military physical training

[armyrebel]

My unit just started a new physical training program. Its pretty intensive. This is the breakdown:

Sunday
am. Long Run (7.5-10 miles at about a 8:30 - 9:00 min pace)
pm. MF (Pushups, Situps, other body weight exercise for an hour)

Monday - Friday
AM. RUN (anywhere from 3-4 miles at a 7:00-8:30 pace)
PM MF (same as sunday)

Saturday (off day)
AM. Sports (football, basketball, softball) 1 hr.

As you can see there is only one rest day. The main focus of this program is to build cardio and muscle endurance. Which it does what it was designed.

I was thinking about still trying to lift before i head in for the night. But, With this particular program overtraining is borderline. I was thinking about just doing say arms 3 times a week. Just to get some extra in. What do you guys think.

 

[wakefib]

3 times a week for arms is alittle much. alot of guys on this site don't even work arms, and i am one of the. if you are going to isolate your arms you are basicly just training for looks. if you wanted to do some other workout to be beneficial for the military. i would think about throwing in some cleans or snatchs into a circuit routine

 

[JarheadChiro]

Bullshit.

 

[s3rous]

Bullshit.

What are you saying bullshit to? I assume that you are talking about his units workout program. I was thinking the same when I first read it since I am in the army too. He could be in a Ranger Batt or Special Forces I guess.

 

[Assertive Guy]

My unit just started a new physical training program. Its pretty intensive. This is the breakdown:

Sunday
am. Long Run (7.5-10 miles at about a 8:30 - 9:00 min pace)
pm. MF (Pushups, Situps, other body weight exercise for an hour)

Monday - Friday
AM. RUN (anywhere from 3-4 miles at a 7:00-8:30 pace)
PM MF (same as sunday)

Saturday (off day)
AM. Sports (football, basketball, softball) 1 hr.

As you can see there is only one rest day. The main focus of this program is to build cardio and muscle endurance. Which it does what it was designed.

I was thinking about still trying to lift before i head in for the night. But, With this particular program overtraining is borderline. I was thinking about just doing say arms 3 times a week. Just to get some extra in. What do you guys think.

Fair point. Personally I'd want any extra training time dedicated to weak points.

 

[plrpower]

Yes, I would like to know what kinda unit trains like this. What about real military training, who runs everyday and does not hump or pack runs.

But if this is true, I would stick to compound movemenst only a couple times a week, and eat alot.

 

[armyrebel]

This is a reg army unit actually. Its a special populatio program. Had some soldiers not perform really good. Mostly were just too tired to take the damn thing. so this is what we are doing.

 

[plrpower]

This is a reg army unit actually. Its a special populatio program. Had some soldiers not perform really good. Mostly were just too tired to take the damn thing. so this is what we are doing.

Am I drunk or does this whole statment not make much sense. Take what damn thing?

 

[JarheadChiro]

What are you saying bullshit to? I assume that you are talking about his units workout program. I was thinking the same when I first read it since I am in the army too. He could be in a Ranger Batt or Special Forces I guess.

Probably a delta seal.

 

[armyrebel]

oh yea sorry.. The APFT Physical Training Test

 

[plrpower]

Jarheadchiro, are you still in. I was out at Pendelton been out few years, far easier to get bigger when your not in ahhahaha.

 

[armyrebel]

Jarheadchiro, are you still in. I was out at Pendelton been out few years, far easier to get bigger when your not in ahhahaha.

That is true.

I know that this would all be considered overtraining. But, i was thinking something mild for a weight lifting program. Any suggestions?

 

[Bald Gorilla]

Well, I can tell you that if you are doing muscle failure every day, you are going stagnate your special population very quickly. I have balanced bodybuilding and army PT for over 10 years now, and at some points one of them has to give. I can't see special population doing a 10 mile run, though. They need to focus more on speed. In my opinion, as a commander (my second one now), an MFT, and a personal trainer is that you are pushing these guys too hard. Put all the effort into a 90 minute session 5 times a week.

I'd never tell you how to run your unit, though, so tear it up!

 

[armyrebel]

Well, I can tell you that if you are doing muscle failure every day, you are going stagnate your special population very quickly. I have balanced bodybuilding and army PT for over 10 years now, and at some points one of them has to give. I can't see special population doing a 10 mile run, though. They need to focus more on speed. In my opinion, as a commander (my second one now), an MFT, and a personal trainer is that you are pushing these guys too hard. Put all the effort into a 90 minute session 5 times a week.

I'd never tell you how to run your unit, though, so tear it up!

I agree totally with you. Im not in charge of it. I had a back spasm on my 2 mile and well came in at about 2 mins too late. So thats a pt faliure. Oh well what can i do.. lol. But, hey. I have brought up that its going to burn ppl out to the SSG in charge but, was told its his program.

 

[armyrebel]

Im going to post what we have been doing.

 

[Bald Gorilla]

I take special interest in my special pops. I generally don't take them on long runs because they lolly-gag and don't run fast enough no matter how much you yell at them. So I do about a half mile medium pace, then stop and do lunges, fireman's carrys, and sprints for about 10 minutes. Then we do another half mile. Then the drill. Do that for about 60-90 and you'll see a huge improvement in those guys. Just gradually pick up the pace on the half mile. After all that, running two miles is a breeze. Plus, they usually are begging to get out of the program by then. I was doing this 3 times a week and MF 2 times a week. My legs were huge and I really only did minimal gym leg work. And I am 6' 245lbs in my Avatar.

My battery has maintain an APFT average of over 250 for over a year. This is a regluar brigade headquarters battery, so that is pretty good. ...Now let's hear the comments from all the "spec-ops" guys! Funny how everybody is spec-ops on the internet...

Anybody in Baghdad, VBC area???

 

[armyrebel]

Thats true. Im keeping a log about what we are doing. And will start to post. Well im in Baghdad. Liberty.

 

[Bald Gorilla]

I am on Liberty, too.

 

[lowpro]

Sunday
am. Long Run (7.5-10 miles at about a 8:30 - 9:00 min pace)
pm. MF (Pushups, Situps, other body weight exercise for an hour)

Monday - Friday
AM. RUN (anywhere from 3-4 miles at a 7:00-8:30 pace)
PM MF (same as sunday)

Saturday (off day)
AM. Sports (football, basketball, softball) 1 hr

I don't see a single rest day period. Sports is not resting. I've designed and ran special pop PT programs for years and this is seriously the most illogical layout I've ever seen. The NCO in charge of this looks like he's/she's pushing for an EXCELLENT NCOER bullet and will end up overtraining and hurting some troops.

For one, special pop PT is supposed to be designed for the individual. This looks like everyone on the program is overweight, can't pass push ups, sit ups and the run. I'm pretty positive that's not the case.

Over-weight individuals usually fail the run (not always). They need to focus 3 days running and 2 days light weight training for endurance and weight loss - not to mention a diet plan.

Push up and sit up failures need to focus 3 days a week on muscle endurance and 2 days a week on the run (as to not lose that running ability).

Those failing the run need to ... well ... run (4 days a week with some upper body exercised thrown in). I only see long runs in your program. That's great, if you're training for long runs. You need to be training for 2 miles. So, 2 days a week should be longer runs for endurance and confidence building and 2 days need to be focused on sprints. Wind sprints and quarter mile paced runs will build the neccessary endurance for the 2 mile run.


I used to also add half PT test once every 2 weeks. Meaning, Push ups and sit ups for 1 minute and a one mile run. This wasn't too hard and most people found themselves passing the minimum push ups and sit ups in that one minute.

I don't mean to come down hard because I know this isn't your designed program, but it makes me mad to see NCO's overtraining and killing troops. No more than 5 days of training. And before the training masters here call bullshit, the Army has a way of training it's soldier up to 5 days and this isn't 5 days of weight training. We've done this for over 40 years and it's worked ever since.

 

[armyrebel]

I don't see a single rest day period. Sports is not resting. I've designed and ran special pop PT programs for years and this is seriously the most illogical layout I've ever seen. The NCO in charge of this looks like he's/she's pushing for an EXCELLENT NCOER bullet and will end up overtraining and hurting some troops.

For one, special pop PT is supposed to be designed for the individual. This looks like everyone on the program is overweight, can't pass push ups, sit ups and the run. I'm pretty positive that's not the case.

Over-weight individuals usually fail the run (not always). They need to focus 3 days running and 2 days light weight training for endurance and weight loss - not to mention a diet plan.

Push up and sit up failures need to focus 3 days a week on muscle endurance and 2 days a week on the run (as to not lose that running ability).

Those failing the run need to ... well ... run (4 days a week with some upper body exercised thrown in). I only see long runs in your program. That's great, if you're training for long runs. You need to be training for 2 miles. So, 2 days a week should be longer runs for endurance and confidence building and 2 days need to be focused on sprints. Wind sprints and quarter mile paced runs will build the neccessary endurance for the 2 mile run.


I used to also add half PT test once every 2 weeks. Meaning, Push ups and sit ups for 1 minute and a one mile run. This wasn't too hard and most people found themselves passing the minimum push ups and sit ups in that one minute.

I don't mean to come down hard because I know this isn't your designed program, but it makes me mad to see NCO's overtraining and killing troops. No more than 5 days of training. And before the training masters here call bullshit, the Army has a way of training it's soldier up to 5 days and this isn't 5 days of weight training. We've done this for over 40 years and it's worked ever since.

Im also an NCO. Trust me. I kinda went off on the guy incharge. Thats one reason im stuck on it. (I have a attitude problem) But, Im going to post up what we have been doing. Since we pretty much do the same thing it will be easy. I will post a little later today.

 

[lowpro]

Im also an NCO. Trust me. I kinda went off on the guy incharge. Thats one reason im stuck on it. (I have a attitude problem) But, Im going to post up what we have been doing. Since we pretty much do the same thing it will be easy. I will post a little later today.

Look forward to it

 

[Bald Gorilla]

The overweights are all going to end up on profile...

 

[Longhorn85]

The army routinely overtrains because we put too much emphasis on running. Most field units do PT every day they are not in the field and and do pushups every time.

Things are getting better though. At my last unit I was in charge of PT for our staff and we went to the gym twice a week instead of running. Guys did whatever they wanted but most would alternate upper/lower body.

Bottom line is we train for the PT test which is Pushups, Situps and a 2 mile run, plus we all try to meet the Army weight standards.

Most here would be shocked by the Army weight standards.

 

[lowpro]

Most here would be shocked by the Army weight standards.

Especially since they were developed back in the late 50's (after the Korean war) when the average man was 5'8" and 150lbs

I get taped everytime, but my BF% is always low and 4-5% under the standard. Muscle obviously weighs more than fat - but, it still sucks to be looked at as "one who needs to be taped."

I've attended schools where I was getting ready to be taped and the NCO laughed and said, "no need to tape him, he's good."


Anyways, Armyrebel, keep us updated on how things progress or digress with your special pop PT program.

 

[Longhorn85]

I get taped everytime, but my BF% is always low and 4-5% under the standard. Muscle obviously weighs more than fat - but, it still sucks to be looked at as "one who needs to be taped."

It used to be worse. It used to be that if a soldier got taped you had to put an asterisk next to his ht/wt on his evaluation report. The note in the margin would say, "meets BF standards IAW army regulations".

We don't do that anymore. If you make tape you just record the score and ht/wt the same as anyone else who passes his PT test.

When we had to put that asterisk before it sent a message to promotion boards saying, "this guy is fat".