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iCorps Pocket Reference App iCorps is pocket reference for everything a Marine should know. This is basically the app I wish existed when I was a new Lieutenant. (The app is designed for all ranks.) iCorps allows all past, present, future Marines and any iPhone user to learn about the Corps or just to keep up to date with everything you need to reference on … Continue reading Need a PFT or CFT Cal
Your PFT just got harder! If you somehow missed it in the blitz of Marine Corps Times Physical Fitness Test updates, here are the tables, telling you the PFT scoring by age group. Overview: Updated PFT perfect scores For many of you guys, 23 pullups and 115 crunches are the new max. The perfect run time of 18:00 still applies. Not like you huffing and … Continue reading PFT Scoring: 2017 Updated R
I interviewed Marine Corps officer Capt Stoddard, who is the Officer Selection Officer (OSO) for OSS Saint Louis today. We covered the top questions received on the blog and in our facebook page. Feel free to connect with either of us in Sandboxx as well. Note: we shot an hour of supplemental footage, containing advice exclusively available to future Marine Officers in the Sandboxx app. … Continue
This program is designed to get you comfortable with longer runs, while also building the speed you’ll need to crush a 3-mile PFT or sprint through an obstacle course. We’ll test your PFT time twice, once at the end of the 3rd week, and again at the end of the 7th week. If you find it difficult to push yourself, try to time this program around … Continue reading The 7-Week OCS Prep Progressive Run
Candidate Question I’m currently training for the PFT. Unfortunately, I’ve developed some sort of rash on my buttocks and lower back that prevents me from doing crunches effectively. Are there any alternatives to doing crunches that will allow me to exercise the same muscles? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. A: Great question. This is actually very common in candidates as they ramp up thei
EXECUTION OF THE PFT Individual performance on each PFT event will be executed as follows: Pull-up The goal of the pull-up event is for the Marine to execute as many accurate and complete pull-ups before dropping off the bar. The procedures are: (1) This is not a timed event. (2) Sweatshirts will be removed during the conduct of the pull-up event in order to observe the lockout … Continue reading
I challenge all candidates to achieve these minimum benchmarks before getting to OCS, and using them as training goals. This will put you in decent standing, but not the top of your class if these are your max sets. MALE Pullups: Max set 18 Pushups: Max set 65 Run: 21:00 3-mile Run: 880 meter sprint in 3:15 in boots (2:45 running shoes) Flutterkicks: Max set 60 … Continue reading One Easy Cheat Sh
Thanks to the great team over at Future Jarheads, especially on their newly revamped FutureJarheadFitness.com website, for this guest post. Quick Tips For Pullups Find a grip that is comfortable for you, you can do palms facing out, palms facing in, hands close together, or far apart, find what works best for you. Tilt your head back so that your chin extends into the air, … Continue reading How t
Candidate Question: I am currently pushing for a Marine PLC contract. I have no doubt my pull ups and crunches can be easily improved but the run always gets me. I ran a 21:07 my first PFT and lately its at a 21:30. I have tried doing fartleks and sprint intervals to no avail and generally run anywhere from 4-5 times a week. What I … Continue reading Three Keys to Training for the PFT Run
Female Candidate’s Q: Hi! I’m getting ready to leave for OCS in about 7 weeks. I’m confident about my core and upper body strength, but my run time is not ideal. My max is about 25 minutes. I could use some advice. Should I be doing 3 miles 5 days a week, focusing on hills and sprints, or doing distance? Should I be using weight … Continue reading Female Candidate Q: Running and Lower Body Prepara
Hate running? Want Less Train and More Gain? It sounds like a late-night commercial gimmick, but according to recent scientific studies, you can improve health and aerobic performance with less training. Work Smarter, Not Harder They say it’s easy to work hard, but hard to work smart. This is especially true of the community known as “Jarheads” or “Leathernecks”. So how would you increase your … C
Pull-ups In, Flexed Arm Hang Out Finally the long-discussed changes to the female PFT were announced by the Commandant in a message to all Marines last November. Effective 1 January 2014, pull-ups will replace the Flexed Arm Hang (FAH). This change will take place in two phases with phase one beginning 1 January 2013. Phase one will serve as a transition period and is intended to … Continue readin
Treatment of Shin What? You hate running. But you’d love to become an officer in the Marines. So you start training for the PFT and when you go from zero to ten miles of running per week, the front of your shins start barking! Shin splints are one of the most common running injuries, and affect a large amount of candidates and would-be candidates every year. … Continue reading Treatment of Shin Sp
USMC Crunches: PFT Rules MCO P6100.12 MARINE CORPS PHYSICAL FITNESS TEST AND BODY COMPOSITION PROGRAM MANUAL Abdominal Crunch. The goal of the abdominal crunch event is for a Marine to execute as many proper and complete crunches within the prescribed time limit. The procedures are: (1) 2-minute time limit. (2) On a flat surface, Marines will lie flat on their back with shoulder blades touching …
So your goal is a 300 PFT, and OCS success on the way to becoming an officer. You know you should be doing a few hundred pullups a week, and get up to that 20 pullup set with confidence–but you’re not. Are you. Mhmm. Well, with an indoor pullup bar, you’ll have no excuse since a set of pullups will be closer than your TV, … Continue reading What’s the Best Piece of Gear for Becoming an Officer?
This guest blog post by http://300pft.com. If you’re struggling with the PFT, get their 300 PFT guide. “No equipment, no fees, no excuses!” Anyone who has ever attempted to complete the Marine Corps PFT will tell you that it is no easy task. Completing the test is challenging enough by itself, let alone attempting to earn a perfect 300 PFT score. To earn a perfect score, … Continue reading Guest P
The female candidates who read this blog will hopefully forgive me for my lack of knowledge concerning the female-specific aspects of OCS. What can I say? I’m a male. We didn’t even have a female platoon in our company. But one of the things I can straighten out is that all pull-ups in my PFT discussions now apply to males and females. Women now do … Continue reading Female Physical Fitness Test
How do I get faster in my running for my Marine Corps PFT? I am an OCS Applicant. I did a PFT Saturday which did not go well. I did 20 Pull Ups, 99 Crunches (I can hit all 100 easily, but not sure what happened) and I ran a 23:39 3 Mile (cut off for OCS candidates is 23:59). A score 265. Captain said … Continue reading PFT: Run. Your Most Pressing Questions, Answers
Once you can do between 10 and 20 deadhangs, do this work out! An important piece of equipment that you might want to buy, if your gym doesn’t have one, is a dip belt. It looks like a weight-lifting belt with a long chain attached to it. Set #1 – Do 5 slow warm-up pull-ups! Take a short rest, 1-2 minutes! Set #2 – Using the dip-belt add … Continue reading A Simple Pull Up Program To Get Over 20
To do a correct Marine Corps crunch, lay on your back with your feet flat on the deck, and your butt close to your heels. Your arms should be crossed on your chest or your stomach. They cannot come off of your chest/stomach during the PFT. To do a correct crunch, raise your upper body off of the deck until your forearms touch your thighs. Go back down … Continue reading Quick N Easy PFT Crunche
How are you doing in preparation for the PFT? This site has a great, simple calculator to give you a PFT score: USMC.PFTcalculator.com. I know it helped motivate me to work out to see how much one extra pullup or a few seconds off my run would help my score. Set some goals to help you work out! It also includes a link to the … Continue reading PFT Calculator
This is a popular training program for the crunches part of the PFT. While it is a good program to help you get to and past 100 crunches, remember that it crunches are a one-dimensional component of fitness and are not a substitute for a full core workout. OCS is much more than just the PFT. Day 1 Do three maximum effort sets. Rest 60-90 seconds between each set. As … Continue reading Killer Crunc
Courtesy of Armstrong Pullup Program.com: I received this awesome workout from my recruiter. Many of the former candidates, current officers, I know use this, so hopefully some of you will see success with it. I know it’s a long read, but well worth it. Enjoy. First…do you have a pullup bar? If you want to succeed at OCS–get yourself that piece of gear! If your … Continue reading Armstrong Pull Up