[shantz51]

Hey.

I am 21 and have been unemployed for about 3 months (laid off) and can't find any work. My uncle was in the Navy a long time ago and suggested that I join. I looked at the Navy website and am seriously considering it. The only problem is that I am inactive and overweight. Do you need to be in shape before you apply?

If no, great. If yes, what areas of fitness/strength are focused on the most? Are there any nutritional/fitness regiments you would recommend? I really can't afford a personal trainer right now so any and all advice would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Ryan.

[RUEZ]

Every one I know that joined did extensive physical preperation before they left for basic. I'm sure not everyone that goes does that but it sure helps. You do have to pass a physical fitness test before you're accepted I believe.

[Gunnair]

shantz51 wrote:

Hey.

I am 21 and have been unemployed for about 3 months (laid off) and can't find any work. My uncle was in the Navy a long time ago and suggested that I join. I looked at the Navy website and am seriously considering it. The only problem is that I am inactive and overweight. Do you need to be in shape before you apply?

If no, great. If yes, what areas of fitness/strength are focused on the most? Are there any nutritional/fitness regiments you would recommend? I really can't afford a personal trainer right now so any and all advice would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Ryan.

Eat less, lose weight, and start running.

No fancy diets, fitness routines, or anything else. Before you hit the RCN you hit basic training and there you run... lots. If you're serious, go to the recuiting centre soonest as there are not a lot of trades open and you'd best get your name in the door. If you are still serious, start exercising or your time in basic will be short lived and embarassing.

[Guy_Fawkes]

I concour with the rest here, easiest thing you can do right is change your eating habits cut out all junk and fast food. When you go into recruiting they will give you a list of the benchmark you need to make (it is also available on the recruiting web site). My two cents are this, start off with cardio. Do long walks, at least 5K, time yourself and work on beating that time each time you go out. When you feel you are able to run 5K without issue start increasing the distance. Your goal should be to do 10K within at least an hour. It's not a terribly high benchmark but at is the LEAST you should have before going to basic. Strength is not something that has much focus in basic, as long as you can push out at least 15 pushups before going in Basic. Situps should be the last thing you focus on, have someone hold your feet or put them under the couch and do 3 sets of as many as you can. Good Luck.

[ShepherdsDog]

Quote:

Eat less, lose weight, and start running.

Once you are there your eating habits really change. Then you can eat enough for two people and still lose weight. We always had candy squirrelled away in our lochers and on our person. It's when you leave basic, that you really have to be careful about readjusting your diet to your activity level...especially in the Navy. We had a hydra gym just off the mortar well on the Yukon, and it was needed. There were lots of big eaters and waist lines on the ship(especially POs and up).

[Gunnair]

ShepherdsDog wrote:

Quote:

Eat less, lose weight, and start running.

Once you are there your eating habits really change. Then you can eat enough for two people and still lose weight. We always had candy squirrelled away in our lochers and on our person. It's when you leave basic, that you really have to be careful about readjusting your diet to your activity level...especially in the Navy. We had a hydra gym just off the mortar well on the Yukon, and it was needed. There were lots of big eaters and waist lines on the ship(especially POs and up).

Mortar Well on YUKON - holy!

[ShepherdsDog]

Those who enlisted only a year later should not throw their walkers in glass houses.

[ginger]

I just graduated from basic a week ago, and I will tell you that it is physically demanding. To ensure that you are in the right physical shape, download the shuttle run and make sure that you can easily run until level 6.0, and that you can do at least 19 military push ups and sit-ups. That is the standard test that you will do when you arrive. We lost 4 people in the first week because they were not successful. However, depending on your level, if you're not successful, they may still put you on a warrior platoon, which is a platoon that gets you into shape before being put on a real platoon for training. Just make things easy for yourself and get in shape. Everyone says that they wish they were in better shape before starting basic. I encourage you to apply (even if it's Navy, as I am Army). The application pprocess may be lengthy, so you have time to join a gym and get in shape.

[Gunnair]

ShepherdsDog wrote:

Those who enlisted only a year later should not throw their walkers in glass houses.

You being a YUKON plank owner, I think your math is a bit off.

[Brenda]

ginger wrote:

I just graduated from basic

Congrats

[Freakinoldguy]

ShepherdsDog wrote:

Quote:

Eat less, lose weight, and start running.

Once you are there your eating habits really change. Then you can eat enough for two people and still lose weight. We always had candy squirrelled away in our lochers and on our person. It's when you leave basic, that you really have to be careful about readjusting your diet to your activity level...especially in the Navy. We had a hydra gym just off the mortar well on the Yukon, and it was needed. There were lots of big eaters and waist lines on the ship(especially POs and up).

It's a good thing that the rest of us in 4 Squadron were physically fit paragons of virtue.

Actually I shouldn't say that. Remember the big push in the 80's for BMI. Well we actually had a guy get stuck in the escape hatch from the After Seamans washroom and yet he had passed his BMI test.

[ShepherdsDog]

Gunnair wrote:

ShepherdsDog wrote:

Those who enlisted only a year later should not throw their walkers in glass houses.

You being a YUKON plank owner, I think your math is a bit off.

You're at most two years younger....then again MacDonald years versus people years could play a role in the equation..no algebreka involved in the math.

Quote:

Actually I shouldn't say that. Remember the big push in the 80's for BMI. Well we actually had a guy get stuck in the escape hatch from the After Seamans washroom and yet he had passed his BMI test.

Even in Cornwallis we had this MS samson, who was a porker. He was a chain smoker as well. he barely scraped through his PT assessment.