running in basic?

[Joker62]

When I joined our cooks (you hadn’t earned the right to call them sloppies at this stage) would tell you that our depot got through more meat than any other- they probably all said that. The steaks weren’t the best fillets but it was steak and you could have loads of it. Trouble was you had about three minutes to eat it - known as a “scoff injection” so usually you had steak, chips, veggies, custard and jam rolypoly all on one plate which you attacked in the manner of a ravenous animal.
I can’t imagine things have changed that much?

They have a tad, you are no longer allowed custard on your steak, the chefs insist that it is drizzled over by a red wine jus!

 

[TOUGHGUY123]

When I joined our cooks (you hadn’t earned the right to call them sloppies at this stage) would tell you that our depot got through more meat than any other- they probably all said that. The steaks weren’t the best fillets but it was steak and you could have loads of it. Trouble was you had about three minutes to eat it - known as a “scoff injection” so usually you had steak, chips, veggies, custard and jam rolypoly all on one plate which you attacked in the manner of a ravenous animal.
I can’t imagine things have changed that much?

Right so If I learn to eat as quickly as possible, it shouldnt be a problem?

 

[TOUGHGUY123]

Fair enough. Now add 60lbs of kit to your weight and see how your knees like it.

60 Lbs whilst running? I leg press over 660lbs and my knees handle it quite well (Not trying to argue just trying to learn more from more experienced people)

 

[TOUGHGUY123]

I'm 1m85 / 6'1" and big-framed (swimmer build - or was 35 years ago), my optimum weight in the Foreign Legion was about 85kg / 13st 5lb / 187lb. It dropped to 76kg / 11st13.5lb / 167.5lb on Ops in Chad in 1984.

In basic (and more after) there I was doing lots of phys - mainly endurance (lots of long-distance running and tabbing, fartlek, hillwork, with and without weight) and upper body strength, (press-ups, dips, pull-ups, rope climbing - arms & legs and arms only - using one rope and two ropes) concentrating on optimal endurance and a balanced power-to-weight ratio (although that wasn't scientifically explained - it's just what we did). An overly developed muscle-man physique was a drawback. Gym bunnies suffered in basic and tended to be derided by the DS as being vain and overly interested in their appearance as opposed to being physically effective.

In 2REP we dropped with what we needed and carried it all, up hill and down dale. So the weight carried could be enormous. When I became a radio-telegraphist, as part of a three-man team I carried either the SSB transceiver, the antenna set or the generator set - we all split up the spare batteries. This on top of all personal kit, weapon and ammo, rations and water. You did not any extra useless muscle bulk on your body to carry as well.

p.s. I wish my weight was somewhere close to above now

Compared to the british army, the french foreign legion is a much more powerful and strict military regiment I mean its an elite force comparable to the British S.A.S. I was thinking about the french foreign legion but I choose not to because of the jungle training,and the nonstop running therefore I would not be able to continue with my bodybuilding ambitions, not only that but the discipline and training is crazy strict, I've got a tremendous ammount of respect for anyone who's been in the legion or is currently enlisted. Dont get me wrong I train as fucntionaly as possible (mainly compound movements: Bench press, deadlift, squat) with some isolation for the looks. Im big but Im quite strong for my weight, would this make a difference?

 

[TOUGHGUY123]

As said above by those that know, you will need more endurance than big muscle so sit down and think. Big mucle needs feeding and carrying plus what your nice sgt. gives you.

SBS, among the fittest in the world prefer more of a triathlete body than a Rambo.

I'm not the tallest lad on the planet, about 8" shorter than Condottiere in fact, but I worked on endurance and was able to carry more than most. Later in life I still run distance and go to the gym, but if I work at my bulk then I lose on the running. Now I work at having a muscle that works but that allows me to run, and at sixty I'm in failry good shape.

SBS as in special boat service? Thats fantastic! Hats off to you sir. Personally, Im choosing to join as a experinment, Im not sure if I want a army career (you know as in later joining S.A.S, or serving over 12 years to become seargent), but its also something I have wanted to do ever since I was a little boy. However bodybuilding is something I am currently doing and something I will do once I come out of the army, so I dont really want to give that up. Thats why Im concenrned and curious about the food that will be given and If I will be maintain my mass through BT, I know that mandatory PT is much less once you become a Private and that I will be able to build my physique at that point. Just dont want to loose any of my gains.

 

[truck_trasher]

I wonder why the OP isn't aiming to be PTI ? It would seem to suit his inclinations better than infantry work.

Ummm, actually, is there still an RAPTC or has it been outsourced or something like that ?

 

[TOUGHGUY123]

I wonder why the OP isn't aiming to be PTI ? It would seem to suit his inclinations better than infantry work.

Ummm, actually, is there still an RAPTC or has it been outsourced or something like that ?

I would like to but Im a commonwealth citizen, and the vacancies that come out each year are usually for combat roles. In addition I've always wanted to be in infantry

 

[Joker62]

60 Lbs whilst running? I leg press over 660lbs and my knees handle it quite well (Not trying to argue just trying to learn more from more experienced people)

Doing leg presses is quite different to running with 60lbs moving around, up and down on your back, plus also there is the impact of your own body weight plus the weight on your back on your knees will be different.

 

[CaptainRidiculous]

I would like to but Im a commonwealth citizen, and the vacancies that come out each year are usually for combat roles. In addition I've always wanted to be in infantry

Commonwealth?
How about a PTI/parachute instructor?

 

[TOUGHGUY123]

Doing leg presses is quite different to running with 60lbs moving around, up and down on your back, plus also there is the impact of your own body weight plus the weight on your back on your knees will be different.

I've never tried it but I'll try running with bricks/rocks in a back pack, I'll do my best to get it to 60lbs and let you know how it goes in a weeks time (recovering from ankle injury).

 

[offog]

Fair enough. Now add 60lbs of kit to your weight and see how your knees like it.

I have difficulty going up hill now but that is nothing compared to going down and that is without kit on. I have to use the handrail going down stairs due to knees collapsing and pain.

 

[TOUGHGUY123]

Commonwealth?
How about a PTI/parachute instructor?

The vacancies are limited, so I kind of have to fill what they need to filling mainly because I haven't lived in the U.K for 5 years

 

[theoriginalphantom]

I wonder why the OP isn't aiming to be PTI ? It would seem to suit his inclinations better than infantry work.

Ummm, actually, is there still an RAPTC or has it been outsourced or something like that ?

cos there isn't direct entry into the RAPTC?

 

[TOUGHGUY123]

I have difficulty going up hill now but that is nothing compared to going down and that is without kit on. I have to use the handrail going down stairs due to knees collapsing and pain.

How? Did you get injured?

 

[truck_trasher]

cos there isn't direct entry into the RAPTC?

Aha, that would certainly do as an immediate reason...

 

[offog]

60 Lbs whilst running? I leg press over 660lbs and my knees handle it quite well (Not trying to argue just trying to learn more from more experienced people)

They may do now but in twenty years it will catch up with you.

 

[Joker62]

How? Did you get injured?

Possibly, but more probable is running in boots made from cast iron (as the old boots used to be) with little concern for the effects from impact with the ground, they didn't have springy soles back then, just solid rubber with little impact absorption. Think riding a bike on solid rubber tyres compared with pneumatic tyres.

 

[TOUGHGUY123]

Possibly, but more probable is running in boots made from cast iron (as the old boots used to be) with little concern for the effects from impact with the ground, they didn't have springy soles back then, just solid rubber with little impact absorption. Think riding a bike on solid rubber tyres compared with pneumatic tyres.

OUCH

 

[offog]

How? Did you get injured?

No, just running round the woods with heavy stuff. Normal inf work and that wonderful saying "man portable".

 

[guzzijon]

Right so If I learn to eat as quickly as possible, it shouldnt be a problem?

Or you could use the three minutes to shovel the stuff into a stamped addressed bin liner and post it to yourself. Obviously you'll have a couple of days of starvation but once the post catches up, you'll have a bin bag full of deliciousness delivered every day.
Remember if you're going on exercise to get the right address off the training team. It will probably be something like, 3rd Tree on the Left, Forestry Block A, Sennybridge Training Area, Wales, nr England. But the Royal Mail always gets through.