Jake_the_Snake

iTrader: (5)

need some advice on increasing overall endurance. ran a mile today but was huffing and puffing and really had to push myself to finish it. haven't really run since high school track and that was 5 years ago, and even then i was a sprinter. i'd like to be able to run at least 5 miles and i understand that its gonna take alot of work and time to achieve this, but was curious if anyone had some pointers on the best way to train. i know theres alot of military in here, i know yall are good at running lol. share your secrets!

whatsa347

iTrader: (6)

Just keep running, only way to build endurance is to train and push yourself.

Ballerado

iTrader: (15)

Yeah, I used to be stationed at Fort Bragg. Running was our life it seemed like. If you want a military pointer, have someone force you to run! haha. But really, you just have to keep at it. And once you start, dont let up. Once you encounter pain (side cramps, shin splints etc) it seems like if you just keep rolling with it, that **** will numb out or dissapear. It sounds dreadful, and well sometimes it is. Keep a slow, steady constant pace. Unlike being in the military, you have to option to choose your running surroundings. Find somewhere that your eyes and mind can stay busy. Once you start to focus purely on how much further you have, or "damn, Ive only gone XX distance" your done. Each step will seem rediculous than the last. Your body and lungs will tell you that youre the biggest ******* in your begining stages, but do it constantly and long enough and it becomes a breeze. Good luck getting yourself back out there. I told myself and my company commander before I got out that the only running I'll ever do when I get out of the service is to avoid cops and beer runs. (I mainly said it because I knew it would **** him of and he thought running was like the number one priority over anything)

Ballerado

iTrader: (15)

Also, control your breathing, try to take nice long strides, and make sure you are using your body motion to your advantage and not against you. Pretty much keep your arms rocking in motion and just keep it natural.

ls1n00b

iTrader: (14)

an mp3 player with some rage against the machine or whatever helps alot for the motivation when it gets tough!

Jake_the_Snake

iTrader: (5)

yupp, pretty much lol. the military is more or less why i want/need to get back into it since im looking into enlisting after i graduate. i was able to eke out an 8:25, which is decent for a beginner i guess but not where i want to be as far as speed, and definitely far below what i'll need as far as endurance. pathetic seeing as i ran well into the 6's back in 8th grade lol. thanks for the advice though, guess i'll just have to keep on keepin on till i get it right

westtexasbuff

iTrader: (40)

What are your goals, or why are you wanting to gain endurance? Is it for a competition, or to lose weight? Really, the only way you're going to gain endurance is by running more, and more often, there's no way around it. Sucks at first, but your body will get used to it

If you're wanting to burn fat, then running or jogging for long periods of time is not the way to do it (well you will still burn fat, but a lot slower than with other methods). I have tested out lots of cardio exercises (I've lost close to 60lbs in the last 8 months) and I've found that HIIT(High Intensity Interval Training) works the best for my body. Basically when you do a cardio session at the same pace for an extended period of time, your body goes into what is called steady state. This means that your body has adjusted itself to the speed you are going and tries to conserve energy (calories). You avoid this and burn more calories and FAT by doing interval training.

This is one of the HIIT exercises I do:
Minutes 1-4 (Warm-Up)
Jog at about 50% effort

Minutes 5-6 (Workout Interval 1)
Sprint 1 minute at maximum effort Jog/Walk 1 minute

Minutes 7-8 (Workout Interval 2)
Sprint 1 minute at maximum effort Jog/Walk 1 minute

Minutes 9-10 (Workout Interval 3)
Sprint 1 minute at maximum effort Jog/Walk 1 minute

Minutes 11-12 (Workout Interval 4)
Sprint 1 minute at maximum effort Jog/Walk 1 minute

Minutes 13-16 (Cool-Down)
Jog at about 50% effort

Check out bodybuilding.com, that's where I get all my exercises and diet plans from.

Ballerado

iTrader: (15)

West texas is right. We had plenty of people who could belt out 6 mile runs like it was no big deal, but when it came to do something along the lines of "last man up" or when you sprint from one light pole to the next alternating between every other set, these dudes couldent hang. Honestly if you are doing it for military purposes, your longer runs will be at a pretty slow pace. Its the shorter runs you have to worry about being quicker on your toes. Of course through basic and AIT you will be split into groups according to your ability, but trust me, if you arent top notch to start off with, you eventually will be. I went in never running a day in my life. By the time I got to Bragg I would knock my 2 mile for the PT test out in 10 min. Of course, I was in Fort Huachuca for 6 months for AIT, and running at that high elevation really helped out once you got back down to sea level.

Jake_the_Snake

iTrader: (5)

^ not really trying to lose weight. if anything im trying to gain it lol. back when i used to run decent miles i prob weighed around 120-135 lbs back towards the end of primary school and probably until my senior year in high school. now, im about 175 right at 6'0'' so im thinking some of the extra weight has alot to do with it. ive focused too much on weights and such and severely neglected running. i did some cardio, but im talking 20 mins on a bike lol.

i could probably burn a little fat, but the main reason is to pass military pft if i choose to go that route. not sure yet, but i figured i need to start training now just in case, and i could probably use it anyway lol. i know the only way to get better is to keep running. just wasnt sure if anybody had a good routine. yours looks pretty good, might give it a shot when i hit the track again on thursday.

Quick

How strange... I just started running again yesterday. Prior military but has been years since I have been in good shape. Thought I could do 2 miles, but only lasted 1.

brian_rs/ss

power lifting>running.

i might even fail my next PFT because all i'v been doing is lifting. but i look 10 times better than i did when all i did was cardio. not to mention being 10 times stronger. srsly **** running. the most i will ever do is about 10 minutes on the treadmill on my days off from lifting.



oh and if it's body fat that you're worried about, i'm about to drop into single digits. might have already gotten there, haven't measured it in a few months. but i'v been clean bulking this whole time, gained 15lb's and dropped bf%.

VinR1

iTrader: (17)

run until you can't run any more... the next day, run a little further

repeat as necessary


I've got some of my old squad leader's cadence I recorded and listen to while I run... **** helps

redz_02

iTrader: (4)

What helps me is my Doberman. Guy loves to run and is pretty much my pace setter. Also helps that Austin is full of outside trails.

I also recommend good shoes. Sucks but cheaper shoes are usually a crap ton heavier. Used to always wear Nike's but after my first pair of Asics that's all I buy for running.

Weight wise you can step back and focus more on your core. Also endurance weight training doing things such as supersets help with weight control. I still go heavy on a number of sets. I'm 6'1" and weigh about 205 and do 15 miles a week in cardio.

FYI, I wouldn't eliminate your weight training as resistance training is great when mixed with proper cardio.

TechCam97

iTrader: (5)

Are you wanting to go the OCS route? If so, a 270 is the minimum PT score to get through OCS. I'm in the same boat right now, trying to get back into running so that I won't die during basic, haha! I know that I'm going to be picked out of the crowd since I'm going 09S, so I want to be in halfway decent shape when I get there. Couch-to-5k has a pretty good running routine. You can also check out hundredpushups.com and twohundredsitups.com to help out with those.

Jake_the_Snake

iTrader: (5)

well, i was thinking about it for a while, but i dont plan on making a career out of the military so i think i may just enlist, do my time, and get out. plus, i'd like to choose my rating/mos before i sign the contract, which i hear you cannot do with a commission per se. was looking at the marine corps for the longest time, but they dont offer loan repayment, which is definitely a maker or breaker for me since i owe an assload of money. right now its a tossup between the army and the navy, but they both have restrictions as to what i can and cannot do in order to take advantage of the program. when i get closer to graduating i'll visit a recruiter and check them out. in the meantime, i'll just keep training and hopefully by december i'll surpass my goals. thanks for the links btw!

TechCam97

iTrader: (5)

For the SLRP (which I'm utilizing as well) the Army and Navy offer up to $65k for repayment. You have to go enlisted and you have to go to a critical MOS. I'm going Army National Guard for two reasons; 1.) They offer the SLRP for up to $50k and you can still go Officer. 2.) The commission is transferable to active duty, so when my time is up in the guard I can go active duty if I find an open slot. I like this better since I'm going in as a single dad and don't want to give up custody of my kids. There is a reason the state of Texas gave me custody and not the mother, so you can imagine how ****ed up the situation is. Anywho, I can't go active duty right off the bat since I'd have to sign over custody of my children and I just won't do that.

As for officer branch selection, it has a lot to do with your asvab scores, your performance during basic and OCS, and the needs of the military when you graduate. For the National Guard things can go a bit different. I can ask to be assigned with a certain unit for my weekends before I ship to boot and they can request me for an open LT slot. I know guys who have done this to get the branch that they want. It's still subjective to the needs of the military, but it usually gets you the branch you want.

TechCam97

iTrader: (5)

Oh, and I feel you on the student loan debt. I'm $70k in debt....

RedBaron

iTrader: (2)

Here's what my brother and I did to be able to run 3 miles in 18 minutes for our PFT, it may not seem that fast for a runner but we both weigh in at over 205 pounds:

Run for 6 min at 10.1 mph at no incline for one week 4 times a week. Add 30 secs and go up in incline the next week, but keep speed the same. Keep adding 30 sec and incl each week. Once you get up to running 12 min at 10.1 mph then only do it 2 times a week and the other 2 days do eliptical or bike for 30+ min each day. Add time and diffficulty each week to bike and eliptical as well. If you dont have time to do the long work outs then do mile sprint as fast as you can for that day. Once you get up to 4 miles in 24 mins just do that workout once a week, and focus on just doing sprints and long distance the other days.

Jake_the_Snake

iTrader: (5)

interesting idea. i actually tried one of those fartlek runs the other day and it whooped my ***, but i managed 2 miles with a small break in between cuz i got dehydrated. next week im gonna try that couch to 5k training that techcam97 posted and see how that goes. thanks for the reply, ill prob give it a shot in a week or so

cookba

iTrader: (10)

^^ really good workout routine RedBaron!

Also, you should not run when you are in actual pain ie shin splints, stress fractures etc. For one that could cause you to be denied enlistment at MEPS or it will come back while in boot camp or OCS and you will be separated. And for those already active, you can be med sep'd for continuous shin splints or stress fractures. Its not worth it. Train right. Good shoes and insoles are key especially if you haven't ran in a while and know what shoes work with your feet.

If you are training to run 3 miles, don't incorporate 6 mile runs in your routine. Dont go passed 4 miles. Otherwise, you will subconsciously slow yourself down by holding in energy and slowing your breathing pattern down more than if you were running for half the distance at max bore (great advice by a previous bare foot running SgtMaj).