View Full Version : Need help developing a fitness program ( dietary and exercise )
Blackjack272
04-02-09, 06:41
Hi folks!
I'm USMC AD, currently deployed, and have come to a conclusion.
I want to do something a bit different than just serve in a line unit. Where I want to go and what I want to do is of no concern here. The smarter ones here will pick up on this real quick once you read the end goals I state.:D
The end goal here is to be able to maintain a 6 minute mile pace for 3 miles, a 7 minute mile pace for 6 miles, and to sustain a decent pace for 9 miles. 20+ pullups before and after a workout, the ability to run with a 40-50 pound pack for quite some time, and be able to hit the O Course 6 times with 2 mile runs in between.
Other end goals are to refine my swimming technique ( I can swim... I'm an island boy at heart, love open ocean, but my technique is all jacked up. Currently a CWS2 because they wouldn't let me test for CWS1 ), and gain a greater understanding of how to get fit, and how to achieve and maintain those above standards.
My resources are as follows : we do have a gym, but I hate lifting weights when half the COP is waiting on you. I have miles of flat, open desert at decently low altitudes. We do have a few hills here with solid packed earth. I do have sandbags, and a mainpack and daypack ( ILBE issue. Don't have my old ALICE:( )
Additionally I have a decent chow hall here with all kinds of food, good and bad. KBR is the shizznit. Unfortunately there is no pool here, and I'll have to wait until I get back to Pendleton to find a MCWIS bubba to help me.
My timeframe is to achieve these standards by December of this year.
My limitations are prior shin splints and a stress fracture ( from hiking in Danner boots oddly enough? ).
Currently I can and do score a first class PFT in the 17-23 age range ( not an old man PFT ), but I want better. I have had high altitude training in Bridgeport CA, and am willing to do some work to get away from the 'check in the box' and 'good enough' attitudes of some of the folks here.
I need a bit of help figuring out something to work my way up to those standards, probably week by week, including what to eat. I don't know too much about the detailed part of fitness, but I do know that this needs to be done gradually and intelligently so I don't break myself and fall back in my program.
So. I got me an IPOD, lots of land and a gun. If you aren't motivated and prepared to discuss intense physical and mental growth...
... THEN GET THE HELL OUTTA THE WAY AND FOLLOW ME.
Educate me, M4C!
S/F
To get your times down, there is only one real training regimen to recommend, and that is intervals. What you want to do is have a weekly mix of short, medium, and long runs with a day of timed interval training thrown in there. Intervals suck to run, but they really do work.
What you want to be wary of is overtraining. Building up to your goal, you will need to keep a calendar with planned runs and maintain running discipline. Your short run days are just as important as your longer runs.
For interval training, divide your mile goal pace into 1/8-mile, 1/4-mile, 1/2-mile distances. (i.e. 6 minute mile)
Using the goal times, run the following routine sequentially.
- Run 1/2-mile at goal pace (3:00)
- Walk or jog 1/4-mile
- Repeat 3-4 times
- Run 1/4-mile at goal pace (90 seconds)
- Walk or jog 1/8 of a mile
- Repeat 4-6 times
- Run 1/8-mile at goal pace
- Walk or jog 100 m (45 seconds)
- Repeat 4-6 times
Do this workout once a week combined with your longer runs during the week. In a few weeks, you will see your running pace increase and your mile times begin to drop while making your pace easier to maintain.
In the chart below I have laid out a typical marathon training schedule. The Is are interval training, the T's are tune-ups (explained below) and the Rs are rest days. This schedule assumes that at week 1 you are already conditioned for 4 miles a day of running. In week 12 the distance diminishes as it is prepping you for your main timed event. You can scale this down to a 1/2 marathon easily by cutting the distances in half (But I would not run less than 2 miles in any given running day.
http://www.bluemotorcycle.com/images/trainingschedule.gif
Every month you will need to have a tune-up run, this can be a PFT or a longer run if you like, but it is a timed event used to evaluate your conditioning. Your tune-ups should be roughly half the distance of your overall monthly target (i.e. 5k for a 10k, 10k for a ½ marathon, or a ½ marathon for a marathon). These are meant to test your pacing, mental conditioning, fueling, hydration, and gear in conditions that simulate what you will face in you goal.
Warm up. Do not stretch until you have warmed up for 5-10 minutes with jogging, jumping rope, or on some kind of cardio machine, but do stretch before each workout.
Get a GPS to track your progress on computer. I use a Garmin Forerunner 205 and it tracks my pacing and monthly progress very well. It also has nice lap features for running intervals.
Sleep as much as you can when training. Short afternoon naps (20 minutes or less) are very beneficial to recovery and try and get 8 hours per night if possible.
Test in the same gear you train in. Never break out something brand new for a test; be it a hydration system, shoes, shirt socks, etc! Break in your gear well before any testing.
As far as weight lifting goes, concentrate on upper body. Its okay to do some lower body training, but running and ruck marching will adequately build those muscles.
Nutritionally speaking, you will burn a ton of carbs when training for this and you will need protein to build your muscles. Im no doctor, but I do know that most distance runners average around 110 calories per mile with about 75% of those calories coming from carbohydrates. A typical runner can store approximately 1800 calories worth of carbohydrate in their muscles, liver and blood. That amount of carbohydrate will be depleted in about 22 to 23 miles which explains why most marathon runners hit the wall at that point in a race.
A training distance runner should be consuming a diet that is composed of between 65% and 70% carbohydrates. A typical runner's training diet is one that is around 65% carbohydrates 25% protein 10% fat. Of course all carbs are not created equally, you will want to focus on complex carbs that have a lower Glycemic Index or GI. These carbs tend to keep your blood glucose level and give you a steady supply of energy. You will be able to maintain your training runs for longer periods of time if your blood glucose is stable.
Below is a partial list of the GI of some common foods. This list uses glucose as the standard and has a rating of 100. The lower the number the better when selecting your carbs.
Breads
White bread 96
Waffle 76
Donut 76
Whole wheat bread 75
Bread stuffing 74
Kaiser rolls 73
Bagel, white 72
Melba toast 70
Tortilla, corn 70
Rye bread 65
Whole wheat pita 58
Pumpernickel bread 49
Cereals
Puffed Rice 90
Rice Chex 89
Crispix 87
Corn Flakes 84
Corn Chex 83
Rice Krispies 82
Grapenut Flakes 80
Cocoapops 77
Cheerios 74
Shredded Wheat 69
Puffed Wheat 67
Grapenuts 67
Museli 66
Life 66
Cream of Wheat 66
Bran Chex 58
Oatmeal 55
Special K 54
All Bran 42
Crackers/Cookies
Vanilla Wafers 77
Rice Cakes 77
Water Crackers 72
Golden Grahams 71
Stoned Wheat Thins 67
Shortbread 64
Dairy
Ice Cream 61
Pizza cheese 60
Ice Cream low fat 50
Milk skim 32
Yogurt with sugar 33
Yogurt no sugar 14
Fruits
Watermelon 72
Dried fruit 70
Pineapple 66
Cantaloupe 65
Blueberry 59
Orange juice 57
Mango 55
Fruit cocktail 55
Banana 53
Kiwi 52
Orange 43
Grapes 43
Pear 35
Apple 35
Strawberry 32
Grapefruit 25
Plum 25
Cherries 23
Grains
Rice instant 88
Millet 71
Rice white/not instant 70
Cornmeal 68
Rye flour 65
Couscous 65
Bran 60
Buckwheat 54
Bulgur 48
Spirali, durum 43
Barley, pearled 25
Legumes
Fava beans 80
Baked beans canned 68
Romano beans 46
Black eyed peas 42
Chick peas 33
Split peas 32
Lima beans frozen 32
Butter beans 31
Black beans 30
Lentils 29
Beans dried 29
Kidney beans 27
Soybeans 18
Pasta
Brown rice pasta 92
Refined pasta 65
Gnocchi 65
Whole grain thick 45
Angel hair 45
Star Pastina 38
Whole grain spaghetti 37
Vermicelli 35
Vegetables
Parsnips 97
Potato baked 85
Potato instant 83
Pumpkin 75
French fries 75
Potato fresh mashed 73
Rutabaga 72
Carrot 71
Beets 64
New Potato 62
Sweet corn 55
Sweet potato 54
Yam 51
Tomato 38
Green vegetables low
Bean sprouts low
Cauliflower low
Eggplant low
Peppers low
Squash low
Onions low
Water chestnuts low
Miscellaneous
Tofu frozen dessert 115
Maltose 105
Glucose 100
Rice cake 82
Jelly beans 80
Pretzels 80
Honey 73
Corn chips 73
Soft drink 70
Angel food 67
Sucrose 65
Hamburger bun 61
Sponge cake 54
Chocolate 49
Instant noodles 47
Fructose 23
I hope this helps you in your training.
Good luck pal.
Blackjack272
04-04-09, 02:13
Wow, outstanding. That's exactly what I'm looking for.
Two questions remain though -
1st - What happened to the chart? Can't see it anymore.
2nd - Where would running with weight fit into this?
Thanks again!
S/F
I would not run with weight personally. Especially if I had all these medical problems you outlined.
I am honestly not sure what to do for a 7-minute 6-mile goal. That is up there with dedicated long-distance runners. I would say that you need to decide what kind of body you want to build. You seem to want the cake and to consume it as well. To run a 7-minute mile, for 6 miles, is pretty extreme. To do this reliably you will not have a whole lot of body mass going for you, if you do, impact injury like you already sustained will own you. The best I could recommend is interval/HIIT training, but after hurting myself doing HIIT in new-balance running shoes, I honestly think that running flat out sucks. I don't do it anymore except 1 or 2 miles at a time. Maybe once a week.
To me, it sounds like you want to be a runner, forget functional strength above normal levels pretty much. At the level you will need to attain to do this running, you will look like a long-distance runner and function like one. Period. Muscle cannot live without being consumed in the environment you will be forming in your body. If this is what you want, then I suggest what the previuous poster did, intervals, working slowly up to your goal. Drop all extra body weight to help. Less you weight and less muscle-mass you have, the better off you are. Think Greyhound or Whippit.
See Run Less, Run Faster (http://www.amazon.com/Runners-World-Less-Faster-Revolutionary/dp/159486649X/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1238841306&sr=1-2) for a scientifically proven method of improving your running speed. It works. As others have said, intervals and HIIT are the way to increase your speed.
The key feature is the "3 plus 2" program, which each week consists of:
-3 quality runs, including track repeats, the tempo run, and the long run, which are designed to work together to improve endurance, lactate-threshold running pace, and leg speed.
-2 aerobic cross-training workouts, such as swimming, rowing, or pedaling a stationary bike, which are designed to improve endurance while helping to avoid burnout.
You could incorporate the running into a program like P90X, it's no BS. It has a complete exercise and nutrition guide which spells out day to day what you need to do and eat. This program will increase peak athletic performance and functional strength, if you follow it, period. The Plyometrics routine will be especially helpful for your fitness goals. For equipment, all you need is a heart rate monitor (which you'll need for the running program mentioned above), a pull-up bar and a set of dumbells.
Blackjack272
04-04-09, 05:58
You've got a point.
Here's the issue. I'm eyeballing a few other units in the Marine Corps with extremely high physical fitness standards. From all accounts I've heard, the majority of what they do is swimming, running, and running with packs, armor, etc. extended distances.
I can't necessarily forgo upper body strength, nor can I sacrifice everything to achieve insane distance running ability. However, the end goal here is to be able to do pack runs like when I was outside of the military.
I know there needs to be a balance. I don't know how to find it without destroying this body.:confused:
S/F
Wow, outstanding. That's exactly what I'm looking for.
Two questions remain though -
1st - What happened to the chart? Can't see it anymore.
S/F
1st chart was same as the 2nd, only uglier because it was unformatted text. The new chart replaced it. If you can't see it any longer I can send it to you via email if you like.
2nd - Where would running with weight fit into this?
S/F
I have to agree with WS6 on this, especially with your injury history. Weights may be something you incorporate later in your un-times shorter routines once you have healed up adequately, but not until your body is fully healed.
Also, you need to get a good pair of running shoes fitted to your body's running stlye as soon as you can. It makes a very big difference to go to a running store and have a professional evaluate your run and suggest a shoe that matches your stability needs. This does not cost any more, but will make a huge difference.
Additionally, for your long workouts (>10K) you may want to carry some fuel in addition to your hydration. I like to use Gu Sports Gel for longer workouts.
BravoCompanyUSA
04-04-09, 10:09
My limitations are prior shin splints and a stress fracture ( from hiking in Danner boots oddly enough? ).
Whatever type of regiment you choose, take whatever precautions you can to not further injure this area.
I was a PT stud, but lost that battle very badly and was sent home. Not sure what advise I can even give you. The advise I received (20 yrs ago) was to "stay off it", which really isn't very helpful to an 0311. Find out if there are some better precautions in 2009 in an effort to achieve your goal and stay healthy.
S/F
Paul
All I can say is that I don't know about you and running currently.
Shin splints and stress fractures point to underlying problems:
Shoe-fit
Running technique
nutrition/rest/work-out balance being off
Like suggested, you NEED! to heal up and correct the above (possible) deficiencies before you undertake this. I have a friend who ran. I mean he RAN. Guy was always a runner. Has done a marathon, and at one point lost 60# in less than a year. Running. He was single-digit body fat, barely benching his 140# body weight for 1 rep. He still could not run at the level you are shooting for.
All of these helpful posts are...helpful. THey are good. The information is solid. However, I feel that your goal is not realistic given the other requirements for your body that you have outlined. What you are telling us is that you want a car that runs the 1/4 mile in 8 seconds, pulls a party-barge, and seats 8 while lapping the Nuhrimburge in record-time.
You need to decide if you want to have good long-distance running ability and good strength, or if you want LOTS of strength, with minimal long-distance ability, or vice versa. Muscle-mass is a distance-runner's enemy just as much as fat is. It is extra, worthless weight. Pecs, back, arms, all worthless to a LD runner. They atrophy. Here is an illustration of the body-type and mass distributon you will end up with if you achieve your running goals:
http://nycblog.citysearch.com/bottomlessdish/images/2008/07/31/marathon_runner.jpg
This is more what I think you are after:
http://www.championshipproductions.com/champ/images/items/TV-01806B.JPG
See the difference? The sprinter is about explosion. Power. Force. The endurance runner is all about minimal consumption of oxygen required to fuel minimal amount of muscle necessary to travel "X" distance at "X" speed. Pecs, back, arms, anything else not used for locomotion is just a waste of oxygen. It atrophies.
That marathon runner may run me into the ground in a mile or so, but when he catches me, I am going to break him in half. That sprinter...well whether he caught me in 10 feet or 20, I would not be happy about it.
Perhapse I am jaded, but every time I catch myself working out, hand to hand combat superiority or survivalism or function enhancement is the goal. Why else would I modify my body beyond what is considered "healthy" except to become more durable or useful in any environment? That marathon runner is not someone I want watching my back in any circumstance that doesn't involve "Run for help man!"
Blackjack272
04-05-09, 01:33
I'll admit I'm learning quite a bit about all this.
Maybe this would shed a little light into this topic.
http://www.marsoc.usmc.mil/1stmsob.html
I need to be prepared for that. I can change the end goals to be more realistic or tailored for that, but that link is ultimately why I need to prepare.
Anyone with experience in the line, Recon BNs or DRPs and such would know what the standards are for BRC and after. I don't mean passing standards - I mean exceeding the standard, showing up ready so I don't have to waste too much time getting into shape there. I need to use this time efficiently.
You've all said the same thing - for those standards I'd have to make grave sacrifices elsewhere. I can't do that. Being well rounded is just as important to me.
Shin splints occured after many miles of hiking/running in ill-fitted Danner boots. Since then ( maybe six months ago ) I haven't gotten any since. The sneakers I have are still the same as the old boot camp go-fasters, and by God those things are WAAAAY beyond their prime.
I am glad y'all are here to help refine all this trash. Its a whole lot to absorb.
S/F
Don't get too discouraged! I'm no longer a PT stud, but at 42 years old, 6'2" tall and 240lbs, I am a 1/2 marathon runner that lifts weights. I also train in martial arts and Army combatives. I am not a pure racer, my long distance mile times are not at a competetive level, but I have the mental toughness to finish the races I enter. The distance race is about 30% physical and 70% mental.
My next big event will be the Bataan Memorial Death March at White Sands NM where I will enter in the Military Heavy class next year. Check out that site and you will see that there are plenty of marathon runners that have the body type you are looking for. Here is a picture of some of the competetors. Over 800 runners ran the 26.2 miles in the heavy category with a pack weighing at least 35 lbs.
http://www.bluemotorcycle.com/images/bataan1.jpg
Light competetors - no pack, just hydration
http://www.bluemotorcycle.com/images/bataan2.jpg
Heavy competetors - with 35+ lb ruck
http://www.bluemotorcycle.com/images/bataan3.jpg
Light team competetors
Bottom line though, WS6 is right about your injuries. Learn to really listen to your body and learn what your limits are. It is often hard to pull back when you are close to re-injuring yourself, this is where discipline comes in. You also need to set goals that your body type can accomodate. Here is the link to the Bataan Memorial Death March event.
http://www.bataanmarch.com/r09/story.htm
Good luck in your training!
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