PLEASE HELP! RUNNING! Prospective Class of 2017

bigallus

5-Year Member
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Jun 29, 2011
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I'm an incoming high school junior and my dream is to go to the Naval Academy. From an academic standpoint, I think I am competitive. I have a 3.92 gpa. I WILL be taking AP and honors classes in science and math in the fall (school didn'toffer them to underclassmen).

I am an eagle scout. I have had several leadership positions in my troop, including Senior Patrol Leader. I am in NHS and am pursuing leadership roles in this.

I play varsity football and I would have been co-captain this year but I am moving from Texas to Maryland over the summer.

However, I currently do not think I have the cardiovascular ability to compete for an appointment. I only run at about an 8.5 min mile pace. I am motivated, and I run 2-6 miles about 4-5 times a week, in addition to off season workouts. I am strong in pretty much all other categories, except pull-ups (4/5 on a good day), and I am not some chunky fat kid. I'm kind of big, 6'0 220 lb), but I have 18% body fat.

I have seen some pretty big looking guys on the Naval Academy Facebook Page pictures, and also a few on the football roster. These make me feel it is not IMPOSSIBLE for me, but I would appreciate some accurate help on how to increase my cardiovascular ability and my run times.

This Forum seemed like a good place to ask this question, and I haven't found much credible information anywhere online.

THANK YOU!
 
Having had to watch my own boys improve their fitness for the cfa score I can honestly say that the only way to improve is to just do it!

take a look at these websites:

http://www.military.com/military-fitness/fitness-test-prep/spec-ops-push-ups-and-pull-ups

http://hundredpushups.com/
there are also links on this site relating to two hundred situps and 25 pullups

http://www.therunningadvisor.com/Training.html#speed
scroll down and you'll see techniques for speed and endurance

make situps, pushups, pullups, and running all part of your daily routine. also, look into other activities that will keep you fit while working out ither muscle groups. One of my sons plays ultimate frisbee and another finds pickup soccer games.

Good luck to you!
 
You've got plenty of time to work on pull-ups and run times. I find taking days of just sprints has increased my speed, and doing long-distance runs makes my breathing easier, which combine to form a fantastic mile run (it's a trick I learned in track my freshman year, went from a ten-minute mile to 6:45 - now I have to do it all over again!).

Regardless, you're already a very competitive candidate, and you've identified your weak points very nicely. Work on those and you'll be fine. Here's to hoping I get to yell at you in a couple years!
 
ditto! Ours went from 7 to 17 using a bar put under our steps. EVERY nite after dinner! BEST $15 bucks ever spent! This can be done w/ diligence and commitment. Dare I say it, "hang in there"!
 
You CAN do it on your own. You'll probably be more successful if you seek "professional" help.

For most, this is a gym teacher, coach or someone else who is truly an expert on physical fitness. He/she can help you design a program to improve your specific situation by helping you design a tailored workout plan.

If you can find a "partner" with whom to work out -- especially one slightly more fit than you -- this can be a great motivator.

You have plenty of time. Given your age, you should be able to make a huge improvement in that time. However, it will take dedication -- the same level of dedication you put toward your Eagle Scout and your academics.
 
Persistence without over-working is the key for all facets of the CFA.

As a HS sophomore, DD announced that she wanted to apply to the SAs, especially Navy. The very first time she tried to do the various CFA "events," her numbers were awful. Terrible. It's been ~5 years, but she could barely do 10 pushups, ~30 sit-ups, zero time in the female's "flexed arm hang," and ~10 minute mile.

After a year of going to the gym virtually every day before school (leaving home ~5:30 AM), her actual CFA numbers weren't off the charts, but they were certainly passing: barely missed doing a full pull-up, then immediately did ~30 second "flexed arm hang," 100 sit-ups (max), ~40 pushups, and a 7:40 mile. Again, they're not fabulous numbers, but they were a huge improvement.

Now, she's a Firstie squad leader who just completed Leatherneck...

Bottom line: you CAN do this
 
Thanks All!

It's good to know that this has been done before. I WILL continue to work hard, and I'll try to find a coach to help with running, Thanks usna1985 and 2012mom?!
 
I'm an incoming high school junior and my dream is to go to the Naval Academy. From an academic standpoint, I think I am competitive. I have a 3.92 gpa. I WILL be taking AP and honors classes in science and math in the fall (school didn'toffer them to underclassmen).

I am an eagle scout. I have had several leadership positions in my troop, including Senior Patrol Leader. I am in NHS and am pursuing leadership roles in this.

I play varsity football and I would have been co-captain this year but I am moving from Texas to Maryland over the summer.

However, I currently do not think I have the cardiovascular ability to compete for an appointment. I only run at about an 8.5 min mile pace. I am motivated, and I run 2-6 miles about 4-5 times a week, in addition to off season workouts. I am strong in pretty much all other categories, except pull-ups (4/5 on a good day), and I am not some chunky fat kid. I'm kind of big, 6'0 220 lb), but I have 18% body fat.

I have seen some pretty big looking guys on the Naval Academy Facebook Page pictures, and also a few on the football roster. These make me feel it is not IMPOSSIBLE for me, but I would appreciate some accurate help on how to increase my cardiovascular ability and my run times.

This Forum seemed like a good place to ask this question, and I haven't found much credible information anywhere online.

THANK YOU!

At NASS, we had a pretty big, tall lineman max out in 4 parts of the CFA. With pull-ups shorter, small-framed guys do appear to be at a natural advantage. However, with time and commitment you can still exceed average and potentially max out.
I have a iron gym pull-up bar. It helped me go from 8 pull-ups to 12 in about 3 months of time.

With running, it just takes time. Cross country/track guys and gals tend do exceed average times easily; however, like with everything else, practice is the key.



practice for the ACT or SAT by using test prep books

get nominated for Boy's State (it can as easy as walking into your guidance counselor's office and telling them you are an Eagle Scout- that's what I did)
 
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