The PT Thread

[trellheim]

Get out and Get Fit . Pass the IT's

Who knows... you might even feel good about it.

[Chief Bubblewrap]

Personally, I think physical fitness has a massive influence in a soldiers ability to do his/her job. On exercise how many supposed sore ankles, sore knees or sore pinky fingers were the excuse for getting out of something tough? I can guarantee that most of these phantom injuries are as a result of people over-estimating their fitness level, or under-estimating the difficulty of the exercise, and once they feel like they're getting tired and life seems impossible, they conveniently twist their ankle when no-one is around...shame.

Don't get me wrong, there is absolutely no problem in being a little overweight, or not being enthusiastic about fitness. I do however have an issue with people letting their section down because they failed miserably to prepare for a course or exercise.

It is SO F***ING EASY to get fit, especially these days that there really is no excuse. A run 3 times a week for one hour at an easy pace, so as you never get out of breath, will strip any fat off your belly in a matter of a few weeks. It will strengthen your muscles, improve your lung efficiency reduce cholesterol etc... add any number of positive things. Most of all it will give you a huge mental boost knowing that you've done more than most people in preparation for an exercise.

Try this:
1) Get your running/ cycling/ gym clothes on
2) Start your workout
3) After 10 mins if you are not enjoying yourself go a little easier
4) After another 5 mins if you are still not enjoying yourself take a little breather (5mins)
5) Try a 10 minute gentle jog
6) If your still cranky, rest for 2 minutes
7) Do one last 10 minute easy effort
8) Go home


Simple... 42 minutes of exercise. The most important thing is if you are going to do a 10 minute jog, DO THE WHOLE 10 MINUTES. You may or may not get tired but if you do just suck it up and put one foot in front of the other. After a couple of weeks doing the above increase the intensity but only by a little each workout. By April if you stick to the plan you will notice a difference. While I’m on about it, football is a fantastic way of getting fit.

Good luck, pm me if you want any tips.

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Disclaimer: Anybody who wants to whinge about the advice I’ve given, direct it to the following address,

My Ass
Yo mama house
Dublin 666

[The Sultan]

He's right, it isn't hard to get a little bit fit. My advice is like Gaddafis', get it simple and gentle. Same for your weights - a little and often is much better than one hard training session a week.

[PTE bog]

Have ye heard anything about the fitness tests? Such as are they coming in soon and is it the same as the fitness test to get into the pdf

[Grasshopper]

hi just out of matter of interest Iv was in the defence force and left due to illness Im now rejoining and iv been training since september but am not really sure if im going about it the right way.
Im running a mile and a half everyday and walking for an hour and then doing 300 sit ups and 200 push ups is that enough it just i want to be at my fittest going into train so it will make the training a little bit easier any other ideas for me to increas my fitness

[Barndoor]

Yeah, not pretending I know shit about shit but i'm living with people who do and it's a good idea to run your distance, maybe increase what your doing and then try some anerobic stuff. Examples are things like run a few miles, then find yourself somewhere like a soccer pitch (easier on the limbs) and do shuttle runs (like bleep tests in school). Ideal is say from the 22 on a rugby to the tryline. (not too far otherwise you'll be too fecked) basically just start on the ground, sprint balls to the wall then hit the deck for recovery...give yourself 10 secs then get up and do it again...keep doing it til you get that bolloxed sickly feeling..If you aint done em before probably...around 10 to 20 is good. Its usefull cos it opens up the lungs n you find yourself gasping for air like on a decent proper SIA or Contact Drill etc etc, which is more useful than just merely running like a gimp at a leasurely pace. When I'm arsed doing some running...like once every blue moon when i'm trying to dodge something/someone I've found it to be good..

[Bam Bam]

I'll do my training as follows

2 - 3 times a week with a backpack (20 kg in weight) Walk 2km down the beach near my house on dry sand then do a combination of walking 100 steps and running 100 back up the beach. Then walk 4 km into the next village and walk home again. I'd usually bring 1 1/2 litres of water and will drink most of it. Usually will do this in 2 1/2 - 3 hrs.

I find this great endurance training and after a few weeks of this hiking over mountains/ walking long distance becomes much much easier.

Then usually the day before I do the above I'll go for a 4km slow jog (40mins - 1hr) just to loosen up for tomorrows training. This is also good cardio wise

Before each session I'd do some press-ups and sit-ups(usually 20-30 each) as well as some stretching.

And I'd end each session at home with some stretching, then would have something to eat and crash out and watch telly.

[The Sultan]

2 - 3 times a week with a backpack (20 kg in weight) Walk 2km down the beach near my house on dry sand then do a combination of walking 100 steps and running 100 back up the beach. Then walk 4 km into the next village and walk home again. I'd usually bring 1 1/2 litres of water and will drink most of it. Usually will do this in 2 1/2 - 3 hrs.

Im gonna try that. If your down on Bull Island on Sunday watch out!

[trellheim]

For those of you not doing as much as some of these people, please remember : you have to start small and work up

Get out and run .... GO ON, do a jog tonight !

[Dagon]

If you can train with someone. Not always easy to get someone to go with you but I've always found training easier if I'm not doing it on my own.

[Grasshopper]

If you can train with someone. Not always easy to get someone to go with you but I've always found training easier if I'm not doing it on my own.

Agree its so much easier training in company

[Bosco]

Agree its so much easier training in company

Very true generally your own pigheadishness wont allow not to keep up.
I try for a 3 mile jog twice a week easy pace i.e 25-30mins + 5mins warm up/down. Swim on the days in between a few lengths of the pool at a handy pace. Then one day do the three mile as fast as I can. Hopefully will get it down to under 15 mins by May.

[trellheim]

Running is the best, but you also need pushups and situps...

best for this is doing circuit training IMHO ...

[JAG]

Having gone from zero fitness to something approaching (from a bit of a distance, admittedly) reasonable fitness in the last year, I would say the following:

Do SOMETHING at least four days a week. If you don't, you're hard work is gonna go towards maintaining fitness, not increasing it.

Pressups: Do them slowly, and do sets. Builds up strength faster, and when you go to lash out as many as possible as fast as possible, you'll get a pleasant surprise. IMHO, anything less than 50 in a day isn't worth the effort, and if you're trying to improve performance anything less than a 100 is a waste of time- but I have a bit more wight than most to push. But 100 pressups can be made up of 10 every half hour when you get home from work. If you can't do this many, do what you can. It takes time.

Sit ups: Same as pressups, and also do that thing where you lie on your back and raise your legs. Exercises different muscles, gives more overall power to your torso. Again, slowly slowly catchee monkey.

Running: My personal barrier. What is beginning to work for me, having put it off for far too long, is jogging at brisk walking pace. Get's the right muscles used to moving, all you have to do then is increase speed and endurance (I hope!). An MP3 player to distract/deafen yourself with is also helpful.

Weights- to get more upper body strength, lifting stuff being part of the job. Slowly and lots of.

Mountain hiking for general endurance. Boring as hell on your own, nag someone into going with you. Lots of weight in a bergen.

If it doesn't hurt, you're not doing it right. After your first few days, when you're aching and in pain, this means your body is adjusting. This is a good sign.

Physical fitness is the same as mental fitness. Your body will do whatever your mind tells it to, so it's primarily your mind your training, and not your body.

[Itchy]

A really good trick that worked for me was that when you get the days that you just dont want to do anything/couldnt be arsed say to yourself that you are going to go out and run for 10 mins or go to the gym for just 1 or 2 sets... When you actually get out you will want to do the full workout and if you dont at least you did something and didnt sit on your arse...