<p>I want to know how to become physically prepared for the Academy. Presently I lift 6 days a week (abs on 3 days of those). I run 3 days a week (3 miles @ presently a 9 min mile pace, going down). Right now I work full-time (co-op, so no college courses right now) so I can’t really run more than 3 days a week. I have 6 weeks before the Academy during which I have no school and no work, so at that point I’ll ramp up to running 6 days a week.</p>
<p>Anyway, I’d like some advice on preparation. I thought about changing over to more push-ups and whatnot stuff, but realized that my chest was getting weaker when I did those. I’m going to add more push-ups in my 6 week hiatus before the Academy, but until then want to keep my size and strength, which I believe will be beneficial for BCT.</p>
<p>Anyway, I’d like any and all advice on physical preparation. Keep in mind that right now I work full-time (6 more weeks of this, about), but then have 6 weeks of free time. So, any type of insane workout stuff works for me. I like to push myself.</p>
<p>From what I've heard, a lot of people that do heavy lifting lose the mass during BCT because more emphasis is placed on cardiovascular work and on endurence training (push-ups etc) So, you I would say try to tailor your workout to maximize push-up tight exersizes, however you can. </p>
<p>Also, if you want to lower your 3 mile time, try to do 4 at your current pace or a tad slower. Then 3 miles will seem easier.</p>
<p>I started doing the suggested workouts in the Candidate booklet we got way back with our application. They definitely stress pushups, pull-ups, abs, and running. By looking at the workouts, what hornetguy said must be right because there are very little exercises involving weights. In the booklet there are three suggested workouts of different intensity. Try to dig up that booklet, it should help you out.</p>
<p>Right. I was doing core strength workouts for a while, since I was so skinny. Now that I've built up some mass and put on some weight (good weight), the gym is not as important, as I will find myself staying home to run instead of going to the gym more often than not.</p>
<p>Obviously, I'm no cadet, but I would believe that building some mass is good and will help with other things (not to mention prevent injury), but you shouldn't be trying to build it within 6 weeks of the Academy.</p>
<p>Running, pushups (do variants as well) and pullups, plus some abs. I think that's what everyone's said already, so I'll stop talking. ;)</p>
<p>I've been lifting for 5 years and have gained 50 pounds because of it. So no, I'm not trying to gain weight 6 weeks out (it's actually 12, btw).</p>
<p>My point was whether I should tailor my workout more toward what we'll be doing in beast.</p>
<p>The thing is, even never doing push-ups, I can already pull off 80 in 1 minute. Abs are a tad weaker at only 65 in 2 minutes, but I want to get that down to 70 in 1 minute and also hit the max in 2. Pull-ups I did 18 for my CFT and want to hit 25 (I know that's about max, but I hate limits). Bball throw I hit 70' on the CFT, but that's not in the physical test at the academy so I don't care. Long jump I haven't practiced, nor the 600 run or the 1.5 mile. I do run, like I said, and my legs are pretty strong, so I don't foresee a problem. I'd like to hit 350 points on the physical test, though.</p>
<p>I may try that pre-BUD/S workout I saw somewhere here, I'd like doing that in addition to my lifting.</p>
<p>As UNcynical said, Push ups, Push ups, and more Push ups. BCT has absolutely nothing to do with how much you can bench, squat, curl or anything like that. Be able to lots of push ups on demand, lots of flutter kicks and crunches (when you arent doing push ups those ab workouts is what you will be doing), and just make sure you can run at a good pace for a while. If you are trying to prepare for the PFT, i would also reccomend going all the way down and locking out your elbows for the pull ups. For my CFT they only made me go to 90 degrees and i was able to easily get the max. Once i got here though, i could only do about 8 all the way down. Good luck with the preparation.</p>
<p>usafaskydiver...you mentioned some the guidelines for pull-ups like locking your elbows at the bottom. I was wondering what the guidelines for push-ups are.</p>
<p>"was wondering what the guidelines for push-ups are."</p>
<p>Lower than you think. Everybody says 90 degrees, but they actually mean it here. I think they measure the 90 degrees between your shoulder and elbow joints. It feels much lower than a normal pushup. If you think you can do 80, chances are you'll get about 50 or less on your first PFT. You don't need to touch your chest to the ground, but pretty close. You might find a book of the right dimensions and practice hitting your chest to it when you go down.</p>
<p>Is it better to do the pushups with your chin up or with your face towards the ground, because it definitely makes it easier to do it the second way (maybe because it prevents me from going down as far as I should?)</p>
<p>This is what I do sometimes...put a small and moderately soft pillow under your chest, and make sure you hit it every time you go down.</p>
<p>You'll feel the burn a lot more. Also, to work other parts of your arms, which will help normal pushups and just that overall muscle tone, do diamonds, knuckles, and fingertips.</p>
<p>In addition to what K10 said, my biggest advice for females is: BE ABLE TO DO A PULLUP. Doing more is definitely ideal, but I don't think a large enough emphasis is put on the importance of this.</p>
<p>This may have been asked already, but whatever: would you suggest weight bearing excersises or more of things like straight pushups, situps, and pullups? I was thinking that all I would do to prepare is just do tons of situps, pullups, pushups and that kinda thing (in addition to running 12 miles a day ;) ). It's easier for me though, cause I have 6 weeks of total nothingness between when RPI ends and when I have to leave for I day.</p>