Fitness, how fit do i need to be?

Grimey Vibes · Post by **Grimey Vibes** » Sat 26 Jun, 2004 6:06 pm

Well right now i can run 1.5 Miles in 8:54 and do about 60 press-ups in 2 mins and 65-70 sit-ups in 2 mins. The thing is the local gym is 'old school' and i really don't like it because the machines look and feel like they are going to collapse when you train on them. The running machine is put on a slant and you have to make it move yourself because it's that old and there are no proper cardio machines. I really can't afford places like Fitness First, Virgin Active etc. So right now i am stuck to running on my own on the field at he back of where i live and doing press-ups and sit-ups all on my own. Well it does get VERY boring and i find it hard to motivate myself. I really want to be a Para more than anything and i am totally committed but i can't find motivation. Right now i do 20 mins cardio 3 times a week to maintain my fitness and do press-ups and sit-ups and wlak everywhere i go, you would think i havn't heard of a bus. I am fit enough right now to pass selection but not at a great level of fitness. When i start basic training all i got to do is do what they say, grit my teeth no matter how hard it gets and keep going. In Basic you have motivation in the form of the Beret, the right to call yourself a Para, the feeling you have done something with yourlife and not being a waster and a Corporal shouting down your ear to "move your f*cking arse". Am i right in thinking if you are fit enough to pass RSC then you are fit enough to do Basic Training. I have read many times and people i know who are armed forces say it really doesn't matter what level of fitness because you will be tired, feeling like you can't go any more, its what effort you put in that counts. They said training is built up these days so its achieveable but you have to put in the will power to get there. If i improve a little more then do you think i will be ok and not like the guy off The Paras documentry who looked like he was abouts to die sometimes?

theparamancan · Post by **theparamancan** » Sun 27 Jun, 2004 2:12 pm

Silly question really.
Its all in your head anyway. Your fitness sounds good enough to me.
Just get a decent pair of trainers and get put on the road.

Oh, and 20 mins is too short for cardio. You want to do at least 40 mins.

mercury · Post by **mercury** » Sun 27 Jun, 2004 2:31 pm

Psst , treadmills are supposed to be on a slant

Grimey Vibes · Post by **Grimey Vibes** » Sun 27 Jun, 2004 8:12 pm

mercury wrote:Psst , treadmills are supposed to be on a slant

LOL, but this one is not electric you have to run at the bottom to get it to move, its very 1970's.

Edwards159 · Post by **Edwards159** » Mon 28 Jun, 2004 9:31 pm

Get outside and run!! Get out in the fresh Air rather than being stuck in some stuffy gym. Its much easier to press the stop button on a treadmill but when running outside you know that you have to run back to your house. You feel better aswell because you have achieved something. eg. running from A to B rather than being stuck on a treadmill looking at a wall.

bigbart · Post by **bigbart** » Thu 01 Jul, 2004 11:09 am

Someone said to do at least 40 mins cardio. I do about 30 mins, but I do it 5 times a week. My fitness improves through this dramatically.. then again, I'm going in the artillery not paras. After reading this, i might try knocking it up 10-15 mins.

Grimey Vibes · Post by **Grimey Vibes** » Thu 01 Jul, 2004 12:40 pm

No, to maintain fitness levels you only have to do 20 mins cardio 3 times a week. To improve you have to do more. I have started to work out a lot more now and i have joined a proper gym

ED · Post by ED » Thu 01 Jul, 2004 1:50 pm

Mix things up. In each week do one long run slow pace of at least 45-90mins, one interval/fartlek session of about 20-30mins, one steady run of about 30-40mins medium pace, and some strength work with maybe one easy 20min recovery run. Just a sample of what you could do really. Don't go balls to the wall every session.
Cheers,
ED.

Grimey Vibes · Post by **Grimey Vibes** » Sat 03 Jul, 2004 3:34 pm

I have found motivation because i have done 2 runs in 3 days and i want to do more

Its because i feel like i am getting somewhere with my application now, its took 4 months just to get past my first interview.

Just last night i went out and ran 4 miles in the rain and wanted to do more, but after about 3.2 miles my ankle started to hurt so i went in and gave it a good old treatment of RICE (Rest...Ice....Compression and Elevation.)

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat 03 Jul, 2004 5:57 pm

Grimey Vibes wrote:I have found motivation because i have done 2 runs in 3 days and i want to do more Its because i feel like i am getting somewhere with my application now, its took 4 months just to get past my first interview.

Just last night i went out and ran 4 miles in the rain and wanted to do more, but after about 3.2 miles my ankle started to hurt so i went in and gave it a good old treatment of RICE (Rest...Ice....Compression and Elevation.)

Nice one mate. Good to see you are getting into the swing of training again

I did a nice run yesterday which took me 40 minutes or so. I have started to increase the distance of my runs from about 4 miles to 5+ miles in the last week, so its all looking good.

I would also recommend fartlek runs to everyone, because i find them nackering and invigorating at the same time. They are a real lung burster!

Happy training...

James

bryanhickman7777 · Post by **bryanhickman7777** » Tue 06 Jul, 2004 8:52 pm

I dont want to sound like an arse,
but whats cardio?

Grimey Vibes · Post by **Grimey Vibes** » Wed 07 Jul, 2004 12:03 pm

Cardio is anything involving the heart. We are meaning Cardio-Vascular when we say cardio in this thread. What we mean by cardio is the heart and lungs, if you want it to be better you need to run, bike, swim to get your heart rate up and working at about 60-70% of our max Heart rate to improve the effiency of this system. I hope this helps you out

bryanhickman7777 · Post by **bryanhickman7777** » Wed 07 Jul, 2004 12:07 pm

Yes, thank you.
I knew cardio involved the heart but thanx for explaining.

thenewshmoo_1 · Post by **thenewshmoo_1** » Sat 10 Jul, 2004 2:03 am

a bit off topic but as already mentioned interval training is really good at improving your running times. Try at least one a week... the 30 30 workout is one that increases your v02 max (amount of oxygen your muscles can use)

basically you want to do 20 minutes of warm up running then 10 minutes at race pace....then do 30 seconds warm up pace followed by 30 seconds race pace....keep alternating this until you are exhausted then drop down for 15 minutes to warm up pace until the end.

This may sound like a load of old bollocks but it really does help you go faster for longer...

Tab · Post by **Tab** » Sat 10 Jul, 2004 4:43 pm

It is not a case of going faster, it is a case of stamina. You will need to cover long distances with a pack and musket.

:drinking:

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Fitness, how fit do i need to be?

Fitness, how fit do i need to be?