Any advice?

[TA_soldier_abernethy]

It's always been a dream to be in the paras and I was wondering if you guys could give me any advice.
I am 17, relatively fit, but nedd to be better, currently in the RGJ with the TA.
Any fitness programms you could recommend? general advice?

[Space Cadet]

www.parachute-regiment.com theres a fitness programme there which you might find helpful. Also an insight into the kind of selection you will have to go through..

[Rev]

Or you could buy "Fighting Fit". It's been mentioned quite a lot in various area's of the forums.

I bought it and I'm finding it really useful, because it explains how everything works as well as giving you various fitness programmes, so you have a much better understanding of it all, if you know what I mean. It also has section for P-coy training, as well as RM and SAS. Good book and only about 4 quid.

[TA_soldier_abernethy]

Cheers guys.
about the book, i have no gym equipment like weights etc and will i still be able to carry out the activies in that book around going to college?

[TA_soldier_abernethy]

have been checking out the guide on the website, few questions
what does it mean by upper body exercises?
waht does it mean by circuit training?
Is the swimming part essential, will i be tested on swimming ability if i was to join?
thanks

[Tab]

On our P Course we were taken to baths and were expected to leap or dive of the top board, it made a great change from charging through the mud, and icy water from water assault course, and dragging telegraph poles through muddy tunnels and trying to work them around corners in the pitch dark, oh happy days

[El Prez]

On our P Course we were taken to baths and were expected to leap or dive of the top board

You know what I'm going to say don't you Tab!

[RobInDaUK]

Cheers guys.
about the book, i have no gym equipment like weights etc and will i still be able to carry out the activies in that book around going to college?

Fighting fit is mainly the cardiovascular side of fitness. It has a tiny bit on weight training. Has some good programs in. Good buy says I.

[Mal]

Theres a 4-week pre-para course on the website under training, www.parachute-regiment.com. Ive done that quite a few times now, including during the 4 weeks before the insight course. Got my run down to 8min 32sec probs as a result. Im on doing that 4 week course again now. Mentioned before, about the Fighting Fit book, i bought that quite a while ago and found it very usefull. Im about to start week 3 tomorrow on the 4week pre para prep, and after that im going to start the 8 week P-Company course in the back of Fighting Fit.

TA - i guess theres basically two types of upper body exercise that I do myself like. Those with and those without weights. Those without, just mean pressups, situps, crunches, dips, etc. Those with weights are all the things like the concenration curls, bench presses, etc. If your going to work on upper body exercises, concentrate on the pressups and situps read for selection if anything.

As for circuit training, thats designed to give all round strength, fitness and muscular endurance. Basically its just a variety of different exercises. Eg: Footy Pitch - Sprint half pitch, stop do 15 pressups, sprint rest of pitch, 10 situps, jog whole length of pitch, 20 star jumps, followed by 20 squad thrusts, etc - u get the idea

As for swimming, those who can swim must do 2 laps of a pool along with tread the water for 2min. Those who cant swim will be tought how to swim. The swimming is not essential to joining up, so dont worry if you cant swim or your a weak swimmer.

Mal

[TA_soldier_abernethy]

I am starting the 4 week course next week, thanks a lot for all your help.

I am still deciding what options i have:
Army: RMP, RGJ, or para

RAF: Loadie, Regt

The thing I am most keen on doing is gaining as much experience as I can during my service and seeing as much of the world as possible and hopefully being part of a unit that stops the sh*t that goes on in our world.

If any of you guys have any advice for me on this I would be very keen to hear it, and I am also keen on special forces and best routes into it etc.

Thanks a lot Mal especiallyfor your post about fitness.

[Space Cadet]

if you're really keen on seeing the world, special forces and good experience.. i really recommend joining the royal signals.. as there are multiple opportunies to work with the Paras, Marine Commandos, and the SAS.. and also foreign forces such as the US military.. (i know one signals sargeant who actually got a job offered to her by the yanks.. she declined )

Signals men who want to join the SAS have to work as operators at hereford working alongside the SAS before they join, which you might find exciting..

obviously these special forces opportunities are not open straight away after joining..


btw you get my PM TA guy?

[Mal]

One route you could take is joining an army unit of your choice. For examples sake lets say you joined the Grenader's Regiment. From there, after a certain amount of time you could apply for the Parachute Regiment, which is quite popular among lads who want to join the paras but want a bit of training beforehand. From the Paras, you could adcance onto joining the Pathfinders Platoon, which offers many qualities and training techniques to be learnt. From there onwards, alot of the pathfinder lads go on to do SAS Selection. From the SAS, they may choose to go back and serve in a previous unit, such as the Paras again, or may leave the regiment, to go onto BG work, Mercenar work, or work for one of many security companies which send you around the world, for example to train the troops of other countries. Thats one option which I have concidered myself. Then again, planning a route and walking the route are two completly difference things which im sure everyone wud agree,

Mal

[Space Cadet]

personally i think that if you apply for another infantry unit you dont want the red beret enough.. and its a waste of your time..

but if you want the red beret, but you're not thinking of going directly in.. i'd recommend joining the royal engineers then applying for P-Coy.. and become a parachute engineer..

either that or signals or another trade.. trades are good because they get you good qualifications..

[Mal]

I agree, I been comiitted to the paras for ages and I would never consider joining another regiment first myself. They tried to perswade me in the careers office as if there life depended on it, and thought I was mad joining the paras cos I had A-Levels, and cud have got a much better and more well paid job in the army. Whats the point of getting a job you dont want or wont like. Just told em straight the paras was what I wanted and nothing was going to change my mind. Now im going to be enlisted for the paras in May and joining in June

[Space Cadet]

applying for 3 Para? you need to be slightly smarter for them.. i noticed because i did rubbish on my 1st BARB and i didnt get 3 Para on my list.. got almost full marks second time and there they appeared..

anyway, i think its funny that the qualified guys always want to be in the infantry, but the people who dont have any GCSEs usually want to pick up a trade..

eh... i just got GCSEs myself, enough to get any job in the army.. apart from officer..

I'd prolly wanna be in the Red Devils Display team for a year because the regular Paras dont do enough jumps as i've heard..

it would be sweet to be paid to do constant sky dives..

would want to be a pathfinder after that.. the combat survival course sounds fun =)