I just did a self evaluation today just to minimum just to make sure I meet minimums.
Push ups - I did up to 25. My understanding reading the guidelines, the elbows do not have to stay tucked to your sides during the motions, just as long as your hands point forwards at all times.
Sit ups - I did 30, but could of did more if I had someone holding my feet.
Shuttle run- I stopped when I hit level 6, If i really pushed it i probably could do more. It seems that stopping at starting drains a lot of energy. I believe this because I can run a 5km run on a average pace of 5:50/km and level eight I believe is 5:30/km average. I don't know if my comparison is wrong of I just beat my self mentally, but it seemed I was getting winded at level 6.
I not sure if my pace of 5:50/km is decent or slow for me, since i weigh 265 lbs. Any insights are welcome when it comes to this?
I just need to keep running, but its seems hard to keep it up running by myself. Kind of wish I had a running buddy.
I need a dog...
The thought of a running buddy is nice, but a mp3/ipod is much better (Dog slows me down and makes running awkward and hinders form if dog is on a leash).
That being said.
Alright, well some seem to be kind of confused (may have been cleared up) but I am going to post up the levels and distances for the Bleep/Beep/Shuttle run test i downloaded (
http://www.runtheplanet.com/trainingracing/training/bleeptest.asp).
1 - has 7 runs = 140m at 1:12
2 - has 8 runs = 160m at 2:14
3 - has 8 runs = 160m at 3:14
4 - has 9 runs = 180m at 4:19
5 - has 9 runs = 180m at 5:21
6 - has 10 runs = 200m at 6:26
7 - has 10 runs = 200m at 7:29
8 - has 11 runs = 220m at 8:36
9 - has 11 runs = 220m at 9:39
10 - has 12 runs = 240m at 10:42
11 - has 12 runs = 240m at 11:44
12 - has 13 runs = 260m at 12:45
It goes on up until level 21 which has 16 runs (lvl 21'16) but for most level 12 should be lots. At level ~12'13 = 2.4Km for this test which means you would be able to run it in 13:00. As for those having troubles meeting the minimum, keep pushing it - do two Beep/Bleep/Shuttle runs every 2nd day. If your legs are sore then do a warm up (I do 5 minutes running level 5 speed from the beep test and then do leg exercises and a SMALL stretch). Exercises can be wall jumps, Marching A's (VERY VERY VERY IMPORTANT FOR FORM DO THEM!!!!), butt kicks, foot sweeps, and high kicks. Squats and other leg strengthening exercises don't hurt either, so youtube this stuff and go at it. FORM is important when running people, learn to run correctly and it saves massive amounts of energy (may get you an extra level!). Another thing - once your past level 12-13 (not sure) all the runs stay at 20m in ~4 seconds until last level.
More information:
1) Do marching A's.
2) Hold your abdomen/stomach area in tight.
- This helps keep cramping to a minimum, and if you do get a crap suck it in even tighter and it should eventually fade (so I find)
- Also makes your chest expand to allow longs to fill. Get into the habit of doing this. Good breathing exercise is to sit/stand with back straight and breath in fully (expanding chest not stomach) and then continue to try and breath in for as long as possible, then exhale as slow as possible. Can be done anywhere you want, I also do it after running my butt into the ground (don't know if its good for you, but helps me calm down faster and stretches the lungs good).
2) Try to regulate your breathing and find where your comfortable breathing amount is (mine is 2 breaths/20m up till level 8, then I have to breathe harder)
4) Sit-ups/Plank/Bicycle etc on for core strengthening better your core, the less you will breath with your stomach.
5) Use your Diaphragm to blow out air (look up what and where it is if you don't overly understand).
6) To keep my mouth from drying out I noticed I have my tongue sorta sideways in my mouth.
- This causes the air coming in to kind of slow and go right down my wind pipe as to flooding my mouth before if goes down. (Tongue is against my left front and the tooth next to it twisted so the top of my tongue faces right...best I cant explain haha).
7) Swallow saliva and do not spit it out!
- Also swallowing every once and a while even when your mouth doesn't feel very "dry". But by the time you hit higher levels a lot of this goes out the window as your winded.
- At that point just run with "explosive" bursts usually on one breath (100m racers only take one breath whole time they run form what I have read) as your muscles can keep moving without oxygen for a fair amount of time.
Run again, and again and again
- Your breathing will get better the more you run =)
You have many "energy stores" you don't tie into when you don't push yourself, you'll find you hit a "wall" push through it and it will level out. I find at level 8-9 I have a wall and then again at mid-level 10. After I push through the last one I can make level 12. Some people say you need time to rest and regain, but running every day you can do I find it doesn't hinder anything. Just don't push yourself to like heart failure or something if you are unsure of your ability to run. One last thing is after running, walk around and drink water...Don't sit or stop moving, causes more lactic acid to build up (feel this happening shake your legs and keep moving ..). You could try holding your breath each 20m once you start breathing fast, may help I do this in higher levels.
If anymore Q's ask away.
Alright, since I started running (3 months ago) i have improved tons. At the start I could not do level 8 (yes over minimum already I know). Now I can do 12 for sure. I run 3km daily (done in 10 minutes 55 seconds and decreasing!) A goal for anyone I would say is to run Beep test level 12 (to level 13'1). That means you are running 2.4km in 13 minutes. Seems slow eh? While you could run 2.4km outside in 10 minutes, doing it in beep test puts a lot more stress on your legs and stamina as you have to start and stop over and over. This requires you to gain speed constantly (interval running increases the speed you can constantly run at!). People are saying you hit a wall at lower levels but can run outside further - this is why. Now doing Beep tests constantly wont do the trick (doesn't help you pace worth a s**t). Some are having problems with that, well easy fix = treadmill! If you have access to one of course. Just set it to the speed you need to run 2.4km in (or would like to run it in) and it will make you run at that. Throw in some incline (I usually use 2.5) and it will give you a good workout. Should also be running outside as well. I do my daily 3km outside, through a mildly hilly park.
I never was a heavy guy (only 160lbs right now still) and have run for years in sports/track/around in my yard (country boy
) and I quit for 2 years. When I first started back up it was a smack in the face. I could barely run level 8 (too, not including!) but with proper eating and exercise I have managed level 12 (to 13). Just have to run and get your heart pumping real good is all and then maintain that for as long as you can (if you feel like your going to collapse and die it just means your hitting your threshold! Though do not push to hard if you are larger - going to take more time to reach goals if you are).
Also, read these threads:
http://forums.army.ca/forums/index.php/topic,23364.0.htmlhttp://forums.army.ca/forums/index.php/topic,22788.0.htmlhttp://forums.army.ca/forums/index.php/topic,48433.0.htmlIf you really want to go at the reading, just go to Paracowboys account and click "show posts" and skim through and read all that he has wrote on physical fitness! (I got through ~ half of the 4,000 lol).
Any questions PM me and I'll try to help.
NOTE: I wrote this late at night, sorry for any confusion in it if there is any. Some of the information I took for my posts on:
http://forums.army.ca/forums/index.php/topic,89899.msg916437.html#msg916437Have fun running!
