I Need Your Opinion!!! ANYONE EVERYONE

[Sardis]

I will make this as short as possible because I am sure you get plenty of questions. I would like to build my body to be able to pass ranger training or even better be able to become a pararescuemen. I would like to know your opinion on weather boxing or weight lifting will help me more toward the expressed end. I am 18, in 11th grade, and weigh 130 at 5'11". I would get a 4 year degree before joining ether branch so I have some time. If I started weight training I would be doing workouts with a friend who has been training for about 2 years. He tends to think hard weight training will give me the best, fastest, most results.

Weight training workouts would consist of bench press, squats, dead lifts, running on my track team, calisthenics, and I know there will be more but I don't know what they are called *facepalm*. My friend would probably help me to start with.

I have found a boxing gym and attended classes. Their 3 hour workout is at follows: 1 hour running up and down hills, at least 5 different types of abdominal exercises 10+ reps with 3 sets, 105+ calf raises in sets of 35 reps, 100+ pushups in sets of 10 with 15+ jumping jacks in between, tire flipping 30+min. There are many more exercises; too many to list.

I am having trouble deciding because boxing struck me as fitting well with what will be required of me in ranger school, but I also feel like I need to bulk up which weight lifting will help me with. Maybe I am missing something and I can bulk up while I box. I want to pick the way that will give me the best results the fastest so I can become my best physically and mentally by the time I enlist. I am willing to work Hard. I would appreciate any help you can give me.

FYI: I posted on a Airforce SF forum and this is a response i got:

"Ok first off don't be concerned so much with bulking up, when I first started training before I enlisted I was 6'0" 145 now I'm 6'0" 175 and I had an easier time at 145 pushing reps than I do now. Not saying avoid bulk but weight will come don't stress on putting it on.

Also, I can't speak for all the SOF career fields but the AF doesn't use weight training in the pipeline for its jobs. Weight training is a great thing on days you want to mix it up but you will be doing more pull ups and pushups than bench press and dead lifts in the pipeline.

Another thing to consider is this, according to your post you have 4-5 years before you attempt at something like this. Do one program for a month or two and then change to something else till you find what works for you. The biggest thing is be aware of your body, take care of it and don't hurt yourself and remember you are what you eat. You can do all the exercise you want but without a good diet its futile."

Other answers were similar. I am wanting to know if I started weight training would I be able to get to a point in a few years that I could do pushup after pushup and laugh at you while I do it? As well as situps, pullups, and flutter kicks? Can you ,since you started gaining, do these exercises well? Can you do 72 proper form reps of any one of them ,besides pullups, in 2 min? Do you feel like Weight training will help you, or me, get to that point? The fighting that comes with boxing is secondary to me as is the physique that bodybuilding gives. I just want to preform well in training, and if weight training can give me that I want to know. Thanks for your time and patience!

 

[Goldfish]

3 hour workout...that's ridonculous. That's so stupid I'd do it!

Most of my training is barbell strength training. It's good. I've recently had reason to do some running in order to push a couple clients of mine who are trying out for the army in a few months, and having done no consistent running since 2009, I felt lightly warmed up with what had them feeling slaughtered. That's strength. I haven't done push ups in ages, but feel confident that I could do 30-40 of them at any given time upon request, because on rare occasions I get given the challenge to do as many push ups as possible, and each time I get about 35. Not quite the 72 you specified, but just like running, it's been years since I've trained them. If I trained push ups for 1-2 months straight, I don't think I'd have any issues doing 72 within 2min. I think my hip flexors might give me some grief if I wanted to do 72 sit ups, although to the best of my knowledge, you don't need to do 72 of anything to pass the American military fitness tests. I routinely do sets of 10 pull ups, and sets of 5 pull ups with added weight. My personal best for pull ups is 15 reps.

It would be worth you knowing that while I'm far from the strongest chap around, my strength is very high in the context of my body weight and muscle mass. I'm about 145-150lb (66-67kg) at the moment, and my best lifts are in my sig. Notice that the weakest lift is almost my bodyweight, and everything else is much heavier. You don't need to be super strong to join the military, but it will put you in better standing, especially if you have high relative strength (ie the amount you can lift in relation to your bodyweight is high). Simply put, if you can bench press 300lb and you weigh 200lb, you'll be able to do a lot more push ups than if you can bench press 300lb and you weigh 300lb.

A good general base of strength and conditioning would serve you well in the military. Anything that improves your strength and endurance will be beneficial. Based on the former feedback you got, it sounds like you've got a lot of time to get yourself into shape, so I'd be inclined towards focusing on building as much strength and as much cardiovascular endurance as possible throughout that time in whatever way you enjoy, and then specifically focus on military fitness activities for 2-6 months leading up to basic training.