Military people I need your help

laughingnome

I would say keep doing what you are doing and THANK YOU for your service..Good luck

FrostyBev

I am So afraid of the Cold I noticed my runs are much harder In the cold and Tn winter is fall compared to the Great Lakes

As a former Marine I would say stay with whatever routine you have and don't add anything new. I would continue to work out till the day you leave. Rest is important and should already be a part of your routine. With the exception of rest for injury taking off more then 2-3 days will impact "the feel" of your fitness in a negative way. It's important to be physically prepared for your training; however, they aren't going to expect you to be able to pass a full PFT (Physical Fitness Test) right at the beginning.

Don't fear the weather, you won't be the first trainee they have from a warmer climate and you won't be the last. The expectation of adaption to your new training environment is built into most the services boot training. I would suggest you do a tiny bit of research of running technique in cold environments. There might be some differences from your current technique.

Congratulations on your decision to join. It won't be a short journey but it is definitely one worth taking.

gtwin

Former Marine here....don't listen to him, he has no idea what he's talking about. I ran right up until the night before I was sent to MEPS to be shipped off to boot camp. And trust me, all the running and training helped me tremendously!! There were other recruits who hadn't been training and they had a miserable time....not to mention, the DI's were much harder on them because of their lack of effort and stamina. Having that endurance and preparation will be one less thing you'll have to stress about in boot camp. Then again you're going in to the Navy, can't imagine it would be as difficult as the Marines' boot camp. :-)

prettyfitchick

Thanks guys for all the advice I read every word of it It sounds like I just need to keeping doing what I am already doing

Sam_Hain

Two weeks? I'd say no. Besides the fact that you start losing what you worked for after 72 hours (if the rumors are to be believe), it's also good to help with any kind of stress over being yanked out of your happy carefree life. But then I'm in the Air Force and we didn't even have a PT program until 7 years ago and people are just NOW starting to take it serious. Think that's prob because they put it on the performance reports.

Anyway, keep on working but I have to agree with Frosty as far as sticking to your routine. You don't want to be stupid sore your first few days of basic. Keep positive and remember that they can't kill you, they can only make you really uncomfortable. It's a temporary situation. Once it's over you'll look back and go, "That was it? Really?"

Loverj79

i agree with what everyone is saying. keep working out just dont add anything. and these are the PRT standards http://www.navy-prt.com/ really hope this helps you. cause it helped me. i got out 5 years ago and now trying to get back in. and i was and am going back in the Navy!

bcampbell54

My wife was a boot at Great Lakes in the winter time, just a few years ago, and she hopes you like snow (and cold). Good news is you won't run outside, you'll be in a drill hall.
She can't imagine what your drill sergeant friend meant, but you are in a good place as far as the running is-keep it up.
She doesn't remember the other fitness requirements, but you sound like you are on track.
Stay rested from now until then.
Eat before you leave the MEP station, because there will be no time at O'Hare.

Keep a clear head, for the psychological part, remember it's not real.
Good luck, and many thanks for your service to our country,

bcampbell54

My wife was a boot at Great Lakes in the winter time, just a few years ago, and she hopes you like snow (and cold). Good news is you won't run outside, you'll be in a drill hall.
She can't imagine what your drill sergeant friend meant, but you are in a good place as far as the running is-keep it up.
She doesn't remember the other fitness requirements, but you sound like you are on track.
Stay rested from now until then.
Eat before you leave the MEP station, because there will be no time at O'Hare.

Keep a clear head, for the psychological part, remember it's not real.
Good luck, and many thanks for your service to our country,

sailin4her

I have been in the Navy almost 12 years now and I will be the first to say BOOT cAMP IS A JOKE!! LOL Very very very slack on the pt side of things running is the hardest thing you do there and its not like you run for ever either. just keep doing your routine and you will do great !!!!

SabrinaJL

As for the Navy's PT test, I think you have to complete a swim.

I'm not so sure about that one. My husband has been in the Navy for 17 years and has known a lot of sailors who can't swim, which completely baffles me. I'd think if you were gonna join the Navy, that'd be something you'd really want to learn before you were on a ship in the middle of the ocean. lol

santini1975

I was an Army MP and there's no way you should sit around for 2 weeks before boot camp. It will kick your butt when they start working you! Also take into consideration where you will be training. Changes in elevation can make running more difficult, so your lung capacity needs as much practice as possible. I had a blast in basic! You will enjoy it if you just push yourself and accept that the drill sgts are not really yelling at you and "smoking you" for messing up- they just have to find excuses to make you work out to get you whipped into shape! Have fun!

BananaBee3

I'm in the Coast Guard and just went through bootcamp in New Jersey last May. Not sure how the Navy's PT compare to the CG's, but we would be pushing the deck, running, doing a lot of "incentive" training and drills every day.

I wouldn't take 2 weeks off. You want to show up prepared.

I used to live 10-15 min from the Great Lakes Navy Base and it will be COLD. IL winters suck! Sorry :frown:

Good luck in bootcamp! When you look back on it, you'll realize that it was actually a fun experience

Classalete

I graduated from Marine Corps OCS this past summer. To be blunt, it completed sucked in every way imaginable...but you build a strong cohesion with your fellow candidates in your platoon...After the third week, your all essentially just trying to survive together. You're gonna be sick, sleep deprived, hungry, exhausted, injured, dirty, dehumanized, and mentally fatigued to the point where simple questions confuse the **** out of you; on a daily basis.

I felt every damn minute of those 10 weeks, and I hope to never have to revisit MCB Quantico for the rest of my life.

However, looking back on it now, it's laughable. Just don't ever quit on yourself...and don't be a blue falcon.

Edit: I completely forgot to answer your original question.

Train your *kitten* off now, because regardless of how much of a PT stud you are...You'll be draggin'.

Also, get used to running and find a way to enjoy it. If you're training is/was anything like mine...You'll be running 5 miles up and down mountain trails in boots and utes after the first few weeks.

Semper Gumby.

ATT949

Keep exercising but just make sure you do not injure yourself. Once you get to the MEPS station and raise your right hand, it's all up to them.

My background - 8 1/2 years in the US Army, 3 as an EM in the 82nd Airborne, then Officer Candidate School, and then a few years as a commissioned officer.

With one exception, every school I attended made sure that I was in better shape when I finished than I was when I started.

That's for a very simple reason — the mission of a training unit (get used to the word "mission") is to take raw recruits and prepare them for a permanent duty station. The schools are designed to train you to a level of proficiency in a variety of skills and then test you to determine how well you're performing. Yes, they get rid of the folks who are "unsuited for military service" and some folks just burn out, but, overall, they know about how many new sailors/soldiers/air people/Marines will be standing at the end.

The cadre (civilians call it "staff") at a training unit know what number they need to hit and they will do what they can to make sure that they hit that number. The reason is simple — their efficiency report (meaning their career) is based, partially, on hitting that number.

So don't fret the details. The drills will yell and scream a lot but it's designed to get rid of those people who don't want to be there or who really shouldn't be there. If you show up in decent shape and bring a "can do" attitude, you'll do fine!

skylerlreese

Another thing that will affect your training is altitude, so remember that higher altitude is gonna make it harder. I would keep working out and stay well rested. Boot camp will still kick your butt, although i'm sure you will do well.

prettyfitchick

Thanks guys for the Feedback I am feeling less nervous about it already I am confident I made the right choice to join I figure bootcamp would be the hardest part which it proably will be but you all really put it in persective for me

ATT949

I graduated from Marine Corps OCS this past summer. To be blunt, it completed sucked in every way imaginable...but you build a strong cohesion with your fellow candidates in your platoon...After the third week, your all essentially just trying to survive together. You're gonna be sick, sleep deprived, hungry, exhausted, injured, dirty, dehumanized, and mentally fatigued to the point where simple questions confuse the **** out of you; on a daily basis.

I felt every damn minute of those 10 weeks, and I hope to never have to revisit MCB Quantico for the rest of my life.

However, looking back on it now, it's laughable. Just don't ever quit on yourself...and don't be a blue falcon.

Edit: I completely forgot to answer your original question.

Train your *kitten* off now, because regardless of how much of a PT stud you are...You'll be draggin'.

Also, get used to running and find a way to enjoy it. If you're training is/was anything like mine...You'll be running 5 miles up and down mountain trails in boots and utes after the first few weeks.

Semper Gumby.

Congratulations. I have a lot of respect for Marine officers. I did my Field Artillery Officer Basic Course with two Marine lieutenants and they were among the most impressive officers I ever met.

A female going into the Navy as a recruit is going to face a completely different set of stresses than you and I did. For one, there's no need to train those folks to that level of fitness and the PT program reflects that. If the cadre tried to do that, they'd get bslapped. Second, if they did put those kinds of stresses female recruits, their dropout rate would skyrocket and that would bring all sorts of very official heat on them.

"You're gonna be sick, sleep deprived, hungry, exhausted, injured, dirty, dehumanized, and mentally fatigued to the point where simple questions confuse the **** out of you; on a daily basis." Sounds like "good training" to me! :-)

StephieH007

I agree with the rest of these folks. Maybe your friend just meant to take it easy before going? I wouldn't suggest stopping for 2 weeks. I think you want to be as prepared as you can be going into it. Along with keeping your muscles in good condition exercise is a great stress relief. You'll also sleep better at night if you keep it up. I know how stressful those last couple weeks are, although it was so long ago...

Best advice I can give to get you through... STAY POSITIVE!! You are going to have moments that you doubt your decision to join. Stick with it. It is a process we all have to go through. Keeping a positive attitude will carry you through (and help others get through it as well). GOOD LUCK!!

talisamb

I am currently in the Air force and I wouldnt advise 2 weeks off. Basic training wasnt so bad after the adjustment. I workout daily and only take one day off during the week. You will be working out daily in basic training with no day off, so why take two weeks before.

kathydp

Keep it up. Your body will be used to working out. .