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Lifting 101

pensfan341

New Member
Hey guys,

I have recently been accepted for BDCP and have decided to get my ass in shape. (not that I am out of shape, I am a college soccer player, I just have never been much of a lifter).

Does anyone have any recommendations on what to do? Any lifting routines they could send my way?

Any advice at all would be appreciated.

Thanks
 

CommodoreMid

Whateva! I do what I want!
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
I'll throw in the gratuitous crossfit plug here. Until I started doing it, being your stereotypical girl, I had no idea what one did with a barbell other than that large men picked it up at the gym while grunting and flexing in the mirror. I'm by no means great at any of the power/Olympic lifts now, but since I've started doing crossfit I can at least do them at pretty respectable weights. I personally like crossfit because it adds the strength element of lifting while getting smoked aerobically at the same time like you're probably used to as a soccer player for a good overall workout. You won't become a lifting beast from it, but it's a good addition for overall fitness. If you find a crossfit gym near you the owners there will teach you how to lift safely and go from there. It's personally paid dividends for me, your results may vary.
 

BigRed389

Registered User
None
Hey guys,

I have recently been accepted for BDCP and have decided to get my ass in shape. (not that I am out of shape, I am a college soccer player, I just have never been much of a lifter).

Does anyone have any recommendations on what to do? Any lifting routines they could send my way?

Any advice at all would be appreciated.

Thanks

Not to discourage you or anything, but unless something dramatically changed at OCS in the last 2 years, OCS PT involves absolutely no lifting. They focus on bodyweight exercises of all kinds and <4 mile runs.
 

LazersGoPEWPEW

4500rpm
Contributor
You're wasting your time if you're lifting weights for OCS. You won't be lifting weights. Everyone that I knew at OCS who lifted weights prior to OCS lost a lot of weight after they got there. Just focus on cardio related exercises and blowing away pushups and curlups. Getting good at air squats and 6-90s wouldn't be a bad idea either.

Run a lot. It doesn't take a lot of thought, just some effort.
 

SynixMan

HKG Based Artificial Excrement Pilot
pilot
Contributor
You're wasting your time if you're lifting weights for OCS. You won't be lifting weights. Everyone that I knew at OCS who lifted weights prior to OCS lost a lot of weight after they got there. Just focus on cardio related exercises and blowing away pushups and curlups. Getting good at air squats and 6-90s wouldn't be a bad idea either.

Run a lot. It doesn't take a lot of thought, just some effort.

What he said. Dudes who were really jacked from lifting seemed to have more problems with situps. I'm just a bigger guy and I struggle with them.
 

MasterBates

Well-Known Member
I can bench a respectable amount, and I struggle with pushups unless I actually do pushups. Wide grip bench seems to help, as does using the lower back extension and deadlifts. Squats and other lifts won't help at OCS.

Be able to do 80+ pushups in under 2 minutes with good form, and 100 situps in the same and you will be golden as far as strength is concerned. The biggest thing I had problems with at OCS was my knees and an ankle, but I also had "repeat customer" status with my orthopedic surgeon.
 

feddoc

Really old guy
Contributor
What he said. Dudes who were really jacked from lifting seemed to have more problems with situps. I'm just a bigger guy and I struggle with them.

Uh, no. If you use strength training the correct way, it will enhance your ability to pass the PRT. Just going to the gym and hefting up some iron, without using the proper set/rep/weight and intensity pattern will do you no good.

That being said, to the OP, find yourself a gym which has a trainer who is either ACSM or NSCA certifed and tell them what you need.
 

Thisguy

Pain-in-the-dick
I'll throw in the gratuitous crossfit plug here.

I'll plug crossfit too. Not only do the creative workouts combine cardio and strength work often in short, intense bursts (less than 8 minutes), but the program is varied that you won't get bored with it and the classes are fun as long as the other people aren't complete D-bags. Trying to come up with a workout regimen on your own can be annoying and the routine can get stale fast. Crossfit keeps things fresh and as a result, you'll stick with it.

Here's a link to the crossfit gym I go to www.crossfitsouthwest.com to give you an idea of what goes on.
 

C420sailor

Former Rhino Bro
pilot
Everything in moderation. Lift, crossfit, cals, run, bike, swim. Do it all. Diversity in a workout program is beneficial not only for overall fitness, but also for stress/overuse injury prevention.
 

Shakeszilla

New Member
I would recommend lifting as long as you're not trying to bulk up. Its perfectly reasonable to do 3 or 4 sets of 12-15 reps on the bench to work your chest and triceps. Just doing push ups alone will get very tedious. The same goes for abs, barbell curls and lat pull downs. Just don't go for massive weight and please don't get injured.
 

pensfan341

New Member
Interesting. Not saying I am disappointed, I have always dreaded lifting.

What are 6-90's?

Any natural weight exercises you guys would recommend besides push ups and curl ups?
What about dips or pull ups?


And what is the swimming requirement for OCS? I get confused because at one point in the website it says like 3rd class swim test and requires things that are fairly easy (10 ft jump, 5 min float etc).

But then on the PRT scorecard it has swimming 500 m and times for that. So what exactly are the swimming requirements for OCS?
 

LazersGoPEWPEW

4500rpm
Contributor
You'll do a third class at OCS. Dips and pull-ups are both excellent bodyweight exercises that would aptly prepare you for OCS.

6-90s are

Get on your back and put your hands up(or under your rear) and then lift your feet with your legs straight out up to 6inches then go to 90 degrees and back. You'll notice it gets substantially more difficult when your arms and hands are pointing up as opposed to under your rear
 

Thisguy

Pain-in-the-dick
But then on the PRT scorecard it has swimming 500 m and times for that. So what exactly are the swimming requirements for OCS?

The option to swim exists, but is not required. You only need to complete the 1.5 mile run or the swim, so don't worry about those times.
 

BACONATOR

Well-Known Member
pilot
Contributor
Buy any and all books by Mark Rippetoe and realize why you SHOULD do all of the following:

Throw out your "lifting gloves".

Hold your breath during the concentric part of the lift.

Only use a weight belt that is the same thickness all the way around. Belts that are thicker in the back are bullshit.

Isolation lifts are bullshit without doing a baseline of compound lifts.
 

SynixMan

HKG Based Artificial Excrement Pilot
pilot
Contributor
And what is the swimming requirement for OCS? I get confused because at one point in the website it says like 3rd class swim test and requires things that are fairly easy (10 ft jump, 5 min float etc).

But then on the PRT scorecard it has swimming 500 m and times for that. So what exactly are the swimming requirements for OCS?

500m swim is a PRT option when you're in the fleet. For OCS, you shall do the 1.5 mile run. You do the 3rd class swim test, but that's a different evolution.
 
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