Getting in shape

Navylax12 and MikeC, this is a great help. Thank you. So let the questions begin.
Do you know who the Cid looks at applicants that have a GPA of around a 2.99 to 3.01 but also have extras like Eagle Scout, and Class President? I know it may be the same old "well they like leadership ability" and I have metioned to my admissions officer those items during an interview while down at the Cid, but do you think they place a higher priority on great leadership ability and doing okay - good grade wise more than just great grade wise? Might be a silly question but...

Thanks again,
USMC 2012
 
USMC 2012 said:
Navylax12 and MikeC, this is a great help. Thank you. So let the questions begin.
Do you know who the Cid looks at applicants that have a GPA of around a 2.99 to 3.01 but also have extras like Eagle Scout, and Class President? I know it may be the same old "well they like leadership ability" and I have metioned to my admissions officer those items during an interview while down at the Cid, but do you think they place a higher priority on great leadership ability and doing okay - good grade wise more than just great grade wise? Might be a silly question but...

Thanks again,
USMC 2012
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Here is some stats that will probably map out a pretty good picture of where to be GPA wise (courtesy of the collegeboard)

Average GPAs of 1st year students currently at The Citadel:

26% had h.s. GPA of 3.75 and higher
15% had h.s. GPA between 3.5 and 3.74
15% had h.s. GPA between 3.25 and 3.49
19% had h.s. GPA between 3.0 and 3.24
22% had h.s. GPA between 2.5 and 2.99
3% had h.s. GPA between 2.0 and 2.49

Average Class placement in HS:

11% in top 10th of graduating class
35% in top quarter of graduating class
69% in top half of graduating class

Hopefully this portrait should help you get a better map of where you should be. Obviously these stats are out-dated by three years but it still should help.

With EC's, of course if you have credentials that include leadership experience will be a plus. Class president and scouts will help you stand out to an admissions officer. As for your question regarding grades, I cant really give you a reliable answer because I am not an admissions officer. I can only say out of opinion that the better your grades, gpa, and test scores are, the better off you will be when they review your app. Keep em' coming...!
 
Fengawr said:
One of the things I want to start doing, is putting a pull up bar on the door of my room. Whenever I enter my room, or when I leave it, I have to do as many pull-ups as I can. If you do this every time you enter or leave it, you can be do quite a lot of pull-ups a day, which could help tons.
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This is a good method, but make sure you don't get lazy about it. This is admittedly easier said than done. :smile:

It's easy to get into bad habits--jumping to help you get the first pullup, failing to go down all the way between reps, etc.--since stopping to do pullups will slow you down as you just try to do daily tasks.
 
This is what I am doing to get in shape for VMI:

Im a swimmer so every other day I try to hit the pool and swim anywhere from 1-2 miles on my own.

For basic calisthenics-
Pushups: alternate odd and even days doing 200 pushups each day. On odd days i do 200 throughout the course of the day. On even days I do them in as few sets as possible.
situps: 3 sets of max reps (about 3x50 at the moment)
Pullups: still cant do them, so I do a few negatives
I do about 40 4-count flutter kicks, 40 squats, and occasionally lunges.

My weakest area is the run. If anyone has any advice, itd be much appreciated!
 
Get two pair of decent running shoes and alternate them. Work on endurance before you work on speed. Work runs into your routine 5-6 days of the week.
 
The VMI Phys Ed department has put togher this program to help you get ready for the VFT- I would supplement this with a lot of running:3-5 miles 4x/week would be my suggestion. It won't kill you and you may discover after a few weeks that it is rather addicting.
good luck and work hard on your PT and chill out on the rest from now to matriculation day:wink:
 
bruno said:
The VMI Phys Ed department has put togher this program to help you get ready for the VFT- I would supplement this with a lot of running:3-5 miles 4x/week would be my suggestion. It won't kill you and you may discover after a few weeks that it is rather addicting.
good luck and work hard on your PT and chill out on the rest from now to matriculation day:wink:
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Bruno. Do think that amt of running is really enough? Youll need speed work too The vft wants a max of 8:30 for 1.5 miles. Min is 12:30 Not to mention 20 pull ups and 95 crunches. This is quite challenging
 
bruno said:
The VMI Phys Ed department has put togher this program to help you get ready for the VFT- I would supplement this with a lot of running:3-5 miles 4x/week would be my suggestion. It won't kill you and you may discover after a few weeks that it is rather addicting.
good luck and work hard on your PT and chill out on the rest from now to matriculation day:wink:
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Bruno if DS comes in to STP able to do the minimums for the VFT (at least), will the preparation he gets there be enough? Will they stress the importance of continuing running etc until matriculation? He runs a few days a week(2 or 3) now but he is not fast. I know he can run 2-3 miles at about an 8+ min pace and he can pull off 7-8 good pull ups. Sit ups won't be an issue for him at all. He has let his gym time slide completely with the business of finishing up HS, and when I try to encourage him to get at it more I get the typical "I will be fine Mom" attitude. I think he is planning on STP being the "start date" to getting serious. Maybe he will be okay, but I admit I am concerned that although he is fit, he isn't going to make a 5 mile run unless someone is dragging him by the belt. Some things he pushes himself and needs no motivation.....Running is not one of those things. I feel like I am a nag. DH told me to not worry so much, that he may have to learn this one the hard way. I just don't want to get a phone call before the first week is over because he can't keep up. He has been informed that quitting is not an option. We have all put a lot of effort into him having this opportunity, and the physical aspect of VMI seems more daunting than the academics for him.(My perspective). There seems to be a lot of people on here that talk about what they can do on their PT tests;(I ran for years and the only 5 min mile I ever did was on a bicycle :)...many of which will leave him in their dust so to speak, yet compared to the kids in his class he is really fit. Just wondering if my concern is valid, at which point I will listen to my DH and not say a word anymore and place his running shoes on top of his toothpaste every morning :) Thanks
 
He'll get to improve his pt scores as they have a regular PT program while there, and additionally will have plenty of time and company for PTing on his own while at STP.
 
bruno said:
He'll get to improve his pt scores as they have a regular PT program while there, and additionally will have plenty of time and company for PTing on his own while at STP.
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:thumb: Thanks.
 
pennak said:
DS is trying to max the vft by aug 20 Happen often? Does anyone expect that?
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That is awesome that he is trying for that:thumb: Hope you don't mind me butting in on your question but do you know or can anyone tell me...does the VFT affect your gpa as a Phys Ed grade? DS is all about grades and that would be a big motivator to push him.

Also they need to bring a mouth guard.. top & bottom? And will whatever I can get at the local sporting goods store, will that be good enough?
 
Kate, if you are a USA club swimmer you know your fitness level is far above most! My swimmer started running ( reporting to KP class of 2015) and dropped back on training in the pool to three days a week. And yes, now he actually does like running, maybe a little obsessively. You swimmers are beasts! :cool:
 
Lynpar, haha. Swimmers are a little crazy anyways, though. And I have taken up running everyday now. Its not too bad once I got in the habit. :)
 
bjkuds said:
That is awesome that he is trying for that:thumb: Hope you don't mind me butting in on your question but do you know or can anyone tell me...does the VFT affect your gpa as a Phys Ed grade? DS is all about grades and that would be a big motivator to push him.

Also they need to bring a mouth guard.. top & bottom? And will whatever I can get at the local sporting goods store, will that be good enough?
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I think the vft is indeed a grade in PE. The mouth guard s for boxing I think. Boxing is mandatory!? So whatever is good for that
 
pennak said:
I think the vft is indeed a grade in PE. The mouth guard s for boxing I think. Boxing is mandatory!? So whatever is good for that
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Great...the GPA maker in HS becomes the GPA wrecking ball at VMI. Hopefully he will survive the boxing and wrestling classes. He has perfect teeth and I hope they stay that way:biggrin:
 
Our experience was that the mouth guard was indeed for boxing - there are several PE classes that all cadets take - I dont believe the mouth guards were for regular anything - just for the semester cadet takes boxing and maybe wrestling.
As for PFT -whatever initial it goes by - each service has a slightly different set pushups, situps, run, pullups? - I do believe that on top of each service (army, air force, navy, marine - yes marine corps is part of navy, but marine scholarship is different than navy scholarship) THERE IS ALSO THE VMI PFT -I do believe it is slightly different than Navy's PFT.
I hope Bruno or Rah can come on and do better job - but jest is I have never heard my son tell me the PFT was part of his PE grade - the score he gets on Navy PFT (this is done twice a year, just like the fleet) I assume is considered when coming up with his evaluation within the unit, but the PFT he takes for VMI - is a different test, different timeframe - really is activity as part of the corps - not his PE class - I only know that to make rank the cadet really needs to pass the VMI PFT - I do think they got another chance - so my point is the PFT's are not part of their PE grade - but I do know it matters how well they do both on VMI and service one. My son isn't home yet or I would have asked him to give me exact language - but it is SO important for incomnig RATS - get in as good a sshape as possible, you will certainly have opportunity to improve come august - but I would imagine the better shape you are in, the more one can handle all that's being thrown at you. I know my son's number of pushups (legal ones) exploded from entry year to second year - rats do a lot of pushups! larrys mom
 
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I am a female. I have no problems with push-ups, sit-ups, or running. However, pull-ups are my weakness. I have been trying negatives, bands, and holds. I lift weights regularly. I was told that I was "over-doing" the pull-ups and I was not allowing my muscles to rest. So, I now alternate days between pull-ups and curl-ups. On a "good" day my max pull-up number is 1. i understand that there are no tricks to pull-ups; it is just hard work. However, if anyone has any advice regarding my situation, I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you.
 
serviceacademyapplicant said:
I am a female. I have no problems with push-ups, sit-ups, or running. However, pull-ups are my weakness. I have been trying negatives, bands, and holds. I lift weights regularly. I was told that I was "over-doing" the pull-ups and I was not allowing my muscles to rest. So, I now alternate days between pull-ups and curl-ups. On a "good" day my max pull-up number is 1. i understand that there are no tricks to pull-ups; it is just hard work. However, if anyone has any advice regarding my situation, I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you.
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Actually as an old lady I can tell you what worked for me back in the day ...rest at least 2 days in between pull ups to give your muscles ample time to heal and drink plenty of water that will help them recover. At age 40+ I joined a gym that had a pull up machine. I stood on an assistance bar and it took a percentage of my body weight off...or you can use a partner or even a chair to help a little if joining a gym isn't possible. Just take enough weight off so you can get 8-10 reps in..3 sets. Every week or so reduce the amount of help the machine gives you and after a month or so you will be doing a few on your own. Not saying I could ever do them by the dozen, but 5 or 6 after about 9 weeks. I also must admit that I dropped 20 pounds in that same time span as well so that made a difference too, but I started with the bar giving me 40 pounds of help. Just remember to keep the exact form they want when you do them otherwise its all for naught. Good Luck
 
SA Applicant: this may help from the VMI PE Department: Watch the movie and follow the sequence of the training program. For someone who can't get one rep- They suggest getting a pullup band to assist you in getting started.


http://www.vmi.edu/show.aspx?tid=37099&id=2414&ekmensel=fb5d653b_20_547_2414_8

Description: Pull-ups or Assisted Pull-ups

Frequency: 3 non-consecutive days per week (Mon-Wed-Fri or Tues-Thurs-Sat)

Day 1: Maximum Sets

Do as many pull-ups as you are capable of doing. If you are unable to meet the minimum requirements (5 pull-ups for males; 1 pull-up for females), follow the instructions as indicated on the video for Band-Assisted Pull-ups.

Set 1: As Many As Possible (AMAP). Do not be concerned with how many repetitions you do - as long as you can complete one good repetition. REST 90 SECONDS
Set 2: AMAP – Add 10 seconds of rest to each additional set
Set 3: AMAP
Progression Sets: 3 sets for Weeks 1-4; 4 sets for Weeks 5-8; 5 sets for Weeks 9 & 10
Remember to -- add 10 seconds of rest to each additional set completed.

As you get stronger the number of repetitions that you can complete should increase.

Day 2: Pyramid Sets

Set 1: Perform one pull-up. Rest 10 seconds
Set 2: Perform two pull-ups. Rest 20 seconds
Set 3: Perform three pull-ups. Rest 40 seconds
Set 4: Perform two pull-ups. Rest 20 seconds
Set 5: Perform one pull-up.
Progression Sets: When you are able to complete the above sequence add 1 pull-up to each set – for a total of 5 sets. For example, the next progression would be:

Set 1: Perform two pull-ups. Rest 20 seconds
Set 2: Perform three pull-ups. Rest 40 seconds
Set 3: Perform four pull-ups. Rest *55 seconds
Set 4: Perform three pull-ups. Rest 40 seconds
Set 5: Perform two pull-ups.
*Add 15 seconds of recovery for each additional repetition

The next progression would be:

Set 1: Perform three pull-ups. Rest 40 seconds
Set 2: Perform four pull-ups. Rest 55 seconds
Set 3: Perform five pull-ups. Rest *70 seconds
Set 4: Perform four pull-ups. Rest 55 seconds
Set 5: Perform three pull-ups.
Continue to add one repetition, and 15 seconds of recovery for each new progression. Each progression has a total of 5 sets.

Day 3: Complete Sets

Perform working-sets (same number of repetitions) with a 60-90 second rest between sets. Working sets are indicated below. For example, if the maximum number of pull-ups you can perform is 10 – your working-set is 5 repetitions.

Maximum Reps Working-Set Reps

19-20 - 10
17-18 - 9
15-16 - 8
13-14 - 7
11-12 - 6
9-10 - 5
7-8 - 4
5-6 - 3
3-4 - 2
1-2 - 1
Progression Sets: Perform as many sets as you can, maintaining your working-set repetition. Do as many sets as you can for the number of repetitions determined as your working-set. For example, say you can do two sets of 5 repetitions, and on your third set you only complete 3 repetitions. Continue to do only three sets, until you get to a point when you get ALL three sets of 5 repetitions. Once you are able to get all three sets progress to four sets.

Periodically, you will need to test yourself to determine if your maximum repetitions have increased. If so, you will need to determine a new working set.
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