Right I, with some very welcome help from Ferret,(thanks for that one!) have had a crack here at putting a post together with a decent amount of information for the younger members of this sight who are not close to going down to PRMC/POC but still have a great amount of desire and passion to do so when the time comes. I’ve kept it as short as possible (honest!
) but still hopefully full of good and useful information. Basically I have split it into four sections:
1. Training
2. Diet
3. Motivation
4. Important stuff
1. Training
I personally have been training since I was 13 (just turned 15), and firstly I can’t this stress enough: go out and enjoy training and getting fit, we aren’t going down to CTCRM any time soon so there is no need to go overboard or train like marines. We are not marines and are a long way off being them so train like a (however year old) boy.
Physical Tests
First off it’s important to know what’s expected of you physically down at CRCRM.
i) 3 mile run. 1.5 miles out done as a troop in 12.30, and then best effort the way back, maximum time of 10 minutes.
ii) VO2 Max ‘Bleep Test’. Minimum level 10/11, maximum 13.
iii) Maximum pressups in two minutes. Minimum 20, maximum 60.
iv) Maximum situps in two minutes. Minimum 30, maximum 80.
v) Maximum pull-ups. Minimum 3, maximum 6.
Proper form is required on all exercises and ii) to v) are performed in succession. Also take into account that you will need a much higher level of physical fitness to pass the course than just the minimum scores. Your physical fitness is tested at other times, and determination and a will to succeed must be demonstrated if you want a pass.
So now you can split training down; focus on your running and your upper body strength.
Running
If you are new to training or are just starting proper training then take it slowly; ease into it and step it up from there. Always do enough to tire you out and work at 100%. Three runs a week is more than enough to start, if you find that tough mix walking and running in, for example, do five minutes running followed by two minutes walking and repeat, or do whatever you can manage. Don’t be embarrassed if you’re struggling, it WILL come eventually. Every two weeks (or even sooner if you feel you’re not progressing) step up the intensity. Work up until you can comfortable do three good runs (3 miles or over) a week then from there add in all different kinds of runs. Stepping up the intensity after two weeks is also a good guideline for upper body work.
If you are already fit enough to do that and more add an extra run in. (I personally do four a week). Mix your runs up; maybe something like this :
Monday: 3 miler (timed and at 100% all the way)
Tuesday: rest
Wednesday: 6 mile fartlek run
Thursday: rest
Friday: 5 miler at decent pace
Saturday: hill sprints
Sunday: rest
Now this is a rough timetable and there are plenty other types of run out there so try them out and find what works best for you (look at the list of some techniques below and keep trying things out) but as I said work up to it, you may feel like your getting nowhere but soon it all comes together. It did for me, I’m a million times better for it and glad I worked so hard to get there. You’ll get a real sense of achievement.
Techniques
Fartlek
HIIT
Hill
HOC
Upper Body
So what about upper body? Well there is no set plan anyone can give you. You have to work out your own. For younger people press ups, pull ups and abdominal work outs are fine if done ever other day. Try not to train the same muscle group for two consecutive days, for example, never train your abs specifically two days in a row. Do abs and then upper arms instead.
Look around for various different bodyweight exercises that work the same muscles as pressups, situps and pull-ups. Throw some variety into your routines! I especially like Burpees.
Bodyweight training is sufficient but I’m sure a lot will also want to know about weight training…I’ll come to that in a bit.
I found after gaining a decent base of fitness (I had the advantage of being the sporting type before I started specifically training) I could add in more arduous training. Look below again for some techniques. Plyometrics I find to be great; some clap pressups after my marine style press ups really do kill you off. Jump squats after a set of normal squats also stimulate you legs and I found it helps a great deal with running. Look into it yourself and find what works (I know I keep saying that but it’s the only way in my eyes).
Techniques
Circuits
Plyometrics
Supersets
Pyramids
'target setting'... aim for say 100 press ups on you press up day and do them in as little sets as possible always try and improve this
Other Exercises
Although your running ability and upper body strength are only (officially) tested on PRMC/POC, you can work different muscle groups to help you out.
A prime example is your legs. Training your legs can help out your long distance running, short distance sprints, and perhaps most importantly, can prevent knee injury and shin-splints.
Also train your lower back and neck. These are injury prone areas that can really set you back if you’re not careful.
Lastly I must talk a bit about stretching. Now stretching is boring, it can seem like a waste of time and totally pointless, but the benefits of stretching are tremendous.
WeightsThere are a wide range of benefits to increasing flexibility. First, and foremost, increasing flexibility decreases your chances of sustaining a serious injury from strenuous training. Stretching can help loosen tight muscles and prepare them for any intense training and stress. However, stretching should be avoided immediately before any intense training.
It also promotes circulation and gets blood flowing to the muscle which can enhance recovery and minimize the chance of injury. Yet another way increased flexibility reduces injuries is by improving the range of motion in your joints. You can safely and effectively move through a full range of motion when your flexibility is enhanced.
Increasing flexibility stabilizes stress which is one of the reasons so many people in recent years have started practicing yoga. Stress causes muscles to become tense; often those in the neck, shoulders, and back being affected the worse.
The benefits of increased flexibility for stabilizing stress are essentially two-fold. First, the muscles are relaxed and tension gets released. Second, the relaxation of the muscles makes it much easier to breathe deeply which in itself stabilizes stress.
An improvement in flexibility can improve posture which is a very common problem among people today. Poor posture can lead to back, shoulder and neck pain. Stretches that emphasize arching the back and lengthening the spine can help correct poor posture over time and promote greater spinal flexibility.
As for weights, I’ve been told by three or four gym instructors, a boxing coach, people on MFAT and one school teacher that from 14-15 onwards light weights are fine if done slowly, with correct form and after a warm up. LOW WEIGHT HIGH REP. Always remember this. You want muscular endurance and not muscular mass. High muscle mass = higher body weight = harder to run, do pressups, do situps, and do pull-ups. Go for about twenty or more reps per set.
Now I don’t use weights anywhere near as much as my own bodyweight! I also split my weights workouts, for example, Monday and Thursday legs, shoulders and biceps. Tuesday and Friday chest, triceps and back. All exercises are performed slowly, with high reps and controlled. Focus on form!
swimming
Missed this out but with a quick prompt from 803troop and I’m on it. Once again there are tons of stuff to do in A pool and not only is it good for exercise, but relaxation and placing your muscles in a weightless environment is great to allow them to rest... Obviously if you do a tough pool session it isn’t rest, but a light swim in a pool can be classed as rest… as long as it is a light session!
I’ve had a quick scan through Adrian Weale’s Fighting Fit as I’m not all that knowledgeable on swimming, as I’ve only ever done it for leisure and not training proposes. When I find some time (Off season for cricket I will get my self down to my local baths) Anyways, Basically you don’t have to be able to swim when you go down for training, but it very strongly advised you can at least swim a few lengths Brest stroke. But if you have the time you might as well add it into your training and excel at it there fore it is just one more thing the Staff down at CTC can tick of there list for you.
So how much should we be doing? Well swimming shouldn’t become a substitute for running… just a supplement so long and complex training sessions aren’t needed (not to say if you have the time don’t do them but being able to do a correct Olympic turn at the end of the pool wont help much on PRMC)
Basic swimming up and down for 30 + mins is fine, but maybe boring so try looking into pyramid swimming. An example of this might be a ‘5’ in which you swim a length followed by a rest period (e.g.20 seconds) then next time swim 2 lengths, then three all the way to five then back down, keeping the rest the same.
Or try interval swimming, this is a timed thing so you my need a partner to time you or be very vigilant of a pool clock (not always easy) swim for 30 seconds easy (breast stroke) then 20 seconds at a decent pace (Breast stroke) and then 10 seconds burst (front crawl) and repeat .
Anything really just get comfortable in the water. When you get comfortable instead of rests or as a completely different exercise tread water and control your breathing.
Swimming is also impact free so it gives you joint a much needed rest!
So slap those Speedo's on!
Training Summary
Most importantly enjoy it or else your going to get bored very, very fast. Don’t get obsessive, if you can’t fit in a long run because you have to go out shorten the run and increase the intensity. You can afford to miss the odd session, just work extra hard next time. It’s when you start missing three or more days when you really need to buckle down.
Don’t see it as training; see it as getting fit and having a good time.
Remember to mix it up, don’t do plain pressups and situps all the time, find other exercises you like and fit those in. Involve your own sports such as football, cricket, rugby, boxing, squash, whatever, it will be of great benefit not only in you health but in your social life too (except boxing that might make you more enemies than mates :p). Get involved in sport and adventurous training opportunities. Join the Combined Cadet Force, Army Cadet Force or Marine Cadets if you can. Have fun! Training shouldn’t be a burden, it should be something you want to do.
Sample Workouts
I (Stokey) now have a plan for my typical training week. This is MY plan so copying it my not give you the same benefits I feel it does to me. I enjoy it and do keep changing it around to keep it from getting boring.
Monday: up at 6:45 for light weights work. Two hours of school P.E and a cricket match and circuit training
Tuesday: up at 6:45 for light weight work then school (no P.E.) then 3 ¼ mile hard run (timed) and circuit training then cricket training
Wednesday: 5 ½ mile run and circuit training after school
Thursday: up at 6:45 for light weights work the two hour of school P.E. then Boxing training for 1 ½ hours
Friday: up at 6:45 for light weights work then school (no P.E.) 8 mile run
Saturday: full rest day
Sunday: hill sprints and hard 1 hour boxing training
This is after two years of training eating right getting plenty of sleep and correct warm up (be very rigorous at warming up and down!)
My rest day is just that a day of as little exercise as possible and after my work outs and runs at night I tent to have a good relax and put my legs ups to rest the muscles
I have to stress that you must warm up and down correctly, maybe seven or eight minutes light cardio. Possibly skipping and jogging around etc. followed by stretches.
Lastly try your best to get eight or more hours good sleep.
Now my (Ferret) workout is a little less vigorous than Stokey’s, partly because I’m younger, partly because I’m coming back from a knee injury, but mainly because I’m simply not as fit as he is. This is a pretty good workout for those who have just started training but come from a sporty background, or those who have trained for a few weeks now.
Monday: abs and leg training in the school gym at lunch (weights). Circuit training in the evening.
Tuesday: arms in the gym at lunch (weights), followed by a HOC session on the bike and rowing machine for twenty minutes. 3 miler in the evening.
Wednesday: abs in the school gym at lunch (weights), followed by some bboying for a while (half an hour or so, just a bit of cardio, good for balance and strength). Circuit training in the evening.
Thursday: arms in the school gym at lunch (weights), followed by some bboying again. Cross-country in PE at school, usually around five or six miles, race pace.
Friday: abs training at home.
Saturday: During the day I do a one hour fartlek, followed by a 3 mile cycle. Circuit training focusing on plyometrics and hill sprints in the evening. Toughest day by far.
Sunday: rest. Swim if possible.
Sometimes I have a cross-country race on a Saturday. In that case I do a 1.5 miler on Monday, no circuit training on Wednesday, a shorter run on Thursday in school and nothing apart from the race on Saturday.
Every month test myself on a Saturday. This is to simulate the tests at PRMC/POC. In the morning I do a 3 miler 12.30 for 1.5, best effort for 1.5. In the afternoon I do some sprinting to emulate the bleep test, followed by max pressups, situps and pull-ups in two minutes.
I also must echo Stokey by saying that rest is as important as exercise. ALWAYS get at least eight hours sleep in, and know when to take a day off. If you feel like your training is coming to a standstill, up the intensity. If that doesn’t work then rethink you’re whole workout and mix things up. Always be interested in what you’re doing. If you are bored then you will lose motivation.
2. Diet
Not much to say here, if you are fairly healthy weight loss or gain isn’t needed at this stage. The only reason I diet is for boxing and making a certain weight and even then I eat plenty of good healthy food no crap but plenty of it.
Simple terms:
Eat more food than you burn = weight gain
Eat less food than you burn = weight loss
But don’t fuss you lose weight and get fit anyways (I believe someone once said we are training to be Royal Marines not some form of monks. That’s right, have the odd takeaway it won’t harm you!
Eat plenty of carbohydrates and protein. Eat fruit and veg for your vitamins and minerals. Finally don’t shy away from fat. You need it. Just eat the right type (un-saturated).
That’s it really, just eat well and remember, “crap in, crap out!”
3. Motivation
It may seem like an age away, but it will be here quicker than you think! In other words, there’s plenty of time but don’t get lazy. You may be making slow progress but it WILL pay off, just dig in deep and do your best in life. Keep telling yourself, “It’s only pain” when you’re hurting and dig in, the harder you work the better results you’ll get out of it.
Keep imagining how much more strength or how much bigger your lungs are getting. Trust me, after that hard beginning it all gets easier and you soon fly by.. I’ve been there… not wanting to go running, not being arsed to do that last set of situps but find something in you to do them every time. That one set might be the difference between a pass and fail.
And that’s it, not much to say about motivation. This part is all down to you. When you’re down in a plank after that tough abs workout and you’re close to giving up, just keep saying to yourself, “I want to be a Royal Marines Commando. I want to be a Royal Marines Commando.” Imagine the Royal Marines Commado flash on your uniform. Imagine the Green Beret on your head. It drives me on. If you’re serious about it too then it should drive you on as well.
4. Important stuff
i) I made this post to try and help young lads out who are in a similar position to me. I hope my information is all correct (I did check it) and I hope some of it help one or two people. I hope I don’t sound like I’m trying to be a know it all or patronising. I’ll be happy if someone picks this post apart and shows me flaws in what I have said. I’ll gladly take on board the information and change the post so just shout up!
ii) Never train on injuries or illness I know its tempting but it only makes stuff worse. Recover 100%, it’s for the best
iii) ENJOY YOURSELF
iv) ENJOY YOURSELF!
v) Don’t get obsessed and work hard in school (I’m guilty of not doing this all the time but in the end its for the best… especially for all the potential officers who need 5 GCSE’s and 160 UCAS points) and with your social life, being able to fit in a hold a decent convocation is just as important as running 5 miles! Also remember to keep an interest in the Royal Marines. Look at the news, go to the RN website, know what the Royal Marines are doing, know where they are, know what vehicles and weapons they use, etc. If you’re not interested then you’re motivation will go downhill very quickly.
vi) Do you own research! Look into different types of training, look into the right types of food and make your own judgment.
I thought I’d also give you (in my opinion) a list of good websites!
www.MFAT.co.uk !!!!!!!!! (this is a gold mine and should be more of a bible than just a site)
www.crossfit.com
www.bodybuilding.com (don’t be put off by the name its good to see different training styles)
www.rossboxing.com
www.rosstraining.com
www.mapmyrun.com
www.menshealth.co.uk
www.runnersworld.com
http://www.brianmac.demon.co.uk
www.gooogle.com
Use Gooogle its brilliant to find plenty of stuff.
I hope this post helps a lot of you and just keep going.
Please feel free to comment and/or sensibly criticise this whole post.
Many thanks,
Stokey (and Ferret... i can't take all the credit he help me alot and had some great in put!
)P.S. This is a post for 12+ lads training with hope of joining in later life but I’m sure people who are closer to the date my find something in this post useful.
It probably has nothing that hasn't been said on here before, it just has a bit of a different slant. These are my views and I may be wrong and something I’ve suggested might not work but then again if they do and one person benefits then this post has been worth my time!
) Good luck with you’re exams by the way... its my turn next year 
