# fitness routines



## patrick666 (7 Dec 2002)

Hey I‘ve decided to go the way of paratrooper and am wondering if anyone has any fitness training advice? currently i work fulltime but still get out for a jog about once week and i did pushups/situps atleast every two days, been doin it for a year already, just more frequently when i was unemployed    what should be some goals i should set up? 60 pushups 80 situps? stuff like that. Thanks.


----------



## Pugil (7 Dec 2002)

The basic airborne test is 1.5 mile under 12 min, 28 push-ups, 7 chin-ups and 32 sit-ups under a minute.I find  the test  pretty easy I did it many times, if you are in decent shape you can do it too but I have seen guys in my regiment failing one or many of those tests. I would say that you need to double your push-ups, sit-ups, chin-ups and run under 8:30 to be really fit to be paratrooper.


----------



## Pugil (7 Dec 2002)

correction , it is a 1.5 mile in 9:30 not 8:30, at that time even the JTF wouldnt be able to do it


----------



## MJP (7 Dec 2002)

double post.


----------



## MJP (7 Dec 2002)

Basic para test is(remember these are only the minimum standards);
1600 meter run(1 mile) in under 7:30 mins;
7 full arm extension, chin over bar, chin-ups;
32 legs/feet held sit-ups.

Sounds easy and it is, the trick is to be able to do way over the standard, as units(especially reserve) don‘t want to waste their money on guys that aren‘t physically ready and might fail.

The only test that I‘m aware of having a 1.5 mile run(2.4 km) is the coopers test for JTF.


----------



## patrick666 (7 Dec 2002)

Yeah, the sit/push/chin-ups are no problem (can do 70 situps/35 pushups/8-10 chinups currently) and i ran 2.4km in 11.14m.. the only thing i‘m worried about is the running, i run a lot but not that fast.. should i continue to just run my normal pace or increase it ? Thanks again.

- Patrick


----------



## Badger (7 Dec 2002)

I would recommend increasing your pace on the 2.4 km until it‘s at least under 10 minutes, preferably under 9:30. It might seem a long ways off but it will make it a lot easier on yourself if you can run at those times before you go on the para course than learning it the hard way during the course(btw, im sure most JTF-2 can do the run in under 9 mins). I also suggest you work on your chin-ups since they are done a lot on the para course. Get your maximum repetitions to at least 15, if you have trouble increasing your reps, try doing them with a backpack filled with 30+ pounds of anything ( a few bricks, sandbags, whatever you can find that makes sense). Good luck.


----------



## toms3 (7 Dec 2002)

Geee, everyone is telling you what you need to do, but not answering the important question on "how you train to get there".  Its more than just increasing your pace.  You stated that running was your main concern.  You need to add speed workouts to your training schedule.  Some people call it "intervals".   One form is doing sprints,for example, mark yourself off a 200 meter distance, than run as fast as you can for that 200 meters, then rest for 1.5 or 2 mins.  Then do it again....try doing 6 sets.  Make sure you only do speed work 1 or 2 times per week and make sure your warm up with a 1km jog before.  You will find that when you practice running the test, that your time will start to get better.  There are a couple of other speed workouts you can do...one is call "hills".  Check out the websites below (especially the Running Room) for more tips on speed work.

  http://www.sealchallenge.navy.mil/workout.htm     Has a good running schedule and strengh work out.
    http://www.runningroom.com         Go to the "running tips" section.

Good luck


----------



## Doug VT (7 Dec 2002)

Badger:  I would love to see you do chin-ups with 30+ lbs on your back.  That‘s just foolish.  Now if the weight were around your feet/ankles, that would make more sense.  Have you ever really tried to do chin-ups like that? (with weight on you back)  It doesn‘t really work.

The Para test is easy.  The run is 1.6 km in under 7:30 min, 7 underhand pull-ups, and 32 sit-ups (no time limit, no stopping)

PT on the course isn‘t that bad either.  You only do PT till thurs of the second week (twice a day)
Morning PT is usually a fast run for about 15+/- min.  Afternoon PT is a longer run, circuit trg, rope climbing, etc.  You run everywhere you go (within the CPC), and you do 5 pull-ups every time you leave or enter the CPC school hanger.  
You don‘t want to be that guy/girl who‘s falling out of a run or not being able to do that 10th set of 25, so if you want it you had better be ready.
Once you pass the PT test and make it on the course it‘s no longer a competition.  So you don‘t have to be the fastest, or the strongest.  You just have to keep up.  
Oh and by the way, we don‘t want any chest-beating idiots in the Paratrooping business to say or do something stupid to reflect badly on the rest of us.

AIRBORNE!


----------



## patrick666 (7 Dec 2002)

Hey digger, thanks for the advice.. i will definately give that a try. Btw, what exactly does Recce do? That‘s something that is also interesting me.

Thanks again.

- Patrick


----------



## Pugil (7 Dec 2002)

I would recomment anyone who wants to be in the airborne or infantry to put their priority  on their cardio and legs. Upper-body is important but not as much as the 2 mentionned above. Run to work on your cardio and do fast pace walking with weight on your back and slowly increase it.


----------



## Guzman (8 Dec 2002)

i was about to post somthing very similar to this.since its already up,ill add to it.

my question is basicly the same,except im training a little different.
im doing light weight training with high reps at a faster pace then usual.with little to no rest time inbetween excersises.im doing this 4 times a week at the gym and im doing push ups and sit ups everyday...3x 25 each.

my running is different then the first person posted and is what i need help on most.at the beggining i ran 3 k with no time limit,just to see where i was at.i did that for 2 weeks,rested a full week then started what im doing now...

start with fast walk for .25k
fast run of 1k..and end off with another fast walk of .25 k
im doing the k in about 4 mins.

this week im gonna start running 1.5k,and i increase every 2 weeks with a 4 day rest inbetween until i get up to 5 k.

is this a good way to work on my running? i changed it form long distance b/c everything is timed,so i figure id make more sence to increase my distance slowly while traing to keep a good pace...made sence to me.i could run 10 k if i really wanted to,but id take all day :S

any comments on this would be appreciated.


----------



## Guzman (8 Dec 2002)

forgot to post this....http://www.sealchallenge.navy.mil/workout.htm

might be useful


----------



## Badger (8 Dec 2002)

Doug, You‘re absolutely right, it slipped my mind to recommend doing them with the weights around the ankles, that would probably work substantially better. Personally, I couldn‘t find a safe way to attach the weights to my ankles with the available equipment in my house, so I filled an old schoolbag with some bricks and after doing fewer reps with more weight I noticed a significant increase in the number of reps I could without any extra weight.


----------



## Fusaki (8 Dec 2002)

i‘m open to suggestions as to how i‘d attach weights around my ankles with household stuff. my main problem is that my pull-up bar is in the doorframe of my room and i have to bend my knees to keep off the ground.

would attaching weights on a belt around my waist do the same thing? whats the problem with putting heavy stuff in a backpack?


----------



## MJP (9 Dec 2002)

A waist weight belt would work just fine.

As for the weight on the back alot(not all), myself included, find that it causes too much strain on the back.  Especially if it not snug against or not high enough on the back.


----------



## toms3 (9 Dec 2002)

Patrick...not a problem.  I am into training hard and I do it often.  I don‘t mind sharing what I have learned.  Regarding your "Recce" question...go to our homepage and you can read all about it.     http://qyrang.org    

Guzman....hmmmm...I have a couple of points for you, first there is nothing wrong with long runs, you should not stop doing that.  As I said to Patrick, you need to include some speed work in your schedule (see previous reply).  You should run 5 days a week with a mixture of hard and easy runs (which includes speed work and long runs).  Check out the "running tips" section at www.runningroom.com.

Second, don‘t forget to take rest days.  You should try and include 2 days of rest to let your body recover (for example..rest Thursdays and Sundays).  This includes the push ups your doing everyday.  Nothing wrong with doing lots of pushups, situps and so on, however, you should treat it the same as you do your weights.   If your not careful you are risking "Over Training".  I beleive the Running Room website talk about the dangers of Overtraining.

I am with Doug and MJP on this one, I would avoid putting any weight on your pack for pull ups.  To expand on what MJP stated, i have seen guys take their lifting belt, modify it by attacking a chain to it, so it dangles between the legs.  Then use the chain to attach the weights.  The weights basically hang between the legs when you do your pullups.


----------



## patrick666 (11 Dec 2002)

I think that clears things up pretty good.

Peace.

- patrick.


----------



## Cdnrecon78 (2 Apr 2004)

Not to sound like an *** but for to you say that your main concern should be lower body, and upper is not as important, you have obviously never had to pull slips in the house of pain for 2 or 3 40 min periods a day for the 2 weeks prior to j-stage, anybody who is jump qualified will know what I‘m taking about.  So all I have to say is never train one body part less then the other.
  :sniper:  



> Originally posted by Pugil:
> [qb] I would recomment anyone who wants to be in the airborne or infantry to put their priority  on their cardio and legs. Upper-body is important but not as much as the 2 mentionned above. Run to work on your cardio and do fast pace walking with weight on your back and slowly increase it. [/qb]


----------



## baraccuda112 (15 Apr 2004)

when i do my chin ups full extension of arms and chin above the bar i put my back pack on my front of my body it distibutes the wait more


----------



## ^*^batman^*^ (15 Apr 2004)

another thouhgt for helping your cardio, especially on teh morning sprints of the para course, is to run in a city, run a block , walk a block, and repeat untill whatever suits you fitness level. this will train your heart, most people over look this but it will help your heart stay at a lower BPM so you can go longer(less lactic acid flow), this is a trick i picked up while competing in biathlon


----------



## kurokaze (15 Apr 2004)

for chin-ups with weight, you can get yourself a nuke bag (from Canadian Peacekeeper) and load that up with books or what not.  It‘ll naturally ride high on the back when properly worn.

And for those in the know, how much does forearm strength come into play when doing chin-ups?


----------



## bernacj21 (29 May 2010)

^*^batman^*^ said:
			
		

> another thouhgt for helping your cardio, especially on teh morning sprints of the para course, is to run in a city, run a block , walk a block, and repeat untill whatever suits you fitness level. this will train your heart, most people over look this but it will help your heart stay at a lower BPM so you can go longer(less lactic acid flow), this is a trick i picked up while competing in biathlon









Definitely, that is good for you Batman. Good workout, a running and walking repeatedly until you achieve your fitness that you could help your cardio. An army, you must have a strong body to conquer all tasks in the field.


----------



## PMedMoe (29 May 2010)

bernacj21 said:
			
		

> Definitely, that is good for you Batman. Good workout, a running and walking repeatedly until you achieve your fitness that you could help your cardio. An army, you must have a strong body to conquer all tasks in the field.



You realize you replied to a 6 year old thread?


----------



## Neolithium (29 May 2010)

PMedMoe said:
			
		

> You realize you replied to a 6 year old thread?


But just think of how fit Batman is by now!!!  :rofl:


----------

