Newts - Efforts to Join the Army/Rangers and Workout Plans

[DeterminedToBe]

OK - I am posting this here - it's a two parter -

1. How many who are on this site in the status of 'Newt' plan on becoming Rangers? Sound off if you are one and if you've taken the ASVAB and/or visited a recruiter yet.

2. What is the current workout plan that you are following?

1- Ranger Spartan, I have visited with my ARMY and Marines recruiter numerous times, I've decided today I will be going into the ARMY via 18b.opt40. I took the ASVAB@18 but 5 yrs later it is no longer valid. I had previously scored an 84. Going to MEPS sometime next week.

2- I do not have a devised workout plan for running or lifting weights. I do use a Push-Up PT Schedule I found on this website. I can do 8 full hang Pull-Ups, 42 Push-Ups in one minute, and 64 Sit-Ups in two minutes. By far my weakness is running, I have just quit smoking two days ago once I realized how bad my running was. I plan on increasing the intensity of my workouts by a large amount. I will be buying a 20lbs weighted vest and also a pair of combat boots to train in for long runs/marches. I am not very organized as you can see but when I do PT I do it till I can't anymore. And then I keep going.

[neverquit]

Ranger Spartan,

1) I also am determined to become a Ranger. I have not taken the ASVAB yet, though I have spoken with a recruiter about my plans to enlist.

2) Here’s a rundown of my PT routine: I run everyday as part of the distance Track team here at my college...on average about 4-7 miles a day. 3 days out of the week I devote to upper-body PT, and 3 days to lower-body…with Sunday usually being a rest day.

Upperbody + Run (Monday, Wednesday, Friday)

Pushups: 300 (12 sets of 25 reps)
Situps: 300 (6 sets of 50 reps) a.m. workout
Pullups: 150 (15 sets of 10 reps)

Run w/ track team

Incline bench-press w/ dumbells (2 x 20 reps)
Lat Pulldowns (3 x 15 reps)
Dips (3 x 25 reps)
Dumbell rows (2 x 20 reps)
Back extensions (3 x 25 reps)
Bicep curls (2 x 20 reps)

Lowerbody + Run (Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday)

Run w/ track team

Single-leg hamstring curls w/ 10 lb. ankle weight. (2 x 50 reps each leg)
Single-Leg squats (3 x 25 reps each leg)
Leg Extensions (3 x 20 reps)
Hamstring curl machine (3 x 20 reps)
Leg press (3 x 20 reps)
Walking Lunges (3 x 30 reps each leg)

Rangers, is there anything you think I should add or omit from this routine?
I know I should probably incorporate rucking into my workouts soon…I could do that on Sundays as I just recently bought a large Alice ruck off of Ebay for about 30 bucks.

- Thanks for any advice…stayin’ motivated

[Ranger Bill]

You will probably get different opinions, but here is mine...

As a runner, your endurance is, or at least should be, petty much good to go. You should start working on the Army physical fitness standards of push-ups, sit-ups, 2-mile run and also on chin-ups (palms facing you).

Instead of your current push-up routine, do as many as you can in a two-minute time frame. The same for sit-ups. With perfet form, you need to be doing about 90 or so of each within two minutes. Work on it until you can. Sets of 25 or 50 reps don't mean nothing.

Forget pulldowns. They are for people who can not do pull-ups/chin-ups. On the chin-ups, you need to get to a single set of 15 to 20, the more the better. Be sure to fully extend your arms to the "dead hang" position. If you can do that many already, get a dip belt and add weight. Keep perfect form.

Roman chair situps without plates on you chest are meaningless.

Your run needs to be running 2 miles in less than 12 minutes.

I think you should work more on strength, more weight, more sets and fewer reps per set. Try 5-8 rep sets. 3 to five sets.

I like the single leg sqauts (it's what Ido) but you need to add some weight to it. Again, think dip belt or hip belt.

Lower back seems to be missing from your routine. Think back extensions or deadlifts/good mornings. I also see no overhead pressing in your routine.

Personally, I would not worry about rucking until you can max the PT test and comfortably deadlift 200 lbs plus. You could just set yourself up for injury. Too many of our DEPs hurt themselves rucking before they are truly ready for it, and injuries set you back.

Again, opinions vary. From the hip, that's mine.

[neverquit]

Ranger Bill,
Thank you for the advice, I will make the needed adjustments to my routine.

On the PT test, I am currently hitting around 68-72 for the pushups, 83-89 for the situps, and 18 on the pullups (palms in). Pushups are my weakest area so I am working hard to fix that. I've seen some pretty good threads regarding push-up improvement on here so I will definately check them out.

My last recorded run time was a 3-miler at 18:30 but I know I have gotten better since then and I need to time myself on a 2-mile run.

That's good to hear about the lat pulldowns, I will just forget them and do more pullups instead.

Instead of the Roman chair, I meant to say back extension but confused the two and have since edited my previous post.

I also forgot to add a shoulder workout that I do, which I pulled from one of Stew Smith's workouts- it's called the lightweight shoulder workout and is pretty good.

The reason I am doing high repetitions (15-20) is because I don't want to get too heavy and have all that bulky muscle slow me down on the runs and ruck marches...I'm 5"11 and 163 lbs. right now...is this sound thinking?

Thanks again

[SpeedyEJL]

Ranger Spartan,

1. I am a contracted CDT, I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure Ranger school is in my future.

2. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday I do group PT with my ROTC unit: Pushups and Situps to failure, light running when the weather gets nicer. Overall the group PT is low intensity with a poor design.

I overlap this with adhering pretty closely to the Crossfit WOD. I've seen significant gains with Crossfit.

I run 110-130mi every 4 weeks. Usually varying between sprinting days, long slow runs, and 2mi timed runs.

From my APFT two weeks ago:
PU 74
SU 82
Run: 13:25
(293)
19/5'4"/160/18% BF

5mi: 38:23 (Last Thanksgiving, should be better now)