View Full Version : I really feel like an idiot asking this...
Olivieri
12-04-08, 09:03 PM
Yea, I bet that got your attention!
Ok, so common knowledge I leave in a little over a month, and I'm pretty concerned about not having upper-body strength. Physical performance is acceptable except for that.
How can I help myself to gain some muscle so I'm..I don't know how to put this appropriately... So I just don't die when I get to bootcamp? I won't have gym access past next Friday because the college semester will end and I will be at home.
Thanks for not laughing too hard at the pathetic weakling. And for that advice you're going to offer. Right? Right.
Find or put up a pull up bar.Do push ups...a ton of them.
Olivieri
12-04-08, 09:22 PM
Find or put up a pull up bar.Do push ups...a ton of them.
I have a pullup bar, I just can't pull up to practice, even!
JamesMShaw
12-04-08, 09:33 PM
Olivieri, are you saying you can not do even one pull up?
*edit*
My mistake, should have checked your profile first, did not realize you were female. How are you currently on your flexed arm hang?
Fender104
12-04-08, 09:44 PM
If you have free weights consider doing curls with them a ton of them, this helped me with my pull ups and I'm sure it will help with flex arm hang. Also do push ups set a goal before you start, 30 is a good number. Try doing 30 until you cant push any more and then if you can do 30 easy do it until you cant anymore if you cant do 30 get on your knees and do push ups that way while that's only 30% of your body weight rather than 60% at least your not giving up. Perseverance will always prevail don't give up and you will improve.
Also if it just that you cant pull your self up to begin, just move a chair to below your bar and hop up there.
Get a stool to stand on or someone to boost you up .
polizei
12-04-08, 10:35 PM
Push ups! I like the free-weight response, but unless you have them, forget about it. Remember though, you need to get your muscles to relax and rebuild. I would stop lifting/etc a few days before you ship.
Echo_Four_Bravo
12-04-08, 10:55 PM
I'm going to post something here that is a little controversial. Please note, this isn't what I'd recommend for most people, but you're in a special situation. You need more than just push ups, and not being able to get over the bar to practice your hang makes things difficult. (Though a chair or something can help there.)
Scroll down this link (http://www.angelfire.com/ny5/shenandoah/OBB/OBB.html) to the area where you see body parts listed. Perform the exercises as indicated. It isn't perfect, but if you do not have gym access you have to do what you have to do.
Olivieri
12-05-08, 02:04 AM
Olivieri, are you saying you can not do even one pull up?
*edit*
My mistake, should have checked your profile first, did not realize you were female. How are you currently on your flexed arm hang?
HAHA. I definetly heard the tone you used in that comment, there.
.........As for flexed arm hang, I don't even know how to do one. Noone tells me jack ****. I figure most of it out for myself.
Sorry if my stars offended you, but you know you should get used to it.
Olivieri
12-05-08, 02:14 AM
Fender104, good idea for pushup help.
polizei, it takes approximately two weeks for the body to become "out of shape" after stopping a training regimen, did you know? But yes, agreed on the rest.
Echo_Four_Bravo, I'm definetly looking into that! Thanks for the link.
OH and btw, mjhpgh, you sound like my recruiter...who laughed at me when i couldnt reach the one in the office.
Hey, I'm shipping June 09. I, also being a girl, had the same problem with building upper body strength on my own. I've recently worked my way to being able to do a hand full of pull ups (which helped my hang time significantly) from not even being able to do even a single push up! ALL I did was work on my push ups and dips. I recommend breaking them up throughout the day--so do a max set every hour. I hope this helps, it worked for me.
CplGiraffe
12-05-08, 07:25 AM
If you have a pull up bar, then try to practice the negative pullups which should help with flexed arm hang. Jump and hold at the top and as slow as you can letyourself down, then go again.
JamesMShaw
12-05-08, 07:28 AM
Olivieri, I meant no offense. My ship date was actually pushed back because I could not do even a single pull up. I meant the question entirely for information gathering purposes.
If you can't get over the bar, as in can not pull yourself over it. Then use a chair, if I remember correctly (and correct me if I am wrong Marines) you do not have to pull up over the bar then start your time. You start the flexed arm hang already over it.
Echo_Four_Bravo
12-05-08, 01:24 PM
That is correct. Women do not have to pull themselves over the bar. If I remember correctly, the time continues running as long as there is bend in the arm. It always amazed me to see the women drop part of the way down and hold themselves there. It seemed to me that would be much more difficult than just staying at the top.
Get a a deck of cards. Normal cards casino cards, black jack cards etc..
Shuffle them a lot, and put the top card face up. Do as many push ups as the cards number says. Shuffle them up again, and put the top card face up again and do as many push ups as the card number reads.. repeat this process until you push through all of the cards. Oh, and rest between each card..
PaidinBlood
12-05-08, 05:15 PM
That one is good for field or deployment too, FYI
SGT7477
12-05-08, 05:24 PM
Yea, I bet that got your attention!
Ok, so common knowledge I leave in a little over a month, and I'm pretty concerned about not having upper-body strength. Physical performance is acceptable except for that.
How can I help myself to gain some muscle so I'm..I don't know how to put this appropriately... So I just don't die when I get to bootcamp? I won't have gym access past next Friday because the college semester will end and I will be at home.
Thanks for not laughing too hard at the pathetic weakling. And for that advice you're going to offer. Right? Right.
Why didn't you start a workout program a long time ago you don't have much time left, hit the gym hard and hope you don't have a breakdown period in boot camp?:evilgrin:
mgkusmc
12-05-08, 05:30 PM
Go to your recruiters office and get a copy of your orders to ship, take said orders down to the YMCA tell them your situation how you dont have access to a gym and you have a month to ship, show them your orders and they will more than likely give you from that day till when you ship free membership. I know they did that at my local YMCA when I was in the DEP
OH and btw, mjhpgh, you sound like my recruiter...who laughed at me when i couldnt reach the one in the office.
No I am short and use a chair or stool all the time !
echo3oscar1833
12-05-08, 06:48 PM
Go to your recruiters office and get a copy of your orders to ship, take said orders down to the YMCA tell them your situation how you dont have access to a gym and you have a month to ship, show them your orders and they will more than likely give you from that day till when you ship free membership. I know they did that at my local YMCA when I was in the DEP
Agreed go to the YMCA, also if you want an effective way to build upper body strength and stamina do what I do when I workout. Go to the pool, and tread water with your arms, and arms only. Yes it is hard to do, but over time it can be done, and works a lot towards building arm strength, and stamina at the same time. By doing this you are working more than one part of your body. In general this will help you in the long run with PFT, and PT. By using the arm tread technique you will be able to improve stamina for things such as running, and other intense exercises. It also go's along way in helping with your abs when it comes to doing crunches. Again it is hard and will be a challenge if you decide to take this route, but it is very effective for a limited amount of time.:marine: FYI this is also the technique that I discovered that helped my acheive a 17:50 run time in the 3mile for the PFT. So it does work.
PS. Also for the love of god don't Drown!!, I don't want your recruiter and family hunting me down:D
Olivieri
12-05-08, 10:43 PM
Why didn't you start a workout program a long time ago you don't have much time left, hit the gym hard and hope you don't have a breakdown period in boot camp?:evilgrin:
Sir, I have been working out since I DEPed in, in August. I have been doing my pushups, however, I still lack the arm muscle tone needed to do well. It takes a large amount of juggling to be able to handle a full college courseload and a rigorous training program, so eventually I cut down to running and crunching.
I'm sorry I didn't provide enough information as to my current workout.
Thank you for your concern, however. It is like some of us poolees to lazy, so your point is totally valid.
lagrand
12-06-08, 12:57 AM
Lance Corporal Echo3Oscar, that sounds like a good idea. How long do you usually tread for? How does treading water with your arms effect your run time? (Not doubting you, I just want to know the mechanics behind it because it sounds awesome!).
- LaGrand
thewookie
12-06-08, 01:13 AM
Why bother?
You waited this long to post some sorry excuse of a post for help.
Go to boot camp and get your azz handed to you, and then someday you will know the importance of preparation.
What a sad post.
echo3oscar1833
12-06-08, 01:25 AM
Lance Corporal Echo3Oscar, that sounds like a good idea. How long do you usually tread for? How does treading water with your arms effect your run time? (Not doubting you, I just want to know the mechanics behind it because it sounds awesome!).
- LaGrand
If you would read better, you would have read the part that it helps out with stamina, which in turn will help you out with, the running and other aspects of PT, Humping, etc.:marine:. IE- Stamina is whats helps you last longer, and do things just a bit better.
FYI-Read the whole post next time lol:D
Agreed go to the YMCA, also if you want an effective way to build upper body strength and stamina do what I do when I workout. Go to the pool, and tread water with your arms, and arms only. Yes it is hard to do, but over time it can be done, and works a lot towards building arm strength, and stamina at the same time. By doing this you are working more than one part of your body. In general this will help you in the long run with PFT, and PT. By using the arm tread technique you will be able to improve stamina for things such as running, and other intense exercises. It also go's along way in helping with your abs when it comes to doing crunches. Again it is hard and will be a challenge if you decide to take this route, but it is very effective for a limited amount of time.:marine: FYI this is also the technique that I discovered that helped my acheive a 17:50 run time in the 3mile for the PFT. So it does work.
PS. Also for the love of god don't Drown!!, I don't want your recruiter and family hunting me down:D
Agreed on the pool part. I don't think it is necessary to try and tread water with just your arms. Get in the pool and don't touch the sides or bottem for 1 hour... tread water swim whatever, if you do need a break take one and add those minutes on to the hour. Do it every day and a month from now you will amaze yourself on the improvement.
The pool on Hansen opened at 0500. Company PT wasn't till 0700. I would be standing at the door of the pool at 0500 every day. There was one other guy that did the same thing. I ran a 16:50 and he ran a 16:30 ... bastard. Anyway the pool helps.
Marine84
12-06-08, 07:39 AM
Don't worry so much about it - they'll have other Recruits hold you up to the bar so you can get in a comfortable "pullup" position, the Recruits will step away and all you have to do is hang for (what?) 70 seconds to get your max points. As long as your arms are bent, the clock keeps ticking.
echo3oscar1833
12-06-08, 10:04 AM
Agreed on the pool part. I don't think it is necessary to try and tread water with just your arms. Get in the pool and don't touch the sides or bottem for 1 hour... tread water swim whatever, if you do need a break take one and add those minutes on to the hour. Do it every day and a month from now you will amaze yourself on the improvement.
The pool on Hansen opened at 0500. Company PT wasn't till 0700. I would be standing at the door of the pool at 0500 every day. There was one other guy that did the same thing. I ran a 16:50 and he ran a 16:30 ... bastard. Anyway the pool helps.
Damn brother 16:50 and I thought I was fast with a 17:50, lol. I was the fastest in my Battalion at the time when I was in. Guess I got a new challenge there Sgt :D. Oh as for you Poolees, as you can see there are now two examples of how the pool actually does help. Semper Fi.
Echo_Four_Bravo
12-06-08, 12:53 PM
How can you say it is difficult to carry a full college course load and to workout? It really isn't that hard to accomplish. You need to find 45 minutes a day, max, to get an effective workout done. Last time I checked, a full course load required you to be in class for 12-18 hours per week. That works out to 3-5 hours per day in most cases. That leaves like 20 hours a day to 45 minutes to workout. Not that hard, you just have to do it.
Life only gets more hectic as you grow older. As a Marine you'll have less free time than you do now- but you'll have to fit your workouts in. When you have kids, etc. life will be even more busy. You just have to schedule your time and make it happen.
SGT7477
12-06-08, 04:09 PM
Sir, I have been working out since I DEPed in, in August. I have been doing my pushups, however, I still lack the arm muscle tone needed to do well. It takes a large amount of juggling to be able to handle a full college courseload and a rigorous training program, so eventually I cut down to running and crunching.
I'm sorry I didn't provide enough information as to my current workout.
Thank you for your concern, however. It is like some of us poolees to lazy, so your point is totally valid.
You will have to get use to it, when you wear the uniform of THE BEST FIGHTING FORCE IN THE WORLD IT DOES GET HECTIC, Good Luck, PM me any time I'm here to help you.:flag:
Olivieri
12-07-08, 10:13 PM
How can you say it is difficult to carry a full college course load and to workout? It really isn't that hard to accomplish. You need to find 45 minutes a day, max, to get an effective workout done. Last time I checked, a full course load required you to be in class for 12-18 hours per week. That works out to 3-5 hours per day in most cases. That leaves like 20 hours a day to 45 minutes to workout. Not that hard, you just have to do it.
Life only gets more hectic as you grow older. As a Marine you'll have less free time than you do now- but you'll have to fit your workouts in. When you have kids, etc. life will be even more busy. You just have to schedule your time and make it happen.
The hours that you have presented are in-class time only. That doesn't include out of class work, and studying, not including studio art classes (which I have two of), which are three hours long each, three times a week. I wake up at 5:30 every morning and go to bed probably later than I should, and I know that I don't waste my time sitting on my butt stuffing my face with the doritos.
Believe me, the art building is a timewarp. Right now I'm putting my classes ahead of my workout as I am not grotesquely fat, and will recieve plenty of PT once the semester is over, this Friday.
That is how I find it difficult. I merely asked a question so that may help to better myself further instead of wasting my remaining time as a civilian.
PaidinBlood
12-07-08, 10:19 PM
The hours that you have presented are in-class time only. That doesn't include out of class work, and studying, not including studio art classes (which I have two of), which are three hours long each, three times a week. I wake up at 5:30 every morning and go to bed probably later than I should, and I know that I don't waste my time sitting on my butt stuffing my face with the doritos.
Believe me, the art building is a timewarp. Right now I'm putting my classes ahead of my workout as I am not grotesquely fat, and will recieve plenty of PT once the semester is over, this Friday.
That is how I find it difficult. I merely asked a question so that may help to better myself further instead of wasting my remaining time as a civilian.
Bottom line is you can still find 45 minutes if you want to. But I guess you know it all so why even bother posting? Hell, go ahead and change your avatar to full fledge fvking Marine if you're gonna tell E4B where to shove it. You don't like it, take a hike. :flag:
(if you can find time for hiking)
RYDERKUR
12-07-08, 10:41 PM
You p.ssed off a damn good Marine, LCpl Parra, who takes more than his share of time to help poolees. You also disrespected a Marine NCO as mentioned by LCpl Parra. I suggest you apologize. Oh wait, is that time you're using being on the computer to start a thread and reply. 45 minutes a day that you can't possibly get a little PT in?
P.S. If you become a Marine, you may want to lose the excuse making, they're not exactly helpful in the Marine Corps.
0231Marine
12-08-08, 07:20 AM
Damn brother 16:50 and I thought I was fast with a 17:50, lol. I was the fastest in my Battalion at the time when I was in. Guess I got a new challenge there Sgt :D. Oh as for you Poolees, as you can see there are now two examples of how the pool actually does help. Semper Fi.
Our company ironman from bootcamp was in my platoon. He was a marathon runner before he enlisted and his "moderate" pace on the pft in bootcamp had him crossing the finish line in 14:47. Fastest guy I had ever seen...well, when he was passing me on the backside of the course...lol
PaidinBlood
12-08-08, 07:27 AM
Thanks, Kurt, but she'll figure it out. Real soon now.
Echo_Four_Bravo
12-08-08, 11:01 AM
I don't know if she'll figure it out or not. I have a feeling that when things get really hectic in her life she is going to be blown away.
Trust me, I know how busy college students are. I've jumped through the hoops and didn't stop until I ended up with a grad degree. My wife is currently in med school and spends a little more time in class and doing out of class work than an art student would. Guess what- we both have always found a way to workout, despite how busy we may be. And neither of us have had anything close to the schedule that a Marine has to deal with. At times you may be working very long hours (getting ready for a CGI, deployment, etc.) and working out then is something your life may depend on. You can find a way, you just have to do it.
UsmcMotorT
12-08-08, 12:52 PM
Max out on push ups 3-6 sets a day (3 sets in the morning, 3 sets at night).
Negatives on the pullup bar is good.
And also, not sure if there is a particular term for it but you stand under a pullup bar. Jump up and grab the bar and pull yourself up (using the momentum from your jump). And max out on that till you cant pull yourself up any more, 3-6 sets.
Just keep doing that for a month straight and have a couple days rest before you ship out and you'll be good to go.
But the key is to max out in any exercise you do (ie crunches, lunges, etc). If you dont max out then you wont grow in strength and endurance.
You can do all this when you wake up and right before you go to bed so no excuses here.