Older individual pass rate

[Ty]

This might be a good question for someone like Artist to answer, or anyone that has been around the Lympstone camp for awhile.

How is the general pass rate for older individuals ?. When I come over I will be between 26 - 27, and Im just not quite sure how the older lads hold up to the rigorous training physically.

Mentally, we may have more life experience, and should be able to will power it on, however my body sure as hell is not what it was when I was 19. The research I did stated that between the ages of 30 - 33 are generally when a man is at his pinnacle, and possible best shape. After that, the body tends to go " down hill ".

Anyone else have any comments on the post, or see a decent pass rate among the higher aged individuals ?.

Thanks !

[marinewannabe]

When i was in training the majority of the older lads had no complaints and seemed to hack everything alot better then the young ones. A 27 year old got the kings badge in my troop

[misterpurple]

Should that be 20 - 23?

[Ty]

Marinewannabe,

Thats encouraging. Good to see the Kings Badge was given out to an older individual, no doubt he deserved it. I also heard being older helps the chances of being promoted faster, but that could be bullshit .

Misterpurple,

No, I meant 30 - 33. In my mens health magazine it does say in that age range a man should be fully developed, brain and muscle wise, and be on top of his game. Not saying I didn't believe it, but does seem a bit strange. I would assume being in the early twenties would give your body it's best time and conditioning, but perhaps not. Anyone have any opinions on that ?.

[Artist]

Most older recruits have the experience of life to help them whilst in training. It does annoy some of the older recruits that in some cases the training teams are younger then them but hey? They wear the lid and the stripes which all recruits aspire to.

Artist

[LostandFound]

Must admit the age thing never bothered me. I was 27 turning 28 when I was in RT. Yeah I wrapped, but not because the phys was too hard (it was bloody hard for everyone) but because of my own personal financial issues which are now sorted and am looking forward to cracking on again.

As said above, even if you are older than the training team, its them who've got the lid, and its the lid we all aspire to earning. Age really doesnt come into it once your at CTC and cracking on with RT.

[lodge939]

Apparently your body is at its peak at the age of 21.

[Artist]

Apparently your body is at its peak at the age of 21.

Well that s me well knackered then!

Artist

[Taxman]

Ty, when are you comming over?

Im almost 30 now (a few weeks away), I've not done the PRMC yet tho so ive still got a long way to go. If I get there before you you will hear how I fair.

I think Lost and Artist both got it right - really age doesnt matter, its about how prepared the individual is when they get there.

[Ty]

Thanks for all the responses mates. Im looking to come over this December coming up. That will be the one year anniversary of my eye surgery. I will be 26 years old by then. Im still working on getting in better shape though. My 1.5 mile run is still done in 10.20.

Thanks for the information Taxman, best of luck to you. Let me know what happens, and best of luck to you. I will have to say, after watching Chris Terril beat those Commando Tests, it opened my eyes to the fact age really is just a number. Not to mention I guess Daniel Craig is going to do the tests now, and he's in his 40's.

[degrees of passion]

To say you peak at 21 is a bit harsh in my opinion.With all the sports science nowadays,more and more athletes are peaking later on in their careers,boxers being the prime example.I know there is other factors involved like experience and skill etc but plenty footballers,rugby players etc have the most success in their later years career-wise.My memory's abit sketchy but I seem to remember reading that after 25-30ish is where the body starts to (slowly) physically deteriorate.Then again I remember watching a documentary on mr universe,and apparantly 35 years old is the peak age for bodybuilders so go figure

On balance you could probably argue that the physicality lost due to age is more than made up by the life experience and wisdom gained from those extra years.

[Gimpy]

I wouldn't let age bother you mate. Lates 20s/early 30s is far from old (although admittedly some sectors of society would have you think otherwise).
At the rate I'm going I'll be 27 or 28 by the time I get to RT (assuming that I do) but I see that as a positive, having some life experience and being used to looking after myself. My dad is twice that age and in all honesty I'd say he's probably not far off being as fit as me thanks to years of exercise. Just keep pushing yourself and with enough desire and a bit of luck I'm sure you'll be fine.

[Doc]

I would say the body starts to decline in early 30's. We arent really designed to go much further beyond it. But with nutrition and drugs to fight disease we are getting into the 80's at least.

Anything above 70 though is luke warm, kept ticking over with pills. Sitting in that urine smelling chair at the nursing home with a "nurse" who doesnt speak English and may well be fiddling with you or slapping you about when the rellies arent there. Bed sores, incontinence, memory loss, arthritis, high blood pressure and cholesterol, dodgy ticker, an Mi or two in the past, diabetes, stroke, eating food from the lowest bidder and the kids after their inheritence.

Either that or a part time job in tescos to top up my non exsistant goverment pension, telling everyone who wont listen that I used to be someone once but cant remember when and oh dear Ive swamped again.

30 years until I'm 65 and then I'm topping myself................................


anyone reading this over 70 you are obviously an exception and I salute you...............sorry

anyone reading this over 70 you are obviously an exception and I salute you

[Ste Preece]

Anyone else have any comments on the post, or see a decent pass rate among the higher aged individuals ?.

Thanks !

Ty: There was a guy in my troop during basic training who was 28 years old. He was as fit as a fiddle and went on to be the Troop's Kings Badgeman. So, I wouldn't let your age put you off. He also progressed on to being a W.O.2 (Warrant Officer).

As for the fitness and age comments. Personally i'm in my early 40s and I strive to maintain a high level of fitness. I don't run as far as I used to, but I can still go like a bat out of hell on the running machine for a good 20 to 30 minutes at a commendable speed that stands out in the gym. I also do bodypump in the gym 3 times a week. (It’s a class with light weights and tons of reps). One of these sessions is followed by an hours circuit training. This keeps me in good shape. Additionally, I train in Ninjutsu and also play tabletennis in the local town leagues competetively.

I'd say, it’s a fair amount of fizz, but fizz has always been a way of life with some of us.

I do pick up injuries from time to time as other people do, but tend to work around them or rest the injured area for a short while. Additionally, I do know that some people have injuries that prevent them from maintaining a level of fitness, but that doesn't always mean that all forms of physical activities are out of their reach.

So, depending on your state of mind and physical ability, age can, sometimes, be seen as a figment of the imagination. To a point anyway!

So, Best of luck to you Ty mate.

Best Regards

Steve

[Doc]

Apologies if needed Ste and I mention this as laughing at the sentence as oppossed to laughing at you, but this line made me piddle my calvins

Additionally, I train in Ninjutsu and also play tabletennis

The secret deadly shadowy art of ping pong.......