Phase 1 ATR Pirbright 15/6 - 18/9

CardSharpe · Post by **CardSharpe** » Tue 22 Sep, 2009 10:43 am

Hi everyone

I just wanted to make a thread, I passed out this last friday at ATR Pirbright, and I'd been using these boards (mostly reading rather than posting) for a good couple of years before I first joined.

This place helped me with training for selection, and for phase 1. It gave a good insight into what I might expect and how to prepare for it, and I just wanted to say a big thanks to everyone here who helped and makes this place what it is.

I'd also like to attempt to "give something back" somehow, so if anyone has any questions about any aspect of it at all, I'll be posting here as much as I can until I'm off to phase 2 next week.

Also, I made a quick site to host a few pictures throughtout training, incase anyone's interested:

http://roarthelion.webs.com/

Anyway, thanks again to everyone who helped me out over the years! Hopefully I can post a bit this week and help others who are just about to start.

gpw2009 · Post by **gpw2009** » Tue 22 Sep, 2009 10:48 am

Well done on passing out mate. How long is your Phase 2? Is phase 1 what you expected or totally different?

It is Signals that you went for isn't it?

CardSharpe · Post by **CardSharpe** » Tue 22 Sep, 2009 11:05 am

Royal Signals it is

Phase 2 for me is 39 weeks long (Comm Sys Eng), although we were told its changed slightly on our Phase 2 visit and may now be longer than that.

Phase 1 was quite a bit different in some places than I'd expected - the first week was both boring and intense - lots of stuff thrown at you but none of it was really very "warry" (kit issue, setting up pay, other paperwork, etc). The discipline wasn't as big a shock as I'd expected it to be, although I think quite a few people found it more difficult than I did.

Once we got started everything moved fairly quickly and began to get into what I'd expected - basic weapons drill and basic fitness in the first weeks, then marksmanship, tabbing and exercises and other things as we moved on further.

All the way though the NCO's were really, really good - providing us role models to look up to, but also obviously maintaining discipline and teaching us what we had to know.

gpw2009 · Post by **gpw2009** » Tue 22 Sep, 2009 11:25 am

That's a long phase 2 mucker!

You think that the discipline and pace will pick up when you get back? I suppose now they will expect more beause you are a trained soldier (as such). I'm going for the Para's and all the training is done at Catterick so there is no real break or change from phase 1 and 2, so I presume you will just get treated pretty much the same all the way through (like s**t

).

How did you find the fitness, harder or not as tough?

Your pictures are good too mate.

CardSharpe · Post by **CardSharpe** » Tue 22 Sep, 2009 11:34 am

The fitness was tough for me, I struggled with running, much preferred the tabbing!

The thing is, even though I was often at the back of the troop on runs, the PTI saw I was putting in 110% on every session, so I didn't catch as much hell for it as I'd perhaps expected

that isnt to say I wasn't "encouraged" though obviously heh.

I have a slow pace but I can normally keep it up for a lot longer than other people - the PTI called me "Forest" (as in forest gump, keeps running forever etc) throughout the whole course and the name seems like its going to stick with me into phase 2 heh, I guess there are worse nicknames going about though!

HRH · Post by **HRH** » Tue 22 Sep, 2009 11:48 am

cool pics looks like u enjoyed

what weight do u tab with on basic and for how many miles? do u do it a few times?

I'm off to pirbright too but not until next march

gpw2009 · Post by **gpw2009** » Tue 22 Sep, 2009 1:11 pm

I suppose that's all you can do mate, 110%!

Gutted about the nickname..... but your right, it isn't that bad!

Zoe · Post by **Zoe** » Tue 22 Sep, 2009 1:30 pm

Cool picures!!!
Ohh!! I well want to start basic right now!!

Well done CardSharpe good luck with the rest of your training.

... Oh and I would also like to say I have found this site very helpful in preparing and geting me through my ADSC.

So THANKYOU Military forums we love you!!!!

HRH · Post by **HRH** » Tue 22 Sep, 2009 2:18 pm

Zoe did they confirm u for feb then yet?

HRH · Post by **HRH** » Tue 22 Sep, 2009 2:26 pm

oh just got ur fb message

Forest, do u get to do the trainasium on basic?

CardSharpe · Post by **CardSharpe** » Tue 22 Sep, 2009 3:05 pm

HRH wrote:cool pics looks like u enjoyed

what weight do u tab with on basic and for how many miles? do u do it a few times?

I'm off to pirbright too but not until next march

We did around 6 tabs if I remember correctly. We eased into it, with our first tab being something like 14kg over 3-4 miles, the hardest tab we did was around 7 miles with 26kg - we did that just before the CFT, so that the actual test was easier than we were used to.

The strange thing is, I'd really struggle with running, but with tabbing it was only hard for the first mile or so, then things just seemed to get easier, you'd reach a certain level of hanging out of your arse and stay there

gpw2009 wrote:Gutted about the nickname..... but your right, it isn't that bad!

Hah I love it to be honest - we got a troop t-shirt made up with everyone's nickname on, I think the worst ones were "Pig flu" and "Sick Note", I got off lightly by comparison!

CardSharpe · Post by **CardSharpe** » Tue 22 Sep, 2009 3:09 pm

HRH wrote:oh just got ur fb message

Forest, do u get to do the trainasium on basic?

Not at Pirbright sadly, atleast we didn't!

The new assault course has a high-walk bit but its only around 15-20ft up

HRH · Post by **HRH** » Tue 22 Sep, 2009 4:51 pm

thanks for all your info so far

when you say you struggled with the running, how far and often do u actually run? every day?

Zoe · Post by **Zoe** » Tue 22 Sep, 2009 5:01 pm

HRH wrote:oh just got ur fb message

Forest, do u get to do the trainasium on basic?

haha sorry yeh, like i said not confirmed yet but think will be loooooooong wait anyhow... HUFFFFFF!!!! I think im having Pirbright withdrawals.

You ok? you still working at same place??
xxx

CardSharpe · Post by **CardSharpe** » Tue 22 Sep, 2009 5:09 pm

HRH wrote:when you say you struggled with the running, how far and often do u actually run? every day?

Before joining I ran with a running club twice a week, varying distances, normally between 5 and 8 miles (mostly steady with a bit of fartlek) on a thursday and 1 to 3 miles faster but with more recovery on a monday. Then I'd get another run in on the weekend or sometime in the week, but I'd tend to push that one a bit harder than when I ran with the club. I'd also do CV stuff at the gym once a week on top of that too.

I'm naturally just not a great runner - my BMI is 21ish, so its not that I'm weight or anything, its just that I've never really been great at it. Much prefer the tabbing

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Phase 1 ATR Pirbright 15/6 - 18/9

Phase 1 ATR Pirbright 15/6 - 18/9