POC Fitness

[Mitch]

Yeh sorry a minor typo!
I cna do 100 sit ups easily. I think you understood what i meant! Thanks for that.

[jay999]

Just a quick update, Im getting runs of just under 5miles in about 35minutes in trainers and I read back on the forum of people doing POC in alot less time than this. Should I have reason to worry? My POC is in 2 and a half weeks time and I'm getting paranoid my CV is not where I wanted it to be.

[fubar84]

First of all anyone reading this thread who isn't from a boarding school background, don't be put off going for your POC by some of the nonsence in this thread. The Corps Officer selection is based on your performance during POC/AIB, who you are and where you come from is not part of the selection criteria. During my POC I met all types of YO's from a guy with just A-Levels passing out in 5 months at the age of 19, to a 26 year old guy with a 1st in Classics from Cambridge Uni. The point being that they were both equally as friendly. If you go on POC and you feel that you 'don't fit' then fair play, but I would suggest that's due to insecurities within that individual rather than any kind of clique amongst the other POC candidates - you all crawl through the same shite.

Case in point is myself: I have 3 A-Levels at B,C,E. Nowhere near some of the guys you will meet (in terms of education) but also not the least qualified person there. I've never been to boarding school, and I'm from a completely average family (my dad joined the Army at 16.)

Jay999 - On POC you don't do any timed distance runs. 5 miles in 35 mins is ok. You need to make sure you factor in hill-sprints, and I hope you've been doing some longer runs 6-7 miles (not necessarily at 7min/mile pace!) in preparation for the endurance course. The need to to sprint work in the run-up to POC can't be stressed enough, alot of POC is spent breathing out of your arse in the anaerobic zone. Search the forums for more advice on sprint work, fartlek, hill work etc..

To add some info about RMFA my scores were: Press-ups 48, Sit Ups Max (80 i think), Pull-ups 12, Bleep test 11.5. My score was 280. Remember to use other scores as a guideline only. It's about your effort, not your score. There are minimums, but be assured that you are being watched and there is absolutely no room for coasters.

[Sully]

First of all anyone reading this thread who isn't from a boarding school background, don't be put off going for your POC by some of the nonsence in this thread.

Glad to hear things have changed then

[jay999]

Thanks for that Fubar made me feel a bit more comfortable. I'm certainly running 6 or 7miles. Just got back from running 6miles in wet gear about 60% up hill with stops for pressups situps burpees and pullups took me around 48minutes in total so im feeling quite happy with that.

[JCAP3]

I certainly wasnt fit enough to be at the POC but i did well in gym test 1 so that kept me in the game. I was convinced i had failed though but passed - shows you that determination DOES pay off.

You must have STRONG legs

[fubar84]

You sound like you've prepared well, but I'll repeat to (over)emphasise the scary importance of sprint training for POC. Do lots. Up hills.

Couldn't agree more with JCAP, leg strength is extremely important. Couple that with the fact that your firemans carries are pass/fail and you may have to do them imediately after the pre-assault course 45min 'warm up', the assault course individual run and finally the group effort assault course. If you've got access to a gym, squats will definately help, if not just stick with the hill sprints!

Oh yeah - good luck!

[jay999]

Yea sprints is definatley part of my programme, I'm usually doing sprints twice a week at least in sort of a circuit training fashion so sprinting up ad down a hill 5times doing pressups then 5times again situps then burpees lunges etc. Once a week like today I go to the gym and do a workout for the legs consisting of squats, hamstribng curls, calf raises followed by a 20minute session on the cross trainer keeping the legs burning throughout then later on in the day I go for a 5-7mile run depending. I also play football one night a week which usually consists of 2 40minute games of 5 a side in a night. Hopefully that kind of prep is going to get me through.

[JCAP3]

You sound like you've prepared well, but I'll repeat to (over)emphasise the scary importance of sprint training for POC. Do lots. Up hills.

Couldn't agree more with JCAP, leg strength is extremely important. Couple that with the fact that your firemans carries are pass/fail and you may have to do them imediately after the pre-assault course 45min 'warm up', the assault course individual run and finally the group effort assault course. If you've got access to a gym, squats will definately help, if not just stick with the hill sprints!

Oh yeah - good luck!

Don't forget the telegraph poles - my wee legs culd'ne take the weight!!!

[fubar84]

Don't forget the telegraph poles - my wee legs culd'ne take the weight!!!

Lol Forgot the log. Some things I guess you just blank from your memory

Jay999 - I'd say you've covered the important parts in your training all ready although obviously it's hard to say for definate, being that everybody's different ie my weakness isn't necessarily the same as yours.

My advice would be to stick to squats only for the leg exercises. Squats work all of the muscles in the legs, so by excercising the calves and hamstings on top that, without extra excercises for their opposite muscle groups (quads and anterior muscles in lower leg) there is the potential risk of developing a muscle imbalance. This could be detrimental to your running.

[Jack1988]

Fubar, where is the nonsence coming from on this thread.

If it is directed at me, the fact that i am only saying what i saw from the POC candidates, compared to my PRMC, however i will say the training staff were a great crack, i also didn't get the chance to see any YO's.

"If you go on POC and you feel that you 'don't fit' then fair play, but I would suggest that's due to insecurities within that individual rather than any kind of clique amongst the other POC candidates"

No insecurities from my side, educational wise, i have 4 A levels, all at B's(and not fake ones like media studies )Had acceptances to universites, but choice this as my path. The people i met, came across quite pompus, with a couple of exceptions.

The firemans carry aren't a pass or fail criteria in the sense that if you go over 45 seconds for the 100m you fail the course. However i couldn't say to anyone that leg strength for both power and sprint duration, isn't the most important thing, also having metal knee caps for all of them tunnels

[JCAP3]

I agree with Jack on that subject Fubar. It's nothing to do with insecurities but just being "that sort of person".

Also i'd have to agree that there were a few arrogant people on my course too and i found it was every man for himself (no encouragement heard from anyone).

[fubar84]

Of course there are going to be arrogant people on the course, but I think the candidates just reflect a fair spectrum of the people living in UK. There were pompous people on my selection too, but unlinke JCAP's experience the majority of the lads left to take on 'Black Tuesday' were all supportive of each other, with no noted exceptions. It's funny that our experiences in this aspect are almost the opposite.

The best example of this for me is being told by Colours that 'when your crawling on your belt buckles, if anyone slows you up, just f**kin' go over them.'

After completing the endurance course we were discussing that as a group, and the general consensus was that even if we'd had the energy to 'go over' the man in front we would've been more likely to shove him on or at least give him a bit of encouragement.

Having said that, one lad did 'go over' another guy, who happened to be a serving Marine on POC. The lad who did it kicked the Marine in the face on his way past. Said bloke completed the endurance course and the swimming test the day after but was failed anyway. They staff do say they see everything don't they...

@ Jack: It's a shame you didn't get to meet any YO's, was that because they were away on excercise? Perhaps meeting them would have reassured you, as it did me, that you could have fitted in.

The intentions of my original point were just to highlight the fact that anyone can make a go of becoming an RM officer if they want it enough.

Something that has become very apparent to me is that a lot of the guys that come on here looking for advice are very impressionable and easily swayed by one man's opinion. I try to always give fact when i post (admittedly I am opinionated and not always succesful at doing it )

No offence intended though, and I wish you all the best with the route you've chosen.

[JCAP3]

I have to say that i didn't get to meet any of the YOs either which was a bit of a shit. Anyway, the main reason is to gain experience before leading men.

[jay999]

Lots of good stuff here lads looks like there are a few different viewpoints. I myself am not pompus as it were. I think I am fairly well spoken but just really sound like your average person. I speak to a guy who is a serving officer in the marines he is not pompus either so thats nothing im worried about. I guess now I have decided I am going to just go full on and give it my all and see where it gets me.