Physical Fitness Revamp

Tropicana98

Tropicana98

Ranger
Verified SOF
Joined
Jul 18, 2010
Messages
212
Location
Georgia
I think the idea was you only wanted intro's in the first post thread otherwise feel free to move this/have me beat my face for fucking up. I have and I think many of the others have read all the PT threads ad nauseum in order to understand what to do to physically prepare for selection. However I have a question that I think applies to me and the other guys interested in the Army route. With the changes made to the PT test that will be instituted Army wide this fall, what changes would you make if you were one of us wannabes who has yet to enter the pipeline? Do these new tests, especially the combat test, re-ignite the crossfit argument? What about core strength are sit-ups even worth doing anymore?

I asked in this thread because you all know where the new guys to your team are lacking physically as far as functional fitness even if they were fit enough to get in the door and to give us wannabes one concise place to read answers from SOF specific members as oppose to everyone. Like I said feel free to make me bang em out if necessary on the honor code I'll get em done.
 
With out the current PT test in mind, most units expect you to be well rounded; not just a good runner, but someone who can pull their own weight when it comes to swimming, climbing, etc. I can't speak for other SOF units, but my squad had a competitive mentality where you were always trying to improve yourself and everyone around you. If we didn't exceed the "standard" Army PT standards, we were considered failures.
 
X2 what has been said, you should be able to climb a rope 10 times, run 8 miles, ruck 18, and max the PU and SU before going to any SOF selection. If you can do all that you will be ok. I am also willing to bet that most SOF units will administer the APFT/RPFT at their discretion
 
Think about what may be required in a bad stuation - and be prepared to do it.
Low crawl with a ruck.
Run up a scree slope with a ruck while engaging behind you.
Combat rush with everything or nothing.
Long movements with a heavy ruck, short fast movements with a heavy ruck.
Waiting.... long periods of waiting, watching, alertness no movement - it's more physically demanding than you think.
Landing with everything you own strapped to your body.
Carrying your buddy and your ruck under fire.

...are a few examples of things that might challenge you.

Think about what muscle groups might be involved.
 
Roger. Here's the workout I just recently started doing I just finished week 2, http://www.teenbodybuilding.com/brent2.htm, the headline(SEAL) isn't what caught my eye its just workout with a good progression of cals and running, I do some things differently though. For the running instead of running miles I run for time which right now is 30 mins Monday, Wednesday, Friday. I also add in 30 mins on the exercise bike on Tuesday and 30 mins of rowing on Thursday. I was also contemplating a pool session on Saturday considering I'll have to pass the CWST in RASP and RS, but its also a method to get to work. I'm a pretty decent swimmer now but like most football players I fight the water instead of working efficiently.
 
Well I don't wear a speedo, because I am not a homo, however I do wear either my issued mask or goggles and some board shorts. Sometimes I will just fin 1600M other times I freestyle 1000-1600M mixed with sidestroke.. Always warm up and stretch though. I am not a combat diver, but I think swimming is some of the best PT there is. Look up the sidestroke. Or the recovery stroke. It is easy to do for long distances. I think SurgicalCric is a diver type, he might have more swim guidance.
 
Another thing to consider is that swim workouts can be done just like running.
You can do short, high intensity sprints, 50-100m at a time, usually using freestyle.
You can do long, lower intensity swims with or without fins, as cback suggested...stroke of your choice. The CSS or regular side stroke is good (IMHO) for the longer swims.
And you can mix in PT. Swim 500 meters, do 50 push ups & 25 pull ups. Repeat 4-5 times...
 
SkrewzLoose said:
Another thing to consider is that swim workouts can be done just like running.
You can do short, high intensity sprints, 50-100m at a time, usually using freestyle.
You can do long, lower intensity swims with or without fins, as cback suggested...stroke of your choice. The CSS or regular side stroke is good (IMHO) for the longer swims.
And you can mix in PT. Swim 500 meters, do 50 push ups & 25 pull ups. Repeat 4-5 times...
Click to expand...

That would be a pretty advanced workout. 100 Pull ups is a lot. Especially for some of the young padawans on here. I would divide the swim and the pull ups by 5, so you would be swimming 100M then doing 25 Push Ups and 5 Pull ups.
 
Wear a uniform, or a drysuit, and have your load bearing gear on less bullets...

Put on your fins, get on your back, drag your ruck and just keep kicking until you pass out... that is a surface swim.

no fins, combat sidestroke, drag your ruck across the current of a swiftly moving river up to about a 1/4 mile... put ruck on, while everything is wet and move out uphill until you get there... that is a river crossing during movement.

gym work is fine - practical work is what keeps you alive, there are no treadmills, weight benches, and pools on patrol... in the FOB 'nother story... but train for the field not the FOB.
 
x SF med said:
Wear a uniform, or a drysuit, and have your load bearing gear on less bullets...

Put on your fins, get on your back, drag your ruck and just keep kicking until you pass out... that is a surface swim.

no fins, combat sidestroke, drag your ruck across the current of a swiftly moving river up to about a 1/4 mile... put ruck on, while everything is wet and move out uphill until you get there... that is a river crossing during movement.

gym work is fine - practical work is what keeps you alive, there are no treadmills, weight benches, and pools on patrol... in the FOB 'nother story... but train for the field not the FOB.
Click to expand...

I'll work on that keeping that in mind my above workout doesn't have a lot of leg work, I don't mean to say this to understate the effectiveness of running and swimming on the lower body. I still want to work in some leg strengthening work, admittedly its probably the football player in me coming out, I was thinking of doing high rep deadlifts at say 225lbs. However, after reading your input would it be better to get a big sand bag and squat it for time? Or better yet start working out with a partner and squat them or buddy carry around a track?
 
Tropicana98 said:
I'll work on that keeping that in mind my above workout doesn't have a lot of leg work, I don't mean to say this to understate the effectiveness of running and swimming on the lower body. I still want to work in some leg strengthening work, admittedly its probably the football player in me coming out, I was thinking of doing high rep deadlifts at say 225lbs. However, after reading your input would it be better to get a big sand bag and squat it for time? Or better yet start working out with a partner and squat them or buddy carry around a track?
Click to expand...

Just put on a ruck and don't take it off... walk, climb, lift things... :sneaky:

Squats are good to get in shape - nothing is wrong unless you get hurt - mix and match your workouts so you don't get bored and so you work different muscle groups and different areas of muscle groups.

(edited for typos)
 
x SF med said:
Just put on a ruck and don't take it off... walk, climb, lift things... :sneaky:

Squats are good to get in shape - nothing is wrong unless you get hurt - mix and match your workouts so you don't get bored and so you wor kdifferet muscle groups and different areas of muscle groups.
Click to expand...
Just Googled used ALICE pack...I'll use the plates in the weightroom until then.
 
Note: I'm not SOF, but I am a lifelong swimmer; grew up with a father who is a swim coach and have taught many people to swim.

Tropicana98 said:
... I'm a pretty decent swimmer now but like most football players I fight the water instead of working efficiently.
Click to expand...
Tropicana98 said:
On that note cback...looks like this Saturday I'll be working on not boxing with the Recplex swimming pool.
Click to expand...

I see this problem stated a lot on military boards. Basically two factors play into this.

1. Water is not air and your body/actions are different in that environment. Learn to be comfortable in that environment. Go play in the deep end. Float on your back. Relax in the water. Get used to the environment, quit fighting it and accept it. Try to get into it in its different forms, ie still, moving, salt, fresh. Do endless somersaults in the deep end, get yourself dizzy, then pick up a quarter on the bottom. May sound like stupid shit, but until you've panicked, taken a big gulp of water, panicked some more, then still had to accomplish a task, you won't be comfortable in the water.

Remember, astronauts had to practice many hours to get accustomed to the weightlessness of space.

2. Bone and muscle density affect your bouyancy in the water. Learn where your body wants to naturally be in the water, and accept you'll always have to deal with that. Then realize that adding gear on top will automatically change that density. By gear, even something as simple as shoes/boots and pants will drastically change how you interact with the water. Practice swimming with fins of all sizes, or life jackets - practice treading water with them too. This also goes back to the comfort level you have in a different environment.

LL
 
I'll tack on to LL's post something that we're told during every mentored workout and every time "breath holding" comes up on the 'net.
DO NOT EVER practice breath holding evolutions...unsupervised.
You, or anyone else drowning is not helping aything. Her overall message is a VERY important one. You must be comfortable in the water.
 
Thanks LL and SL for the input I'll work on that in the pool. I might even just go take some swimming lessons so I have an experienced set of eyes on me.
 

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