Fitness for I-Day!?!?

E

Evader 53

10-Year Member
5-Year Member
Joined
Jan 24, 2009
Messages
16
Alright. As most appointees I'm sure, I'm beginning to worry that I'm not in good enough shape for BCT. I freaking strained my hip flexor and am still waiting for the thing to heal before I can start running again, and its making me really really nervous.

So, my question is; what type of stuff should we be able to do before we arrive on I-day? Current cadets please help!

I mean information like, be able to run 5 miles in 40 minutes, be able to do 100 continuous pushups, etc...

P.S. Where I live is at sea-level....
 
Well, you did the CFA, correct? Be able to do all the things in the CFA WITHOUT too much effort. If you can do that, without a lot of effort, then you will be fine. Yes, the air up here is a total BIOTCH. We don't have a lot of oxygen. And what we have, is rationed. So, either do a lot of running or a lot of swimming; or both. That is the best advice I can give. And like I said, if you can do everything on the CFA again TODAY, meaning pushups, situps, pullups, etc... then you'll be fine. later.... mike.....
 
although i'm not a swimmer, swimming gives you an all around workout. legs, arms, upper body, and it's aerobic. if you can swim often, do it. if not, then work on everything: running, pushups, PULLUPS, etc. there arent any set numbers, just be able to do a whole lot of everything. :)
 
question, hornet or hneedle- the PFA at the academy...Is it 600m or 600yrd? I think I've seen them write both, but there's a difference.
 
eh, our indoor track is weird. i dont like it; the field house has no humidity whatsoever. if you're in there for .12 minutes, you get cotton mouth, which makes the PFT suck even worse... at least for me
 
Christcorp said:
Well, you did the CFA, correct? Be able to do all the things in the CFA WITHOUT too much effort. If you can do that, without a lot of effort, then you will be fine. Yes, the air up here is a total BIOTCH. We don't have a lot of oxygen. And what we have, is rationed. So, either do a lot of running or a lot of swimming; or both. That is the best advice I can give. And like I said, if you can do everything on the CFA again TODAY, meaning pushups, situps, pullups, etc... then you'll be fine. later.... mike.....
Click to expand...

:yllol:
Ahh...where is Fred Tichanuk when I need a good bracing? :biggrin:

As I said once, quite smartly in BCT: "Sir...the reason everyone is breathing hard is because at 7,000 feet of elevation, there is less oxygen!"

:hammer:

Turned out he was either a physics type or physiology type or just knew...

"MISTER WOOD...the reason you can't breath, aside from being woefully out of physical condition (remember, I lived at USAFA 5 years PRIOR to BCT...I was fine) is that the partial pressure of the air at elevation is not high enough to allow enough oxygen to pass across the semipermeable membrane of the lungs! We have the same oxygen here as at sea level...it's the PRESSURE that's different...and I will endeavor to help you with that by ADDING pressure!!!"

So for some reason I've remembered that, or at least pretty close...and will NEVER forget Fred Tichanuk, Class of 1981. He actually was a great guy!!

So beware those of you about to head to BCT...words can burn you!
 
You are most definitely correct. It isn't actually the amount of available oxygen. But rather the amount of oxygen getting to the brain through the lungs. But either way you look at it, if you aren't use to it, it can definitely make breathing a bit difficult. How your body adapts in beyond my medical degree. (My medical degree consists of "Playing Doctor". LOL!!) mike....
 
Don't freak out, they will put you in the shape they want you in :)
 
Yep...

And besides, it'll only take your body something like 23 days to produce the "extra" red blood cells to compensate.

Until then...as CC said: "RUN, RUN, do pushups/pullups/situps...then RUN some more!!!''
 
I heard it has to do something with the amount of hemoglobin cells. People at sea level have fewer of them so the body has to work extra hard to get those to work? Also, swimming, apparently helps increase the amount of hemoglobin. which is why a lot of swimmers, even from sea level, aren't hit so hard with the altitude...
 
No such thing as "hemoglobin cells." You are referring to what flieger just mentioned. The body (for the average male) will usually produce an additional unit (pint) of blood at altitude to compenstate for the lower partial pressure of oxygen. So you have 7 instead of 6 pints in your body. Red blood cells (erythrocytes) carry oxygen due to the hemoglobin they contain.
 
hornetguy said:
No such thing as "hemoglobin cells." You are referring to what flieger just mentioned. The body (for the average male) will usually produce an additional unit (pint) of blood at altitude to compenstate for the lower partial pressure of oxygen. So you have 7 instead of 6 pints in your body. Red blood cells (erythrocytes) carry oxygen due to the hemoglobin they contain.
Click to expand...

thats why he is going to be a doc........
 
hornetguy said:
No such thing as "hemoglobin cells." You are referring to what flieger just mentioned. The body (for the average male) will usually produce an additional unit (pint) of blood at altitude to compenstate for the lower partial pressure of oxygen. So you have 7 instead of 6 pints in your body. Red blood cells (erythrocytes) carry oxygen due to the hemoglobin they contain.
Click to expand...

I'm just curious, when you go back to sea level does that pint go away or is it permanent?
 
It will eventually go away. Remember, your cells are always cycling which is an advantage because you can adapt to new climates that way. When you return to sea level, your bone marrow will down regulate production until you reach the normal again as the old cells die.
 
A lot of athletes would do blood doping to increase RBC and enhance their performance. I remember when I left the Rocky Mountains and got assigned to Soesterberg Air Base, Netherlands. I went from 6500 ft to NEGATIVE -45 feet below see level. For about 6 months I could probably out run just about everyone on the base.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top