I have taken a read of the POC course for the royal marines, and it looks incredably hard!
I am currently 16 (17 in July). Doing my first years of my A-Levels.
If I go to join, it will be straight after school.
What structured tips can you guys give me to start getting ready for POC in a few years. I am far from the level of fitness required.
Currently I play rugby once or twice a week. But I need to do more. I am dyin to get in shape anyway. But Royal Marines fitness is a whoool new level.
Many Thanks.
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Joining as an officer.
I'm you a year from now.
I'm 17 with my Birthday in July, finishing my A levels. I'm applying for a commission in the Royal Marines and I have my POC on the 4th of June.
You have the luxury of time and you have more than enough to get yourself fit. Going to give you some pointers:
Buy a pair of boots, standard issue "combat high". You can get them from the internet for about £50. Make sure they fit well and you break them in well. Don't just leave them in the back of your closet only to bring out for your POC.
Get use to wearing boots, if you have only ever worn trainers it will be a little bit of a shock. I've made mine my default footwear but then I’m much closer to my dates. You will probably get blisters and dealing with them will be good practice for the future.
Keep your rugby up and try and join a gym. Reason why is because when you’re there you are there to exercise and nothing else. No distractions (apart from the cute girl with the big tits) so you can just get your head down and exercise. Mainly cardio but don't neglect your upper body.
If you have a choice between going for a run and doing a weights session do the run.
If you can't join a gym for whatever reason then running, cycling, swimming, press-ups (elbow’s in), sit-ups and pull-ups are fine. In actual fact doing those exercises would actually be better for you with regard to your RM aspirations.
However I would only focus on those when you've only got a couple of months to go towards your POC. Then you can really accelerate your fitness. Doing all that takes far more effort than jumping on a cross trainer.
You want to get a good standard of fitness that won't take too much time and effort without demoralising yourself. You have such a long time pushing yourself too hard would do just that.
Remember that you’re not going to be tested on the bench press or on a running machine. The PTI's couldn't give a shit what you can bench press. Do what will count for when your actually there.
Buy this book
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fighting-Fit-Co ... 0752805894
It's a no bullshit guide and good. It will also give you some good advice on what you should be eating. Diet is also important.
Make sure you are up to date with what's going on around the world and learn as much about the RM as you can. You will have to intensify this nearer the time but just a general knowledge will give you a good starting point.
In about September pop your ugly mug down the AFCO and get yourself on the radar. You will probably have to get your application forms sent off before Christmas so make sure you don't miss the boat.
Get good at mental arithmetic by just doing loads of it.
Make sure you can write good essays too and your debating skills are up to snuff.
Anyway that’s just a general overview of what you should be doing. Posts back with what A-levels you're doing (it better not be dossy ones) and a quick run through of your fitness e.g. what you can do, can't do, good at, bad at etc.
One tip I can give you though. Before you send a post run it through Microsoft Word. Not having a dig at you but you will improve massively with your spelling and grammar by looking at the mistakes you are making. Do it always and you will see what mistakes you are making and (hopefully) learn from them.
Do as I’m doing by prepare for failure. There is very stiff competition and I am only young. If I fail I will take on what they have said and try again. I obviously don't think I will fail otherwise I won't be doing it but I am just baring in mind that someone my age rarely gets in. Not unheard off but still rare. Don't think that just because you've put your mind to it it will be a sure thing.
Remember, if it was easy everyone will be doing it.
Post back, I didn't write all that for nothing!
Brows
I'm 17 with my Birthday in July, finishing my A levels. I'm applying for a commission in the Royal Marines and I have my POC on the 4th of June.
You have the luxury of time and you have more than enough to get yourself fit. Going to give you some pointers:
Buy a pair of boots, standard issue "combat high". You can get them from the internet for about £50. Make sure they fit well and you break them in well. Don't just leave them in the back of your closet only to bring out for your POC.
Get use to wearing boots, if you have only ever worn trainers it will be a little bit of a shock. I've made mine my default footwear but then I’m much closer to my dates. You will probably get blisters and dealing with them will be good practice for the future.
Keep your rugby up and try and join a gym. Reason why is because when you’re there you are there to exercise and nothing else. No distractions (apart from the cute girl with the big tits) so you can just get your head down and exercise. Mainly cardio but don't neglect your upper body.
If you have a choice between going for a run and doing a weights session do the run.
If you can't join a gym for whatever reason then running, cycling, swimming, press-ups (elbow’s in), sit-ups and pull-ups are fine. In actual fact doing those exercises would actually be better for you with regard to your RM aspirations.
However I would only focus on those when you've only got a couple of months to go towards your POC. Then you can really accelerate your fitness. Doing all that takes far more effort than jumping on a cross trainer.
You want to get a good standard of fitness that won't take too much time and effort without demoralising yourself. You have such a long time pushing yourself too hard would do just that.
Remember that you’re not going to be tested on the bench press or on a running machine. The PTI's couldn't give a shit what you can bench press. Do what will count for when your actually there.
Buy this book
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fighting-Fit-Co ... 0752805894
It's a no bullshit guide and good. It will also give you some good advice on what you should be eating. Diet is also important.
Make sure you are up to date with what's going on around the world and learn as much about the RM as you can. You will have to intensify this nearer the time but just a general knowledge will give you a good starting point.
In about September pop your ugly mug down the AFCO and get yourself on the radar. You will probably have to get your application forms sent off before Christmas so make sure you don't miss the boat.
Get good at mental arithmetic by just doing loads of it.
Make sure you can write good essays too and your debating skills are up to snuff.
Anyway that’s just a general overview of what you should be doing. Posts back with what A-levels you're doing (it better not be dossy ones) and a quick run through of your fitness e.g. what you can do, can't do, good at, bad at etc.
One tip I can give you though. Before you send a post run it through Microsoft Word. Not having a dig at you but you will improve massively with your spelling and grammar by looking at the mistakes you are making. Do it always and you will see what mistakes you are making and (hopefully) learn from them.
Do as I’m doing by prepare for failure. There is very stiff competition and I am only young. If I fail I will take on what they have said and try again. I obviously don't think I will fail otherwise I won't be doing it but I am just baring in mind that someone my age rarely gets in. Not unheard off but still rare. Don't think that just because you've put your mind to it it will be a sure thing.
Remember, if it was easy everyone will be doing it.
Post back, I didn't write all that for nothing!
Brows
RM Commission progress
POC: 04/06/07 -Passed
AIB: 02/07/07 -Fail, needed more life experience
Intend to re-apply after I have gone to university
Read my diaries in the RM archives section THEN PM me if you have a question
POC: 04/06/07 -Passed
AIB: 02/07/07 -Fail, needed more life experience
Intend to re-apply after I have gone to university
Read my diaries in the RM archives section THEN PM me if you have a question
Thanks very much mate.
I am in the air cadets so I have combat boots and I know all about the feet. My feet have taken a fair few cainings lol.
I have also subscribed to the globe and laurel for current affairs info.
Basically, 10 maybe of the tuck in press ups. I am dead after a 3 mile run lol
And yeah the spelling and gramer... I have just got a new laptop and the keyboard is driving me insane!
The A-levels I am doing are:
- Business Studies
- ICT
- Sociology
- General Studies
-- They are not doss ones.
I am also doing a community sports leaders award, and I will have my silver Duke of Edinburghs award pretty soon.
But thanks so much for your reply.
And the best of luck
I am in the air cadets so I have combat boots and I know all about the feet. My feet have taken a fair few cainings lol.
I have also subscribed to the globe and laurel for current affairs info.
Basically, 10 maybe of the tuck in press ups. I am dead after a 3 mile run lol
And yeah the spelling and gramer... I have just got a new laptop and the keyboard is driving me insane!
The A-levels I am doing are:
- Business Studies
- ICT
- Sociology
- General Studies
-- They are not doss ones.
I am also doing a community sports leaders award, and I will have my silver Duke of Edinburghs award pretty soon.
But thanks so much for your reply.
And the best of luck
Going to disagree with you there, not a single hardcore subject e.g. Maths, Physics etc. I do Business Studies myself and have been averaging a B in it and that is the subject i try least in. And by that i mean i really do bugger all. I'm not deemed too bright anyway so I'm not just "naturally clever".Scottya5 wrote: And yeah the spelling and gramer... I have just got a new laptop and the keyboard is driving me insane!
The A-levels I am doing are:
- Business Studies
- ICT
- Sociology
- General Studies
-- They are not doss ones.
Anyway not going to argue, they're your subjects so get your head in a book and do well in them.
Press-ups and running are one of those things that you can only become good at by doing them. Yes it is disheartening by not doing as much as you hoped but you just have to keep plugging at it. With your running maybe do some interval or farlark training (buy that book i told you to) this will help your running a lot.Scottya5 wrote: Basically, 10 maybe of the tuck in press ups. I am dead after a 3 mile run lol
What really helped my press-ups when i first started was getting a rucksack and put anything between 6-10 kgs in it. Then wear it when your doing your press-ups, make sure it fits well though. The amount you can do will suffer but it will help you build the muscle you need to start knocking them out.
When you take it off and start to do them it's bliss.
But anyway do your limit on the press-ups then do maybe 30 sit-ups and repeat until you have reached a certain amount of press-ups.
One last tip, think "officer" in everything you do. Just because your friends are doing it doesn't mean you should fart in a tin then set it alight.
Brows
RM Commission progress
POC: 04/06/07 -Passed
AIB: 02/07/07 -Fail, needed more life experience
Intend to re-apply after I have gone to university
Read my diaries in the RM archives section THEN PM me if you have a question
POC: 04/06/07 -Passed
AIB: 02/07/07 -Fail, needed more life experience
Intend to re-apply after I have gone to university
Read my diaries in the RM archives section THEN PM me if you have a question
I was going to say the same thing actually, no hardcore subjects, and general studies is a bot of a doss really, not meaning to be rude; not sure what sociologys like.Brows wrote:Going to disagree with you there, not a single hardcore subject e.g. Maths, Physics etc. I do Business Studies myself and have been averaging a B in it and that is the subject i try least in. And by that i mean i really do bugger all. I'm not deemed too bright anyway so I'm not just "naturally clever".Scottya5 wrote: And yeah the spelling and gramer... I have just got a new laptop and the keyboard is driving me insane!
The A-levels I am doing are:
- Business Studies
- ICT
- Sociology
- General Studies
-- They are not doss ones.
Anyway not going to argue, they're your subjects so get your head in a book and do well in them.
If a 3 mile run kills you then try running greater distances, then when you drop back to 3 miles again you'll find it easier. Anything under 10K (excluding speed sessions) seems easy for me now, used to find 300m hard!
And that pressup techniques the way I improve mine, max press-ups, sit ups, max, sit ups etc. until a set number of press ups have been reached.
Also the G&L will tell you what the marines are up to but you need to read something like the EConomist to keep up with general current affairs.
Ours only say we have to do GS if we do less than 4, which is why I couldn't understand you taking it Scottya5, if its fully compulsary fair enough. I can't understand guys who take it at our college, you've got to do 4 anyway, why not do 4 useful ones rather than 3 plus GS.
Edited spelling
Edited spelling
Last edited by _chris on Tue 08 May, 2007 6:39 pm, edited 1 time in total.
I addition to the fittness and academics you will have to find lots of stuff to do in your spare time. Unless you plan to go to university you will between POC and joining they will be looking for something very special from you. Remeber they look at their officer candidates and want people who are able to lead Royal Marines, are able to gain their respect and who offer something more than other candidates. Unless you have had apretty special life it is unlikely that at 17 or 18 and with only a- levels behind you that you will have this. What sets you apart? What gives you the potential to lead Royal Marine Commandos on operations? You need to find the answer to that question.
