The Right Time

[mickeysays]

I'm sorry if some of these questions have been answered before. The problem is that I want to join the Royal Marines but I am unsure about the right time to apply.

At the moment its fair to say that I'm unfit. I'm also alittle bit overweight (I'm 5'5 75 kgs should be about 68kgs) so a part of me doesn't want to apply untill I am in shape and really fit, to make sure that I don't fail any part of the selection process and I am able to join quickly.

But I am also 24 years old and worried that this is my last chance to make something of myself and that time is running out. This part of me wants to go down and apply now, see how far I get in my current state and try to get fit enough throughout the selection process.

The problem is I don't really know how fit (or unfit!) I am.
If I keep waiting for the perfect time I may never join!

What is your advice? Thanks

[Illustrious]

here are afew articles that may be of use to you. I can personally tell you that "The Beast" is a seriously intense program, after only a month of doing it, I had noticable improvement. A good program I must say...

http://mfat.co.uk/forums/viewtopic.php? ... ight=beast

Another is the "PRMC fitness schedule" I personally havent tried it but some of the other lads may have. It looks quite good though. But I dont know how good/bad it is. Its a featured article so must be useful

http://www.mfat.co.uk/rm.php?page=rm1

The max age to join I think is ya 26th/27th birthday, I havent got the booklet on me so dont quote me on that. Honestly, with these programs, to start you off, then expanding onto some endurance programs, one year is plenty of time to get fit. Was a guy on here that I think ended up getting fit enough for PRMC in 3 months. Anything is possible if you are committed Hope this helps.

[Sonne]

Max age for Officer application is 24 (up until the day of your 25th birthday). Max age for recruit entry is 32.

Plenty of time unless you want to be an officer.

Sonne

[borisimo]

run 1.5 miles, post the time on here and then you will be able to compare. you need to be getting under 10.30 at least to be in with a chance of passing PRMC.

if you don't have a 1.5 mile route planned out and you have access to a treadmill set it at 10-11mph and see if you can last 10-15mins on it comfortably.

what's your press up/sit ups/pull ups form like?

go and see how many you can do now in 2mins.

and yep I have used the PRMC programme and it worked ok for me, got a steady improvement, started at struggling to get to 15, now i can usually get to 40.

[digitalfreefall]

Mickeysays the right time is NOW, if you want to be a Marine you can get PRMC fit within the timeframe of the application.
When i first walked through the door of the AFCO in Glasgow i was a chain smoking, Guinness gulping fatboy.
The first run i had attempted (roughly one month before that date) i barely covered 400m before i fell gasping to the turf. You can do this if you really want it enough, my PB for a 10k was cut from 100+min to 40min in less than 3 months, i stopped smoking and going on a binge every weekend and transfered my enegry and time to CV.
Seriously mate if I can do this you can.
The Marines dont want supermen, they make them.
I have lost count of the times i have spewed on runs, the times i have doubted my fitness, my mates have taken the piss, my family have tried to change my mind, but i have never, ever forgot how far i have come and i will never stop untill i get my lid.
Im due for a PRMC in 6 weeks and if the Pti's dont me on their PRMC then they will have to drag me out of CTC, i wont quit, neither should you.

Good luck mate. Its now or never.

Get yourself a mantra on your run "stupid but strong" is a personal favorite of mine, it fits the sound of the left, left, left right, left of your feet.

"its only pain"

[lodgi]

Mickey, I was thinking exactly the same as you a couple of weeks back. I hadn't started a proper fitness routine and was just going for runs every now and then. I went to the AFCO and the bloke there asked me how fit I was and if I was playing much sport. I told him I was pretty unfit and wouldn't be able to pass the PJFT at the minute. He told me to get a fitness program, do press ups, sit ups, pull ups and running and come back in a month with my application form.

I'd say you should get a month or so of training in before you apply. There is plenty of advice on here for training and getting fit.

[Greg The Great]

Max age for Officer application is 24 (up until the day of your 25th birthday). Max age for recruit entry is 32.

Plenty of time unless you want to be an officer.

Sonne

It's 25 including the day of your 26th b'day Sonne.

Mickeysays,

I'm 26 and have had a few set backs for a year or two now but I'm still joining! Crack on with your fitness mate and get down there.

Get running and start banging out press-ups, pull-ups and sit ups. Request an information pack from your local careers office or the central hotline number found on the Royal Marines website and you'll get a booklet (commonly referred to on here as the "green bible") which details physical requirements and suggested training routines.

Remember the application process can take a while so you will have a limited amount of time once you start it to improve your fitness.

Hope this helps,
Greg.

[Sonne]

It's 25 including the day of your 26th b'day Sonne.

My mistake.

However i'm pleased to hear that. It gives me a bigger buffer between the end of my degree and the max age of entrance. I've been working under the impression i will only have potentially one shot at POC + AIB.

Thanks for that Greg

Sonne

[Hankins]

run 1.5 miles, post the time on here and then you will be able to compare. you need to be getting under 10.30 at least to be in with a chance of passing PRMC.

if you don't have a 1.5 mile route planned out and you have access to a treadmill set it at 10-11mph and see if you can last 10-15mins on it comfortably.

what's your press up/sit ups/pull ups form like?

go and see how many you can do now in 2mins.

and yep I have used the PRMC programme and it worked ok for me, got a steady improvement, started at struggling to get to 15, now i can usually get to 40.

No offence but if you want to stand a good chance of getting through your prmc you want to be doing about 930 minutes for a mile and a half, if you are aiming for 1030 you'll end up in the back of the vehicle and fail it, thats just the way i look at it, on my prmc there were few kids that had times over 10 minutes that passed. so my advice is to run and do push ups and situps chin ups and everything will fall into place. set goals for yourself and push yourself to achieve them, you got to want it. If its just some fantasy to you and you're not serious about it, you'll get a big slap in the face when you do your prmc. I honestly think some kids just wake up and say i want to be a royal marine.

[borisimo]

yes hankins

but we don't know what level this guy is at, you cant expect everyone to bang out 1.5 miles in 9.30 and under, it takes work to get to that level.

different situations require different targets, he says he is unfit and a bit overweight currently, he isn't gonna wake up tomorrow and do 2.4k in 9mins is he? 10.30 is a far more reasonable target, and once you get there you can start working upwards.

[Illustrious]

Back in January when I thought I was healthy I got 10:38 on the 1.5 miler. Now Ive got it to 8:42 but still! 10:30 is hard, it requires pushing the s@~% out of your exit hole for extra speed. Point Im trying to make is just finish 1.5 miles before aiming for supersoldier type times. It will soon increase if you are determined, trust me.

[Hankins]

Back in January when I thought I was healthy I got 10:38 on the 1.5 miler. Now Ive got it to 8:42 but still! 10:30 is hard, it requires pushing the s@~% out of your exit hole for extra speed. Point Im trying to make is just finish 1.5 miles before aiming for supersoldier type times. It will soon increase if you are determined, trust me.

good work on that, i can't agree with what you're saying but, i was just saying for prmc standards you should get your time down there and you should have no problems. As for mickeysays 10:30 is a good target right now, but even with trying to get that he'll obviously have to work for it as illustrious did. It shows that this is possible, and yes it will take time, but when the time comes for the prmc, if your times aren't down then you should be a little worried. Nobody said that you have to be super fit to go in, they said they wanted average people that they could train.

[mickeysays]

Thanks for all your answers. I do exercise but not everyday. I did 1.5 miles in 9:58 when I was 18 (which is a few years ago now) but I would probably struggle to get it under 10:30 at the moment.
I guess what your saying is to wait untill I'm fit rather than to try my luck now.
It may not be the right time to apply at the moment but I guess theres no better time to start training more seriously.