Army Fit

damselnat

Hi guys, not quite new to running, but new to this forum so if this thread needs to be merged or anything, mods feel free...

I've finally given myself a kick up the proverbial and put in an application to join the army, something I've wanted to do since I was in my early teens. Part of the entrance tests are a run and a beep test. The run is 1.5miles that must be completed in <14 mins. Now, a couple of years ago this would probably have been little problem to me, but about a year ago I injured my knee quite badly while out running, and have only really returned to it in the last couple of months, taking it easy as my knee still twinges at times and I'm naturally nervous about injuring it again. My fitness has taken a serious battering due to being unable to exercise properly for so long, and I'm finding an interval session of 2mins walk/2mins jog for about 20-30 mins is about the best I can manage. However, with a defined goal in mind now, I have serious motivation and a clear idea of what I want to achieve, that is, 1.5 miles in about 12/13 mins. What I don't have is the total knowledge of how to go about achieving it!

So, I was wondering if anyone would have any advice or experience, or be able to point me in the direction of somewhere I can find a training programme to achieve this. I hope to do it in about 3 months, I think that's a realistic amount of time, if I can stop myself getting too impatient to do it in less!

Also if anyone has any tips/advice about the beep test either (I have to reach level 8.1), that would be great! Haven't done that since 3rd year secondary school, so the thought terrifies me.....!

Sgt.Peppers

im in the same situation

RayCun

See the New to Running thread - sounds like you should start with couch25k, maybe join a local running club/fit4life group...

ecoli

damselnat wrote: »

Hi guys, not quite new to running, but new to this forum so if this thread needs to be merged or anything, mods feel free...

I've finally given myself a kick up the proverbial and put in an application to join the army, something I've wanted to do since I was in my early teens. Part of the entrance tests are a run and a beep test. The run is 1.5miles that must be completed in <14 mins. Now, a couple of years ago this would probably have been little problem to me, but about a year ago I injured my knee quite badly while out running, and have only really returned to it in the last couple of months, taking it easy as my knee still twinges at times and I'm naturally nervous about injuring it again. My fitness has taken a serious battering due to being unable to exercise properly for so long, and I'm finding an interval session of 2mins walk/2mins jog for about 20-30 mins is about the best I can manage. However, with a defined goal in mind now, I have serious motivation and a clear idea of what I want to achieve, that is, 1.5 miles in about 12/13 mins. What I don't have is the total knowledge of how to go about achieving it!

So, I was wondering if anyone would have any advice or experience, or be able to point me in the direction of somewhere I can find a training programme to achieve this. I hope to do it in about 3 months, I think that's a realistic amount of time, if I can stop myself getting too impatient to do it in less!

Also if anyone has any tips/advice about the beep test either (I have to reach level 8.1), that would be great! Haven't done that since 3rd year secondary school, so the thought terrifies me.....!

My advice would be to get the knee looked at and get it fixed once and for all if you are still getting twinges you risk doing serious damage which could not only hinder your performance but could cause permanent damage

mloc123

9:20/mile is what the army consider 'fit'?

ecoli

mloc123 wrote: »

9:20/mile is what the army consider 'fit'?

Think its only one of the criteria of the minimum acceptable standard. Fitness is a more general term as such doesnt have to be event specific as is the case here which why the time might not be considered lightning fast by some here

Edit: I think its actually 2 miles:

http://www.62infantry.com/Annual_Fitness_Test.shtml#Local

NinjaStudent

A good place to start in terms of the local muscular endurance aspect of the fitness test (push ups etc) would be to have the correct technique outlined here:

http://www.military.ie/careers/fitness-testing-centre/defence-forces-fitness-tests

I would recomend you train specifically for what is on the entrance fitness test, they will do the rest when your in.

Gringo78

mloc123 wrote: »

9:20/mile is what the army consider 'fit'?

You'll be glad to know mloc that we have much fitter army personnel in Ireland - I think the Irish Army is actually 1.5 miles in 11:40 so 7:50 per mile. You also must be able to do 20 pressups in a minute & 20 situps in a minute

newby.204

!

couerdelion

British Army standards --> http://www.army.mod.uk/join/20153.aspx

I'm guessing from the 8.1 you are female and looking to be an officer?

I'm what's considered a 'big lad' and was 19st 10lbs at the start fo the year and started training properley around the start of March. I'm down to 17st 7lbs now and would be able to hit the army targets easily enough. It's just a case of training often and pushing yourself to go train when the TV/Pub/other time hungry activities seem more appealing.

Gringo78

damselnat wrote: »

Also if anyone has any tips/advice about the beep test either (I have to reach level 8.1), that would be great! Haven't done that since 3rd year secondary school, so the thought terrifies me.....!

The iphone has a bleep test app which would make it handy to practice if you had one.

damselnat

couerdelion wrote: »

British Army standards --> http://www.army.mod.uk/join/20153.aspx

I'm guessing from the 8.1 you are female and looking to be an officer?

Indeed, pending all other factors Yeah, it's for the British army, obviously the standards you meet are general fitness and once you're in the serious stuff begins! I know it's a pretty standard and achievable goal, I just wanted advice on how to start going about it. Raycun, cheers, I've had a look at the c25k stuff and think I will give that a bash, having a set regime to follow is what I need (one reason I'm going for the army:pac::pac: ) and as it's 9 weeks that looks like what I'm looking for. All excited now, I've missed running desperately :D

damselnat

ecoli wrote: »

My advice would be to get the knee looked at and get it fixed once and for all if you are still getting twinges you risk doing serious damage which could not only hinder your performance but could cause permanent damage

Yeah, I've got another appointment with the physio, it's improved massively now considering a year ago I couldn't even walk a mile without being in agony and at one point they told me I'd be lucky to run again so I guess I'm bloody lucky! Still afraid of injuring it though so indeed I'm back to the physio and still employing RICE after every training sesh just in case, my problem is not letting myself get ahead of myself and try doing too much too soon

ecoli

damselnat wrote: »

Yeah, I've got another appointment with the physio, it's improved massively now considering a year ago I couldn't even walk a mile without being in agony and at one point they told me I'd be lucky to run again so I guess I'm bloody lucky! Still afraid of injuring it though so indeed I'm back to the physio and still employing RICE after every training sesh just in case, my problem is not letting myself get ahead of myself and try doing too much too soon

Talk to your physio regarding cross training to suppliment the running you are doing pool work and non impact stuff can help benefit your general fitness and many runners use this when they are injured and are unable to run

damselnat

Sgt.Peppers wrote: »

im in the same situation

Hey, I found this after a little hunting online http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2008/jan/07/healthandwellbeing.fitness1

It looks alright, the only thing I don't like about it is that there's no specified distances, so I might try and do it in conjunction with the c25k programme, or just try the c25k till I've had an ASOB briefing and see what they advise about training for the selection process

Gingernuts31

Gringo78 wrote: »

You'll be glad to know mloc that we have much fitter army personnel in Ireland - I think the Irish Army is actually 1.5 miles in 11:40 so 7:50 per mile. You also must be able to do 20 pressups in a minute & 20 situps in a minute

British army for normal infantry is 1.5 miles in 12.45 but 50 sit-ups and 44 press ups in 2 mins each. I plan on going for para and its 1.5 mile in 9.40. Irish army are fit when training but after that you see the amount of beerbelly soliders from lack of training/exercise?

mithril

My understanding is that the Irish army fitness standards for regular recruits are the same as for the U.S. army. I read an in depth article about U.S. army basic training when I was living there, and the emphasis has changed over the last couple of decades. It's not quite what you expect from watching "Platoon". In the U.S. basic training is orientated around taking a very unfit teenager and bringing them up to what by athletic standards is a very modest level of achievement. If someone in prepared to risk their life for their country, and is at the intellectual standard to be a good soldier, (a more complex job in today's world than running across a field fast while firing a gun), then they don't want to be forced to reject them on grounds of physical fitness. Basic training in the U.S. is about getting as many people as possible over a low bar rather than producing super fit physical specimens. I suspect the Irish army is doing the same.

Gingernuts31

Oh yeah they wil get them over the bar alright and they won't be superfit but what I meant by beerbellies was that drink is so cheap in the mess that most of them end up with beer bellies. They get pushed during training and are fit then but once the 6 months is over they start to slip. Obsivously it depends on the solider themselves. There are those would love to keep fit and then those who just want the army as a job and not bother to keep up with the physical side of it after inital training.

I applied to join the British army and for normal infantry like the Royal Irish the 1.5 mile time is 12.45. I've only been running for for last 2 weeks but I do cycle quiet a bit so my cardio isn't the worst and i've gotten the 1.5 mile down to 10.15. I do push up, pull ups, sit ups, dips, exercises to work out my upper body as that is whats needed to be a soilder, to be physically fit all the time, not just during training then go the mess every night to lose all the hard work and be out of breath of you run for 1 minute.

Maybe_Memories

This may be of use to you. Click "Learn More" under fitness. It's a 14 week fitness program. It's really good if you're not that fit to begin with. I used it for a while, got bored, made my own.

http://www.army.mod.uk/join/20261.aspx

Also someone said they're going for the Paras I'd very strongly recommend checking out "Fighting Fit: The Complete Guide to SAS Fitness" by Adrian Waele (or anyone looking to get insanely fit in general with minimum pain). Contains six exercise programs. One for a fitness newbie, the kinda fit but not really, and the person who wants to get really really fit. They're all progressive. Then you've got a chapter with programs for SAS Selection, P Company and the Commando Course. Also chapters on injury, diet, navigation etc. Can't recommend it enough.

Also do you mind me asking what regiment you're applying for OP?

I myself might end up joining the Royal Marines if the Irish Air Corp don't take me. I've got a mate who's in RM recruit training right now!

Gingernuts31

Maybe_Memories wrote: »

This may be of use to you. Click "Learn More" under fitness. It's a 14 week fitness program. It's really good if you're not that fit to begin with. I used it for a while, got bored, made my own.

http://www.army.mod.uk/join/20261.aspx

Also someone said they're going for the Paras I'd very strongly recommend checking out "Fighting Fit: The Complete Guide to SAS Fitness" by Adrian Waele (or anyone looking to get insanely fit in general with minimum pain). Contains six exercise programs. One for a fitness newbie, the kinda fit but not really, and the person who wants to get really really fit. They're all progressive. Then you've got a chapter with programs for SAS Selection, P Company and the Commando Course. Also chapters on injury, diet, navigation etc. Can't recommend it enough.

Also do you mind me asking what regiment you're applying for OP?

I myself might end up joining the Royal Marines if the Irish Air Corp don't take me. I've got a mate who's in RM recruit training right now!

Well I asked for the Para's or RIR but I would perfere the Para's. RM aren't infantry are they? Can't see them on the list of Infantry regiments. Is this the book? http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fighting-Fit-Complete-Training-Handbook/dp/0752805894#_

Maybe_Memories

Gingernuts31 wrote: »

Well I asked for the Para's or RIR but I would perfere the Para's. RM aren't infantry are they? Can't see them on the list of Infantry regiments. Is this the book? http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fighting-Fit-Complete-Training-Handbook/dp/0752805894#_

Yup, that's the book alright!

Well the RM are part of the navy, not the army, which might be why you can't find them listed. In the three branches of the British military there's an elite infantry unit with much higher fitness and training than the other parts.
In the RAF you've got the Regiment Gunners, the army has the Paras and the navy has the RM.

So RM are infantry as well pretty much.