Questions?

3QConcerns said:
If money is a concern, chicken and tuna are cheap. If you're serious about gaining, you want to aim for at least 1 lb of meat per meal (with the exception of breakfast where you can substitute eggs for the meat--and I'm talking about 7-8 eggs for breakfast with a good amount of bacon).

A lot of people go to the gym and wonder why they don't get much bigger. Even if you have an extremely lazy, disorganized and silly workout program, you'll still gain quite a bit if you eat enough. It's 100% eating, and eating is the hardest part of working out. The actual lifting is easy compared to it.

And keep in mind you only have three months to do this, so even if you gain optimally, it's 10-15 lbs at the very best. You're not going to get huge or anything, and you'll be in great running shape still. Think of it as adding a little bit of a buffer for BCT, while getting stronger at the same time :).
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I didn't receive an appointment, so I actually have a year. (Just getting prepped for next year.) Thanks again. I love chicken, tuna, and eggs anyways. I'll just have to eat a lot more of it now.
 
ArapWarrior said:
Being a wrestler, I'll be the first person to tell you that both gaining and losing weight is not that difficult. The best way I gained weight for wrestling is by eating a big bowl of ice cream every night and lifting a lot. Losing weight is a whole different story...
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Individual experiences vary, I guess.

I do the ice cream hack, too...but still find it very difficult to eat as much as I have to eat.


LFry94 said:
I didn't receive an appointment, so I actually have a year. (Just getting prepped for next year.) Thanks again. I love chicken, tuna, and eggs anyways. I'll just have to eat a lot more of it now.
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Ah. That's too bad. But the extra year isn't a big deal, I think. I actually applied as a sophomore in college! Anyway, now you have more time to prepare (and to be candid, I don't think I'd have been ready for the Academy if I applied out of HS).
 
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Now that I think about it, I retract my earlier statement. Gaining and losing weight short term is easy, I've never tried long term.
 
ArapWarrior said:
Now that I think about it, I retract my earlier statement. Gaining and losing weight short term is easy, I've never tried long term.
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I remember something about a trash bag. Weighing 130 in the off-season to get down to 112...I should've quoted your wrestling post.
 
airman said:
I remember something about a trash bag. Weighing 130 in the off-season to get down to 112...I should've quoted your wrestling post.
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Haha, only wrestlers would understand. Everyone has their own techniques to cut, some of them are very questionable.
 
3QConcerns said:
That's absurdly light. I'm 195 at your height. In your case, I think gaining weight would be prudent, and if you did a strength program, you'd gain like crazy (because of the so-called "noob gains").

Of course, even if you do decide to gain weight, you have to keep your running up as well (which you can do, but you really would have to eat about 6,000+ calories a day to see gains).

I made a thread about weight gain a while back and got yelled out for wanting to gain, as a lot of people think it will adversely affect your running. 20 lbs, as long as you keep training your running, won't impair you significantly and you'll become faster at sprinting (as long as you squat/power clean/deadlift). So I definitely think it's to your advantage.
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If you think that's bad? I'm 5'11 120 lbs
 
I understand all your comments about wrestling and weight cutting, and I'm sure that at basic in the hard times we will be able to think "It might be hard, but at least we aren't' cutting weight" I was about 170 as a sophomore and cut down to 135 where I stayed till I was a senior. My coach had me go up a little bit this last year though so I actually wrestled my senior year at 145.

A question though: At the academy what did you find was more difficult, your academics or the physical portion?

I am not really worried about basic right now, I'm sure the nerves will hit as it nears though. I am more worried about keeping up academically. I have done fine through all of high school getting A's but my ACT test scores where very low regardless of my studying and many test. The highest composite that I could ever get was a 24 although my individual scores came up quite a bit from that (just not all of them on the same test). My ALO joked with me after I received my appointment that I had the "whole package" that the Academy was looking for... but that "You can't take an ACT test to save your life".
 
I went to BMT at 5' 9" 135 lbs. I left at 150 lbs and I've maintained that since. I'm still pretty skinny, but toned.
 
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lfaulk said:
As a current freshman who has been through basic, recognition, and almost all the way through the academic year, I would like to offer a chance for anyone who has questions about USAFA.
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What type of exercise was your cadre's favorite form of punishment during BCT?
Or, in other words, what exercises should I be really good at heading into BCT? (e.g. push-ups, sit-ups, flutter kicks, etc.)
 
of all the advice given to you when you started a year ago
what stands out as the ones that actually came in handy?
 
For those who attended after a year spent at college, do the credits transfer? I have heard no but just wanted to make sure. Does your GPA start over or are you basically starting from scratch?
 
globalview2 said:
For those who attended after a year spent at college, do the credits transfer? I have heard no but just wanted to make sure. Does your GPA start over or are you basically starting from scratch?
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Your college credits do not transfer. Your GPA will only include AFA grades. The main benefit you might see from the college classes you've taken is if you do well on placement tests given during BCT (since you've hopefully taken some tough college courses) you may be able to validate and skip some of the entry level classes and be placed in the next class in a series (calc 2 vs. calc 1 for example).
 
If you are looking for more protein and cost of meat/eggs/dairy is a concern (or other food allergies/issues with animal products), load up on legumes with a starch to get a dense and protein rich meal. Lentils have some of the highest protein content of anything and are great over rich with some spices or as a soup. Various beans like black, lima, and even chickpea will do well. Also helps to avoid other animal-protein issues like cholesterol, saturated fats, hormones, etc.

Cheap chicken breasts go for around $2 a pound, eggs probably 1.50-2.00 a dozen, milk around 2-3 a gallon. Dried lentils and other beans typically run <$1 a pound.
 
questions

Your post is an answer to prayers for those of us who have so many questions. My DS is a 17 year old high school senior with an appointment to USAFA. He has been very excited, but also very nervous and apprehensive about leaving the comforts of home, friends, etc.
We talked last night for a long time about his excitement and fears. He wanted me to ask you to tell us how you adjusted. What were your feelings about BCT?Did you make friends there quickly?? What did you really enjoy about the first year?? And also, do upperclass cadets get to live off campus??
Any information that you think would help a nervous candidate would be sooo appreciated.

Thank you very much.
 
All Cadets live on a dorm regardless of year. I'm not a cadet yet so I can't speak for the rest of the questions. But, I am sure your son will make great friends during BCT. You can't be a stranger for long in something like that.
 
AFAYahoo said:
Your college credits do not transfer. Your GPA will only include AFA grades. The main benefit you might see from the college classes you've taken is if you do well on placement tests given during BCT (since you've hopefully taken some tough college courses) you may be able to validate and skip some of the entry level classes and be placed in the next class in a series (calc 2 vs. calc 1 for example).
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It's not only placement tests, from what I understand.

For example, I don't think there is a physics placement test; but if you took physics at the collegiate level, you get transfer credits.
 
3QConcerns said:
It's not only placement tests, from what I understand.

For example, I don't think there is a physics placement test; but if you took physics at the collegiate level, you get transfer credits.
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You're right, not every dept. gives a placement test. But I don't believe you're going to get a 3 or 4 hr. credit (like you might at a civilian college) towards your AFA degree if you took college physics. They will look at what you took, how it compares to an AFA class, and possibly let you validate to a higher level class if you did well in the class. No matter how many college classes or AP/IB classes you took prior to entering the AFA, you will spend 4 years (8 semesters) taking classes (5 academic classes 1st semester, 6 academic classes per semester after that till graduation. In addition to phys ed class every semester, and intramurals if you're not an IC athlete--you'll be busy!) . And possibly summer sessions if you have to repeat a class or want to take a double major etc. This (4full years) is for academic reasons as well as military/leadership training also--cadets need to go through all stages of leadership training, from doolie year on up until 1st class year when you're helping run the show in your squadron or the wing.

Candace, from what my son said about BCT, the first half is not as physically demanding as he expected (still not easy, though), more mentally challenging as you get used to being yelled at for everything and have to maintain military bearing (no reaction basically) throughout. The restrictions, being told what to do when, no freedoms, take some getting used to. He felt it was a bit boring in a way (lots of marching practice, memorizing military info, etc). BCT 2 in Jacks Valley was much more interesting he felt. Physically very demanding, still mentally demanding. He just took it 1 day at a time, even just getting from 1 meal to the next. Break it down into manageable parts. There will be some times where the basics get to relax a bit--intramurals a couple times a week, Rodeo day, church services (cadre can't yell at you there!), etc. Your son will get through it!
 
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What is the best Cell Phone provider to use at the academy? And should I wait until Parents Weekend to purchase it since I won't be using it during BCT anyways? What's the policy for cell phones overall?
 
hchopra2 said:
What is the best Cell Phone provider to use at the academy? And should I wait until Parents Weekend to purchase it since I won't be using it during BCT anyways? What's the policy for cell phones overall?
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I've found that Verizon is great if you are living in Vandy, but generally terrible if you are in Sijan. AT&T is pretty good everywhere. There is no overall cell phone policy for freshman. It really depends on your squadron. Some will give them back after accpetance, some will give them to you on the weekends, some will hold out until mid-semester. A search on cell phones will give more info.
 
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