Need info.

[Wildland]

I am a student at a Firefighter Academy.My goal is to pass the Arduous Pack Test; which consists of : 45# Pack, walking 3 miles in 45 minutes.I am currently working with Free wts./Cardio. I am wondering if this is enough, or should I look into a machine?

[Emoore]

If I were you, I'd practice walking with a 45# pack on my back, but that's just me.

[Hibiscus09]

Me too -- train for what you have to do!!

[bscrusher]

bump, what they said.

and try this, train for the "arduous" (sound of marines and army light infantry choking with laughter) pack test occasionally with a pack that is substantially heavier than 45lbs. say, 60 lbs.

occasionally use a lighter pack to really haul a__ and finish the test in say 30 minutes.

occasionally go 4 miles.

this will teach your body that...

a) 45lbs is a pretty light pack.

b) you can move very quickly with a pack

c) 3 miles is a rather short distance.

if you think about it there are various combinations of changes you can use to keep your body from getting too comfortable with the training.

drop all other exercise. make sure you get enough rest. i say run this race every other day.

do not go to the test tired. have at least three days of rest before the test.

when is the test? if it is more than 8 weeks from now a more complex training protocol will be more effective. then you can really blow people's minds.

[Wildland]

First of all, thanks a million for the super advise! In response to your query;I can test anytime after 10/8. My last round of classes will be 9/18-10/8;consecutively. Graduation will be 10/9. So, after 10/8, I will have the time for some serious training. I am very interested in your quip regarding "complex training protocol". Please Advise.
PS I don't feel this has any bearing; but, just thought you should know, I am female and 52. Hope to hear from you soon!

[bscrusher]

hi wild, well if you have more than 8 weeks to train you will benefit from doing heavy barbell squats, heavy calf press and heavy deadlifts. also heavy bench press and heavy shrugs.

at the same time you should run with and without the ruck. this will train you to have good running form with the pack on.

you could also get really hardcore with your test specific training. you could do a few marches with a 90lb ruck. you could do some 6 milers.

a person in excellent condition could run that "arduous" test in about 21 minutes. this is the speed i would guess the average army or marine grunt could do it in. it would be done at a dead run, only slightly slower than their 1 mile running pace.

try this....

day 1 - squats and calves

day 2 - rest

day 3 - run with no ruck

day 4 - rest

day 5 - deadlift

day 6 - rest

day 7 - run w/ruck

day 8 - rest

day 10 - bench press and shrugs

day 11 - rest

day 12 - run with or w/out ruck

day 13 - rest

day 1 - cycle starts again with squats

this is a very general guide, as you near your testing date take out the lifting and the runs with no ruck.

this program could start 3 months back from the test or two years, i believe, with excellent results.

lift for strength. heavy weights, low reps, keep your lifting sessions under 45 minutes. 20 minutes can be a decent strength workout.

doing cardio other than running is a big waste of time.

using excercise machines is a big waste of time.

[Wildland]

I like the sounds of it. Since I'm new at this I am not adept with the lingo, I have several questions:

What wt. is considered "heavy"?
What equipment do I need for "calf press"?
What is a "deadlift"?
What is a "shrug"?

I'm guessing I need a bench? Any suggestions there and also on the weights?
I particularly appreciate your no non-sense approach, just cut to the chase!
Again, thanks a bunch for all your help.
Hope to hear from you soon!
Bye

[bscrusher]

wow! you really are new to this wild.

you can search on this site, or the web, for a decent description of deadlifts, shrugs and calf press. the only equipment needed is a barbell and some plates.

heavy, in your case, means a weight that is heavy enough so that you can not lift it more than 8 times. this is very general, but all you need to get started. if you pick a weight which you are losing control of on the 9th rep, only do 7 or 8 reps. you must be in total control of the weight and yourself in order to be safe.

do regular deadlifts 1 rep at a time. if you do romanian deadlifts, follow the 8 rep guide at first. when doing romanian deadlifts you do not set the weight on the ground between reps and you do not fully lockout at the top of the movement.

a bench is nice but you can do the top 3/4 of the bench press just from the floor or ground. also you can do military press or push press with no need of a bench.

[Wildland]

Good advise, I'll check it out.

[SEADRA]

When I was in the marines sometimes we would "hike" with 60lb packs for 15 miles at a time. I would work on strengthening your chins that's all the ever really helped me.

[Wildland]

How do I go about strengthening my chins?

[SEADRA]

Sorry I meant Shins. One good excersice I used to do was to stand on a step and lower my heals as far down as they would go and then lift up as far as you can go basicly a calf excersice.

[bscrusher]

hi wild, seadra reminded me of a lift people do to strengthen the muscles on the front of the shins. these muscles can get smoked on long marches or runs. these are the muscles that pick up the front of your foot on every step. some people have a weakness here that causes a painful inflammation, sometimes called, "shin splints".

so, to strengthen these muscles. stand on a chair or a milk crate or some similar object. hang a small weight from the front of one foot by a short strap or rope. hold that leg off the edge of the chair. keep your leg straight. point your foot down and then point your toes back up toward your face, lifting the weight. do 2 or 3 sets of 5 or 10 reps. do both legs.
there are several variations of this exercise, some can be found on websites about running and hiking. do not do this exercise while those muscles are in pain from running. don't run if those muscles are in pain. if you choose to do this exercise, once you get the hang of it, do some sets with a light weight and some with a heavy weight. if i were you i would do this exercise on weightlifting days.

[Wildland]

Sorry for my absence the last several days; but have been real busy(ie.Emergency Vehicle training with my local VFD,Slaughtering Cattle, (hope that doesn't gross anybody out)! and Selling Real Estate. Really appreciate the shin advise as I do have accasional problems(I should say pain, with mine). I will implement your techniques into my ever growing regime.
Thanks lots!
Wild