Prt

[m26]

I want to apply to the BDCP program for the fall. Hopefully this is the right place for this. I would be much obliged if someone could offer me some advice on the physical part of the app.

I feel like I'm in pretty good shape, 6'0, 160 or so. But I'm scrawny, and pushups have never been my thing. Right now the number of good form pushups I can crank out is....well, single digits .

I figure I have a few months to work on it before I have to start an application, and I suspect walking into a recruiter's office at this point would be a waste of time. So I guess my questions are:

1) Has anyone ever been in my situation?
2) How should I go about improving my upper body strength?
3) Am I overtraining? (I do weights/calisthenics/pushups one day, then run 1-2 miles the next). After I started working out regularly, I noticed that I wasnt getting sore any more, but I also noticed a drop in muscle stamina after about a week and a half.

Help would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers

 

[Eliot Watts]

You need to be running five days a week. Schedule your two recovery days to breakup your run schedule into three and two day increments. In time I'd sugget increasing your load to six or seven days and cutting the down time.

 

[TopShot]

For the push ups I recommend the Armstrong Push up Program. I went from doing less than 20 to pumping out 70 in about 2.5 weeks.

 

[m26]

For the push ups I recommend the Armstrong Push up Program. I went from doing less than 20 to pumping out 70 in about 2.5 weeks.

Thats good to hear
The program assumes you can already do 30, though?
Incidentally, this is what I've been trying:
http://hundredpushups.com/

You need to be running five days a week. Schedule your two recovery days to breakup your run schedule into three and two day increments. In time I'd sugget increasing your load to six or seven days and cutting the down time.

Running isn't my problem, though. (?)

 

[Gills]

I wouldn't worry so much about the PRT right now. As long as you are doing some kind of weekly training, you should be able to crank out the minimums whenever you have to take it, which is normally way way down the line in the process.

What you should be doing now, is talking with an Officer Recruiter, getting together your packet with references and letters of recommendation and most importantly, STUDY FOR THE ASTB, which is probably the most important initial step, in my humble opinion.

 

[m26]

Well, I figure that if the last part of the application process is the PRT, and the process takes 5 months, that should give me plenty of time. Still, I don't know how seriously they would take me in my present scrawny state.

I do hope the ASTB is important. Pushups may not be my thing, but sadly, standardized tests are.

 

[Gills]

Scrawny is better than super fat ass. They'll take you seriously if you are indeed serious. I strongly recommend going to see an Officer Recruiter as soon as possible. The whole process can take a short while or in other cases, a long long ass time.

I cannot stress enough: Who cares if you're a scrawny douche right now? Go see an OR and start this process now, if it's what you want to do.

 

[Picaroon]

1) Has anyone ever been in my situation? Yes, when I first looked at applying.
2) How should I go about improving my upper body strength? Do push ups. Lots of them. Bench press and other upper body muscle workouts to supplement and if you need more reps, do inclined (up, not down) push ups or from the knees.
3) Am I overtraining? (I do weights/calisthenics/pushups one day, then run 1-2 miles the next). After I started working out regularly, I noticed that I wasnt getting sore any more, but I also noticed a drop in muscle stamina after about a week and a half.
Everybody is different. I would suggest varying your weight workouts (so do biceps+back on one day, run the next, then triceps+chest+shoulders the next day after that). Do push ups every other day minimum.

Also don't forget to eat well.

 

[m26]

I cannot stress enough: Who cares if you're a scrawny douche right now? Go see an OR and start this process now, if it's what you want to do.

The voice of reason.

I'll get on that

 

[Picaroon]

Oh, and proper form is really important at OCS. But from what I've read on AW, it's not as important afterwards. And in my personal experience, no one's going to bust your balls if you forget knife hands or look down during your PRTs.

 

[m26]

I've been practicing with good form, I think, according to the OTC site (which has been down a while, I think).

Is the PRT for BDCP more relaxed than OCS?

 

[Picaroon]

I've been practicing with good form, I think, according to the OTC site (which has been down a while, I think).

Is the PRT for BDCP more relaxed than OCS?

Yes it is, because the person giving it is a recruiter, a stash Ensign, or something like that. Not a Marine Corps Gunny.

However, that doesn't mean you shouldn't practice perfect form. All I'm saying is that it's unlikely that your recruiter will knock away 20 pushups because you shifted your foot a little. So don't freak out, just practice and train and you'll be fine. BDCP is great because you get a lot of time to prepare for OCS.

 

[pmasters]

I was a fat kid doing single digit pushups when I started applying for BDCP. Now I'm in BDCP, not fat, and can do a lot of pushups. There are several good threads on this site for how to bump up your pushup ability a good amount. Generally your recruiter won't be a total nazi about your form, I know mine wasn't.

Being in BDCP with the specter of the impending ass-whooping at OCS hanging over your head is a damn good motivator to get into shape, I've found. Best of luck in your application process!

 

[m26]

I have a couple questions to add.

1) Is the sit and reach at all important? I haven't tried it, but I know I can barely reach past my knees when I stretch.

2) What would be a good protein supplement? Are these helpful for building muscle for push-ups at all?

 

[MasterBates]

1- yes.
2- Whey protien. One of the few things you can take post OCS.

ON the #2, don't believe anything that claims to be "Delicious Strawberry" on the label.. It WILL taste like something the Quick Rabbit shat out. Chocolate and Vanilla seem to both be decent across most brands.