PCA/Fitness test

student15 · 13-01-2014 12:39am

Dekkers wrote: »

I actually don't have any fat to burn so was more into the weights. Not a fan of the bench though so was just doing dead lifts. Any good?

Was also doing a chin up technique where you raise your knees to chest level after you do the chin up. My God, the core was sore the next day!

Not a fan of bench myself
Deadlifting with good form along with squatting is one of the best overall exercises for you. Just remember tecnique over weight!

student15 · 13-01-2014 12:41am

student15 wrote: »

Not a fan of bench myself
Deadlifting with good form along with squatting is one of the best overall exercises for you. Just remember tecnique over weight!

Also re: chin up with the knees coming up. Yea it'd be good for core. Try some over hand pull ups and wide arm too jist to hit all of your delts!

DesertCreat_15 · 13-01-2014 12:42am

student15 wrote: »

Not a fan of bench myself
Deadlifting with good form along with squatting is one of the best overall exercises for you. Just remember tecnique over weight!

Technique/form is the big thing for sure ! I have to laugh at some new year gymmers thinking they are the Schwarzenegger the second lifting "heavy weights" but actually are using most of their body to shift it ! :rolleyes:

Homer01 · 13-01-2014 10:57am

student15 wrote: »

If anyone would like some help or tips for improving their fitness id be more than happy to help.
Its my current line of work and it'd just be a few good pointers that could help! Or even question them on this thread!

One thing I throughly recommend is crossfit as it is great for improving all around fitness and stops tedium setring in as it is constantly varied!!

How many Crossfit locations in NI; is it just Belfast? I saw their FB page; looks pretty hardcore!

Bob Law · 13-01-2014 11:21am

Just to throw it out there, pick your Crossfit Box carefully. Crossfit done well can be handy, but a lot of "coaches" are just doing glorified circuit training and "reps for time" with olympic lifts can do more damage than good.

There's a lot of ones trying to do CrossFit in by themselves and just copying the WODs and they are just throwing form out the window to try and hit another rep and then do nothing but gurn about how sore they are.

That said, if you have a good coach who can actually coach you and develop your weaknesses while monitoring your wellbeing, then you are on to a winner.

student15 · 13-01-2014 12:23pm

Hey in regards to crossfit boxes around NI thereare a few cowboys knocking about. My best advice is to go onto crossfits website and search for your local club if it comes up as an affilited club then itit's legitimate and they're great communities to get involved with!
There are clubs as far as derry/ Londonderry the north coast portadown belfast etc etc, give it a google first and check it on the crossfit site looking to see if it is an affiliated site.

In regard to it being "hardcore" the wods can be scaled to your fitness level.

notbrazil · 13-01-2014 9:41pm

This makes interesting reading. With all this training, you guys are going to be way too fit for the PCA - but I guess it's better to be over-prepared than under.

Seriously guys, it's not that hard - stop worrying!

gigity gigity · 13-01-2014 11:33pm

whats the best way for slimmer people to bulk up?

DesertCreat_15 · 14-01-2014 2:07am

gigity gigity wrote: »

whats the best way for slimmer people to bulk up?

Lots of pasta, rice, clean proteins like chicken, also turkey, steaks/burgers and fish!

Lift heavy, eat more cals than you burn, drink lots and eat some more!

Carrie1985 · 14-01-2014 12:41pm

Hi everyone,

Is everyone working off the set 5 Sessions the force have described to do for the Training?

I've been building up my fitness over the last couple of months, now trying to do the set Burpees, squats etc in the set time given.

I'm 5,4, slowly building up my strength

student15 · 14-01-2014 1:46pm

gigity gigity wrote: »

whats the best way for slimmer people to bulk up?

Got to have a good positive calorie intake. So eat more than you need essentially.
A banlanced diet is essential 30% fats eg nuts avocados oily fish. 30% protein so lean red meat chicken turkey and 40% carbs in here I always count my veggies as carbs so wholewheat rice wholewheat bread sweet potato spinach broccoli etc etc

Bob Law · 15-01-2014 10:47am

gigity gigity wrote: »

whats the best way for slimmer people to bulk up?

I rarely eat clean when I'm bulking, I eat a lot of low carb / meat & green veg combos most of the year round so a dirty bulk is lots of fun.

1/2 pack grilled bacon and 6 farmers eggs for breakfast cooked in butter
shake for snack (or pint milk)
1/2 lb of beef (or 2 chicken breasts) with potatoes/rice & green veg for lunch
high fat nuts / pint milk for snack
after gym, pint of choc milk and 2 bananas
1/2 lb beef / potatoes (or rice or pasta) and green veg for dinner
shake before bed (pint milk)

combine with x4 days of hard lifting and sleep loads. I take a fibre tablet, ZMA and 4 litres of water on training days.

My routine looks like this atm

Mon - Back Squats / Hamstring Work / Accessory Work
Wed - Bench - Heavy Bench and Heavy Upper Back
Friday - Deadlift / Front Squat / Accessory Work
Sat Morning - Bench - Speed / Delts / Upper Back / Weak Areas
Sunday - Sprints / Cardio / Stretching

Squat 220kg
Bench 140kg
Deadlift 280kg

Then at the weekend, get a large dominos meatfeast..cover in olive oil and garlic salt and get it down you with a pint of milk. eat anything with lots of good fats but still get the ice cream and high calorie food into you. Stay away from chocolate / crisps etc, it's all about the whole foods and lots of them (ice cream is my treat and it's calorie dense

)

Do that for a month and if you don't gain some solid mass then you can't gain weight!! I'm 20 stone and starting to see abs atm and I eat like that every few months.

Sthm · 15-01-2014 12:09pm

Raw or equipped, that DL and squat are some lifts, Bob.

Bob Law · 15-01-2014 12:47pm

All Raw with a belt my man. Drug free as well I can add

J.0 · 15-01-2014 10:04pm

Bob Law wrote: »

All Raw with a belt my man. Drug free as well I can add

That's a great work out Bob for bulking up on those muscles. My fear would be your ability to pass the PCA if you're not focussing on cardio enough.

Have you got any trim trails nearby to train on? They're a great overall body workout and it could give you a better idea of the standard you're at.

I see you're doing sprints once a week, but I'd probably increase that to twice, with a couple of steady states on the other days.

Nothing on the PCA requires more than the average healthy person can already lift/drag - it's more cardio than anything else.

J

Bob Law · 15-01-2014 10:14pm

Fit as a fiddle. Can do a mile and a half in 11mins.

I do Cardio sessions after most training days but Sunday is specifically for Cardio.

J.0 · 15-01-2014 10:25pm

Bob Law wrote: »

Fit as a fiddle. Can do a mile and a half in 11mins.

I do Cardio sessions after most training days but Sunday is specifically for Cardio.

Ahh good stuff. 11 minutes isn't too bad. I'm around 9:50 at the moment, but I'd be no were near as muscular as you sound lol!

My mile and a half used to be around the 9 min mark but I've put on more than a few pounds in the last couple of years! (Damn wife and her cooking)

Given01 · 16-01-2014 11:50pm

No male should be failing it full stop and no female should be failing the circuit part, females smaller than 5'8 may struggle

TDA2 · 18-01-2014 2:32am

All joking aside folks, if its only 3 laps of an assault course and a push pull exercise can it really be that difficult? Push pull exercise, I'd be working about breaking the machine. I can run 600m, cycle 20k. Was working out but the puffs where a killer, couldn't get a breath... But with the vapouriser I reckon I'd be better... But in those 2 months I haven't broke sweat (in the gym anyway!).

If I followed the suggestions for fitness and achieved it, I'd be the fittest I've been in my life. Been told I've the touch of a baby elephant... And couldn't outrun one! Did anyone try it at the open days or have done it before who isn't a comic book hero, just an average person that doesn't exercise much? My 90hrs a week in work and the farm do me!

Shield · 18-01-2014 9:45pm

TDA2 wrote: »

...can it really be that difficult?

Unless you're prepared, yes, it can be difficult. The starting and stopping is what catches people out the most. The obstacles are fairly easy, but when you combine the two, unless you've done shuttle runs or set up an obstacle course yourself, you will be in for a surprise at just how much it takes out of you... not to mention that the place is dusty and it's hard to catch your breath. Most end up heading outside to catch their breath afterwards.

student15 · 23-01-2014 1:22pm

Shall we start moving into this thread then to discuss pcas etc
Thourghly looking forward to this

TDA2 · 23-01-2014 1:24pm

I'll be left alone in the ac thread! Roughly when are the pca's? My ac is mid feb.

wanadrum · 23-01-2014 2:07pm

I am not at home to check post, but I thought the email mentioned that there would be an in it to a Pca familiarisation - is this the case or is it straight to the assessment?

LS7 · 23-01-2014 2:14pm

''You will also receive correspondence inviting you to a PCA Familiarisation session, and an appointment for the PCA date"

TDA2 · 23-01-2014 4:25pm

LS7 wrote: »

''You will also receive correspondence inviting you to a PCA Familiarisation session, and an appointment for the PCA date"

Sounds better than going in blindfolded. Means we've a chance to improve any weaknesses before going. Only thing is I'd feel like a right tube if I failed the pca a few weeks after a practice!

Rizzley · 23-01-2014 5:30pm

I'm most concerned about the push pull. Thankfully I've a bit of height on my side but being female I'm a bit concerned

TDA2 · 23-01-2014 5:39pm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XlWiQdwnlA

Makes the circuit look knackering. The old guy is probably fitter than me!

Dekkers · 23-01-2014 5:43pm

Strange that their doing more familiarisation events for the PCA. Thought they had that covered already.

TDA2 · 23-01-2014 5:46pm

But how many people went to the recruitment drive and was the circuit at them all. Guessing they don't want to many failing going by the shortage so far!

Dekkers · 23-01-2014 5:49pm

TDA2 wrote: »

But how many people went to the recruitment drive and was the circuit at them all. Guessing they don't want to many failing going by the shortage so far!

That's my thinking exactly. It's not something you'd expect them to do so their obviously keen for everyone to give it their best shot.

PCA/Fitness test

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