SMA's 7-day workout plan will kick your butt

bruno

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Lots of posts on this forum over the years have asked about PT standards for Cadets- many of which accept something less than a maximum as the requirement. Bluntly- you need to be in HARD shape and sub-300 is not acceptable for a young officer. Here is an example of leadership from the top: the new SMA Dan Dailey demonstrates the standards. Less excuses about your MOS , your body type, ( your "big bones") or your busy schedule, and more work: get your butt on the road and run and get in the gym and build that upper body strength A LOT! If the Sergeant Major of the Army can smoke the PT test then the expectation is no less for the newest and youngest leaders in the Army. It's a good article and a great way to approach your new life as a Soldier and LEADER.

http://www.armytimes.com/story/mili...ma-dan-dailey-physical-fitness-plan/25934579/

"The plan he strives to follow each week is made up of "things that I felt were keeping me in good physical fitness for what I needed to do for my mission as a soldier," he said.
The regimen includes a lot of focus on upper body and core strength because of his job as an infantryman, Dailey said.
"It's extremely difficult when you're in combat when you have to pull yourself up a window or over a wall," he said. "You've got to be prepared to do that."
He also puts a keen focus on cardiovascular fitness.
"You need to have that burst of energy to sprint 100 yards, but you also have to be able to go the distance for 12- to 18-hour patrols," he said.
Dailey's last two-mile run took him a mere 11 minutes and 40 seconds, but he typically runs at least five to seven miles during PT, averaging between 7 and 7-1/2 minutes per mile. He also uses a lot of free weights, and he has a Bowflex at home, but Dailey said he likes to keep it simple."
 
If you want my humble opinion (which is never humble nor withheld) I don't care if he's good at PT. He immediately pushed to roll back two of the best standards changes we made in the past two years. He is ok with travel in ACUs and ok with a bunch of garbage tattoos on Soldiers. Personally, I remain unimpressed. At this point, he strikes me as another leader who was promoted because he's a PT stud.

He's going to have to do something besides push for the relaxation of intelligent and professional standards for me to care about how many pushups he does.

/rant off.

I do, however, absolutely agree with your sentiment. If you're a leader just squeaking by on your PT test, or turning in a 250, you need to get your rear in gear or find a new line of work. You get paid to work out. It's a requirement. DO IT.
 
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If you want my humble opinion (which is never humble nor withheld) I don't care if he's good at PT. He immediately pushed to roll back two of the best standards changes we made in the past two years. He is ok with travel in ACUs and ok with a bunch of garbage tattoos on Soldiers. Personally, I remain unimpressed. At this point, he strikes me as another leader who was promoted because he's a PT stud.

He's going to have to do something besides push for the relaxation of intelligent and professional standards for me to care about how many pushups he does.

/rant off.

I do, however, absolutely agree with your sentiment. If you're a leader just squeaking by on your PT test, or turning in a 250, you need to get your rear in gear or find a new line of work. You get paid to work out. It's a requirement. DO IT.

This is a very interesting topic for me for two reasons: one, I personally score around a 280, so while I'm not a PT Stud (always been the guy that thinks about a donut and gains 5 lbs and I ALWAYS have to PT to maintain standard), I also am never in the back of the pack getting screamed at or counseled after every APFT, so I've heard both the "as long as you are being a good example" as well as the "Officers score a 300. No ifs, ands, or buts" arguments. What ARE ya'll's thoughts on this? My buddy's older brother, who is a logistician, was commended by his commander for scoring a 270, and still has one of the highest APFT scores in his unit. I've also heard from a cadre infantry officer that there's a culture, ethical or not being up for debate, where the best leader and smartest tactician in the unit will be overlooked and chastised if he doesn't have a 5000 pt score among the Combat Arms branches of the Army. Has the emphasis of PT in the more PT-oriented branches led to a possibly toxic culture of PT trumps all, and has the opposite effect of an apathy towards PT led to an equal stigma in the support and sustainment branches? Normally I'd chalk it all up to hearsay, but I've heard the "noone cares and almost everyone is fat in support" and "in infantry/armor/fa you will get run out without a 300" arguments from many a well respected and experienced mentor.

And on the subject of tattoos, while I greatly respect Scoutpilot's opinion and tend to agree after every military-bound friend I've made somehow obtained the cheesy unit insignia (one got the unit insignia of his BCT unit) or the archetypal "Death Before Dishonor" tattoo or tribal sleeve, I can't help but notice that so many officers as well as enlisted have tattoos, I've seen Captains and some Field Grade officers that would make a hair metal band member blush from the amount of ink on them. Maybe there indeed was push from more senior ranks to lighten the policy? Not trying to step on the toes of the more experienced, just trying to state an observation.
 
I've also heard from a cadre infantry officer that there's a culture, ethical or not being up for debate, where the best leader and smartest tactician in the unit will be overlooked and chastised if he doesn't have a 5000 pt score among the Combat Arms branches of the Army.

I had to smile at this one, When we visited our older son they had a Battalion Run scheduled one of the days we were there, 25th Infantry. My son's Squadron decided to run with them, we were going out with him after the run so we went along and watched along the route. As they all came by us my younger son started laughing, we asked why and he told us, "Look at all the Blue Belts that have fallen out and are walking" You could hear the cat calls as the others ran by them, it was just a 5K run and the pace was pretty slow.

Now that has to be embarrassing to fall out of a 5K slow run. Who knows if those guys and gals were support or not, but a few dropped out that were running with specific Infantry Platoons. Maybe that culture has not made through to everyone yet.
 
I had to smile at this one, When we visited our older son they had a Battalion Run scheduled one of the days we were there, 25th Infantry. My son's Squadron decided to run with them, we were going out with him after the run so we went along and watched along the route. As they all came by us my younger son started laughing, we asked why and he told us, "Look at all the Blue Belts that have fallen out and are walking" You could hear the cat calls as the others ran by them, it was just a 5K run and the pace was pretty slow.

Now that has to be embarrassing to fall out of a 5K slow run. Who knows if those guys and gals were support or not, but a few dropped out that were running with specific Infantry Platoons. Maybe that culture has not made through to everyone yet.

Unfortunately those problem children will be carried along instead of dropped like the dead weight they are.
 
These are the same debates the USMC has had for decades too. Before we left for TBS we were all yelled at to score 280 (out of 300) on our PT tests. When we got to TBS we all did. We also had the highest scores out of everyone there by quite a bit. ROTC guys were around 260ish average and MECEP was closer to 230ish average. All are 1st class scores by USMC standards. I remember going to one of my reviews with my Company Commander towards the end of my time in the USMC. I had more qualifications than any Lt or Capt that we had, more deployment time, earned numerous awards from everywhere I had deployed, was hand selected for a billet for an upcoming OIG, was selected to conduct the majority of training because of my experience and had completed all my PME up to Major. I remember being ranked lower than another Lt because he had great PT scores. I had 1st Class scores, but nothing spectacular. This Lt was so amazing that our unit needed to deploy someone and they realized they couldn't deploy him because he so incompetent, the Marines had nearly threatened fratricide (that was whole different issue we had deal with!), and he was so widely hated he was the laughing joke of the unit. I had already decided to get out at this point and finally unleashed on the CC on why the whole thing was BS. This mentality was a major reason why I decided to get out. I agree with Scout on all this. PT scores and height/weight measurements are great and all, but to be honest they are just a piece of the whole picture. A good leader will ensure their troops are in shape and a good officer will ensure its a part of their whole arsenal of strengths. The great tattoo debate has been going on forever. I whole heartedly agree there is a line and professionalism. Nothing on the head, neck, face, or hands. Full sleeves, hey to each their own. I liked the stricter policy as it helped keep 18 year olds from going overboard and having full sleeves at 22 and wondering how they can cover them up now that they are out of the service. ACUs on travel... so glad the USMC is strict on that. It looks ridiculous IMPO.
 
Thanks for breaking the ice NavyHoops. I was going to hold off offering my experiences since this started as an Army posting but you presented your points well. Frankly, I don't remember PFT scores as much of a debate back in my day. I was always first class and I remember the vast majority of my grunts scoring first class also. Range within a first-class score wasn't much of a topic. If there were laggers or poor performers they got "special time" with my Platoon Sergeant. I don't ever remember a reporting senior giving someone a higher ranking due to PFT score alone - but I can see how it can happen as the Fitreps didn't offer much to delineate people. Stated another way: it could have been used by the lazy reporting senior rather than ranking based on due diligence of the skills/ performance of those being compared.

I did want to comment on the PFT as a measure of a leader. Sure, you had better be turning in a strong PFT. But even more so, you better not have any issues with unit runs, forced marches, combat fitness test, field exercises, and any other physical activity involving your unit. Much more than a score on 3 standard tests (pull up, sit up, 3-mile run) you had better have the physical strength to lead and excel in all things physical. Your unit expects you to lead from the front.

I agree with Scout on all this. PT scores and height/weight measurements are great and all, but to be honest they are just a piece of the whole picture. A good leader will ensure their troops are in shape and a good officer will ensure its a part of their whole arsenal of strengths.

I couldn't agree more.
 
When I asked DS about tattoos... he said "officers don't get tattoos" . One of DS friends said " you don't put bumper stickers on a Bentley now do you?" Too funny.

I had just finished school at Camp Jackson ( Camp LeJeune) and suffice to say probably had overtaxed my liver's ability to process the liquid I managed to put into it in a very short period of time. Very overtaxed!! As my group passed a tattoo parlor I eyed a tattoo showing a devil dog wearing a WWI helmet that I just had to have on my right arm. I recall with crystal clarity these words... " Marine you you are way too drunk to get a tattoo, get out of my chair". To this day I thank that guy!
 
Sheriff3: that is too funny! You do owe a debt of gratitude to that guy. Think of the thousands of guys who would have said "Sure! And I can add the Bugs Bunny tat for half off"
 
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