Ocs candidate progress log

[OCSCANDIDATE5]

Marines,

I am a nineteen year old college student who has a desire to become a Marine Officer. I have been in PLC since April and will be contracted this December after I complete at least 12 units with a 2.0 or higher. Don't really have any questions at the moment, just wanted to make a progress log. Any words of wisdom or general advice would be appreciated.

I am starting PFT focused training (Armstrong, crunches, and running) next week. Just got back from a weekend training event at MWTC with my candidate pool. I have shin splits and very sore lower legs. Furthermore, I stared a weightlifting routine yesterday to build strength and muscle. Also, here are my PFT scores as of late. Again, I am going to start focusing on training to improve these numbers big time.
PFT Scores
3 Mile - 21:49
Pullups - 16
Crunches - 100+

Similar Threads:

• PLC-OCC Candidate
• Want to be an OCC candidate

[OCSCANDIDATE5]

All my paperwork is complete, I just need to hand the OSO a transcript showing that I have completed 12 units with a 2.0 or better.

[irpat54]

sounds good, keep up the work.. best of luck to you..

[Tennessee Top]

Shin splints are a common overuse injury. Only cure is rest. Important to do appropriate warm-up/stretching exercises before any running, and wear running shoes with lots of support.

If not addressed appropriately, shin splints can progress to more severe overuse injuries like stress fractures and chronic compartment syndrome (requires surgery to fix).

Obviously, it's important to train and increase your numbers. It's also vital to avoid serious injury, or you won't be training at all. Get some advice from your OSO regarding physical training.

Good luck.

[OCSCANDIDATE5]

Thanks, Marine!

[deucedeuce]

At your age you have time to improve those scores plenty. As Top explained, shin splints are common and as long as you rest and listen to your body, you'll be just fine if you maintain your training.

As I'm sure your OSO has (hopefully) explained to you, you would be a middle of the pack runner at that time. Stick with the Armstrong program if it's working for you, but you had better be entering OCS with 20 pull ups (23 next year) feeling like a joke. You will be fatigued and it should feel easy now because it'll be harder later. The PFT, CFT, O course, and E course should be gimme's to improve your ranking.

Keep at it, good luck.

[OCSCANDIDATE5]

Thank you for the advice, Liuetenant. Definitely gonna get the run to sub 20 and the pull-ups to 23. That's why I'm doing PFT based training along with a normal weightlifting routine. Also if you don't mind me asking, what were your scores when you first started, sir?

[deucedeuce]

I really focused on pull ups and longer distance conditioning runs, since I was told those would be the tougher runs, and pull ups are the most valuable event. For the inventory PFT I was running 20/100/mid 20:XX. By the end of the 10 weeks (or 6 for you), hitting 20 pull ups was still very doable, but it was a lot harder than the initial test. The only thing that will get "easier" is the running, since you will be doing so much of it. My final PFT I ran a 19:17, so around a minute drop in time. Still my fastest PFT time.

Lifting weights proved valuable to me to help fight off weight loss and injury, just be smart about it. I ended up losing about 15 pounds of clean weight over the course of 10 weeks.

[OCSCANDIDATE5]

USMC PFT CONDITIONING WORKOUT LOG

WEEK 1, DAY 1

PULLUPS - 5 MAX SETS
7,5,4,4,3 (90 SEC REST)

CRUNCHES
3XMAX (60 SEC REST)

RUN
DYNAMIC RECOVERY - 20 MIN EXERCISE BIKE

NOTES
Normally warmup and cool down but was running short on time. Not doing actual runs for another week or so to let me legs and knees heal properly. Employing dynamic recovery and RICE principles to speed up recovery. Need some ideas for run workouts...

[deucedeuce]

Lots of candidates have had success utilizing the "Run less, run faster" program, which involves track-based workouts and tempo runs. I personally used Stew Smith's 12 Weeks to BUD/S program, which incorporates several pyramid style upper body workouts (which will help your pull-ups, including stressing negative pullup work,) and run-swim-run workouts, which will build your cardio. You obviously won't do the sort of swimming at OCS that you would endure at BUD/S, but the cardiovascular benefits are immense, and worth the time if you have it to invest. The hypoxic workouts featured in the program offers an alternative while you are waiting for your shins and knees to heal up.

Stew Smith has loads of material online, but the 12 Week workout is a pay-to-play deal. It should be available at your local bookstore.

[deucedeuce]

An aside on running: it is not too late for you to consider learning forefoot strike or midfoot strike running techniques. A trip to your local running store (read: not Dick's or Sports Authority) will show you a host of low to zero-drop running shoes that force you to land on the balls of your feet. This manner of running encourages your calves to absorb impact rather than the traditional heel strike, which places high stress on your shins and knees. The transition is not an easy one, and you will experience considerable calf and metatarsal soreness. It is important that you ease yourself into this style of running. There is plenty of information available online that you can read up on, but if you are experiencing trouble with shin splints, this is something you can consider trying.

[djj34]

Decent times. I hope Captain P and his crew are working you guys.