Getting in shape for military Basic Training

[paulwrchrds]

Hello BodyBuilding.com,

My name is Paul and I'm 25 years old. 5'11" 226lbs and around 22% body fat. I'm planning joining the Air Force, but the only problem is there's a height/weight requirement. At my height I need to lose 30lbs in order to even be considered. Now, before you think I'm Tubbs McTubberson, I am by no means "out of shape". I do hit the gym on average four days a week. Admittedly however I'm light on the cardio and focus mostly on pushing around weights. Two years ago I weighed over 245 and had really cut deep into my diet and trimmed all the way down to (for me anyways) 207lbs. But with a "corporate job" that basically involves alot of sitting, and a diet that's not the best in the world (and lots of beer in between) I've ballooned back up to where I am now.

The recruiter "suggested" that I cut out all weight lifting. Now I know muscle weighs more than fat, but muscle also continues to burn calories throughout the day as cardio doesn't as much.

My question to you this, I know my diet needs a retooling but I don't want to completely cut out all weights. In order to graduate from basic, I need to be able to crank out 60 push ups, 60 sit ups and be able to run 1.5 miles in around 13 minutes. But I wanna hit the highest physical standard with around 80 push ups, 80 sit ups, and being able to do 10 pull-ups. The running I know I can train for, just start running. But the rest I need some help on.

What sort of program should I put myself on to cut way down, but still be able to build up my push-up, pull-up and sit-up strength? Also, What sort of supplements should I maybe focus on? Creatine? Hydroxycut? I still use protein shakes after workouts, and when I first wake up in the morning.

Edit: Want to add that my current plan is MWF to just do 4x10 pull ups with abs work, TTHS 4x10 sets of push-ups with different abs work.

[Erick.Galinkin]

Hey there. I'm AF, hope you can join us.

First off, you can do more than just lose 30 pounds. They'll also give you the option (if you're over weight) to measure your neck and waist and compare the result. So being big doesn't really matter.

Secondly, you need 45 push ups, 55 sit ups and 1.5 miles in 11:57 in order to graduate.

If you're training for basic and for graduating basic, you're going to want to do HIIT (I recently outlined something for another person on this forum, HairyScandanavian, I can C&P that if you can't search it up)

Furthermore, you're going to want to do mock-evals of:

1 minute push-ups (max out)
1 minute sit-ups (max out)
1.5 mile run (fast as possible)

To build up your push ups and sit-ups, I suggest circuit training.

If I were you:

M: Interval Training
Tu: 1min push ups, 1 minute sit ups, 10 pull ups (or 1 minute, whichever comes first) rest for 30 seconds and repeat
W: Interval Training
Th: Circuit training
Fr: Rest
Sa: Mock eval
Su: Rest

Furthermore, remember that when you do take your REAL eval at the end of 8.5 weeks of BMT, you are not going to get a rest day the day before. You get (maybe) 1 day off a week (sunday) if your MTI isn't a d*ck (which he will be). So if you want to do something on Friday, it couldn't hurt.

I would avoid supplements period (other than protein shakes). You won't have them when you're in basic and it's best to get used to not having them so that when you get to BMT you don't struggle without them.

Furthermore, with this exercise plan, you're going to be burning a lot of calories so you'll drop the weight pretty quick too.

That's my .02

~A1C Galinkin, Cryptologic Linguist and BMT Honor Graduate with a PT score of 100 (80 push-ups, 75 sit-ups, 9:04 1.5 mi)

[ironwill2008]

^^^^^Here ya go, OP.

The only thing I can think to add is to train for what you want to become. If you want to get good at running, pushups, pullups, and situps, then just work on those things. A lot.