Advice for women on BMQ and other courses [MERGED]

[Celticgirl]

There are girls in the gym ?

Maybe i should go to the gym more then...... ;D

Where have you been? Didn't you see the pictures I posted?  ;D

 

[Cdn Blackshirt]

I just found this site yesterday and am sooo happy! My application is going in next Thursday...I'm so excited. And, like some of you I'm a little more seasoned - going on 41.

Like all of you I've also started training in preparation (and in the hopes I'm accepted). When I found out about the swimming requirement I decided to add swimming to my regime too. Thanks for the tip on the hair conditioner - I'll be sure to do that. The club I go to has a steam room and hot tub that I sooo enjoy.

I'm striving to achieve the male under 35 numbers. The most difficulty I'm having is improving my running time. I can run 5km without a problem - the problem is I'm not fast enough. I've always been able to go distance for forever but have just never been able to develop any speed. Any suggestions?

It's so exciting to hear some of you are so close to departing - good luck! Thanks for any suggestions you might be able to offer re: the running.

You could try doing hill sprints. 

I used to use them for hockey, lacrosse and rugby training.  It's quite amazing what even 2-weeks of hill training can do to your whole body.

Additionally, since I was equally concerned with upper body strength, I used to do them with light weights in my hands too which does a tremendous job.

Bottom Line:  It adds muscle and tones you VERY quickly and in concert with your usual long distance running may give you the boost you need.

Good Luck and let us know how it goes....


Cheers, Matthew. 

 

[WaveDancer]

Thanks Matthew...I'll have to give them a try.

 

[jazzy0410]

Thank for you this tread ladies. It's been really helpful. I'm glad i won't be the only women at BMQ when it does happen (hopefully). I'm only in the begining stages . After years wanting to apply - i finally did it. And air force it is - hopefully  as a AVS tech. I was afraid i was going to be the oldest on my course since i'll be 26 in October but i see now i'm considered still a 'youngie'

The push-up tricks really helped. I'm doing about 25 now.  I've always been somewhat in shape since  i swim every morning.  and i try to run 3/times a week. and do wheight training  3times a week as well. (i alternate) . I do sit ups and pushings before going to bed. and kaying when its nice out. I think i should be alright. Its weird thought i can do push ups fine but sits up i have a hard time with. any tricks for that?
Any tips are welcome!Anyone else where joining the Air force or as a AVS tech!

 

[Celticgirl]

How are the girls doing in the gym this week?

I've been away on vacation and haven't worked out for 2 weeks, so today I went for a run and hoped that I wouldn't pass out.  ;D  I managed to do my 8 km in my usual 40 minutes, though, so I was happy about that. I have an appointment with a specialist in 2 weeks' time (in hopes to get a medically-based decision overturned and get into the CF) so I now have that 'gotta get into shape' feeling once again. It's time to get working on the push-ups and sit-ups!

Jazzy, I don't have any advice for sit-ups, but perhaps someone else here does. I just keep going until I can't do them anymore. I'm going to start timing myself to see how many I can do in a minute. What is a good number of sit-ups to aim for in a minute? Forty? Fifty?

 

[breezie]

I've been using the army fitness manual for the last few weeks (you can find it online if you google 'army fitness manual', and click on the first one that comes up). It seems really well balanced with cardio, both power and endurance, and of course weights. It's a 12 week program that's supposed to take you from basic entry physical standards, up to where you would be at the end of basic training.

As for the situps, I think there are some threads I saw in here somewhere about that.

 

[Cdn Blackshirt]

Thank for you this tread ladies. It's been really helpful. I'm glad i won't be the only women at BMQ when it does happen (hopefully). I'm only in the begining stages . After years wanting to apply - i finally did it. And air force it is - hopefully  as a AVS tech. I was afraid i was going to be the oldest on my course since i'll be 26 in October but i see now i'm considered still a 'youngie'

The push-up tricks really helped. I'm doing about 25 now.  I've always been somewhat in shape since  i swim every morning.  and i try to run 3/times a week. and do wheight training  3times a week as well. (i alternate) . I do sit ups and pushings before going to bed. and kaying when its nice out. I think i should be alright. Its weird thought i can do push ups fine but sits up i have a hard time with. any tricks for that?

Any tips are welcome!Anyone else where joining the Air force or as a AVS tech!

If you're having problems with sit-ups, it probably means your overall core musculature is weak.

In that case, struggling to just focus on sit-ups can actually be counterproductive.  Instead try to do anything you can that requires core stabilization as part of your workout.  Any activity that requires rapid & violent change in direction will help - tennis, squash, basketball, etc.  More direct is to just transition to free dumbells (not the little weiner ones - 15lbs minimum) to do your upper body work (works best if you're standing) and you'll find ALL your core muscles improve.  If you then add-in some work with an exercise ball, you'll get to where you want to go very quickly (less than 45 days). 

Bottom Line:  If you are where you describe, step one should be building the muscle to be able to do the sit-ups, rather than vice versa.


Good Luck, Matthew. 

P.S.  Once your core starts to tighten (you'll know it because you'll feel it), especially for women, Sicilian Crunches work very well with the caveat that you have to make sure you do the matching lower back extensions.  The attached is good option because it's on an exercise ball which is superior to working out on the floor: 

http://www.bodyessence.ca/Pages/Main/siciliancrunches.html

 

[Captain Coffee]

Here's one for you then ...

Girls with guns.....still stirs the old....heart. 

 

[Cloud Cover]

Here's one for you then ...

too funny- I'm in the maple leaf lounge in Ottawa. I just clicked on the image [and I must admit I was expanding it a bit],  and then heard someone behind me clear their throat quite loudly. It was Beverly McLachlan, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada, who clearly disapproves [must be the guns]. 

 

[Bruce Monkhouse]

Now that just made my day......

 

[Luvs 2 Curl]

Thank you so much for starting this thread.  I am 31 yrs old and have applied for AVS Tech.  The process has gone very quickly for me - I applied the 1st week of June and have already completed all testing and interviews. I am waiting for my doctor to return from holidays so she can sign a couple of forms for my medical clearance and have been told to prepare to head off to BMQ late August or early September.  The push ups seem to be the common denominator here and I would like to pass on some advice given to me by my CF interviewer.  She recommended starting with your hands on a desk or table (kitchen counter works too) and doing as many push ups as you can.  Then when you can do 20 easily, move down to a chair seat, and eventually the floor.  I try to do 30 on my desk at work during the course of the day and have noticed a huge improvement when I do the plank push ups (every night before bed).

I hope that helps someone! 

 

[Celticgirl]

That's a great tip, Luvs 2 Curl, thanks! I have been getting really slack with the push-ups, so I must get cracking. I haven't done any chin-ups yet, either. This heat doesn't help with the motivation factor.

However, I'm pleased that I was able to do a 10 km. run last week. That is going to be my new standard...10 K / 3 X per week. People are starting to comment on my 'fit' appearance, so all the workouts are paying off in more ways than one.  ;D

 

[CountDC]

I just found this site yesterday and am sooo happy! My application is going in next Thursday...I'm so excited. And, like some of you I'm a little more seasoned - going on 41.

Like all of you I've also started training in preparation (and in the hopes I'm accepted). When I found out about the swimming requirement I decided to add swimming to my regime too. Thanks for the tip on the hair conditioner - I'll be sure to do that. The club I go to has a steam room and hot tub that I sooo enjoy.

I'm striving to achieve the male under 35 numbers. The most difficulty I'm having is improving my running time. I can run 5km without a problem - the problem is I'm not fast enough. I've always been able to go distance for forever but have just never been able to develop any speed. Any suggestions?

It's so exciting to hear some of you are so close to departing - good luck! Thanks for any suggestions you might be able to offer re: the running.

When I did X-Country in school we use to build the speed by doing a regiment of jog/run.  Jog for 5 minutes then run full out for as long as you can then jog another 5 minute, repeat as often as possible.  We usually did this for an hour several days a week as group training plus whatever we did on our own time.  On my own time I used to do 5-10 miles a day (dating myself) stopping every mile to do either pushups (knuckles), situps or chin ups (as many as possible).  Then I joined the military and all that went away after the first year in.  Thank god these days they allow us time for PT!!

 

[Kruggle]

Hey everyone,

I was just wondering if any of you could help me with this one. Leaving conditioner in my hair when I go swimming was an excellent idea, so thanks again for that advice. However, right now my concern is that when I am in the pool, my face feels very dry, even though I always put lotion on after I wash my face in the morning.  After I get out of the pool, I sometimes put a little more lotion on, but I am afraid that it would be bad for my skin, as the lotion might get my pores clogged up (who knows what's in the pool) without washing my face properly with a cleanser and all. I don't want to wash my face more than twice a day, as it's not great for my problematic skin either.  :-\

Once again, any advice would be much appreciated. 

 

[Celticgirl]

Kruggle, I would say just apply moisturizer after swimming. That should take care of the dryness and I don't think it will "clog" your pores - just make sure you rub it in well. 

 

[armyvern]

Hey everyone,

I was just wondering if any of you could help me with this one. Leaving conditioner in my hair when I go swimming was an excellent idea, so thanks again for that advice. However, right now my concern is that when I am in the pool, my face feels very dry, even though I always put lotion on after I wash my face in the morning.  After I get out of the pool, I sometimes put a little more lotion on, but I am afraid that it would be bad for my skin, as the lotion might get my pores clogged up (who knows what's in the pool) without washing my face properly with a cleanser and all. I don't want to wash my face more than twice a day, as it's not great for my problematic skin either.  :-\

Once again, any advice would be much appreciated. 

Well, swimming 4 hours a day between the ages of 7 & 20 saw me first using a PH Barrier Cream to protect my face and hands from chlorine. It kept the moisture in my skin and the chlorine away, and stayed on while I swam. It washed off with warm water once one added soap.

I switched out to this when it became easier to get:

http://www.dermaltherapy.com/skin-care/barrier-lotions.html

But needless, your local drug store pharmacist should be able to point you out to an effective over-the-counter barrier cream capable of handling chlorine.

 

[Kruggle]

Thanks a lot, girls! 

 

[Celticgirl]

Wake up, thread!

With basic coming up in 4 months for me, I need to really get cracking on the PT. Lots of time to make some improvements, but I have a long way to go.

Today, I did 12 consecutive push-ups (proper ones) and 30 sit-ups. I figure I need to be doing double that in both exercises. I've slacked a bit on my running, cutting down from 3 times a week to about once a week, but I'm back on track (literally ). So I'll be doing 10 K runs three times a week. I am averaging 48 minutes, but hope to improve my time by Christmas. I haven't swum in a while, but I plan to get back into that again, too, now that school is back in session. I figure twice a week for lap swims, then some weights a couple of days (mostly for arm strength) should round out the PT. I still haven't added chin-ups, either. Trying to figure out where I can do them!

How are you all doing with the PT? What is your schedule like now?

 

[Kruggle]

I also need to work much harder on my PT. Yesterday, I renewed my gym membership (just in time to get $100 off from student discount because my student card expires today  >) It really helps a lot that school is starting so soon again, because I will only be working after school hours with the autistic children. In the mornings, I will have some time to work on my PT.

My siblings got me a new IPOD, some work out accessories, and a puppy recently. They also mentioned that they would like to attend my graduation ceremony (if I make it into BMOQ and manage to graduate...). My elder sister offered to take my younger brother and I on vacation somewhere as my grad present (possibly to Australia so that I could see my cousin who's also one of my very best friends!!). It's really nice of them to be so thoughtful of my worries and I am determined to work on my PT as much as possible so that at least I can have one less thing to worry about for Basic.

Swimming and running are probably the easiest for me, so I will work on those first to get my momentum going. Sit-ups are not too bad, but I definitely need to pull my number way up. My push-ups need a ton of work, but I have been working on them. Hopefully they will be better once I being to swim and run more regularly. My dance classes are starting on Sunday and they will be 2 hours of instruction and 2 hours of practice. I am thinking of signing up for swimming lessons as well, because I could definitely work on my techniques. I am still thinking about it though..

Celticgirl, what is your workout routine like?

 

[Celticgirl]

Celticgirl, what is your workout routine like?

Here is what I am planning:
Mon, Wed, Fri - running approx. 50 min. (10 km.)
Tue, Thu - swimming approx. 50 min. (40 laps)
Wed, Sat - weights and chin-ups
Every day - push-ups and sit-ups

Goals:
Push-ups = 25
Sit-ups = 50
Chin-ups = 5 (since I can't currently do any)
Running = 10 K in less than 45 min.
Swimming = 40 laps in less than 45 min.