View Full Version : progressively weaker during USMC boot camp
Bill Bryant
09-06-10, 13:40
My son graduates from boot camp in two weeks.
Last week I got a letter from him saying I'd be surprised to hear that he had gotten progressively weaker during boot camp.
When he shipped he could max the PFT--300 points; I can't tell you how many times I've seen him do 20+ perfect form pull-ups. Now he says he can barely do half of that. He says he's been fine on the humps and swimming, but the running/crunches/pull-ups standard (final PFT test this week BTW) has been on a long down-hill the whole time he's been in San Diego.
I'm all ears for explanations.
Not eating enough, body went to muscle to compensate. Probably should have been receiving extra rations. His body also had to get used to more extreme endurance exercise and constant stress. That takes a toll physically. He should have significantly lower body fat now.
Any situation where you're physically ill, overstressed, and overworked will sap strength at some point. He will be fine, and after about 4 days of leave most illness will disappear just from proper nutrition and reduced stress.
Bill Bryant
09-06-10, 13:59
Not eating enough, body went to muscle to compensate. Probably should have been receiving extra rations. His body also had to get used to more extreme endurance exercise and constant stress. That takes a toll physically. He should have significantly lower body fat now.He went in lean and mean, or at least lean--six feet, 160. He's written over and over about how there isn't enough to eat. Makes no sense to me. You'd think the DI's would catch something as simple as that.
Bill Bryant
09-06-10, 14:01
Any situation where you're physically ill, overstressed, and overworked will sap strength at some point. He will be fine, and after about 4 days of leave most illness will disappear just from proper nutrition and reduced stress.It's true that he was really ill (pneumonia, IV in arm, high fever) in phase one, and that he slogged through it and didn't get behind despite the illness. That probably explains a lot.
Littlelebowski
09-06-10, 14:02
He'll be fine. Once he graduates, he'll have more latitude over his diet.
Pneumonia will kick anybody's ass on a good day. The fact that he didn't roll because of it is testament to his fortitude.
Complication
09-06-10, 14:17
Now that PLC folks are back, my USMC recruiting office had a get-together the other weekend where all the folks who just completed their first or second increments could share their experiences with those who were just starting the process and haven't received any training yet (me). Everyone's experiences were somewhat similar to your son's.
Unanimously run time dropped but so did pull-ups. Some guys who couldn't break 20 minutes before their 6-weeks of PLC were hitting 18:30 run time by the end of the 6 weeks, no problem. But where they could knock out 20 or 25 pull-ups before, they were struggling to get 15 or 16 by the end of their training increment.
No one complained about a constant lack of food or nutrition, though. Those who tried to explain it attributed it to the amount of running/humping they did versus how little time they spent doing pull-ups (comparatively almost nil).
So from what I've heard, I would absolutely expect his pull-ups to drop. His run time increasing, however, is somewhat more strange (although 1 PLC increment has a significantly different effect on the body than a full 13 weeks of boot camp). I wouldn't be overly concerned unless he's the only one whose performance on PFTs is dropping.
He went in lean and mean, or at least lean--six feet, 160. He's written over and over about how there isn't enough to eat. Makes no sense to me. You'd think the DI's would catch something as simple as that.
Just the way it is, he'll be fine when he gets out. There's never enough to eat in bootcamp.
Bill Bryant
09-06-10, 14:23
Now that PLC folks are back, my USMC recruiting office had a get-together the other weekend where all the folks who just completed their first or second increments could share their experiences with those who were just starting the process and haven't received any training yet (me). Everyone's experiences were somewhat similar to your son's.
Unanimously run time dropped but so did pull-ups. Some guys who couldn't break 20 minutes before their 6-weeks of PLC were hitting 18:30 run time by the end of the 6 weeks, no problem. But where they could knock out 20 or 25 pull-ups before, they were struggling to get 15 or 16 by the end of their training increment.
No one complained about a constant lack of food or nutrition, though. Those who tried to explain it attributed it to the amount of running/humping they did versus how little time they spent doing pull-ups (comparatively almost nil).
So from what I've heard, I would absolutely expect his pull-ups to drop. His run time increasing, however, is somewhat more strange (although 1 PLC increment has a significantly different effect on the body than a full 13 weeks of boot camp). I wouldn't be overly concerned unless he's the only one whose performance on PFTs is dropping.What is PLC, and what is a PLC increment?
Complication
09-06-10, 14:36
Basically OCS for people still in school.
You sign up for OCS while still in college, go to 1 10-week or 2 6-week increments during summers ("junior" increment before you junior year in college, "senior" increment before your senior year), and receive your commission when you get your diploma.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Platoon_Leaders_Class#Platoon_Leaders_Class
theblackknight
09-06-10, 14:40
yall just don't eat like I do. My DIs hated me because Id clean my tray faster then anyone. Id drink milk and have eggs before a PFT and only throw up clear liquid at the end of the run.
Cagemonkey
09-06-10, 15:23
Theirs plenty of food to eat in Boot. The problem is theirs no time to eat it. We always ended up eating duck. IE we ducked in and we ducked out of the chow hall. When we went to the field we weren't allowed to have the deserts that came with our MRE's. I remember at night, bivouacked by the airfield, sneaking out and scrounging through dumpsters or guys robbing other platoons MRE supplies. During Mess and Maintenance, I was on maintenance. Sometimes we'd get an hour for lunch and we'd hit both the 1st and 2nd Battalion chow halls. The 4th Battalion chow hall was awesome. One of the Sgt's in charge of our detail brought us their for lunch. Scrounging for food is just part of the game.
variablebinary
09-06-10, 15:44
Normal. A little sleep, chow and recovery time and he'll be 100% again
My son graduates from boot camp in two weeks.
Last week I got a letter from him saying I'd be surprised to hear that he had gotten progressively weaker during boot camp.
When he shipped he could max the PFT--300 points; I can't tell you how many times I've seen him do 20+ perfect form pull-ups. Now he says he can barely do half of that. He says he's been fine on the humps and swimming, but the running/crunches/pull-ups standard (final PFT test this week BTW) has been on a long down-hill the whole time he's been in San Diego.
I'm all ears for explanations.
Lack of sleep, lack of rest, inadequate calories, is rarely a formula for increasing strength or LBM. It is boot camp after all. ;)
Food, sleep, vag, will cure all that he suffers from. :cool:
Theirs plenty of food to eat in Boot. The problem is theirs no time to eat it.
Better put haha. I just remember only eating the Entree of the MRE for 5 seconds and huck the rest in the trash haha.
Thomas M-4
09-06-10, 18:14
Normal. A little sleep, chow and recovery time and he'll be 100% again
This ^^
Is he doing the crucible ? Is the USMC still doing the crucible??Last I heard they were not.
Bill Bryant
09-06-10, 18:28
This ^^
Is he doing the crucible ? Is the USMC still doing the crucible?? Last I heard they were not.He does the Crucible next week, finishing the 54-hour exercise with a hump up the Reaper in full gear. Then a Warrior's Breakfast and pinning on those globes and anchors.
Thomas M-4
09-06-10, 18:40
He does the Crucible next week, finishing the 54-hour exercise with a hump up the Reaper in full gear. Then a Warrior's Breakfast and pinning on those globes and anchors.
I wouldn't worry about it he is burning more than he is taking in right now. Of course he will be burning alot during the Crucible if possible he needs to try to get down as many calories has possible before the crucible. Army boot camp I had lunch and dinner with my cottage cheese.:o
CarlosDJackal
09-06-10, 21:09
I personally lost about 20-pounds and my run times got worse during Basic (Fort Benning, GA). Not to worry, he should recover his strength once he graduates.
Nothing unusual. My run times got better but my pullups decreased quickly during bootcamp. Gets better after boot though. Nothing to really worry about (though I know you're a concerned parent).
By the end of USMC boot camp, how many miles a day are they running?
Lack of sleep, lack of rest, inadequate calories, is rarely a formula for increasing strength or LBM. It is boot camp after all. ;)
Food, sleep, vag, will cure all that he suffers from. :cool:
This analysis sums it up very well.
Part of recruit training is to show them what they are capable of when tired, etc. He'll bounce back fine, and is now stronger than before in more ways than one.
To wit:
"Napoleon . . . stated “the moral is to the physical as three is to one.” Patton thought the Frenchman underestimated its importance and said moral conviction was five times more important in battle than physical strength" Tony Kern, Lt Col USAF (Ret)
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