Tips for physical

[Chalcey]

Hey everyone I just completed my physical today and I thought I‘d help those out who are soon to do theirs. If you can,practice the step test before you go, specifically foot placement. If you get confused of which foot goes where next you may experience some anxiety like I did which I‘m sure raised my heart rate a bit. Going into the test I was really nervous about how I would do and that too made my heart rate high (still in normal range) so my advice to you is if you‘ve been training and can meet the requirements, don‘t stress yourself out, it‘s not as bad as you think. I realize now I would have done a bit better if I wasn‘t so nervous. So relax, you‘ll do okay.And with the help of adrenaline you may push out more than you did while training.

 

[Tyrnagog]

good tips, Chalcey. And very true. I unfortunately let my nerves get the better of me last time, but I am going back in less than 2 weeks. It isn‘t as tough as you think it is. Make sure you are relaxed and confident...

The only way you fail is if you fail in your head.

 

[Infanteer]

If you get confused of which foot goes where next you may experience some anxiety like I did which I‘m sure raised my heart rate a bit.

If you are confused on how to walk up stairs I think you have bigger problems....

 

[Chalcey]

I didn‘t say it would be confusing to walk up stairs infanteer. What I was talking about was in regards to foot placement. Right foot 1st step, left foot 2nd step, right foot top step, left foot 1st step, right foot floor, left foot floor and repeat. What I meant was if you don‘t practice this a bit, you may hesitate during the test of where to put your foot next, which, in my case made me slighty nervous which effects your heart rate. They like it done a specific way. Walking up stairs in itself is not confusing, but thanks for your comment.

 

[jutes85]

If you are confused on how to walk up stairs I think you have bigger problems....

That made my day.

Seriously, the step test is probably the easiest thing physically you will encounter, unless you are really out of shape. If you can jog 400M without getting winded, you are fine.

 

[Infanteer]

Right foot 1st step, left foot 2nd step, right foot top step, left foot 1st step, right foot floor, left foot floor and repeat.

Sounds like walking up stairs to me....

 

[Superman]

haha no kidding... in the Army walking up stairs is going to be the least of your worries... But your right, dont want to have to much anxiety going up them stairs.. you just might keel over and die of a heart attack

 

[D-n-A]

Originally posted by Infanteer:
[qb]

If you get confused of which foot goes where next you may experience some anxiety like I did which I‘m sure raised my heart rate a bit.

If you are confused on how to walk up stairs I think you have bigger problems.... [/qb]

HAHAHA

 

[scm77]

Originally posted by Superman:
[qb] haha no kidding... in the Army walking up stairs is going to be the least of your worries... But your right, dont want to have to much anxiety going up them stairs.. you just might keel over and die of a heart attack [/qb]

 

[Chalcey]

Wow I can‘t believe you guys...I wrote my reply because I thought it would help people out, not to be made a joke of. I know walking up stairs is easy, come on, but I don‘t think you are understanding what I was saying. Look it doesn‘t matter, hopefully someone who is going to do their physical can look at this and find it somewhat helpful...

 

[Slanker]

Chalcey...

anyone who doesn‘t know how to follow the polish guys step dance instructions should consider a different type of job.

Step
Up two
Step
Down two

Step
Up two
Step
Down two

Step
Up two
Step
Down two


And so on...

Sheesh

 

[corporal-cam]

Originally posted by Chalcey:
[qb] Right foot 1st step, left foot 2nd step, right foot top step, left foot 1st step, right foot floor, left foot floor and repeat. [/qb]

Ok the way I read that, do they expect you to put your foot down two steps or was that a typo? Cause the way I read it was up 1, up 1, up 1, down 2, down 1... sounds like a complicated form of walking... or maybe I‘m just confused like some recruits who thing they march with their left leg 3 times then their right

 

[Chalcey]

[/QUOTE]Ok the way I read that, do they expect you to put your foot down two steps or was that a typo? Cause the way I read it was up 1, up 1, up 1, down 2, down 1... sounds like a complicated form of walking... or maybe I‘m just confused like some recruits who thing they march with their left leg 3 times then their right [/QB][/QUOTE]

Here, I‘ll write the foot placement again, maybe not every tester tests it this way, all I know is mine did, and it had to be exactly like this. She was really picky about it, so I know the step test isn‘t hard, but if you had a tester like mine, it made me a bit nervous because if you hesitated a bit(people don‘t normally walk down stairs backwards ) she started counting outloud with the girls voice on the tape:
right foot-step one
left foot- step two
right foot-step two
left foot-step one
right foot-floor
left foot-floor
(note: so yes your right foot does go from 2nd step to the floor)

 

[SFontaine]

Wow this is kind of sad.. It‘s a freaking step test. I mean good idea with the thread and all but if people need help doing 19 push ups, 19 sit ups and 10 minutes on a step test I honestly don‘t think there is a place for them in the Army.

Just don‘t be nervous, cause you have no reason to be. Simple as that.

 

[Bert]

I think you guys should get another perspective. The military isn‘t about push-ups, sit-ups, and how fast you can run. I won‘t get into element specifics because theres more important things to consider.

Chalcey, the fitness instructor will describe and let you practice the form for the step test. Don‘t worry about it and you‘ll be surprised how easy it will be.

For the rest of you especially those who will continue on into the Forces, don‘t be too critical about other people. You have not been through it to know the challenges you will have to face.

BMQ is a soft course, but you will find it the most challenging and memorable as it takes you out of the civy world of comfort into the military world of performing things with drive and purpose. Push-ups, sit-ups, and step tests of themselves are not the point. Teamwork, overcoming personal challenges, overcoming challenges posed to the platoon, getting everyone
over the obstacles, helping Buddy, Buddy helping you will represent the point of it all. The military isn‘t about YOU per se, its about the collective use of equipment and manpower at its peak performance to achieve an objective.

In BMQ as an example, you‘ll have to get over obstacles, perform with little sleep, get you buddies to make their timings, study, react to the word of command with purpose, push the body outside of the comfort zone, overcome personal fears and persevere. It will be physically challenging and stress the body mentally and physically. The drive to achieve is more important than the difference between 19 and 40 pushups. And don‘t stagnate, keeping and maintaining fitness is crucial too.

It doesn‘t freaking matter if you can do 19 push-ups or 50 or run 2.4 kms in 2.5 minutes if you can‘t overcome personal fears, physical obstacles,
keep a can-do attitude, consider buddy, or work as a team. If you at least meet the minimums and successfully understand the points taught in BMQ, you‘ll do well. In my course, we had people fall out including jock types.

You‘ll understand what I mean when you go thru your respective BMQs. Just don‘t get stuck in the
"I‘m better than you attitude" because everyone in the courses has cahllenges to overcome and its hard to do it alone.

 

[patrick666]

Chalcey, if you search the forum database you‘ll discover post after post of physical testing advice. You‘re intention was good, but timing wrong. Don‘t get too discouraged, there will always be people breathing down your neck, and if you want a career in the army - Accept that.

People have spent a lot of time accumulating information from the forum to put into easy to find and use articles. All it takes is a few minutes.

Good luck and Cheers,

Patrick

 

[Chalcey]

I know all about the database and that there is a lot of info about the physical on it. All I wanted to do was tell people not to worry about it because it‘s not as hard as you think. You can never hear that enough. That was my intention. All the people who have responded to this I assume have already taken the test and know how easy it is. This thread was done for the people who have not taken the test and was supposed to be motivating for them if they had any doubts. I hope this is clear for all of you and I hope that it‘s helped the people who haven‘t taken the test and were wanting some encouragement.

 

[GrahamD]

When I did it the tape said:

"up, two, three, down, two, three, up, two, three, down, two, three,...
and on and on until you hit a minute mark, whereupon the voice (in synch with the music still) rythmically says "1 more minute.. up, two, three, down, two, three.

It‘s a two step box and when you hear "up" you put your left foot on the first step, "two" you put your right foot on the top step, "three" you take your left foot and also place it on the top step. You are now standing completety on the top of the box.
Then on "down" you place your right foot back on the first step, on "two" you place your left foot on the floor, and on "three" you place your right foot on the floor.
You have just completed a full revolution. I would say it takes roughly 3-4 seconds on the second stage.

I‘ve heard people have been unable to step in time with the music even after a few attempts. If you can‘t you fail, and you can retest.
But since "ear to foot" coordination is essential in the military, obviously they won‘t pass you even if you have good cardio fitness.

I had a few seconds of trouble because my heels were hanging off the step when I would get to the top, and your feet need to be firmly and completely planted on the top.
I think my heart rate was elevated slightly because I was doing it in a slow jogging motion (which is how I go up stairs, I run) and therefore I was swinging my arms which is totally unneccesary (but not wrong).

I know its fairly insignificant, but if you sit in a chair and take a resting heart rate with a heart rate monitor, and then sit there and swing your arms in time with the "up, two, three,...." rythym for three minutes, you‘ll see that it does make some difference in your heart rate.

So I guess that would be my big tip, don‘t swing your arms, and don‘t be nervous. It‘s easy, and really there‘s nothing you can do to change the way your heart is going to respond while you‘re in there. Avoid thinking about passing or failing, just try to absorb and enjoy the experience. It‘s laid back, and it‘s a good opportunity to do some learning. The person who runs the test was very knowledgable about the PT routines for BMQ and MOC 031 training and we asked lots of questions. It was actually kind of fun.

 

[Andyd513]

Graham‘s sounds identical to how mine was.

And hearing the guy before me thumping up and down the wooden stairs WAY off beat and not keeping a rhythm was highly hysterical for the 3 people waiting to go after him. Hope he couldn‘t hear us laughing =P

Give Chalc a break, hes just trying to support new recruits going through the process. People think they have to go in there running 2.4k in 11:47 or whatever, and get all freaked out because they can barely do it. Knowing its quite a bit easier helps.

 

[DogOfWar]

A little OT but I dont agree with the step test. It is NOT and indicator of your cardio performance. I went through bmq with some individuals who were crying and dropping out after 500 yards at a relativly slow pace. These people could never have done the mile and a half but they passed the step test.