Hey guys, I'm currently in the process of applying to the USNA and I was wondering how important the CFA was regarding the application. I'm asking because as an offensive lineman in football, I struggle to post great numbers for pull-ups and the mile (About 8 pull-ups and a mile slightly below 7 minutes). Any advice on training for pull-ups and the mile? Just how much weight does the CFA carry on your application?
DesertCaliMom
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For an Olineman you can move!
I would work towards double digits on those pullups. My dlineman son does max reps on pullups 4 times a day and is up to 12 flawless reps now. Be sure to have a coach help you do a dry run on the CFA so you get a feel of how it all fits. My son is doing one a month until he formally tests. Just like the SAT, dry runs help.
Weight max is based in height, have you seen the chart? For my 6'2 son max is 211. He is getting as close as he can to that weight without sacrificing bulk, but Dropping fat.
You must be a junior? Contact the area coordinator for blue and gold officers (USNA website), introduce yourself, ask for your BGO and your regional football recruiting coach. If they want you for football, they will give you direction on the CFA and will help you with NAPS for more physical training and building you into their kind of body type for a lineman.
Are you wanting to play? Be sure you're in shape for the NCAA eligibility standards, too!
Try sprinting the straights and walk/jog the curves on the track or sprint for 2 minutes on the treadmill, then jog for a minute, sprint again, etc. Eventually, you will be able to maintain a faster speed over the mile. If you just keep practicing running the mile without intermittent speed work, you will likely run about the same pace every time. The sprinting two or three time a week with running longer distance on the other days should help. Good luck!
Hey Kev,
While you should work to make your CFA scores as high as you can, keep in mind that they only amount to a small percentage (Correct me if I'm wrong, but only about 10%) of your WCS. So if it comes between a perfect CFA or good grades, SAT/ACT, etc., definitely devote more time to the latter. Still work as hard as you can, but hopefully this gives you a little perspective. Good luck next year- the whole process is a rollercoaster!
While you should work to make your CFA scores as high as you can, keep in mind that they only amount to a small percentage (Correct me if I'm wrong, but only about 10%) of your WCS. So if it comes between a perfect CFA or good grades, SAT/ACT, etc., definitely devote more time to the latter. Still work as hard as you can, but hopefully this gives you a little perspective. Good luck next year- the whole process is a rollercoaster!
YoloHanSolo
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This is only my personal experience, but I thought my CFA was really bad to the point that I thought my chance at getting an appointment was shot, but I still got an LOA. Female, maxed out pushups, but well below average for the rest of the events, including 0 pull ups. You have plenty of months to get better and shave minutes off your mile time.
UHBlackhawk
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Many mistakingly view the 1 mile run as "long distance". It isn't. Long runs really won't help much to reduce your time on anything less than about two miles. As Sulu mentioned, sprints are the best way to quickly improve your 1 or 2 mile run. Better to do 4 440's with a rest between them than to run a mile. So work on 220's (1/2 lap), and 440's (one lap). Also fartleks when you do longer runs.
http://www.runnersworld.com/tag/fartlek
http://www.runnersworld.com/tag/fartlek
My son who is a defensive end but a lighter one - 6'4 and 205 - has his mile time down to 6 minutes 10 seconds. He's been training with the distance team during track much to the dislike of his throwing coach. Loves training with the team. It's the sprints that have brought his time down. Find a group to run with - makes it much more fun!
Yeah the chart may be a a problem haha... I'm 6'1 and 235 currently, during the season I was leaning towards 270. I have to try to get within 25% body fat (which I think I probably am) if I don't play football at the academy. I am a Junior and I know my BGO but I should look into finding my recruiting coach, I think I may be good enough to play but I need to really try to get leaner while keeping my weight. Thank you for the help!d
USNAredrock
Class of 2021
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I have a little different approach to getting your mile time down. This may not work for you, considering I am a 5'1 125 lb female, but this is the way my team and I have always trained. As a xc and track runner myself, I have definitely spent the last 4 years getting my mile time down. While speed work definitely helps to get the time down, you won't be able to hold that pace without endurance, and that's where distance runs come in. I personally like to do 3 days of long, hard runs (read run not jog) to build up endurance, and two days of speed work to get my times down. Also, vary your workouts to target different musclesand build up faster. Also for pull ups, I found the trick to getting more in is simply to practice them. Invest in an assistance band to get more reps or use the pull up assist machine at a local gym. Again, this is simply what worked for me. Good luck!
I wouldn't use a rubber band or assistance machine for the pull-ups. You can already do several unassisted and as you get more lean, they'll get easier. You could work on your grip by hanging for as long as you can with your shoulders engaged and work on pulling your shoulders down rather than reaching with your chin and neck. I would just focus on form and repitition. You'll be able to build on the eight you can already do pretty easily if you do them everyday or at least 4 or 5 times a week.
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DS had the same challenge with chin-ups. His solution, which increased his chin-ups from 8 to 25 perfect reps was:
1) Adding cable pull-downs to his work-out. Once you max out your eight chin-ups switch to sets of pull-downs increasing your weight until you can pull your body weight;
2) Do more sit-ups;
3) Do more pushups;
4) Run.
Why!? At the end of the day, a proper chin-up uses your entire core.
The added benefit will not only move you toward a perfect CFA score, which helped DS get an appointment to C/O 2021, it increased his fitness to a whole new level that made for one heckuva senior year!
Don't give up the ship!
1) Adding cable pull-downs to his work-out. Once you max out your eight chin-ups switch to sets of pull-downs increasing your weight until you can pull your body weight;
2) Do more sit-ups;
3) Do more pushups;
4) Run.
Why!? At the end of the day, a proper chin-up uses your entire core.
The added benefit will not only move you toward a perfect CFA score, which helped DS get an appointment to C/O 2021, it increased his fitness to a whole new level that made for one heckuva senior year!
Don't give up the ship!
Hey there! I am currently an appointee to the USAFA and I recently met the Director for Service Academies for my state rep. and she said that there were a lot of candidates who were varsity sports and had great SAT/ACT scores but they didn't do well on the CFA and didn't get in. I trained 4 months in advance for the CFA. My advice, try to do the CFA in its entirety every day!! You will get your scores up and make it to double digits for those pull ups in no time! It just takes practice and it will definitely help when you get to the academy. I wish you luck in this process. It's tough but it will definitely be worth it!