Preparing for plebe summer

Colleges and Universities A-Z Naval Academy - Annapolis
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<p>
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Most "experts" say it is real important that you pre-condition you body to process at least a gallon of water a day before showing up on I-day.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Hydration: yes, but be very careful with water....</p>

<p>there is such a thing as water poisioning- too much "free water" is not always a good thing- which is not to say that getting hydrated is not important- because it is ABSOLUTELY KEY- but instead of drinking plain water (which can dilute electrolytes, blood counts, etc), drink electolyte-fluids such as gatoraide, poweraide, pedialyte, etc- any of them will hydrate you without risking the dilutional effects of plain water! Especially when exercising heavily in hot, humid weather- the body needs replacement of salts- including sodium and potassium- to avoid lots of problems, the least of which is cramping and vomiting, and the worst of it is death from cardiac arrhythmias! This is most unfortunate as it is easily avoided, provided you drink the right thing!</p>

<p>The good news is that gatoraide comes in a powdered form, which makes it easy to add to the canteens at any of the academies- a good thing to send in that very first boodle box! </p>

<p>In the meantime, adding a little salt to your diet at dinner during summer months, or eating salted crackers/pretzels as a nightime snack, as well as eating a bananna at breakfast, can help replace lost sodium and potassium- keep in mind that most salt has been eliminated from table use and cooking habits of the health conscious these days- so adding a little at night before a day of heavy exercising can help to "hold on" to cellular water, and the potassium keeps everything else in balance. </p>

<p>You can find lots of medical literature on this topic on the internet, but have posted one that is a quick- read. </p>

<hr>

<p>Water Poisoning
The Risks of Over-Hydration
by Erowid
v1.0 - Sep 15, 2003
The fact that water can cause fatal overdoses is not well known. Often called "water intoxication" or "hyponatremia" (low salt)1, water poisoning results when too much water is ingested in too short a time without replenishing electrolytes, particularly sodium and potassium.</p>

<p>The human body (as with other animals) maintains an equilibrium of electrolytes in the bloodstream as part of its normal operation. Sweating causes the body to lose salt, but the primary cause of hyponatremia is drinking enormous amounts of water, which dilutes the salt in the body to a dangerous level. As the electrolyte levels get dangerously out of balance, body systems begin to fail and the sufferer exhibits signs of crisis such as diarrhea, over-salivation, stupor, vomiting, muscle tremors, confusion, frequent urination and other general symptoms of illness, and their brain begins to swell. This swelling is called a 'brain edema' or 'cerebral edema' and can lead to brain damage, paralysis, and sometimes death.</p>

<p>Water poisoning deaths are a real (although small) problem with recreational MDMA use; for more information about this see the MDMA Health & Water Issues page. There are occasional deaths in the US and Canada from people accidentally drinking too much water, and some from intentional or forced overconsumption, such as the case of a young man required to drink two or more gallons of water as part of a college fraternity hazing ritual.</p>

<p>How susceptible one is to the dangers of hyponatremia seems to be partially dependent on body weight, how much food is in the system, and other factors not yet understood which make up individual variation in response. The body has a system for regulating electrolyte balance and it eliminates excess fluids through urination. Some people's urine regulation systems (partially controlled by Anti-Diuretic Hormone [ADH], also called vasopressin) do not respond as quickly in some circumstances.</p>

<p>Health professionals recommend taking electrolytes dissolved in liquid or eating salty snacks when drinking large amounts of water to make sure that a proper balance is being maintained. For instance, sometimes when people are trying to avoid an alcohol hangover, they may drink (or have their friends force them to drink) more water than they would normally drink. In such cases, salty crackers, chips, or some other kind of salt source can help the body absorb the water and eliminate it properly without risking further throwing the electrolytes out of balance.</p>

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<p>Obviously, you not suppose to acclimate to water by gulping down the gallon in one sitting. You should have a bottle (1/2-litre) for breakfast along with your OJ or milk, take a couple bottles to school and sip on them in class, have one for lunch and then a couple or more in the afternoon before/during/after your exercise period. Another one with dinner and another before bed. A similar hydration patern/method along with the proper fruits and vegetables for the minerals to go along with the hydration is your best bet. Splitting meals to more than 3 per day will also help with this.</p>

<p>The acclamation process is to get your body used to processing (drinking and sweating, etc) this greater amount of daily fluid. The minerals will not be a problem for someone with a decent diet (bannanas and other fruits, decent vegetable intake, etc).</p>

<p>Where the Gatorade and other supplement fluids are most important is around the intense physical exercise and profuse sweating periods. You need this "extra" for those periods and/or if your diet is lacking replacement minerals.</p>

<p>Absolutely, check your resources for eating/hydration/supplement plans. Just don’t forget to drink lots of water (and/or other appropriate fluids) and get used to it before plebe summer. Your body gets more efficient at processing fluids with time, and you will not have your body cooling mechanisms working at their peak when you need it (plebe summer) unless you get a head start.</p>

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<p>Hydrating in "prep" for plebe summer is one thing.
Hydrating "during" plebe summer is another.
Hydrating in either form is best accomplished by electrolyte fluids, not free water, thus say all the current medical literature.</p>

<p>Experience teaches us many things.
We have, and continue, to treat many, many people- women especially- for cardiac arrhythmias associated with dieting- and when investigated, almost all report drinking "in excess of 8 glasses of water a day." That equates to about 1 gallon. And from the looks of it, there is no exercise even involved here.</p>

<p>Then there is the case of teenage kids- most of them are very active, most of them sweat, and when you sweat you loose salt. Most kids today do not have enough salt in their diet to begin with (unless they are eating at McDonalds on a regular basis)- the American diet has made the salt shaker almost obsolete (its us older folks with our hypertension reaching for it) and most who cook at home do so using less salt to begin with. Less salt=less water retention. Not an issue for most under NORMAL conditions. Stress associated with exercise is not considered a NORMAL condition....sweat and you lose water and salt. Water and salt needs to be replaced, and free water has no salt.</p>

<p>Take a healthy kid, in excellent physical condition, with a typical diet, and put them on an erg machine in a non-air conditioned room for a timed 2k, and see what happens. (check it out for yourself- the C.R.A.S.H. B's are coming to the Reggie Lewis Center outside Boston in Feb!) - and just watch how many of these "conditioned" athletes land on the floor when all is said and done- (and we are only talking about 6 to 8 minutes of intense physical activity)- and they do as most do: they hydrate with water the week(s) before, the night before, and right up to the time of their event. And what do the cardiologists tell them after a $900 workup including echos, stess tests and halters? Eat salted pretzels and a bananna the night before, and drink gatoraide.</p>

<p>I have no doubt that while these kids are "preparing" themselves for plebe summer, they are still doing lots of exercise/activity, and thus, still placing stress on their bodies where salts are lost, a condition that gets exaggerated when lost fluid is replaced with free water that only serves to further dilute their sodium and potassium serum levels. (you mention drinking a 1/2 liter along with a glass of OJ-essentially, the equivilant of an electrolyte solution). And lets not lose the fact that while they may be able to split their nutrition into 6 meals a day at home, this is highly unlikely once they get to where they're going....so whatever 'balance' they are trying to achieve is not the reality of what they will experiece come June 28th. (It's like trying to regulate the insulin of a diabetic while they are in the hospital with controlled nutrition-send them home to their regular lifestyle and watch things go amuck!) </p>

<p>So your advice is not only incorrect, but following it can have devistating effects. Come spend a day in our ER this July and see how many kids we treat from USMMA for this very issue, which is EXACTLY why we rehydrate them with solutions such as Normal Saline and Lactated Ringers....and NOT dextrose in water and certainly not free water! (thank goodness this last summer was relatively cool). And while I will agree that getting "ahead" of the hydration curve is a good thing, it is only good in so far as you are taking in balanced liquids- not free, dilutional water! Without sodium to "hold onto it" at the cellular level, you will only pee it out in the ensuing hours- along with potassium- and you are right back where you started from, maybe worse.</p>

<p>As far as getting your body conditioned to "process" more efficiently, kidney filtering/creatine clearance, etc., is not something you can "train." In fact, episodes of under-hydration/dehydration can lead not only to renal stress, but renal insufficiency and a condition known as "ATN," or acute tubular necrosis- not only will your kidneys not be working "at their peak," but they will not be working at all...and when you try to rehydrate, they still take time to get over the "shock" (and hopefully recover without chronic sequalea). Kidneys are the first organs to get "shunted" when fluid balances are off, and the cause of most of that imbalance is the sodium-potasium gate. Seems like hydrating with an electrolye solution is a cheap alternative!</p>

<p>I'm not sure where you are getting your information from, but it sounds like it is very, very outdated. The one point you have correct is to "Absolutely, check your resources for eating/hydration/supplement plans." If you like, I can forward several from the AHA and ACC.</p>

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<p>one correction to above post for those remotely interested: The CRASH B's are being held at the Agganis Arena at Boston University this year~ over 6000 already registered!
(Taffy- hope to see you there! Despite rumors to the contrary, not all cox's are dead weight...some of them actually erg---ah---row! ;) )</p>

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<p>Garlic salt comes highly recommended... by me. Garlic's good for you, and it goes good on toast, spaghetti, etc.</p>

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<p>navy2010,
Thank you for the detailed explanation about hydration. In fact, last year one of the USMA plebes who was posting on CC was separated due to heat stroke, and many USNA plebes experience heat exhaustion during the summer, so it is an important topic. One warning for future plebes; put the powdered electrolyte drinks in a water bottle, not the canteens. Canteens are ONLY for water.</p>

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<p>This is what USNA has to say on the matter:</p>

<p>Nutrition<br>
Plebe Summer 2005</p>

<p>Good Nutrition: Decreases the risk of fatigue and injury
Enhances training outcome</p>

<p>Poor Nutrition: Plebe Summer is not a weight loss program
Energy out > Energy in = wt loss & stress fracture
12 lbs MAX weight loss for 6 weeks (>12 lbs = muscle loss)</p>

<p>Fluid Intake: First—Punch Sports Drink, Second—Water </p>

<p>Hyponatremia: Low concentration of sodium in the blood
Decrease movement of water throughout the body
Increases dehydration</p>

<p>Symptoms of Dehydration/Hyponatremia: </p>

<ul>
<li>Loss of Appetite * Lethargy<br></li>
<li>Nausea and vomiting * Confusion</li>
<li>Difficulty concentrating * Agitation</li>
<li>Restlessness * Headache</li>
<li>Swollen hands & feet * Seizures</li>
</ul>

<p>Seek Medical Attention!</p>

<p>If signs of dehydration are left unnoticed---results in coma & possibly death</p>

<p>Preventing Dehydration/Hyponatremia:</p>

<p>• Encourage the use of salt during meals
• Do not consume large amounts of fluid at one time
• Consume fluids evenly through out the day</p>

<p>Sports Nutritionists/Registered Dietitians:</p>

<p>Lilah Al-Masri, MS, RD, LD Dietitian to be hired in KH
Midshipman Development Center<br>
8th Wing, Bancroft Hall
Phone x34897<br>
Email: <a href="mailto:almasri@usna.edu">almasri@usna.edu</a></p>

<p>Of course if you mix eating disorders with improper hydration, you've got a witches brew for sure. Eating disorders are much more prominent than most believe. Here is some gouge on that from USNA.</p>

<p>Athletes and Eating Disorders</p>

<p>In a sense, eating disorders are diets and fitness or sports programs gone horribly wrong. A person wants to lose weight, get fit, excel in his or her sport, but then loses control and ends up with body and spirit ravaged by starvation, binge eating, purging, and frantic compulsive exercise. What may have begun as a solution to problems of low self-esteem has now become an even bigger problem in its own right.
Statistics </p>

<p>Several studies suggest that participants in sports that emphasize appearance and a lean body are at higher risk for developing an eating disorder than are non-athletes or folks involved in sports that require muscle mass and bulk.</p>

<p>Eating disorders are significant problems in the worlds of ballet and other dance, figure skating, gymnastics, running, swimming, rowing, horse racing, ski jumping, and riding. Wrestlers, usually thought of as strong and massive, may binge eat before a match to carbohydrate load and then purge to make weight in a lower class.</p>

<p>One study of 695 male and female athletes found many examples of bulimic attitudes and behavior. A third of the group was preoccupied with food. About a quarter binged at least once a week. Fifteen percent thought they were overweight when they were not. About twelve percent feared losing control, or actually did lose control, when they ate. More than five percent ate until they were gorged and nauseated.</p>

<p>In this study, five and a half percent vomited to feel better after a binge and to control weight. Almost four percent abused laxatives. Twelve percent fasted for twenty-four hours or more after a binge, and about one and a half percent used enemas to purge.</p>

<p>Another research project done by the NCAA looked at the number of student athletes who had experienced an eating disorder in the previous two years. Ninety-three percent of the reported problems were in women's sports. The sports that had the highest number of participants with eating disorders, in descending order, were women's cross country, women's gymnastics, women's swimming, and women's track and field events.</p>

<p>The male sports with the highest number of participants with eating disorders were wrestling and cross country.</p>

<p>Male and female athletes: different risk factors </p>

<p>The female athlete is doubly at risk for the development of an eating disorder. She is subject to the constant social pressure to be thin that affects all females in western countries, and she also finds herself in a sports milieu that may overvalue performance, low body fat, and an idealized, unrealistic body shape, size, and weight. Constant exposure to the demands of the athletic subculture added to those bombarding her daily on TV, in movies, in magazines, and transmitted by peers, may make her especially vulnerable to the lures of weight loss and unhealthy ways of achieving that loss.</p>

<p>Males also develop eating disorders but at a much reduced incidence (approximately 90% female; 10% male). Males may be protected somewhat by their basic biology and different cultural expectations.</p>

<p>Many sports demand low percentages of body fat. In general, men have more lean muscle tissue and less fatty tissue than women do. Males also tend to have higher metabolic rates than females because muscle burns more calories faster than fat does. So women, who in general carry more body fat than men, with slower metabolisms and smaller frames, require fewer calories than men do.</p>

<p>All of these factors mean that women gain weight more easily than men, and women have a harder time losing weight, and keeping it off, than men do. In addition, women have been taught to value being thin. Men, on the other hand, usually want to be big, powerful, and strong; therefore, men are under less pressure to diet than women are -- and dieting is one of the primary risk factors for the development of an eating disorder.</p>

<p>Special concerns: wrestlers and quick weight loss </p>

<p>Everyone who uses drastic and unhealthy methods of weight loss is at risk of dying or developing serious health problems, but the deaths of three college wrestlers in the latter part of 1997 triggered re-examination of the extreme weight-loss efforts common in that sport. Athletes in other sports have died too; runners and gymnasts seem to be at high risk. The deaths of three young men in different parts of the U.S. in the late 1990s has put the problem once again before the public.</p>

<p>News reports say that the three were going to school in North Carolina, Wisconsin, and Michigan. Authorities believe they were trying to lose too much weight too rapidly so they could compete in lower weight classes. The wrestling coach at Iowa State University has been quoted as saying, "When you have deaths like this, it calls into question what's wrong with the sport. Wrestlers believe that, foremost, it's their responsibility to make weight, and that mind set may come from the fact that they find themselves invincible." They share that mind set with others who use dangerous methods of weight loss, both athletes and non-athletes.</p>

<p>Two of the young men were wearing rubber sweat suits while they worked out in hot rooms. One died from kidney failure and heart malfunction. The other succumbed to cardiac arrest after he worked out on an exercise bike and refused to drink liquids to replenish those he lost by sweating. One was trying to lose four pounds, the other six.</p>

<p>Wrestlers share a mentality with people who have eating disorders. They push themselves constantly to improve, to be fitter, to weigh less, and to excel. They drive themselves beyond fatigue. One coach reports that "wrestlers consider themselves the best-conditioned athletes that exist, and they like the fact they can go where no one's gone before. The instilled attitude among these kids is that if they push and push, it'll pay off with a victory." No one expects to die as a consequence of weight loss, but it happens.</p>

<p>When a clamor arose for the NCAA to do something, to make rules prohibiting drastic methods of weight loss, a representative said, "We could make every rule in the book, but we can't legislate ethics. That's where the wrestlers and coaches have to put the onus on themselves."</p>

<p>What price victory? It takes wisdom indeed to realize that in some circumstances the price is too high.</p>

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<p>Ah, what the heck...some more on preventing that water on (in) the brain...:D</p>

<p>Robert Murray, Ph.D
Gatorade Sports Science Institute</p>

<p>Hyponatremia is a disorder in fluid-electrolyte balance that results in abnormally low plasma sodium concentration (<135 mmol/L; normal = 138-142 mmol/L). A sustained decrease in plasma sodium concentration disrupts the osmotic balance across the blood-brain barrier, resulting in a rapid influx of water into the brain. This causes brain swelling and a cascade of increasingly severe neurological responses (confusion, seizure, coma) that can culminate in death from rupture of the brainstem.</p>

<p>The lower and faster blood sodium falls, the greater the risk of life-threatening consequences. A decrease in plasma sodium concentration to 125-135 mmol/L usually results in little more than gastrointestinal symptoms such as bloating and nausea. Below 125 mmol/L, the symptoms become more severe and include confusion, throbbing headache, wheezy breathing, swollen hands and feet, unusual fatigue, and incoordination. When plasma sodium concentration drops below 120 mmol/L, seizure, coma, and death become more likely. However, some athletes have survived hyponatremia of <115 mmol/L, while others have died at >120 mmol/L.</p>

<p>Hyponatremia can be caused by dozens of different factors, but in athletes excessive drinking is often, but not always, the common denominator. Even in the absence of other physiological provocations, excessive drinking alone can result in hyponatremia, as has occurred in people who have ingested large volumes of fluid (e.g., 3 liters of fluid in an hour) in attempts to hasten micturition for drug tests.</p>

<p>During exercise, there is an elevated risk that excessive drinking will result in hyponatremia. There are two reasons for this. First, urine production is decreased during exercise, reducing the body's ability to excrete excess water. Second, sodium loss (via sweat) is increased, so it becomes easier to dilute the body's sodium content.</p>

<p>Overdrinking water during either rest or exercise will unavoidably result in a temporary drop in plasma sodium concentration. The kidneys respond to this overload by increasing urine production to allow plasma sodium concentration to return to normal. Under most circumstances, abnormally large volumes of water must be ingested to create a hyponatremic state, such as in the case of the female marathon runner who drank 10 liters of water the night before a race. Unfortunately, this aberrant behavior does occur in some individuals who mistakenly assume that overconsumption of water is not dangerous. Although dehydration remains the primary challenge for the vast majority of athletes, hyponatremia should be recognized as a possible threat to those athletes who go overboard in their hydration practices.</p>

<p>DRINK TO STAY HYDRATED, DON'T OVERDRINK -- Excessive drinking dramatically increases the risk of hyponatremia. It is vital not to overdrink before training or competition, because doing so can lower blood sodium before the event begins. Also, don't overdrink during or after exercise. Your fluidreplacement plan should be designed to avoid or at least minimize dehydration. Weight gain during training or races is a sure sign of overdrinking. A simple way to gauge fluid needs is to weigh nude before and after a workout. A minimal weight loss indicates an effective fluid-replacement regimen. Weight loss of more than 1 - 2 pounds indicates dehydration and a need for drinking more during your next exercise session. Gaining weight during exercise is a sure warning sign of excessive drinking, so fluid intake should be reduced during subsequent bouts of exercise.</p>

<p>MAINTAIN A SALTY DIET to make certain you replace all of the salt lost during training - which can be considerable in some athletes. During a long race (e.g., more than four hours), consider eating salty snacks such as pretzels, especially if you are a salty sweater (skin and clothes caked in white residue).</p>

<p>FAVOR SPORTS DRINKS over water during training and competition, to keep your body hydrated, fueled and salted. The flavor of a sports drink will encourage you to drink enough to stay hydrated while providing the electrolytes to help replace what is lost in sweat during long periods of exercise.</p>

<p>RECOGNIZE WARNING SIGNS of hyponatremia. When in doubt, stop exercise, stop drinking, and seek medical help fast.</p>

<hr>

<p>It was very interesting to note that not everyone loses the same amount of salt when they sweat!</p>

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<p>Dad: nice to see that Navy is at least keeping up on the latest literature! And yes, people lose electrolytes at different rates- the challenge comes in that you usually don't find that out until you are in trouble. "Overdrinking" can be avoided by substituting gatoraide or electrolyte fluids for free water.</p>

<p>As for eating disorders- that is another whole issue in itself. Too often coaches miss the signs, or don't know how to handle it, so they turn a blind eye to the issue until it becomes unavoidable. Surprisingly enough, athletes know exactly what their fellow athletes are doing- and not doing- and while it is a tough responsiblity, watching out for other members of your team- and insisting on getting help when needed- is key. Sadly, when we get kids in with trouble, most of their peers saw it unfold over time but did nothing. Trainers and team nutritionists are a good thing and can be a big asset to the coaches who already have lots of other things to keep track of. </p>

<p>There is so much more we could post on this- the Navy info mentioned loss of body mass- the weight loss over plebe summer is not all water, but loss of fat and protein (loss of muscle mass)- so now add higher levels of ketones (an acid) and protein waste to the mix and maintaining proper hydration and nutrution becomes even more essential in keeping kidneys healthy. We could go on and on-</p>

<p>So here we are, back to where we started- gatoraide (or like substitute) instead of "plain" water, and a little salt- a snack of pretzels and a bananna for breakfast! Pack the powdered gatoraide in the first boodle box. Keep it simple. </p>

<p>Hope some future mids got some good information here today from all these posts. </p>

<p>USNA09mom: While we see quite a few kids from USMMA over the summer with heat exhaustion, I can only imagine how much worse things must get down on the Severn with all that humidity and heat- at least LI stays a bit cooler! Thanks for the tip regarding the canteen-however, is that the only container the plebes carry around with them during plebe summer? Is there a particular reason you can't put gatoraide in there? While I would imagine the bacteria growth in those bottles might be an issue, a good soaking between use (with a tsp of vinegar) should prevent that -am I missing something else? </p>

<p>I guess this would be a good place to stick in a reminder about not sharing bottles, canteens, etc- a surefire way to contract mono! </p>

<p>DBH: you are on the right track- garlic salt would work for sodium replacement- (still need the bananna for K+) but hey, at least the garlic breath might keep those cadre at a safe distance! Betcha didn't know that the body excretes garlic oil through the sweat glands- imagine that aroma waifing across Waldron field! Really want to keep them yards away from you? Try adding a little curry to your diet- and watch them run! (problem is, though, you might have to do some running of your own! :rolleyes: )</p>

<p>Gotta go- no free water for me- I'm a caffine addict! Not a good thing!</p>

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<p>So after I went to bed last night, I realized I should have made one other point re: caffeine.</p>

<p>Tapering off caffeine WOULD be a good thing in the weeks leading up to plebe summer. Not only does caffeine cause vasoconstriction of blood vessels, but it gets the heart going faster than it needs to, and also serves as a diuretic (makes you pee more, so in essence, adds to the whole dehydration discussion). If that is not enough, it can reduce fine motor coordination and cause such symptoms as insomnia, headaches, nervousness and dizziness. Keep in mind that as little as 4 cups of coffee a day, or 4 colas, is enough to get your body dependent. </p>

<p>While "Red Bull" seems to be a fad around here with the kids these days, it is a definate no-no for plebe summer with all the other stress placed on you.</p>

<p>Other things to stay away from in the weeks prior to and during plebe summer are:
Colas (coke, Dr Pepper, pepsi)
Mountain Dew
Some chocolates (dark chocolate in particular)
Meds: diet pills, No-Doz, excedrin and midol</p>

<p>If you crave carbonated sodas, 7-up and sprite are reasonable choices as they are caffeine free. </p>

<p>There. Now I feel better.
And with that, I am heading to Starbucks for a Grande Latte so that I can get through the rest of this day! TGIF!!! ;)</p>

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<p>Stew Smith PT'd the hell out of me when I was a plebe. That guy was a stud! His book is super. Follow it religiously and you should do fine!</p>

<p>DeepThroat</p>

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<p>At USMMA, I'm going to guess it's the same at the other academies, soda is considered a "privilege" during Indoc...therefore, none of the plebes get soda.</p>

<p>As for signs of dehydration, warning posters are in all the bathrooms regarding the color of one's urine indicating the level or lack of hydration.. </p>

<p>In addition, I noticed on the posted PICS during Indoc, that EMT units were present at all the outdoor PT sessions</p>

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<p>I am not worried about plebe summer, well the physical part of it. from what i hear it isnt really THAT hard. As long as you can run long distances and at least one mile around 630 or less you should be fine, and be able to do many many push ups. If you're in any physical condition then its not a problem</p>

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<p>I'm almost done with Plebe Year and it's been some year, let me tell you, but for Plebe Summer...You don't have to go crazy with training. Make sure you can run, not even well, but you have to be able to run long distances slowly (you'll do lots of slow regimental runs). Bascially, they'll train you, everyday, to get into shape. And you will get into shape. So I recommend my preparation method...Relaxing and partying up the last few months of being a civilian, because although you're excited to get here, there's no going back, and you WILL miss being free. Trust me...</p>

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<p>How you do on your physical stuff during the summer is how the detailers and upperclass during the school year base a lot of their image of you on. By beasting the physical stuff during plebe summer you can expect to have an easier plebe summer as far as the other plebe stuff goes, than those who do average or poorly. If there is something to stand out in, being the top of your unit physically is a good thing to pick. Same thing during ac year. If you do poorly on the PRT then there is a high likelyhood when rankings come out you will not be towards the top, which has direct influence on your service selection. Have fun during the time off in the summer, but dont give up on PT during that time. One hour a day is all it takes, then go party hard for the rest of the day.</p>

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<p>I agree. NAPS Indoc was fun for me..</p>

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<p>ok ok NASS is referred to as Naval Academy Summer Scam-inar from most of us here at the academy. the physical stuff you saw there is pretty much nothing...my advice to you is to run. if you are a bad runner, start now. every day you do some sort of running and you dont want to look "weak" in front of your class mates. we do these things called regimental runs were you run with your whole company. sadly to say, i still remember the people who fell out of those runs. run now so you arent one of those people falling out. but dont worry i HATE running and i made it through without falling out. ok good luck!</p>