Am I eligible to join the Paras?

[cal865]

Some time ago I was told at the Army careers office to think about it before I sign anything, so I did a lot of thinking and getting into shape.

I usually do 10 push ups and 5 pull ups before I need to rest. Is this weak to say I'm 18? Do I just need to put just as more effort in?

I feel I'm ready to join but it's just the fitness exam when your having to go under all the tests?

Please comment and try not to be to harsh.
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Callum.

[Woody91]

Everyone has their weaknesses Callum.
And as you've pointed out, press-ups are your weakness.
The best thing to do is have a structured training programme that will help you progress.

At ADSC you will need to complete basic tests to pass, and a minimum of 70 press ups are required, along with achieving 9:18mins in the 1.5 mile run, as well as other tests too. But quiet alot of people haven't had to do a single press up or sit up at there selection due to their medical taking to long, but even if you do pass, it is imperative to have that fitness mate.

Along side with your current training programme, try to incorporate this into it; you do it 3 times a week, but you will progress as the days go by:

http://www.100pushups.info/programe.html

It's worth a look.

And with regards to starting your application, I would get the ball rolling anyway, just so we've got a start to it.

Any further questions, then I'm more than happy to help.

Woody.

[tom163]

Its a minimum of 50 press ups and 70 sit ups needed for ADSC mate not 70. This was told to be about 2 weeks ago by The Parachute Regiment Recruiting Team. Also i've heard people pass P-Coy with 50 Press ups, but best to aim as high as possible.

[Woody91]

Cheers for the correction, but I was told last week my my recruiting sgt that it was 70; but like you said, it's best to aim higher.

[Tartan_Terrier]

You need to work on your upper body strength.

What's your running like?

Unless it's good, I'd hang fire if I were you.

If you try to join before you're fit, it'll probably end in tears.

Read the forums, (there's loads of decent training programmes here), get fit, and then join.

There's no point in wasting your or the Army's time, if you're going to fail anyway.

[just_me]

To improve strength, just design yourself a bodyweight circuit that you can go around 3-4 times every second day or something. EG.
10 Pressups
20 Tricep Dips ..... and so the list can go on. Then give yourself a minute or two break before you go over the circuit again. Go over it 3 or 4 times and as you improve, increase the reps and shorten the breaks.

It only takes 5 or 10 minutes to sit down and write down a list of bodyweight excercises, then put them into some sort of circuit. Well worth a try mate, you've nothing to lose and because it's your bodyweight, it's (mostly) free!

- edited to add: make sure the whole thing lasts about 20+ minutes (including all 4 rounds of the circuit)

[Alfa]

Since you're only 18 you may be better off waiting until your body finishes maturing before you decide to sign up as you obviously have a lot of growing still to do.

Give yourself a couple of years before you seriously decide to join up. In the meantime you can make sure you build up your strength and fitness by keeping fit and active, join a few sports clubs, circuit training, boxing gym etc... in time as you finish growing you will find your strength increasing too.

Also as to the question about the number of press/sit ups required at ADSC, as far as I know there isn't a requirement for these in order to pass ADSC as they'd been replaced with the various strength tests several years ago. I believe there's a couple of lads who have passed ADSC recently (agapito) maybe one of them can clear up whether or not you have to do press ups/sit ups.

[cal865]

Cheers for the comments, i'll train as much and good as i can the next few weeks. thanks for the web links too.
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Callum

[tom163]

Its a minimum of 50 press ups and 70 sit ups needed for ADSC mate not 70. This was told to be about 2 weeks ago by The Parachute Regiment Recruiting Team. Also i've heard people pass P-Coy with 50 Press ups, but best to aim as high as possible.

Since when does the amount of press ups you can do have any bearing on whether you pass P Company.

I've always been told my 90% of the people I talked to that there is a definite amount of pressups you had to do on P-Coy or you would fail. But after you just said that I remebered about the point system you use. Cheers for putting me straight.

[Illustrious]

Havent ya heard Sandy. Gubment intervention and all that. Provided you an do a backflip holding a cup of tea, you'll pass selection for "Them"
</sarcasm>

Edit to add sarcasm tags :p

[tom163]

I've always been told my 90% of the people I talked to that there is a definite amount of pressups you had to do on P-Coy or you would fail.

Right here is the events on P COY

10 miler, trainasium, log race, steeplechase, 2 miler, milling, 20 miler, stretcher race.

NO press ups there, so that 90% hasn't got a clue.

Thanks for the info Sandy obviously any info I can get from you is golden lol. One of the people that told me that aswel was one of the recruiting officers at my ACIO (who said he specialized in Paras even though he was RN ).

[cal865]

*UPDATE*

Well, its been nearly 2 weeks since i started the goal to 100 pushups, when could only handle 10 pushups.

Amazingly enough i can manage 25!!

2 weeks from now i should accordingly do 40.

The guide works for me and would encourage others to try it:

*****the link is SUPPOSE to be www.100pushups.info but it doesnt seem to work no more****

[just_me]

Well done mate. Luckily (for me at least) I printed off the last two weeks already! If you need Week 5 & 6 just give me a PM and I'll e-mail you them.