POC Early 2003

[BenP]

Is there anybody out there who has a POC around February? I was wondering if notes could be compared on the level of fitness you may be at. Also
1) Is it wise to train for runs in boots pre-POC?
2) What is respectable (RM standards) of the Bleep Test?
3) Is it one bleep per movement on the press/sit/pull ups?
4) I have a medical in late Jan - any idea of the setup?
5) Is there life on Mars?

[Jacko]

Hello

I am mentoring a candidate who is up for POC in Feb. Can put you in touch if you like.

In answer to your q's:
1. Yes, but only once a week, lest you knacker your feet.
2. Required is level 12, now, or they give you the boot on day one. This is a recent change
3. yes. one bleep up, one bleep down etc. including the pull ups
4. You get a hearing test - a series of beeps in your ear. You have to read from a chart, so take glasses if you use them. You get the "cough" test, so wash your privates!!!!!. You get poked and proded for five minutes, and quizzed about your answers to a questionaire you will fill in.
5. Yes

Hope this helps.
jacko

[BenP]

Thanks for your advice, mate. I would appreciate perhaps e-mithering your candidate. Just self assurance really on the fitness levels. Level 12 on the VO2 Max is quite steep. I think i'll practice that one. Cheers

[Jacko]

level 12 is not as steep as you think. Remember you will be running with other candidates, which helps, and then there is the extra adrenalin and drive from being under test conditions.

I'm sure you'll be fine.

I will check with my oppo and make sure he is ok for me to dish out his details, and PM them to you.

Jacko

[Wannabe]

I've still to recieve my POC date as yet. At the moment my fitness is piss poor to say the least due to being of travelling for a while and injury. I reckon Ive definitely got my work cut out. Anyone have any helpful training tips?

[Butch]

Just wanted to check something about the content of the POC. In a post above, there is mention of the bleep test. Can someone who has been, or who is about to go to POC, state the course content as when i did POC 4 years ago ( I had to leave in the middle with a busted shoulder) the bleep test wasn't included in the POC only the PRMC.

[Jacko]

Hello

the bleep test was introduced a few years back to replace the 300m sprint.
Still do the press ups, sit ups, and pull ups, although these are now to a beep, instead of in a time limit.
Only the RMFA has changed, the rest is pretty much the same

Jacko

[dan]

When did the press-ups/sit-ups change to a bleep? In the PRMC fitness guide it says you have 2mins! Agh, confusing! How long is there between each bleep anyway, so I can train to a certain time.

Thank God the 300m sprint has gone, I was dreading that the absolute most. A bleep test I can do!

[Jacko]

dont get your hopes up about that run, Dan, we are talking about the POC not the PRMC. I afraid I know bugger all about the PRMC, so don't go changing your routine on my account

Jacko

[Mathew]

The POC pamphlet that the Officer Career Liason Centre gave me a month ago, states that the RMFA is administered on day one and includes timed tests, and the 300m box sprint. Is this information out of date? Jacko, where are you getting your information from? How do they work the test to the beeps? How are they scored? Thanks.
Mathew

[Jacko]

Jacko, where are you getting your information from? How do they work the test to the beeps? How are they scored? Thanks.
Mathew

My info comes from having been on the POC, and helping another candidate to take his next month. Another source of info is my old liaison officer.

The RM never updated the literature/leaflets, dispite threatening to several times. Best thing to do, is contact your liaison officer and get him to confirm that the timed aspect has been replaced by beeps, and that the sprint has been replaced by the shuttle-run / bleep test. Last I heard through the liaison officer, although this was not in place when I sat my POC, was that the bleep test had a minimum pass of around 12. Am waiting to get this re-confirmed.

The RMFA is still administered on day one. With the beeps, you operate one aspect of the exercise per beep, e.g. the pressup is down on the first beep and up on the second.

Scores are weighted, i.e. you do not score a fixed number of points per repetition. Rather, the points awarded for each rep gets higher the more reps you do.

Jacko

[dan]

How long is the interval between each beep on press-ups and sit-ups? Doing press-ups to a beep has taken me back several reps because I can't avoid fatigue by blazing through the first 15 or so. This is bad.
On sit-ups, having a bleep will mean no-one can speed off doing 10 to the second, more a measure of muscle and guts. This is good.

[Mathew]

Thanks Jacko, I really appreciate the information. Your Profile says you are heading to Sandhurst. What regiment are you sponsored by?

[Jacko]

Dan, don't know what the beep speed is. its roughly 1 to 2 seconds per beep. I think this is great, because it forces you to use your muscles, as opposed to just blasting your way through with elastic energy and momentum. does make things harder though

Matthew, I'm sponsored by the Signals, although after chatting with loads of the guys n gals in these forums, I am probably going to shift to the RA. I'll have more opportunity to get my hands dirty in the RA .

Where are you guys wanting to serve?

Jacko

[dan]

I was really progressing on my press-ups, got to 42. Not great but a huge improvement and testament to a bit of guts and a lot of hard work. Now i'm back down to 25!!! Aagh! It's true though, you really do have to work harder doing it at a controlled speed, so at the end of the day it's worthwile. Back to the gym...sigh....