USNA 14-Week Recommended Exercise Routine (2020)

VP.28

VP.28

USNA '28
Joined
Sep 15, 2022
Messages
49
Now that we’re less than 3 months away from I-day, I’ve been doing this recommended routine for 3-4 weeks. I have some concerns though. I'm a tennis player, so I spend a lot of time putting stress on my shins (we don't have many clay courts around here). I'm worried that that combined with the amount of running in this routine will impact my shins and could lead to shin splints or other stress injuries. What do you all think? I'm continuing to do both and supplementing with a lot of shin and hip strengthening (plus recovery (heat, massage, ice, etc.)...and running on turf or track for a good chunk of this routine...

Link: https://www.usna.edu/PermitToReport/IV._3._Getting_physically_prepared_for_the_Naval_Academy.pdf
 
You will be running nearly every day during PS. If you are concerned that it is going to result in an injury now, perhaps back it off a little. But, be prepared to have the same concerns in July.

Proper shoes, proper pacing, proper ramping up of mileage/pace/frequency will help to avoid injuries. Your paces should be based on your ability, not a generic value on a catch-all plan.
 
VP.28 said:
Now that we’re less than 3 months away from I-day, I’ve been doing this recommended routine for 3-4 weeks. I have some concerns though. I'm a tennis player, so I spend a lot of time putting stress on my shins (we don't have many clay courts around here). I'm worried that that combined with the amount of running in this routine will impact my shins and could lead to shin splints or other stress injuries. What do you all think? I'm continuing to do both and supplementing with a lot of shin and hip strengthening (plus recovery (heat, massage, ice, etc.)...and running on turf or track for a good chunk of this routine...

Link: https://www.usna.edu/PermitToReport/IV._3._Getting_physically_prepared_for_the_Naval_Academy.pdf
Click to expand...
If you have been playing tennis at a high level, you will be fine. Don't overdue the Annapolis preparation document on top of what you are already doing tennis wise. I would focus more on the strength aspect (push ups/plank, etc) than the running part.
 
Listen to your body. The provided plan is a generalized approach. If I were preparing for Plebe Summer again (and thank God I’m not), I would just make sure I’m able to meet certain benchmarks for running and pushups.

I think being able to run 4 miles at a 6-7 minute pace, and being able to crank out multiple sets of 30+ good pushups, would place you in a very good position. If you’re already there, I would focus on maintaining your conditioning and avoiding injuries.
 
Thank you for the responses! I play tennis competitively and trainings and tournaments get quite intense (plus fitness too)…
 
Kierkegaard said:
Listen to your body. The provided plan is a generalized approach. If I were preparing for Plebe Summer again (and thank God I’m not), I would just make sure I’m able to meet certain benchmarks for running and pushups.

I think being able to run 4 miles at a 6-7 minute pace, and being able to crank out multiple sets of 30+ good pushups, would place you in a very good position. If you’re already there, I would focus on maintaining your conditioning and avoiding injuries.
Click to expand...
I would venture to say closer to 7 than to 6, don't you think? Holding 6's for 4 miles is is pretty darn quick, and it's definitely not a training pace. I don't see many non track/XC peeps holding that.
 
USMC Crayons said:
I would venture to say closer to 7 than to 6, don't you think? Holding 6's for 4 miles is is pretty darn quick, and it's definitely not a training pace. I don't see many non track/XC peeps holding that.
Click to expand...
Haha I agree here… my one mile is a 6:20 and my fastest 1.5 was a 9:50 (I’m a girl), so I think I’ll settle for a 7-8 min per mile pace for now as a goal…
 
VP.28 said:
Now that we’re less than 3 months away from I-day, I’ve been doing this recommended routine for 3-4 weeks. I have some concerns though. I'm a tennis player, so I spend a lot of time putting stress on my shins (we don't have many clay courts around here). I'm worried that that combined with the amount of running in this routine will impact my shins and could lead to shin splints or other stress injuries. What do you all think? I'm continuing to do both and supplementing with a lot of shin and hip strengthening (plus recovery (heat, massage, ice, etc.)...and running on turf or track for a good chunk of this routine...

Link: https://www.usna.edu/PermitToReport/IV._3._Getting_physically_prepared_for_the_Naval_Academy.pdf
Click to expand...
Your 1.5 mile time is an A on the PRT. Relax and treat your injuries now. Do not come into Plebe Summer injured! You don't want to miss plebe year. Be 100% Healthy to give your all to your classmates. That is my biggest regret
 
I'm not worried about the running part, I can do 8 miles low 7 minute pace pretty easy. I'm more worried about the pushups cause I'm a skinny XC kid lol. I've been trying to get better, I was doing Stew Smith's 10 minute death by plank with 10-13 pushups every morning before school and once a week I would do around an hour to hour and a half long workout with 600-650 pushups total. Unfortunately my right shoulder/shoulder blade is bothering me whenever I do pushups :frown:. I'm going to see a doctor next week hope it goes away soon and that it won't prevent me from doing PS.
 
Last edited:
jrw0531 said:
Your 1.5 mile time is an A on the PRT. Relax and treat your injuries now. Do not come into Plebe Summer injured! You don't want to miss plebe year. Be 100% Healthy to give your all to your classmates. That is my biggest regret
Click to expand...
Also that document is a bit outdated I think. We have a new director of human performance and he said he's making a newer plebe summer prep plan!
 
jrw0531 said:
Also that document is a bit outdated I think. We have a new director of human performance and he said he's making a newer plebe summer prep plan!
Click to expand...
Ooo that’s good to hear! Thanks for the insider info :)
 
Remember, during your time in the Navy, the PRT is based on cadence pushups with a max of 60 (1 every two seconds for 2 minutes), a timed plank, and the 1.5 mile run. The pushups are different then cranking out max for 2 minutes. Go online, see some tutorials and practice.

Don't worry, you will get a lot of opportunities to practice over the summer. ;)

(My kid was an XC/Track dude, and he maxes the pushups and plank. Since he's been out of the competition running level for a while, he actually is only mediocre on the run right now!).
 
smokey% said:
I'm not worried about the running part, I can do 8 miles low 7 minute pace pretty easy. I'm more worried about the pushups cause I'm a skinny XC kid lol. I've been trying to get better, I was doing Stew Smith's 10 minute death by plank with 10-13 pushups every morning before school and once a week I would do an hour workout with 600-650 pushups total. Unfortunately my right shoulder/shoulder blade is bothering me whenever I do pushups :frown:. I'm going to see a doctor next week hope it goes away soon and that it won't prevent me from doing PS.
Click to expand...
600-650 pushups an hour?!

no.
 
They have a max they are allowed to put on you in each session during PS. When you have wall time/p-way time, they will be doing all sorts of shenanigans, but it is a lot different than it was in my day. My kid said they are pretty rigid about following the guidance (except the times some detailers took kids around the corner and gave them a little "extra" that was borderline against the new rules).
 
IronmanDaremo said:
They have a max they are allowed to put on you in each session during PS. When you have wall time/p-way time, they will be doing all sorts of shenanigans, but it is a lot different than it was in my day. My kid said they are pretty rigid about following the guidance (except the times some detailers took kids around the corner and gave them a little "extra" that was borderline against the new rules).
Click to expand...
They put me in the highest running group in boot camp ( I wasn't a runner, if you catch my drift...Marines love playing games). Company Commander ran XC in college, so you know how that went. Nothing like getting yelled at to "go faster" while also having to maintain a stride length so long it felt like my legs were going to disconnect from by body. For reference, I was 5'10" in boot camp. CC was at least 6'2 and all legs.
 
I was an XC kid for two years in high school (not fast, but at least a runner) and I'm 6'-1", which made Army boot a challenge. Running in formation was akin to torture to me. Once I finally got to stride out during the PT tests, I was finally in my element and my drills were asking where the hell that running came from! Same thing during Plebe Summer.

Funny thing - during NAPS summer training, we did most of our running around in Navy issued boots. My feet were so f'ed up for the first PT test with blisters and cuts, that I almost failed the run and they put me on remedial. :eek3: For reference, I was planning to be on the XC team, and my 1.5 mile time then was usually around 9 flat. Once my feet healed up and I took my remedial test, I totally crushed it. Just goes to show how the right foot gear is important!
 
IronmanDaremo said:
Remember, during your time in the Navy, the PRT is based on cadence pushups with a max of 60 (1 every two seconds for 2 minutes), a timed plank, and the 1.5 mile run. The pushups are different then cranking out max for 2 minutes. Go online, see some tutorials and practice.

Don't worry, you will get a lot of opportunities to practice over the summer. ;)

(My kid was an XC/Track dude, and he maxes the pushups and plank. Since he's been out of the competition running level for a while, he actually is only mediocre on the run right now!).
Click to expand...
The PRT push-up part for us in the fleet is not cadence, that might just be an academy thing. It’s just the normal way, crank them out as fast as you can.

We have maxes based on age and gender. For example, 20-24 female is 17 minimum, 48 max in 2 min. Male 20-24 is 42 min, 87 max in 2 min. There’s no bonus points for going over the max, so people will stop once they hit max
 
smokey% said:
I'm not worried about the running part, I can do 8 miles low 7 minute pace pretty easy. I'm more worried about the pushups cause I'm a skinny XC kid lol. I've been trying to get better, I was doing Stew Smith's 10 minute death by plank with 10-13 pushups every morning before school and once a week I would do around an hour to hour and a half long workout with 600-650 pushups total. Unfortunately my right shoulder/shoulder blade is bothering me whenever I do pushups :frown:. I'm going to see a doctor next week hope it goes away soon and that it won't prevent me from doing PS.
Click to expand...
If push-ups are causing you pain right now, I’d probably just stop doing them for a bit. Also, is your push-up form correct for the PRT? They won’t count any of them if form is incorrect (such as not breaking 90, only moving head). I’ve seen guys take the PRT before and their head just bobs up and down like a sea lion, and the test proctor calls them out lol
 
Thanks for the clarification @Ivy22 . Having been out for quite a while, I wasn't 100% sure. ;)

But, at the Academy, the standards for the run are definitely higher than the fleet. Regardless of age, men have to go sub-10:30 (7:00 pace) and ladies have to go sub-12:45 (8:30 pace). This can cause a lot of stress and issues. People have been separated with the PRT being part of the reason. I've worked a little with a current 2/C who has been on the bubble for their time. Great news is they passed the Spring one, and are good to go until their 1/C year. I know they've been busting their butt to achieve the fitness needed and will continue to do so. They came from very little fitness background (gender neutral to maintain anonymity for the mid).
 
smokey% said:
I'm not worried about the running part, I can do 8 miles low 7 minute pace pretty easy. I'm more worried about the pushups cause I'm a skinny XC kid lol. I've been trying to get better, I was doing Stew Smith's 10 minute death by plank with 10-13 pushups every morning before school and once a week I would do around an hour to hour and a half long workout with 600-650 pushups total. Unfortunately my right shoulder/shoulder blade is bothering me whenever I do pushups :frown:. I'm going to see a doctor next week hope it goes away soon and that it won't prevent me from doing PS.
Click to expand...
Okay, here's just a quick tip, that might help with your shoulder/ shoulder pain. You hopefully are doing other workouts too, but either way, that's a lot of horizontal pushing volume. While it's good, and can help with your pushups, you should be doing a good amount of pulling as well. I'd recommend adding one or two back workouts weekly, with horizontal and vertical pulling. For example, do bent over barbell rows, single arm dumbbell rows, and pullups. Also, inverted rows and rope face pulls will help you. Basically, shoulder pain is often caused by an imbalance in movement in any direction, which can cause certain muscles to strengthen, without their antagonists strengthening equally. Hope this helps!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top