An insight into Depot

[Jobag]

For anyone who wants to know anything about depot, just ask away. This is the first time i have been able to get on the internet for a long time, as i have been in my first 6 weeks of training up at ITC Catterick.

For anyone wanting to follow the same path as me and the rest of my platoon, and platoons before me, i will give you one peice of advice; you have to want it. We have already lost over 10 members of the original platoon because they didnt want it enough. Having said that though, it requires a fair bit of prior training if you dont want to struggle, as the PT in the first 6 weeks is very intense and we have to work seriously hard every session.

We had little of no free time in the first 6 weeks, as every night after we finished the day's training we had to do personal Admin, such as ironing kit, and preparing our lockers for inspection the next morning. We had a few occasions where we could go the NAAFI shop to purchase kit that we needed. It was only until week 5 and 6 that we had time to ourselves (provided your locker was squared away for the next morning).

It is non-stop relentless training, from 0515 until 2300 every day. There has not been one minute i can say i found boring. However, it is very demanding and very hard work both mentally and physically.

Anyone who want to ask anything about Para depot, i will try to answer as best i can without saying something i am not allowed.

[Gazza85]

Have you had a chocice yet or done the Fizzy pop challenge? the ex para at my gym was telling me about them.

[Jobag]

he Fizzy pop challenge?

Dont know about that, but we have had mental robustness training...after a 24 hour exercise we were all sitting in the corridor cleaning weapons, and my corporal comes over and we all have to eat dry cup a soups, treacle pudding and other dry things from the ration packs. Plus a good helping of tabasco sauce to wash it all down.

Also, we have learned "The Position". The stress position where your back is against the wall, head back, knees at 90 degrees, heels off the floor and arms out doing a flicking motion. We were doing that for over 15 minutes with intervals of knees to chest exercises because one lad threw the Platoon Sergeant's brew sweetners in the bin

[Gazza85]

Fizzy pop challenge is when someone has to wash down everyones fizzy drink from the ration packs and then go for a run.

[Jo]

We had something similar. We had to eat as many packets of the orange/lemon ration powdered drinks as we cud - DRY!!! No WATER and then get made to go on a run - as u can imagine we was either sick, piled in, or jacked completly lol. Some didnt even start. Usually made you do the BFT route, as they obviously wud have got bollocked taking you out on area if you piled in lol.

[got1]

"What's the Depot coming to" ?

Pln Sgt using "sweetners".!!

[the skeavster]

sounds awesome mate, i can't wait!

Listen, i was wondering if you have any way to develope myself mentally in preperation for training, like legging it up a hill before doing a few miles or something?

Cheers that'd be a huge help

Skeav

[Jo]

Hills? Hmmmm, any para recruit will tell you about the infamous 'Land of Nod'.

Imagine a landfill sight. Now visualise the large scree slopes of rock and slate you get. Ok now, make that slightly steeper. Ok now you have a small area on the ITC Training area called the land of nod!!! Basically you have to run up and down and up and down, anything between 5-30+ times depending on the mood of the NCOs and PTI's. If your getting 'remedial pt' as the PTI's like to call it, you can be doing it ALOT more.

So in answer to your question, find a nice steep hill, sprint to the top, jog back down, sprint to the top, jog back down. If you aint totally knackered run faster!!! Alternatively, find another steep hill which is alot higher, and purhaps sprint 1/3 of the way up, jog back down, sprint 2/3 of the way up, jog back down, sprint to the top, jog back down, sprint 2/3 up jog down, sprint 1/3, jog down and thats one session for you. Have 60 seconds rest between each session and maybe do it 3-4 times, or more as you get fitter. Can be a very knackering session, so best only do it if yur reasonably fit already, or take it easy first few times to square yourself away with what its like.

Good luck mate!

[Jobag]

Ahhhh, the land of nod....deep joy!

I find one the hardest things on a run is when we have to do firemans carry's, baby carry's, piggy backs etc in pairs AFTER the run. So we would run for 4 miles, with some hill sprints in the middle, then get into pairs and have races round small hill triangle circuit. That licks me out!

In week 8 now, already had half the GPMG lessons. I was talking to a mate who was a Marine Recruit and he never had 1 GPMG lesson in the 15 weeks he was there. (By the way, he didnt leave because he couldnt hack it, or he jacked. It was something else.)

Friday's are always a thrashing day before the weekend. Today we had the hardest gym session i have had yet. Circuits with thrashings for a couple of jo's monging it. Its hard to explain the pain, but take it from me, the whole platoon was hanging out after the warm up.

As for the hills in ITCC training area, they all have names. The best ones being; Lick out ( the never ending hill), Pussy hill, Gandalf, Bus stop and of course Nod.