• Thanks for stopping by. Logging in to a registered account will remove all generic ads. Please reach out with any questions or concerns.

BMOQ - September 2011

Hi Megsy,

Thanks for your post. Quick question - when doing push ups does someone place a fist which has to be touched, or how does that work? The reason why I ask is because, I could be touching my chest to the ground everytime but it might appear that only the t-shirt is touching. This might appear to be a silly question, but please bear with me.

Thanks,

AGB.
 
They're not allowed to put a hand or anything under your chest.

You really only have to go to 90 degrees - that is, your elbow forms a 90 degree angle - but the PSP staff so all over the place on how they count that if you can do 40 pushups where you touch the ground, even though it's technically unnecessary, you'll be fine.  I can't stress enough at how much you want to exceed the minimums.  I had one PSP staff say I did 15 pushups and then on the next test I did they said I only did 1.  We had guys come to "remedial" pushups with us who could rip off 35 or 40 but on the initial fitness test their evaluator said they only did 12 or 13.
 
Thanks again. I've heard plenty of woe stories about the PSP staff. This is not a rant - its always better to set the bar high.

I intend to be watching very closely when the staff demonstrate how they want the various test components to be done. I've read on this forum that even the hand-grip is very easy to fail because of movement, incorrect angle, etc. This is a concern for me, because I'm a very small built guy.

When my time comes, I plan to go to my Recruiting Centre and request for someone to see if my form is correct. I don't think they will have an issue if I ask to sample the hand-grip machine either...
 
One option you have is to ask the PSP staff to place a pen where they want to you go down to.

Also, to someone above, if you meet the CTC in week zero and fail the EXPRES in week 9, you may not go to WPC automatically, it depends on the outcome of the PRB. They could hold you over to retest in week 12/13. All depending on what your numbers are.

TFT/CTC/EXPRES is a pain in the butt for staff to understand.

If you fail TFT = you go home
you pass TFT but do not meet CTC you go to WPC for no more than 90 days
You meet CTC you continue training and have to meet EXPRES in week 8/9
You meet EXPRES you get to do a "real" one in week 8/9.

The first EXPRESS you do in week zero doesn't count per say. It is a test to see where you are in wrt the standard. We have had people you passed EXPRES in week zero and couldn't do it in week 8/9 and had to be recoursed for it.

Here is the link to the manual:
http://www.cfpsa.com/en/psp/fitness/library_e.asp

I hope that sheds some light on things for everyone, to the mods/ sunray, if you want a more detailed account, let me know and next weekend I can get some notes up for everyone.

Cheers,

Mav



 
Stacked said:
My course also just had two people recoursed in week 10 because they failed to meet the pushup standards. 

How is that even possible ?

I know it is a "back in the day" story but back then we did more pushups just to be allowed in the kitchen than what is required to pass the EXPRES test.........

WTF ??
 
CDN Aviator said:
Surprising, it is actually rather simple.

on paper sure, but I can send you the 'eye chart" we have to follow for PT in BMQ/BMOQ.
When you have to start computing peoples scores based on the results based on age and gender, it becomes much more complex. Also, to add to the issue is if someone does fail, they retest Friday of week zero and then off to PRB if they fail again.

It is always a headache for staff in week zero.

Mav

 
Maverick585 said:
on paper sure, but I can send you the 'eye chart" we have to follow for PT in BMQ/BMOQ.
When you have to start computing peoples scores based on the results based on age and gender, it becomes much more complex. Also, to add to the issue is if someone does fail, they retest Friday of week zero and then off to PRB if they fail again.

Still sounds relatively simple to me. Certainly less convaluted than some of the things most of us do for a living.
 
CDN Aviator said:
I know it is a "back in the day" story but back then we did more pushups just to be allowed in the kitchen than what is required to pass the EXPRES test.........

WTF ??

The only time I did more that 15 push-ups on my course was for the express tests. I hear the "back in the day" stories all the time from my dad & his buddies, and they can't believe how things have changed.
 
WTF... I did BMOQ from May to Aug in 2009 (so not very long ago) and we sure as f**k did more than 15 pushups after the EXPRES test. After the first inspection I owed 200 by the end of the week for having 8 buttons undone (20 per button), and we always did 20 after the inspection regardless.

Things shouldn't have changed that much... We had 6 or 7 people that didn't pass the EXPRES test the first time around for pushups, they ALL passed it in Week 8 or 9, whenever it was.
 
ballz said:
WTF... I did BMOQ from May to Aug in 2009 (so not very long ago) and we sure as f**k did more than 15 pushups after the EXPRES test. After the first inspection I owed 200 by the end of the week for having 8 buttons undone (20 per button), and we always did 20 after the inspection regardless.

Things shouldn't have changed that much... We had 6 or 7 people that didn't pass the EXPRES test the first time around for pushups, they ALL passed it in Week 8 or 9, whenever it was.

Same for us on the BMOQ in Jan 2011. Three people had to be retested, but in the end everyone was able to pass the CF EXPRESS!
 
First actual break in about 5 weeks. Figure i can manage a quick update. Be as fit as you possibly can be - it will save youa world of pain later on. Im still a bit suprised how many in my platoon are overweight - they definately seem to be the ones nursing lingering injuries, etc.  Life is non-stop busy from 5 am til 11pm if not later - 18 hours never seems like enough time to get everything done.

All the staff are amazing, actually - yes you need a thick skin but once you demomstrate competence and a willingness to give it your all it becomes more of a quirky teacher/student relationship. 

We will be having a few VRs - best thing you can do is get on good terms with everyone and be willing to share/pool skills. I cant make a bed to save my life, but i polish shoes/ace inspections so i just trade with someone who is better then i. Never lie and always be honest even when you think you wont be caught - staff definately respects individuals willing to take their deserved lumps. Learn to love caffeine.

Good inspection or no, i get 25 push-ups every day irregardless. Sometimes they like to make us do it with the tac vest on just to 'build character'
 
Hi there,

Good to know that you're doing well. Quick question - right now I'm at stage 8 of the 20 MSR, 30 (text book) push ups, 50 sit ups and 10 over hand chin ups. I know that there is always room for improvement. But being a slightly older guy, I'm a little anxious about my numbers and the training in general. Do these look okay to you...?

Any input will be very much appreciated.

Thanks and all the best.
 
You'd be around the middle of the pack with those scores - and in fairness many people thought they did good numbers only to have a large number counted out for improper technique.  Id work on the running and pushups personally - it is where the majority of issues are coming from. 
 
Not sure if anyone is still following this thread, but figured an update never hurts.

Out of our original 54 we are now down to 47 at the end of week 8. The reasons were pretty varied - vr's fitness etc. We have our re-do of the express test coming up and will likely lose a few more - they let you continue if you fail one of the strength tests in week one, but not week 9.

You really do get used to the routine - 8 hours of sleep on the weekends feels like 11, 6 hours feels like 8 and 4 hours is just never fun (grins). We're mostly a combat arms platoon, so as expected we loved our time out in Farnham doing basic fieldwork. The staff have subtly shifted from yelling at us for all the things we do wrong to more of a coaching role - if we deserve it the yelling continues, but all in all they are more pleasant, etc. We've been lucky that most of the staff are also combat arms and they've taken a liking to us - we've been told they are adding elements which usually occur on CAP to better prepare us for that.

I'll try and put up more details over Xmas as typing on this phone is tedious. Feel free to toss any questions my way regarding basic
 
At the end of the PT test yesterday, our numbers have changed again:
We had 6 failures - most for the pushups. Of those 6, 4 are allowed a retest (they were very close to their requirements, missing it by 1 or 2) and 2 were recommended by the Platoon Commander to be released from the platoon. They have a progress review board hearing where the OC will decide their fate. They were warned back on week 1 what might happen if they were not up to standard, given personal training plans to get them up to standard, etc. To note, these applicants thought they were above the minimum standards.

I actually improved on my old scores: 32 to 41 pushups, 38 to 41 situps, and hand grip on each hand about 5 points. I admit to bowing out on the beep score early, wanted to save energy for the later portions of the test. Stayed the same at 10.5. A friend of mine pushed himself til 11.5 but did much worse on his hand grip later, so it really is a trade off.

I managed to get exemption status, which I had missed the first time around. Pretty happy about that.

In the final stretch here at BMOQ - most of the "recruit" portions are done and we've been focusing more on the "leadership" portions - more classroom stuff and mentally engaging processes as opposed to learning drill and military knowledge. Our days are shorter out of our rooms, but we have much more in terms of homework learning and practicing battle procedure and studying for exams. This will take us up to the Christmas break - coming back is right back into recruit-ish stuff - two weeks in the field, both of which are tests on our leadership ability (applying battle procedure and leading sections in the field).

Most of us are counting down the days til Christmas at this point - only a couple of more tests before Dec 15th!

Ayrsayle said:
Not sure if anyone is still following this thread, but figured an update never hurts.

Out of our original 54 we are now down to 47 at the end of week 8. The reasons were pretty varied - vr's fitness etc. We have our re-do of the express test coming up and will likely lose a few more - they let you continue if you fail one of the strength tests in week one, but not week 9.

You really do get used to the routine - 8 hours of sleep on the weekends feels like 11, 6 hours feels like 8 and 4 hours is just never fun (grins). We're mostly a combat arms platoon, so as expected we loved our time out in Farnham doing basic fieldwork. The staff have subtly shifted from yelling at us for all the things we do wrong to more of a coaching role - if we deserve it the yelling continues, but all in all they are more pleasant, etc. We've been lucky that most of the staff are also combat arms and they've taken a liking to us - we've been told they are adding elements which usually occur on CAP to better prepare us for that.

I'll try and put up more details over Xmas as typing on this phone is tedious. Feel free to toss any questions my way regarding basic
 
Ayrsayle said:
we have much more in terms of homework learning and practicing battle procedure and studying for exams. This will take us up to the Christmas break - coming back is right back into recruit-ish stuff - two weeks in the field, both of which are tests on our leadership ability (applying battle procedure and leading sections in the field).

Is it just me or do the 16 steps of battle procedure fit in nicely with the 12 Days of Christmas? Obviously you would have to add a few more days of Christmas but everyone would be okay with that...right?

The 12 Days of Christmas, The 16 Steps of Battle Procedure...both such cheery things  ;D.

Enjoy your much deserved break in December though and good luck in the rest of the course! Cheers!

 
Ayrsayle said:
Out of our original 54 we are now down to 47 at the end of week 8.

If anyone's interested, the other platoon is currently at 45 out of the original 52+3.
 
Thanks for the information Ayrsayle, it's interesting to hear about what you guys have to deal with.
 
Back
Top