1.5 months of SS, need to implement exercises for military fitness test

[dcgoings]

Began SS halfway through November and I've been making decent progress. Just hit a little roadblock of not eating correctly and bad form which lowered my weights back a little bit. I have a fitness test for the military around mid March which includes pushups, situps and a 1.5 mile run. My numbers from my last test in September was approx 50 push, 50 sit and an embarrassing 13:26 1.5 mile. I wanted to stick with Starting Strength for as long as I can but I feel like I need to begin doing specific exercises to get my push/sit numbers up as well as start running again.

A friend suggested I just begin doing situps and pushups at the end of my SS workouts and I was going to start doing a form of HIIT on my off days about twice a week. I *really* wanted to max my fitness test (which is like 90 push, 105 sits) and around 9-10 min 1.5 mile. With about 2.5 months left I was just wondering if someone could point me into some direction. My last fitness test I was 150 (skinny fat, squatting like 90lbs and benching 90lbs) and now I'm 170 squatting 170~ and benching 140. So any advice here would be appreciated!

[Wildtim]

First I would test yourself, right now to see how close to your goal you are.

I'm guessing you wouldn't be to far off on the push-ups but the rest is anyone's guess.

HIIT isn't going to help your mile time one bit. I'm afraid you are going to have to get out there and run. Your off days are going to be running for distance and improving that old cardiovascular system and lung function until you get down to something less than a 7 minute mile.

Sit-ups added to the end of your workout are a real good idea. Start with one minute as many as you can do and work up to two solid.

If you need push-up work I would add it in as a replacement exercise for the press for a while. Once again rep/min try to work your way to double.

[dcgoings]

First I would test yourself, right now to see how close to your goal you are.

I'm guessing you wouldn't be to far off on the push-ups but the rest is anyone's guess.

HIIT isn't going to help your mile time one bit. I'm afraid you are going to have to get out there and run. Your off days are going to be running for distance and improving that old cardiovascular system and lung function until you get down to something less than a 7 minute mile.

Sit-ups added to the end of your workout are a real good idea. Start with one minute as many as you can do and work up to two solid.

If you need push-up work I would add it in as a replacement exercise for the press for a while. Once again rep/min try to work your way to double.

To be honest, with the weight I gained I am sure I am in the same pool as I was back in September by only being able to do 50 and 50 of push and sits. The reason I wanted to do HIIT was to lose my my extra weight I've gained since working out. I guess I would be doing a mini-cut to prepare for the fitness test. Less weight = less weight I need to push up or sit up with, and of course, run with.

I hate, hate, hate situps. I find them incredibly difficult to do for some reason especially since I can never find a good way to do them that is most similar to someone holding your feet. Should I be doing them on an incline with a bar holding my feet down? Should I be doing leg raises from a pull up bar? Should I be doing leg raises on my back? Should I do crunches? I can't bring myself up many times without someone holding my feet. :/ Not sure what it is.

[Wildtim]

If you want to lose some weight, the kitchen is the best place to work on it. On a hard cut you will lose strength especially since you are not used to cutting and haven't woked out the optimal way to do it for your body to retain that hard won muscle.

Any type of cardio is going to burn calories but since you need to run for distance only running is going to prepare your body, thats lungs, heart etc. to run.

Sit-ups with the feet held are primarily an upper ab exercise so leg raises aren't going to get you many more sit-ups. Incline (decline really) sit-ups make the abs stronger but they really won't prepare you to do flat sit-ups fast against the clock. If you are in a gym they damn well ought to have a sit-up board tat hos you feet for you and can be set to any angle including flat. but if your gym is not well equipped *cough*planet fatness*cough* you can do them at home. I wedge my feet under the edge of the sofa, failing that I would do crunches. Unsupported sit-ups (no holder) are a great if difficult ab exercise but like the leg raises and decline sit-ups the aren't going to prepare you for your test.

[DoSLiAbLo]

I'll probably get a lot of disagreement, but depending on how close you are I'd just focus 100% on getting military fit. The more military fit you are going in the easier boot camp will be for you.

[Wildtim]

I'll probably get a lot of disagreement, but depending on how close you are I'd just focus 100% on getting military fit. The more military fit you are going in the easier boot camp will be for you.

True, they don't want you strong . At 22 I assumed the OP was already in though and just looking at his annual.

[DoSLiAbLo]

True, they don't want you strong . At 22 I assumed the OP was already in though and just looking at his annual.

Yeah, cause that's exactly what I was saying right?

[justroberson]

OP, check out this article on the SS website: http://startingstrength.com/articles/army_weak_long.pdf

It pretty much applies to your exact situation.

[dcgoings]

True, they don't want you strong . At 22 I assumed the OP was already in though and just looking at his annual.

This is correct, I'm already in.

I'll also check out that link. I skimmed it but it looks good.

[Kadisha]

HIIT isn't going to help your mile time one bit. I'm afraid you are going to have to get out there and run. Your off days are going to be running for distance and improving that old cardiovascular system and lung function until you get down to something less than a 7 minute mile.

I disagree. HIIT is not going to give him the endurance he needs for longer runs, but you have to realize that a 1.5mile isn't long. HIIT will give him the capacity to run faster. It'll at least help build the muscles that he uses for running. No one serious about running will tell you that sprints don't help your cardiovascular system. With that said, he still has to have long-run days to help with his endurance.