Marine Corps OCS Prep and Base Results

[spemma]

I feel bad hijacking here, so I'll refrain from getting into my specifics. It's interesting you classify the Fast 5 as E. Thanks for the reply.

[Aelian]

I feel bad hijacking here, so I'll refrain from getting into my specifics. It's interesting you classify the Fast 5 as E. Thanks for the reply.

I don't really classify F5 as an E, it would be more accurate for me to say I like including it as part of a PFT prep package. It's a great contributor to 1.5 mile proficiency. For some it'll be E, others HIC. Depends on how fast you can run 5k.

[bluejay44993]

Hijack by all means lol, it seems that we share the same goals here.

I feel bad hijacking here, so I'll refrain from getting into my specifics. It's interesting you classify the Fast 5 as E. Thanks for the reply.

[spemma]

people are much better qualified than me to post advice. i looked up the scoring table and it looks like your pull-ups are your strongest event, and the crunches and 3-mile run are about the same in points, but below pull-ups.

if i'm reading this correctly, 5 more pull-ups, 35 more crunches, and 6 minutes on your 3-mile time, and you will max out the scoring. i think the 6 minute run improvement would probably be the hardest to achieve. to that end, i would think you would want to bump your runs to 4 days/week instead of the 3 that you have right now.

what would be best to add for the additional run day? i dunno...maybe another E? i was hoping for Aelian's opinion here.

also, why no crunches/sit-ups if you're going to be tested on them? seems like it would be worthwhile to run periodic mock PFT's too, every 3-4 weeks to see where you are at.

[bluejay44993]

people are much better qualified than me to post advice. i looked up the scoring table and it looks like your pull-ups are your strongest event, and the crunches and 3-mile run are about the same in points, but below pull-ups.

if i'm reading this correctly, 5 more pull-ups, 35 more crunches, and 6 minutes on your 3-mile time, and you will max out the scoring. i think the 6 minute run improvement would probably be the hardest to achieve. to that end, i would think you would want to bump your runs to 4 days/week instead of the 3 that you have right now.

what would be best to add for the additional run day? i dunno...maybe another E? i was hoping for Aelian's opinion here.

also, why no crunches/sit-ups if you're going to be tested on them? seems like it would be worthwhile to run periodic mock PFT's too, every 3-4 weeks to see where you are at.

I wasn't sure if I should be doing more HIC or E for 3 mile run prep which is why I was thinking black, and I would be doing crunches during SE and Fun Runs, but maybe I should add them after MS days too. What do you think my schedule should be then? Now I'm going to do Green and was thinking:
M: MS (S/B/WP/DL + P/S + C)
T: Fun Run
W: LSS
T: MS
F: LSS - make this a Fast 5 during the second half of Green
S: SE/ Ruck added in next block
S: off

A mock PFT doesn't sound too bad either maybe for a Saturday in the schedule posted above. I'm trying to make a schedule that will help me max the PFT and help for attending OCS so Rucking will definitely have to be added in somewhere, but I still need to have the running for the PFT. What is your schedule looking like right now?

[bluejay44993]

Like I said there's a sticky on here that says all run tests from 1mile to 3mile should mostly be prepped for with HIC

[Gordion]

Like I said there's a sticky on here that says all run tests from 1mile to 3mile should mostly be prepped for with HIC

I've read here and on the reddit that the 1.5 is aerobic, so you want to keep an element of LSS and E in your training.

I don't mean to interrupt this informative discussion guys, but are you aware that you can get online coaching from KB, J-Madd, and Grouchyjarhead? Why I ask is because I wasn't, and found out a few days ago when making inquiries.

[spemma]

i'm out of my depth here. i looked up the marine corps OCS standards, but i'm not sure what the process entails beyond that. i am training for a PFT as well, so we share some commonality there.

my point was primarily that to achieve an 18:00 3-mile is probably going to take a fair amount of work if you're at 24:00 right now. i say that because i'm at a 24:00 3-mile and i think it would take me a year to get down to 18:00. but i'm a fat guy who hates running.

from all the reading i've been doing, TB, reddit/running, countless running articles, etc., you are basically training for a 5k. the 5k running plans are mostly easy miles with 2x/week speed and tempo sessions, of usually 5 days running total. obviously you're training for more than just a 5k race, so there are more considerations.

with that said, i would think that you should be running Green with Fighter (Bangkok). i would be doing 4 days of running per week, 2 E sessions and 2 HICs. the E's would be LSS, rucking, or fun runs. the HIC's would be Fast 5 (or Fast 8/10) and some interval workout, like Oxygen Debt.

i've learned from reading on here that specificity is important. include your PFT events and what you will be doing in training (basic?) in your workouts (i.e. pull-ups, crunches, running, rucking, etc.). practice your PFT from start to finish to assess progress.

other than that, it sounds like you have until next summer to be ready? that's over a year. if you regularly assess with mock PFT's, then you can make adjustments to your training as necessary. and yes, might be worthwhile to inquire about private coaching.

edit: PM Tym87 - he helped me out with basebuilding and is a nice guy

[CelticFrost91]

Glad to see this here!

I'm currently prepping for OCS as well, if I get selected I'll be going next summer for PLC combined. I think a lot of what has been said is pointing in the right direction. Prepping for something like OCS requires some out of the box planning. I'm about to change up my program to reflect that. I.E. more fartleks instead of long distances within the HR, more interval running and slightly longer distance.

I think even running Green/Fighter by the book won't be horrible for a PFT prep because I was still able to improve from a 24 3 mile to 20:25, 16 pull-ups to 22 and sit-ups stayed around 115. But I've kinda plateaued there and I think that's because I tend to focus more on getting longer distances for my E sessions.

[bluejay44993]

Glad to see this here!

I'm currently prepping for OCS as well, if I get selected I'll be going next summer for PLC combined. I think a lot of what has been said is pointing in the right direction. Prepping for something like OCS requires some out of the box planning. I'm about to change up my program to reflect that. I.E. more fartleks instead of long distances within the HR, more interval running and slightly longer distance.

I think even running Green/Fighter by the book won't be horrible for a PFT prep because I was still able to improve from a 24 3 mile to 20:25, 16 pull-ups to 22 and sit-ups stayed around 115. But I've kinda plateaued there and I think that's because I tend to focus more on getting longer distances for my E sessions.

Great work! Haha I've been lowkey peeping up on your log, and have been incorporating some ideas from yours, like keeping pullups as bodyweight and using a weighted big 3. I'm gonna be starting the new block Monday with 2 HIC's 2 E's 2 MS's and 1 SE, all running workouts. I've been reading a lot from officercandidateschool *dot* com, and I'm going to implement some ideas of their's into my training. However, I've made the decision to hold off on any applications or anything until I graduate to do so for OCC, I was reading futurejarheads *dot* com and that was their recommendation to complete school first and still see by then if you're 100% and I think it's the best thing for me as the Corps is a big decision to make. In the meantime I'll be prepping for the best possible application with high grades, a 300 PFT, good LOR's, and a lot of extracurriculars and community service. Keep up that hard work in your log, I'm gonna stay reading it haha!