AF Special Tactics Prep

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Permalink Reply by Parker on February 28, 2010 at 10:27am

Respectfully, I would have to agree with Clint here that it probably has more to do with a mental barrier than anything else. Smoking probably doesn't help, but "lung capacity" is really more a function of the mind than physical capacity. It takes around (maybe less) than 30 seconds to swim a 25m underwater with correct form. Unless you start to see stars and start to get tingly in places, you probably aren't close to passing out. And even when I swim 50m underwater and feel tingly and start getting tunnel vision, I can still keep going. It is hard to fight the pain, but for me it comes down to repetition and volume. The more underwaters you do and the more times you try to push your personal limit the easier it will feel in the long run. A lot of water con exercises seem impossible at first but are easily doable with enough practice and "confidence" like the name implies.

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Permalink Reply by Eduardo Villalba on March 1, 2010 at 8:58am

Bother all I can say is keep swimming. S*** the first time I hit the pool in a long time I too was hurting to swim 10 meters, but I kept at it and a month later I was almost doing 50m underwater. As for your push ups, you can do them every hour while at work or school. For instance set an alarm to go off on the hour and drop and give you 10/20/30 or whatever you feel you can do. I try to do the same amount everytime until it gets easier. Then you can bump it up to the next level. Do that everyday and you'll notice an improvement on you push-ups. Hell you can use that for your pull ups and situps too. Add this to your regular workouts and youll see some results when you test yourself.

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Permalink Reply by billy madore on March 2, 2010 at 5:59am

i just wrote a long post and hit the wrong button so lets try this again!! My names billy and i just read your post im also leaving June 1st 2010 for BMT and doing CCT! you need to hurry up and decide if this is something that you really want to do ! you have to understand that its a 2 year pipline and its going to be very physically demanding on us!! i have been working very hard at training for the past several months! for instance yesterday i woke up at 6 am and ate a good HEALTHY breakfast and then i ran 6 miles then did 15x20 pushups 15x25 situps 15x15 dips and 4x12 pullups do it all back to back to help with your endurance! and noon i did at 45 minute fin swim followed up with water confidence task! living in florida for several years wont help you much with water confidence i promise you that man its alot harder than you think to train in a 14 ft pool and with your feet and hand tied ( dont actually tie just put hand behind your back and feet together) floating down to the bottom exploding off bottom and coming for air at the top and on and on for several minutes at a time i usually do this for about 7 minutes then go straight into floating in water still with feet and hands "tied"! also there is underwater swimming A LOT harder than you may think its all in the stroke though! then there is ditch and don where you take your mask, snorkel, belt , and fins off at the bottom of pool all in order and NEAT and then come to top get air and go back down and put it all back down in order and all straight!! this stuff may not sound tough but all it takes is a slip with a fin and you cant get it on as fast as you usually do and you start freaking out! and after i do all this at the pool ill go back to the gym later at night and do weight training! i also do yoga and cardio classes at my local gym! the reason i tell you all this is because it may sound like a lot to you maybe not but i still dont know if im doing enough! im only in my 5th week of phase 2 with 3 or 4 weeks to go then ill be swimming 75 minutes straight a day and on and on! if your serious go talk to your recruiter and he will hand you the packet with all the workouts in it and youll know what im talkin about! and feel free if you want to talk to me and have any questions let me know! but im just another trainee like you trying to make it and i dont wanna fail and ill NEVER quit!! so i hope you start working hard and if you need anything let me know man!! " mind over matter"

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Permalink Reply by Sean Holland on March 3, 2010 at 7:15am

Ken,

It sounds like you are tackling the exact same thing I am at the same time. I have been going to community college for 3 years now and have about 55 credits. I work full time as an EMT-B but used to be a police/fire/ems dispatcher but at 23 years old now I'm realizing that I still haven't picked something I really want to do with my life. Finishing my bachelor's degree would require another 2-3 years due to financing and frustrations of commuting an hour plus to college (Rutgers is the closest public school) and I'm not liking that option.

I approached a recruiter in December with some interest in Pararescue. I was initially looking at the marines but wanted something medical (and wasn't quite for the Navy) so I stumbled across PJ. This program looks like the exact type of challenge that I want and I've been reading heavily on the topic. She pointed me in the direction of specialtactics.com and gave me a rundown on some initial requirements. I also weighed in at ~235 lbs. I'm 6ft 1 in so my very first hurdle is getting down to 208 lbs minimum. Next is the PAST which I didnt think would be too difficult. That was prior to swimming two laps in the pool and being somewhat winded. That week I got my YMCA membership but it took me a few weeks to make it a daily practice.

Currently I weigh 220 lbs despite doing nothing but cardio (or transitory - I've been reading this site for about an hour). My weight loss is going kinda slow. Any advice/help I can get on here will be much appreciated.

Running up here in NJ has been a little tough so I've worked on the treadmill a bit. I've also fallen in love with the crosstrainer and have been doing about 3-4 miles @ ~9:30 min mile 3-4 times a week along with plenty of pullups, pushups, and situps.

Best of luck to you as well and hopefully we both can get up to speed and prepared.

-Sean

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Permalink Reply by Ken Yarbrough on March 3, 2010 at 7:31am

I'm torn on PJ, it's definitely a career choice to be proud of. You're a couple inches taller than me, so you don't have to lose quite as much weight... I just stayed active really, I got a job in retail and was on my feet most of the day, walking to avoid being bored. I'd estimate I walk at least 5 miles a day at work, lol. I hit a plateau around 200lbs, and then I had oral surgery and couldn't eat anything except soup. So, eating chicken noodle soup 2-3 times a day and nothing else for a month dropped me another 15-20 lbs, lol. I've been trying to work out a diet or at least a healthy meal plan... it's a lot harder than it sounds. I've never worried about what I eat before.

I quit smoking on Saturday, got sick on Sunday. Haven't done crap since then, I can't even focus on homework my head is killing me. First thought it was side effects from quitting, but I've never had this happen before. Not sure what it is.. feels like migraines, sinuses, pneumonia and strep throat all rolled into one. I'm definitely hurting, made it three days at work and I'm off today/tom. Hitting the DayQuil/NyQuil regimen and hoping for the best.

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Permalink Reply by Sean Holland on March 3, 2010 at 8:12am

This may sound a little gay but I've been working with Special K stuff a bit. Some cereal in the AM, Special K protein shakes and snack bars throughout the day, and a smaller portion of whatever for dinner. My calories range from 1200-1600/day. Soda was the first thing to go in my diet. I drink water or water.... Sometimes I switch it up to water. Lol.

Good luck on making it through getting rid of smoking. That takes a bit of effort I hear. Just keep it up.

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Permalink Reply by billy madore on March 3, 2010 at 8:15am

ken when are you gonna decide which one your doing pj/cct and are you still leaving in june?

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Permalink Reply by Ken Yarbrough on March 3, 2010 at 8:31am

Not leaving in June, I haven't even DEP'd in yet. I was supposed to a month ago, had some hearing issues. Got a waiver, but my processing got frozen until 15 Apr 2010. June 1st is just my EAD, since I can't leave until after this semester is over + a couple weeks of R&R.

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Permalink Reply by billy madore on March 3, 2010 at 8:18am

sean are you doing pj for sure? and when do you leave

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Permalink Reply by Sean Holland on March 3, 2010 at 8:31am

Currently I am just finishing my application. No processing until I can make the minimum weight and qualify.

Then MEPS.... Then PAST.... Then hopefully I can get a date for BMT.

PAST will be the basic make it or break it. I'm definately pointed in the right direction so far. My fitness is coming along. TACP will probably be 2nd on my list followed by loadmaster and fire protection. (I don't plan on needing them but still gotta make a list up I'm told.)

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Permalink Reply by billy madore on March 3, 2010 at 8:35am

cool! you can pass the PAST its really not that hard man, just think about it , its just one day you have to push yourself and just all you have and you will do fine! the run in my opinion is the hardest! and just get on a good diet and eat right and you will start losing weight! you should look at some of stew smiths stuff he has some helpful diets and workouts just go to stewsmith.com

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Permalink Reply by Sean Holland on March 3, 2010 at 8:42am

Already been on his site. Ordered the CCT/PJ course prep workout. I looked it over and I'm not quite ready for that just yet. My goal presently is weight loss and improvements on core.

I also have P90X and Insanity but just haven't gotten into them nor do I have the space and equipment at home. P90X does have a kick ass chest/back and ab workout disk.

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