ADSC in a few days. (02/12/08)

[MajorRageUK]

Hey guys,

Here comes the big one! Nerves are setting in bigtime now. I feel I've come a very long way since my decision to join the Army, yet I can't get over how fast the ball is rolling now! I've been told by my recruiter that I may get into the January intake if I pass and phone him as soon as I get out of the ADSC.

I just have a couple of questions for you guys if that's okay. This one is for the people who've already been to Glencorse ADSC. The instructions given to me about arrival, I'm not 100% sure on. Am I to arrive at Edinburgh train station to be picked up, or is there a station closer to Glencorse? The reason I ask is because my rail warrant is to get me to Edinburgh.

Is there anyone else heading up on this date? I've been told there's a fair chance I'll bump into a few of you on the train up from Manchester.

I believe I've trained hard enough, my scores on paper for the Insight Course are pretty good I think. I managed 8.25 on the run, 63 press-ups and 69 sit-ups. I counted 11 pull-ups but ony 4 counted unfortunately, didn't straighten my arms properly!! Was anyone else here on the Insight Course from the 7th till the 9th of November?

Anyway chaps, that was just a quick update on things. Thanks to all so far who have helped me get this far, I really appreciate it,

Ben.

[Don]

Hey MajorRage,

I did my ADSC at Glencorse last week, so I will try n tell u as much as i can about it. U will get picked up from Edinburgh Waverley station, just outside the main entrance. They werent there on time so be prepared 2 wait in the cold 4abit, I waited about 50min 4 the coach 2 come. The medical is the boringest part, sat in the medical wing till about 5pm. We had 2 sit in silence coz a couple of lads were abit noisey.

U dont do any sit ups or press ups, so dont worry bout that. Ure run time is excellent, so u will have no problems there. PM if u have ne other questions. Wot reg u goin 2?


Polite request .... please ditch the text speak. Thank you.

[sportacus]

Just go for it. From what most people say on here just put 100% effort in. That really is a good run time.

[MajorRageUK]

Hey Don,

Thanks very much for the information, great help! I'm hoping to join the Paras. sportacus, thanks for replying mate, much appreciated.

Ben.

[MajorRageUK]

Failed in the bleep test. Very gutted and ashamed.

[paraprep1]

Failed in the bleep test. Very gutted and ashamed.

im really sorry to hear that mate , are you going for adsc again at a later date or going for another job choice? and also i thought they scrapped the bleep test years ago what was your run time?

[MajorRageUK]

Hi mate, it looks like I'm going again in just under a month. I was offered my second job choice which was to become an Armoured Engineer. I choice not to go for it because the appeal for me about the Paras is because of the challenge presented, so it wouldn't make much sense to give up once a challenge WAS presented!

We didn't do the run because the snow up in Edinburgh was too thick, the track was deemed too dangerous so we did the bleep test instead. I knew once that was announced that I wouldn't do well. I wasn't feeling 100% anyway, my legs weren't feeling very strong, which wouldn't have mattered so much in the 1.5 mile run because you don't have to stop and start every few seconds. The last time I timed my 1.5 miler was at the Para Insight course where I managed 8.25.

I did pretty well in the rest of the tests though. Managed 142kg in the deadlift and managed the rest of the strength tests comfortably. The morning of the run, I felt so confident!

Back to fartlek running like mad for the next 3 weeks then!

Thanks for your reply mate,

Ben.

[paraprep1]

Back to fartlek running like mad for the next 3 weeks then!

Thanks for your reply mate,

Ben.

thats bad luck mate, i guess all the notherners will get that during winter in glencourse selection centre, iv got my adsc on the 14th of january, iv been taking my training advice off a friend who knows a para pti, he said the biggest bit of advice he recieved from the pti was to do hill sprints all the time, it helps with recovery during the run and the speed, however with the bleep test speeds not the main factor endurance is! i guess a week before you go again look at the weather reports, and prepare your best mentaly for what test you think youll get. may i ask what score you got in all your tests if thats not to intrusive!? im just curious as to how i compare to other para wannanbe recruits!

[MajorRageUK]

Sure mate, from what I remember, I got 14 pull-ups, one didn't count because my legs were still straight. Can't remember what I got on the back strength test, not sure I was given my score on that one. The jerry can walk is nothing to worry about at all. I only got 9.3 on the bleep test, but to be honest, I've never done a bleep test that had such a distance between one side and the other. It was from one side of the gym to the other, it was far shorter when I went on the Para Insight course. I think my score was maybe 5th best out of the 40 odd there.

Got 10/10 for the grenade test, it's not too difficult.

Normally I would opt for a bleep test any day before I'd choose the 1.5 miler, but not the one at glencorse. The distance is just too far! Far easier to just keep yourself ticking over on the 1.5 miler then knock yourself into a sprint for the last quarter of it than sprint, stop, sprint, stop, sprint!

[jaydub]

Failed in the bleep test. Very gutted and ashamed.

The bleep test is something that you get better at once you've done it a few times IMO, so quite unlucky to have to do that rather than the 1.5 mile run.

The test is obviously different to a straight run as you have the footwork to contend with plus you need to force yourself to slow down on the initial stages to make sure you get into a proper rhythm, etc. As a guide, my run time for 1.5 miles is 8:37 and my bleep test score is 12.2 -- hopefully when you go back it'll be the run, but can you get a bleep test practise in before then, just in case?

-Joe

[MajorRageUK]

Hi mate, thanks for your reply.

Yeah, I personally don't think it's possible to measure or estimate how fast you can run a 1.5 miler by doing a bleep test. The bleep test I did was also around the level 12 mark at the Insight Course.

I'll try and get somewhere to do a bleep test in between now and January. Problem being, Money's not flowing in it's masses at the moment, especially with Christmas around the corner, so going to the gym twice a week to do a bleep test isn't really an option, but outside, everywhere here is iced over.

I'll most likely need to stick to fartlek on the treadmill.

Take care guys and thanks for your support,

Ben.