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Okay, so I have to get in shape for what's apparently the most physically demanding job in the Australia Defense Force (and probably Australia) - Clearance Diver. I have three months before initial training begins. The first third is study (passing tests and stuff), then I have to go through Hell Week (which is ironically enough 12 days long). That's the physical side of it, to test my skills.
I have to go through sleep deprevation and train like crazy, which means I need to get as in shape as possible in just three months. Now stamina and whatever is no problem. Running is my thing. But I need advice to build upper body strength and increase those heart-lung-oxygen things Grant Hackett and Lance Armstrong have, if it's at all possible.
I'll clean this up if anyone can work out what the heck I'm talking about, cause yeah, I don't know what half these things are called, unfortunately. Posts: 1138 | Registered: Nov 2005
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Yeah you'd think between the four of us we'd be able to figure out a couple of sports terms. But sadly no.
Posts: 1138 | Registered: Nov 2005
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Based on its length, I can see why they call it Hell Week. Maybe it wouldn't be so harshly named if we had a name for 12 days.
Unfortunately, though, the only experience I have with clearance anything is when I go clothes shopping. Looks like you four are going to have to tough this one out on your own, unless somebody else responds to your thread. Sorry!
Posts: 5957 | Registered: Oct 2001
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Well if no-one cares I'll just keeping bumping it for the next three months. At least then it'll look like people care.
Posts: 1138 | Registered: Nov 2005
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There'll be plenty of guys giving plenty of advice on-line later. Right now, it's well after midnight in America, and pretty boys need their beauty rest.
Posts: 8501 | Registered: Jul 2001
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Cycling. Not brilliant for the upper body strength, but will hammer your heart / lung fitness into shape. I'd recommend getting your hands on a bike and a wind trainer (sort of a treadmill thingy for bikes. Here's an example ) which enables you to park yourself in front of a DVD or crank up your stereo and just go for it.
Similar but slightly different, a lot of gyms offer Spinning Classes which will also greatly improve your cardio fitness.
Also, if getting into a gym is possible, then get onto a Rowing Ergo Machine for one of the best upper body, cardio workouts there is. (Make sure you get someone trained to show you the proper technique if you haven't used one before, otherwise you can really stuff your back up)
Also, (and probably this is obvious, but what the heck) Get yourself out and join a swimming club. You can take out social membership or training membership at most Australian clubs, which gets you access to coaching. Then go to the 0600 training session every day of the week. This has the added bonus of getting you used to the sleep deprivation side of the training
The reason I'd suggest joining a club (even if it's just for a couple of months before Hell week) is because I find the motivation of swimming with others makes an *enormous* diffence motivationally and physically. Swimming alone is good, but there's often little or no reason to *really push* yourself, which, by the sound of it, you'll need to do in a big way.
Hope some of that's of some use. I used to do Triathlon fairly seriously, and these were the best ways I knew to maintain my Cardio Fitness. Most of them are easily do-able anywhere in Aust. Where about are you based?
Cheers tony
PS: Love the thread title Posts: 466 | Registered: Sep 2003
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Excellent, we have all those things at my gym, but I never find them at the harder resistances. I'd thought they weren't for intensity training. We have a swimming pool too, and possibly groups. I'd once done swimming lessons (non-school) and they'd costed far too much so most of my swimming ability is what I learned from my friends, and more recently, at Navy Cadets. But I'm not the kind of guy who could do triathlon level swimming (yet), so not so sure if I'd fit into a swimming club.
Now, what's this thing about cold air (and cold water?) training?
Posts: 1138 | Registered: Nov 2005
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I second the swimming recommendation, but running is better than cycling for cardiovascular fitness (IMO). Though combining the two would be even better.
Since the main goal of the military training is strength and endurance, not power, I'd confine most of my upper body exercises to bodyweight exercises. Pushups, pullups, and dips should be the bulk of what you're doing. Start out with whatever you can do, 3 sets to failure of each 3-5 times a week and try to improve each week.
You should be able to find what's expected of you online somewhere; use that as your goal.
Posts: 5462 | Registered: Apr 2005
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If you live near a beach with some sand, go do a few laps through that. Shallow water is even tougher.
If you live closer to some high-altitude areas, go up a mountain and work out there. The thinner air will really give your lungs a workout.
I second the pushups, pullups and dips. I'd also reccomend reverse-pushups; start like a regular pushup and lower yourself as slowly as possible, raise yourself, start again.
Don't neglect the abs though. A strong core is important. A great ab exercise is to lie on the ground face up, with a partner standing at your head, facing your feet. Keeping your knees locked, lift your legs up and have your partner through your feet down. Don't let your feet touch the ground, then repeat. Hold on to your partner's ankles for stabalization, and have him/her through your legs at different angles to work out your obliques also.
For shoulders, I like shrugs. Hold something heavy in either hand and...shrug. Back support is important for this one though. Rolling your shoulders around in circles front to back is very effective for me, but other people have told me they find it painful.
Good luck with your training!
Posts: 2907 | Registered: Nov 2005
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quote:If you live near a beach with some sand, go do a few laps through that. Shallow water is even tougher.
Oh yeah, should have thought of that. Beach running and dune climbs. Most Australian Beaches have perfect soft sand for this, and if you can find a couple of dunes, then that's even better.
quote:we have all those things at my gym, but I never find them at the harder resistances.
Generally speaking, for improved cardio fitness, you need to be thinking longer sessions at lower resistance. Find something you like and just 'get into the groove' of it for a while. Start with half an hour and move up from there. This is where the Rowing Ergos are *particularly* useful, I find.
Posts: 466 | Registered: Sep 2003
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Originally Posted by cherios do ender: "Okay, so I have to get in shape for what's apparently the most physically demanding job in the Australia Defense Force "
If we were really the same person then this would not be necessary. Because I am in top physical form. Yet another piece showing that I am not you.
posted
When I was training for basic....uhhh...training, I did mostly push-ups. Sets of twenty-five as far as I could go past muscle failure. Near the end I had pushed my reps up to 50 and my total up to 250ish. If you do it when you're bored (and I was bored a lot) about every other day for about 1.5 mos, you should be more than good to go. Bench pressing makes push-ups easier too.
Posts: 1156 | Registered: Jan 2004
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I recommend push-ups and pull-ups every other day. And every other time you do the work-out, integrate the push-ups and pull-ups in your cario training (whether it is running, swimming, sprints, etc.) - for example, do an 1/8 mile sprint, then drop and do 25 push ups, then sprint again. On the other days, do your push-up and pull-up routine alone.
When you do your push-ups, do them in different ways. Do some sets like normal. Do some with your feet elevanted (on a bench). Do some fast. Do some slow. Mixing it up is key. When you do pull-ups, if you are not used to doing them, start with a chair beneath your legs to give you some assistance when you get tired.
Also, do stomach exercises every day - lots of crunches and other stomach exercises - which you can do with dumbells and weights. A strong stomach will help significantly for your other strength and cardio training.
Between push-ups, pull-ups and stomach exercises (sometimes integrated in the cardio workout), you should have yourself covered for both upper body strength and cardio-vascular development.
[ February 17, 2006, 03:24 PM: Message edited by: David G ]
Posts: 195 | Registered: Nov 2005
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Well then, apparently only part of him is in shape, or as one persona stated, "top physical form."
Posts: 1256 | Registered: May 2005
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This is why I ask hatrack, and only hatrack, for advice, as far as web forums go. Besides the fact that this is where all the more civil web lurkers are, the advice is actually written in such a way that I can directly copy parts of it into Microsoft Word and not get hassled by its grammar/spelling/etc. checker.
So we're all agreed the four of us are Australian? I mean, besides those crazy other three of me; can't trust them as far as I can throw them.
[ February 17, 2006, 11:46 PM: Message edited by: cheiros do ender ]
Posts: 1138 | Registered: Nov 2005
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I AM AN AMERICAN!!!!!! THE FARTHEST I HAVE EVER GONE FROM THE STATES IS MEXICO!!!!!
AN I HATE AUSTRALIA!!! THE ENTIRE CONTENENT IS FILLED WITH THE DECENDENTS OF CRIMINALS (and giant rodents)!!!!
Posts: 1941 | Registered: Dec 2005
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I suppose we should take your post as proof, yet again, that you're not Australian. Ah yes, I've seen the light now, how could I ever have been so ignorant. Posts: 1138 | Registered: Nov 2005
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....Hmm let me see, well as for the giant rodents I hear that there are places in Australia actually eat Kangaroos. And as for the criminals, well its true. And why should I be afraid? I live in AMERICA! Where I need never fear pathetic descendants of weak willed criminals. (if your ancesters had any balls they would have killed the crews of the ships that brought them to your crappy continent) Posts: 1941 | Registered: Dec 2005
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One minute you have a problem with them, the next you think it's wrong that we eat them? Pfft.
Posts: 1138 | Registered: Nov 2005
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Just because I hate them doesn't mean you should be eating them, I mean THEY'RE GIANT RODENTS FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!!!!
Posts: 1941 | Registered: Dec 2005
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grow it. eat it with every meal. snort it if you have to. Emulsify! Infuse it. Shaving cream, shampoos, body-wash, do whatever you havetodo, its the good stuff..
mint leaves a body tonic.
Posts: 351 | Registered: Jan 2006
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- Clearance Diver. I have three months before initial training begins. The first third is study (passing tests and stuff), then I have to go through Hell Week (which is ironically enough 12 days long). That's the physical side of it, to test my skills.
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@ thread title![[Razz]](tongue.gif)
Looks like you four are going to have to tough this one out on your own, unless somebody else responds to your thread. Sorry!
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