Marine Corps boot camp provides the initial training for recruits. In addition to elements of training related to weapons training and battle tactics, boot camp also provides rigorous physical training (PT). The fitness of recruits is judges by three components of the Physical Fitness Test. For both male and female recruits, there is a timed abdominal crunch test and a timed three-mile run. For male recruits, there is a pull-up test, while for female recruits, there is a flexed-arm hang test.
Aerobics
Aerobic exercises such as bicycle training, both stationary and on-the-road bikes, help improve the cardio-vascular system, which in turn helps recruits successfully complete the three-mile run. Jogging should also be included. Find a three-mile course by using the track at a nearby school or by using a pedometer to lay out a three-mile course. Recruits must be able to run the three miles within a time limit in order to pass the PT test. The time limit varies with age and gender, from twenty-eight minutes for younger male recruits and thirty-one minutes for younger female recruits to thirty-three minutes for older male recruits and thirty-six minutes for older female recruits. Jogging is ultimately the best way to prepare for the running portion of the PT test.
Pull-Ups and Hanging
Performing pull-ups on a pull-up bar is a good exercise for male future recruits to prepare for boot camp. Hanging from the bar while keeping elbows flexed is a good exercise for female future recruits to prepare for boot camp. Males should perform as many pull-ups as possible in one set, keeping tension on the arm muscles while lowering the body instead of simply dropping to the down position. After a waiting period to recover, the future male recruit can repeat the exercise. Three sets of pull-ups help to build strength and stamina in preparation for the PT test. Females should also perform three sets, including the rest recovery periods, and hang from the pull-up bar for as long as possible each time.
Crunches
A crunch is another name for a sit-up. Crunches are part of the PT test for both male and female recruits. This is a timed test with the score being the number of crunches that can be completed in a two-minute period. Sit-ups, or crunches, help prepare future recruits for this portion of the PT test. Three sets with recovery periods will help build the abdominal strength to successfully complete the PT test. A modification to this exercise is to reach the left elbow to outside the right knee when in the up position and then reaching the right elbow outside the left knee for the next up position. Alternating left to right helps build abdominal strength.
About this Author
Doug Hewitt has been writing for 20 years and has a Master of Arts from UNC-Greensboro. He authored the book The Practical Guide to Weekend Parenting, which includes health and fitness hints for parents. He and his wife, Robin, are co-authors of the Free College Resource Book.
