>USNA-Net</a> Parents Handbook</p>
<p>Then hit the Plebe Summer tab.</p>
<p>Someone needs to update some of that info.</p>
<p>If you want some additional running/conditioning programs try coolrunning.com</p>
<p>Go to the training tab and pick your program based on current level and goals</p>
<p>Good luck</p>
<p>My Mid was running track from February through May so he was ahead of the game running. He was little weak upper body so he really pushed himself on push ups and pull ups. It was amazing to see how he improved his numbers over the months prior to I-Day. He was running 5 miles 4 days a week, doing about 75 push ups and 25 pull ups a day, including 15-20 minutes of treading water 3 times a week just prior to I-Day. He took off 4 days for a senior trip. He relaxed 3 or 4 days before reporting. He did fine on all of the physical stuff during Plebe Summer. I am certainly not suggesting that you could not get by on less than above stated, but he wanted to be sure he was ready. While he was very challenged, especially with the pace of things during the summer, physically nothing thrown at him bothered him, except having to carry one of those rubber boats about a half mile half full of water, now that like to have killed him. Good Luck and work hard, it will come to your son.</p>
<p>yeah, I sat on the couch and played video games for 6 weeks before reporting. Never ran and never worked upper body and I had no problems whatsoever with the strength portion of plebe summer. I got a 95 on the PRT when we took it. Take from that what you will.</p>
<p>But from experience, be able to run a mile in under 6:45, any thing slower than that pace on the PRT is failing. If you can do 60 legit chest to deck and all the way back up arms locked out pushups in one sitting you will be fine. do all of this and 100 crunches in 2:00 you just got an A on the PRT.</p>
<p>How does 'ouch' strike you? Hopefully this doesn't also apply to the application fitness test. Hm, I can manage 50 pushups right now, 64 sit-ups (The Academy site calls them crunches), not so many pull-ups, and not sure aobut the mile time. Working like crazy to improve all that in about two weeks. C'est la vie.</p>