Anyone know about Army/NZDF training?

[FellowshipOfTheRon]

Hey fitness guys,

New year, new career path for me... still got the same old dream of being huge one day but now also need to keep fit.

There are a few fitness tests that I gotta pass through like timed run, push ups and situps.. pretty much it's all really easy except for the run.

Basic Requirement is to do 2.4ks in less than 12mins (currently I'm at 16mins on treadmill lol) but I want to challenge myself a bit more and get it down 8~9mins point - I'll be giving it a proper shot now (so no more treadmill).

My current program is a typical BB 4 day split with fairly high volume, I'm guessing I'll have to change things around massively or will end up burning out. Do I stop training legs for a bit? Or just switch over to lighter weights with explosive, high reps?

Any suggestions on a workout program I can do which will help me maintain or even keep building muscle mass while as well as improve on my 2.4km run?

I have about 3 months to prepare EDIT : just 6 weeks not 3 months :oops:

* The reason I put emphasis on maintaining mass/keeping on bulking during this period of training is that I'm only floating in the low 60s at 5'8" and can't afford to lose much as will slide down to 'underweight' on BMI

Any help appreciated, Cheers!

EDIT : In case you are applying to join NZDF, I've added a bit of information on this post here: viewtopic.php?f=5&t=17363&p=359244#p359244 and will continue updating with more info as I progress through the interview/open day/boot camp (AARC)

EDIT 2 Everything all good now, I'm off to basic next month. See this link for more info on Medical/Security Clearances/Induction Day/Final Fitness Testing (pre-AARC) : viewtopic.php?p=367608#p367608

Thanks for all the help guys, heaps looking forward to going on Basic 8)

[DIANABOL]

Hey fitness guys,

New year, new career path for me... still got the same old dream of being huge one day but now also need to keep fit.

There are a few fitness tests that I gotta pass through like timed run, push ups and situps.. pretty much it's all really easy except for the run.

Basic Requirement is to do 2.4ks in less than 12mins (currently I'm at 16mins on treadmill lol) but I want to challenge myself a bit more and get it down 8~9mins point - I'll be giving it a proper shot now (so no more treadmill).

My current program is a typical BB 4 day split with fairly high volume, I'm guessing I'll have to change things around massively or will end up burning out. Do I stop training legs for a bit? Or just switch over to lighter weights with explosive, high reps?

Any suggestions on a workout program I can do which will help me maintain or even keep building muscle mass while as well as improve on my 2.4km run?

I have about 3 months to prepare

* The reason I put emphasis on maintaining mass/keeping on bulking during this period of training is that I'm only floating in the low 60s at 5'8" and can't afford to lose much as will slide down to 'underweight' on BMI

Any help appreciated, Cheers!

Are you joining the army?

[UsedToBeFatAs]

Hey there, I found that doing a few longer runs (2-3 of 5km-7km) and having one day a week where I target the quick time over the shorter distance helped me out.

So in a different context, right now I am training for a marathon and I run 10 on Mon, 16 on Wed and a 20 on Fri night all at an easy slow distance. Then on the Sunday I do between 5 and 7 km at "race pace" (i.e. as fast as I can). I don't stress too much about making big time/pace gains immediately as it comes over time.

Of course you don't need to run those distances.

Another variation you could throw in is when you go for a 5k jog, try and do the middle part of it (2km or so) at your faster pace and then finish at you jog.

I have been doing distance running and still maintained my leg training and it has worked fine (unless you have tree trunk legs then maybe cut back?). In fact, I think it has helped me a bit. But that is just purely anecdotal opinion I have nothing to back that up. I'm not massive by any stretch (not a bodybuilder) but am certainly not a Kenyan! (6'2 93kg).

Anyway, you've certainly done the right thing by getting off the treaddy. Try tossing in a hill or two or a bush trail to vary it- it will all help.

Just my opinion, hope this helps or gets some ideas flowing.

Good luck!!! :clap:

[DIANABOL]

Hey there, I found that doing a few longer runs (2-3 of 5km-7km) and having one day a week where I target the quick time over the shorter distance helped me out.

So in a different context, right now I am training for a marathon and I run 10 on Mon, 16 on Wed and a 20 on Fri night all at an easy slow distance. Then on the Sunday I do between 5 and 7 km at "race pace" (i.e. as fast as I can). I don't stress too much about making big time/pace gains immediately as it comes over time.

Of course you don't need to run those distances.

Another variation you could throw in is when you go for a 5k jog, try and do the middle part of it (2km or so) at your faster pace and then finish at you jog.

I have been doing distance running and still maintained my leg training and it has worked fine (unless you have tree trunk legs then maybe cut back?). In fact, I think it has helped me a bit. But that is just purely anecdotal opinion I have nothing to back that up. I'm not massive by any stretch (not a bodybuilder) but am certainly not a Kenyan! (6'2 93kg).

Anyway, you've certainly done the right thing by getting off the treaddy. Try tossing in a hill or two or a bush trail to vary it- it will all help.

Just my opinion, hope this helps or gets some ideas flowing.

Good luck!!! :clap:

Lol...long distance running isnt going to help much at all.

[UsedToBeFatAs]

[FellowshipOfTheRon]

Hey fitness guys,

New year, new career path for me... still got the same old dream of being huge one day but now also need to keep fit.

There are a few fitness tests that I gotta pass through like timed run, push ups and situps.. pretty much it's all really easy except for the run.

Basic Requirement is to do 2.4ks in less than 12mins (currently I'm at 16mins on treadmill lol) but I want to challenge myself a bit more and get it down 8~9mins point - I'll be giving it a proper shot now (so no more treadmill).

My current program is a typical BB 4 day split with fairly high volume, I'm guessing I'll have to change things around massively or will end up burning out. Do I stop training legs for a bit? Or just switch over to lighter weights with explosive, high reps?

Any suggestions on a workout program I can do which will help me maintain or even keep building muscle mass while as well as improve on my 2.4km run?

I have about 3 months to prepare

* The reason I put emphasis on maintaining mass/keeping on bulking during this period of training is that I'm only floating in the low 60s at 5'8" and can't afford to lose much as will slide down to 'underweight' on BMI

Any help appreciated, Cheers!

Are you joining the army?

yeah mate, any experience you'd like to share?

Hey there, I found that doing a few longer runs (2-3 of 5km-7km) and having one day a week where I target the quick time over the shorter distance helped me out.

So in a different context, right now I am training for a marathon and I run 10 on Mon, 16 on Wed and a 20 on Fri night all at an easy slow distance. Then on the Sunday I do between 5 and 7 km at "race pace" (i.e. as fast as I can). I don't stress too much about making big time/pace gains immediately as it comes over time.

Of course you don't need to run those distances.

Another variation you could throw in is when you go for a 5k jog, try and do the middle part of it (2km or so) at your faster pace and then finish at you jog.

I have been doing distance running and still maintained my leg training and it has worked fine (unless you have tree trunk legs then maybe cut back?). In fact, I think it has helped me a bit. But that is just purely anecdotal opinion I have nothing to back that up. I'm not massive by any stretch (not a bodybuilder) but am certainly not a Kenyan! (6'2 93kg).

Anyway, you've certainly done the right thing by getting off the treaddy. Try tossing in a hill or two or a bush trail to vary it- it will all help.

Just my opinion, hope this helps or gets some ideas flowing.

Good luck!!! :clap:

Hey man, thanks for the input. Were you also doing weights during this time? I'm really keen on making sure I can fit weights training in with the new fitness stuff somehow purely because it's something I enjoy so much

[UsedToBeFatAs]

Yeah I continued with my weights (particularly when I was training for my 5km) but I'm not a beast lifter or anything :shifty: .

As you are training to do a pretty short distance in a swift time IMO I think you could keep up your weight training.

I would just look at getting a few road KMs under your belt (if you haven't already), just 5ish km at a time maybe 2 or 3 times a week at a cruisy pace to get your legs into it and make the 2.4 easier. Not so long/intense that it counteracts your bulk though.

If DIANABOL has tested for the army he may have some good/better ideas?

[Stubbies]

Bro have you read up on the army's basic training prep - Pre application workout plans? Because you should be able to skip a couple weeks into the training and go from their, I mean in the army your going to burn a bit of muscle off but you can get it back after basic training no doubt.

Good luck bro

[Android]

Hey fitness guys,

New year, new career path for me... still got the same old dream of being huge one day but now also need to keep fit.

There are a few fitness tests that I gotta pass through like timed run, push ups and situps.. pretty much it's all really easy except for the run.

Basic Requirement is to do 2.4ks in less than 12mins (currently I'm at 16mins on treadmill lol) but I want to challenge myself a bit more and get it down 8~9mins point - I'll be giving it a proper shot now (so no more treadmill).

My current program is a typical BB 4 day split with fairly high volume, I'm guessing I'll have to change things around massively or will end up burning out. Do I stop training legs for a bit? Or just switch over to lighter weights with explosive, high reps?

Any suggestions on a workout program I can do which will help me maintain or even keep building muscle mass while as well as improve on my 2.4km run?

I have about 3 months to prepare

* The reason I put emphasis on maintaining mass/keeping on bulking during this period of training is that I'm only floating in the low 60s at 5'8" and can't afford to lose much as will slide down to 'underweight' on BMI

Any help appreciated, Cheers!

12mins...2.4km?

Once you're "in" the Army this should change to be a 10m30s limit, tested twice a year.

1. You should get off the treadmill and get outside mate. It's a different feeling altogether.

2. The only thing that improves running, is running. Embrace the outdoors especially the evenings are perfect running.

3. There's no need to specialise in 2.4km running, embrace longer distances as most runs in the Army are 10km+ or whatever fits into a 45-60 minute session.

4. Avoid taking up smoking. There's alot of "hurry up and wait" during Basic training mate. Imagine 120 peeps on the firing range for a whole day...20 shooters at at time, 20 peeps holding up targets (yes you hold them up LOL on big wooden sticks and run with them...you're under the mound so you don't get hit haha), and the other 80 sitting around waiting for their turn.

So many new recruits start smoking it's not funny!

5. Running 2.4km under 10m30s is just about conditioning it's not a fast time at all. Once you're "in" the Army you'll see 50yr old beer-bellied lazy guys running under this time :-) srs

Crossfit replicates the style of training used in the military, join a Crossfit club tomorrow if you wanna enter prepared. The slowest weakest recruits get hammered in the first 3mths so try and avoid being one of them.

Forget about mass and size it will only slow you down. Long distance and long hours, large muscular bodies are just too inefficient in the Army....oh but just read you're 60kg'sh so should be just fine. You do need to be a light weight to climb ropes, climb over obstacles, handle wind sprints etc...but you also need some muscle to carry all the battle equipment.

The BFT or Battle Fitness Test is another test you will face but just once a year.

Fully kitted up with 25kg pack, 5kg webbing, combat boots etc. Have to cover 12km within 1h50m so it's a constant slow jog or fast walk from start to finish. Then complete some obstacles like rope, walls etc...then score high on a close-range target shoot. :pfft: enjoy!

[frocko]

Android pretty much nailed it.

2.4km in 12 mins is shite. Don't be the unfittest guy there, you will hate PT.

Just get out there and run. Do 2-3 runs. Do a 10km steady pace. 5km fast run. Do sprints and a 2.4km ape shit run.

Cross fit is a good idea.

[maccaz]

yeah +1 to running on road rather than treadmill. also you should be able to get that time easy. im a very soft 93kg and do 23-24min 5km and i dont run very often, so you should get to that level pretty quickly at your weight and lean ness.

are you gassing halfway through and slowing down? or just a constant slower speed the whole way?

[tomsammce]

Repetition is the mother of skill.

Practice the 2.4km to get better at the 2.4km run

BB training is for bbers, bbers don't do 2.4km runs.

I do a sub 8:30sec 2.4km now, just make ur priority running and weights secondary.

[student]

Repetition is the mother of skill.

Practice the 2.4km to get better at the 2.4km run

BB training is for bbers, bbers don't do 2.4km runs.

I do a sub 8:30sec 2.4km now, just make ur priority running and weights secondary.

8.30 is fkn fast. i call bs. my best time was like 8.43 back when i was a skinny little homo running every day

[tomsammce]

Repetition is the mother of skill.

Practice the 2.4km to get better at the 2.4km run

BB training is for bbers, bbers don't do 2.4km runs.

I do a sub 8:30sec 2.4km now, just make ur priority running and weights secondary.

8.30 is fkn fast. i call bs. my best time was like 8.43 back when i was a skinny little homo running every day

I'm not trying to be cocky or bullshit you, it was done at Victoria park at start of December 2012 in front of NZDF PTIs 8min 36sec. Check the records lol. I'm sure by now I would have knocked 6 seconds off that.

I'm also saying its not that fast. There are plenty of guys who can do it in the 7min range. It's just practise and being consistent. 2.4km isn't that far and the human body is designed to run much longer distances.

Just because someone is skinny and runs everyday doesn't mean anything over 2.4km it's so short that u don't really get that advantage if ur a smaller build IMO. It's a fast run and skinny ppl who run long distances every day aren't fast runners they are just runners.

You definitely want to be running it around 9min 30sec anyway cause if u have been to waioru u will know its higher above sea level than Auckland city so it is slightly harder to run in general as the air is thinner.

3months is plenty of time to prepare. Good luck.

[karm015]

come run with me breh

Repetition is the mother of skill.

Practice the 2.4km to get better at the 2.4km run

BB training is for bbers, bbers don't do 2.4km runs.

I do a sub 8:30sec 2.4km now, just make ur priority running and weights secondary.

8.30 is fkn fast. i call bs. my best time was like 8.43 back when i was a skinny little homo running every day

you're so full of it :clubbed:

[raff590]

All ill say is 8min 30sec isn't Fast. Get a grip.

It's a good time but its not fast, ppl who run marathons can maintain that min/km time for 42km and faster.

Also just because u are skinny and run everyday doesn't equal a good 2.4km time. Intelligentconclusion/10.

[red machine]

All ill say is 8min 30sec isn't Fast. Get a grip.

It's a good time but its not fast, ppl who run marathons can maintain that min/km time for 42km and faster.

Also just because u are skinny and run everyday doesn't equal a good 2.4km time. Intelligentconclusion/10.

:nod: :nod: I'm a fat power lifter, and was well under the 10 mins when I could be faaarked running awhile back

[student]

All ill say is 8min 30sec isn't Fast. Get a grip.

It's a good time but its not fast, ppl who run marathons can maintain that min/km time for 42km and faster.

Also just because u are skinny and run everyday doesn't equal a good 2.4km time. Intelligentconclusion/10.

lol. sub 8.30 is a good time. so it is fast. if it is a good time, it is fast. stfu/10.

u prob just googled 'fast marathon times' then worked out how long it took them to run 2.4

[tomsammce]

I think Personally that if someone can run a km/min time over 42km then the person maxing out to do the same km/min time over 2.4km isn't very fast at all lol.

[FellowshipOfTheRon]

Done a couple of un-timed runs(fast walks) with the dog earlier on in the week and went for my first proper timed run today and wow, really got hammered. Had to stop to catch my breath so many times it's crazy. Done 3.1 kms in 21 mins :\ Lots of improving to be done but will keep at it.

I've noticed I definitely won't be able to keep up my current high volume training split along side the added runs, last couple of days I wasn't able to even complete the workouts because of unrecovered muscles eg. thursday delts couldnt push hard because triceps still down from chest monday.

Crossfit seems like a recurring suggestion here but I don't actually have the money to get to a proper crossfit club so I'll be looking at maybe emulating some of their training style at my local conventional gym.As far as I know it's all about being very explosive, little or no rest between sets and everything done in a circuit fashion... any suggestions on a neat little split?

@Android : Thanks for the insights, speaking from personal experience eh? 8) Lol that's real funny about holding the targets up with sticks, always thought it was mechanical or something. Sounds real exciting and all, definitely won't be taking up smoking - it's just gross! Yeah I might already be the nerdiest guy there, definately don't wanna be the unfittest too hence this topic :oops:

@Stubbies : thanks, checked that little pdf out but it doesn't say much about over all training plan. do I do those for sets or something or is just once set of that each day enough?

@Maccaz : cheers, wow 20 mins for 5km took me that time just for 3km so far haha. I try to go a constant slower pace so that I can keep moving for longer. I'm very good at short term bursts which I picked up from indoor soccer but I have very little endurance (it's only 10min matches and not serious team so never bothered trying to train up endurance) for now so winded after a few seconds of gassing it full speed

@student : calm down bro, it's a decent time but i think all they're saying is that it's not super impressive from a runners perspective and also that time is not very hard to believe given toms sports/fitness training background, he could probably even better that if he really wanted. didn't want this thread to become some kind of run time 'mine is better than yours' contest (then again, that kind of thing seems pretty hard to avoid on this forum with any topic ay lol)

@Tomsammce : Cheers, I'll keep at the 2.4km couple times per week and will also give some attention to longer distances for endurance/conditioning - will slowly work my way up from 3km to 8km for those ones. Do you think stuff like hill sprints will help at all for this? I have a pretty steep hill (grass) backyard which could possibly be put to good use

@karm015 : yeah good idea :nod: Maybe after a couple more weeks will join you ... just gotta build up enough endurance first since it's like 5km to your house and back lol

[UsedToBeFatAs]

Good for you man- looks like you are well into it. Don't be afraid to enter a local 5km "fun run race"- once you enter an event it motivates the hell out of you to train. Google "running calendar" and you'll find a ton of stuff.

[karm015]

snip

lol. sub 8.30 is a good time. so it is fast. if it is a good time, it is fast. stfu/10.

u prob just googled 'fast marathon times' then worked out how long it took them to run 2.4

time isn't a big deal, but its hilarious how you say you ran it in 8.47 yet refuse to believe tomsammce can do better. can't compare a skinny weak kid to a guy who trains like tom m8, stop dreaming

i ran a sub 6 min mile in high school, and maintained sub 7 minute speed for almost 5 miles, which is tbh pretty slow compared to many runners out there, so whats so unbelievable about 8.30 for 2.4km... :roll:

@karm015 : yeah good idea Maybe after a couple more weeks will join you ... just gotta build up enough endurance first since it's like 5km to your house and back lol

can meet you halfway or at your house 8)

[tomsammce]

I wasn't trying to be cocky by posting my time in this thread, sorry if I came across that way.

I'm good at running for my weight and in compassion to what I can do in the gym but I'm not great at running alone, that time may seem fast to someone who has timed themselves for the first time over that distance but there is lotsa scope to do better.

I did a 5km fundraiser cross country fun run at a primary school start of November and got beaten by about 5 year 6 kids lol so yea...

[student]

u didnt come off as cocky dw lol. i believe it now anyway. but yeah, to me its an impressive time for a big dude.

maybe im wrong but imo skinny dudes def have advantage in 1.5km+.

im def not huge or anything, but i personally think itd be advantagous (from a runners POV) for me to lose some upper body muscle

[UsedToBeFatAs]

8:30 is a swift time and a good spot to aim for. It would be pretty amazing to see a bodybuilder run it in that time though- got visions of Rambo running' through my head haha :pfft: