How to Prepare for the Marine Training Camp

2024 Author: Samantha Chapman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 09:13

The training of the American naval infantry is much tougher than that of the other military branches. The recruits of this military branch (also called "poolees") are pushed to their limits to have extreme physical stamina and mental stress as part of their transformation to be a perfect marine. While it is impossible to be 100% prepared to handle the stress of training, developing some physical and mental strength a few months in advance will help you overcome this grueling challenge.

Steps

Part 1 of 2: Physically Prepare for the Training Camp

Marine Test Standards

Step 1. Be prepared for the tests you will face

Fitness is the backbone of the Marine Corps' efficiency. Hence, the Marines must be able to prove their strength and physical endurance. Recruits must pass the Initial Strength Test (IST) at the beginning of the training and the Physical Fitness Test (PFT) at the end to become Marines. In addition, the Marines must pass an annual combat test (CFT). Knowing these tests better will help you better assess your physical condition before you arrive in training camp.

Step 2. Learn the criteria for the initial strength test

This test takes place after the initial 3 days of the Marines "reception". The 3 components of this test are pull-ups while hanging in position, abdominal exercises and a timed run.

• Pull-ups / hanging in traction: Men must be able to perform two pull-ups before starting the workout. Women must be able to hang in traction (starting directly from the traction position and holding it for as long as possible) for 12 seconds.
• Abdominal Exercises: Men and women need to be able to complete 44 crunches (bringing the elbows or forearms to the knees) in 2 minutes.
• Timed race: men have to cover 2.5 km in 13:30, while women have to cover the same length in 15 minutes.

Step 3. Learn the criteria for the physical fitness test

The exercises in the PFT and IST tests are the same, but the criteria are more difficult. These criteria are based on 17-26 year old recruits and decrease with age. Look down:

• Pull-ups / Hanging Pulls: Men must be able to complete 3 pull-ups. Women must be able to hang in traction for 15 seconds. Note that the Marine Corps wanted to change the women's 3-pull-up test, but this decision has not yet been approved.
• Abdominal Exercises: Men and women need to complete 50 crunches in 2 minutes.
• Timed race: men have to cover 4, 80 km in 28 minutes, while women have to cover the same distance in 31 minutes.

Step 4. Learn the combat test criteria

This test is an annual requirement for all Marines. It serves to determine a marine's ability to use his physical abilities in combat. This test has 3 stages, each with a maximum of 100 points. So the maximum score for this test (CFT) is 300 points. The pass score for this test varies by gender and age.

• Movement to Fight: This is a 730-meter obstacle course that tests a marine's speed and endurance. The maximum score is obtained by covering it in 2:45 for men and in 3:25 for women.
• Raise Ammo: Each Marine must lift a 13 kg box of ammo high above their head (to fully extend their elbows) as many times as possible. For a maximum score, men have to do 91 repetitions, women 61.
• Firefight Maneuvers: This type of test includes various tasks, such as running, crawling, carrying objects, throwing grenades, and more. The maximum score is 2:14 for men and 3:01 for women.

Step 5. Aim to exceed the minimum requirements

Just passing the IST test upon your arrival is not recommended. Recruits who struggle with the IST test will have a hard time getting used to the intense physical exertion of Marine life. Additionally, these recruits will be more at risk of injury and will need to enlist in cardiovascular and physical rehabilitation. These things distract recruits from combat test training and complicate the path to becoming a marine (which is not impossible). Hence, it is good to pass the IST test with ease to be already well on your way to the PFT test. Use the months before enrollment wisely!

Improve your fitness

Step 1. Start running regularly

In addition to passing the IST and PFT test run tests, Marines must be fast and resilient in order to perform their duties quickly. Do some jogging, run regularly and sprint to increase your speed. As you run, breathe deeply while maintaining a reasonable pace and correct posture. The feet must touch the ground along the heel. This point of contact must then "rotate" forward, pushing with the fingers.

• Many recruits are successful using interval training to develop aerobic endurance and run faster. Here is an interval training routine from Military.com. Suppose we have to travel 1.6 km in 6 minutes, which is equivalent to 3 minutes for 0.8 km, 90 seconds for 0.4 km, etc.:

  • Drive 0, 8 Km with optimal speed.
  • Jog or walk 0, 4km to rest.
  • Repeat the above two steps 4-6 times.
  • Drive 0, 4 Km with optimal speed.
  • Jog or walk 0.8km to rest.
  • Repeat the above two steps 4-6 times.
  • Drive 0, 8 Km with optimal speed.
  • Jog or walk 90 meters to rest.
  • Repeat the two steps above 4-6 times.
• Try to practice your routine consistently 4-5 times a week, whether it's interval training, running, or long runs.

Step 2. Plan a hiking routine

Marines must march and move through difficult terrain while carrying their equipment. Go hiking to increase your stamina, strengthen your feet, back, ankles and other muscles that you will use during your Marine Corps career. When hiking, take a heavy backpack with you. Fill it with weights to simulate carrying ammo, clothing, equipment, etc.

Step 3. Train with pull-ups or hanging in a pull

These exercises are components of the IST and PFT tests, for both men and women. Both of these exercises require physical strength of the torso, using muscle groups essential for combat.

• To perform a pull up on the bar, grab the bar with your palms opposite you. Hang on the bar with your arms fully extended. The knees can be bent or extended, but you cannot raise them above the waist. From this position, lift up until your chin is over the bar, then lower back down until your arms are fully extended, pause and repeat.

  • To train for the pull-up test, you'll need to buy a pull-up bar or join a gym. If you can't pull any traction, use an assisted machine or ask a friend to help you by holding your legs to support some of your weight. Finally, you can make pull-ups easier by doing the negatives (i.e. starting from the top and lowering yourself) or kicking with your legs to give yourself momentum.
  • In addition, it strengthens the biceps, triceps and back muscles by lifting weights.
• Women have to pass a test where they have to hang on the bar in traction. However, they can also choose to do the pull-ups instead. Like men, women need to strengthen their back, biceps and triceps muscles by lifting weights, doing assisted pull-ups and of course training to hang in a traction.

Step 4. Start a swim routine or go to class

In addition to passing the IST and PFT tests, Marines must be good swimmers. If you can't swim or have never learned, this test may be difficult to pass. You need to be able to swim 1.6 km without stopping. Try swimming 3 times a week for 45 minutes to improve lung endurance and strengthen your legs, shoulders and arms.

• The Marines swimming qualification is divided into 3 parts: Basic, Medium and Advanced. Each marine must achieve the Basic qualification, which requires that they have to dispose of their equipment in the water in 10 seconds, jump from a tower into the water and proceed for 4 minutes and push the pack along a 25-meter pool. This must be done in uniform, with boots.
• You can go to swimming lessons in many public swimming pools or schools and gyms. If you are not sure you are doing the movements correctly, go to class to improve yourself.

Step 5. Do abdominal exercises every day

Torso strength, measured by abdominal bends, is one of the key components of the IST and PFT tests. Also, by strengthening your torso you will avoid back injuries caused by intense training (especially if you carry heavy loads). Make sure you include abdominal exercises in your fitness routine, work your obliques, lower abs and hips frequently, every day if you can. Work your abs with pushups, planks, sit-ups, and leg raises while hanging from a bar.

• The crunches actually in the IST and PFT tests are a speed test where you only have 2 minutes to complete them. Do the abdominal exercises as fast as possible by controlling your movements and posture. Use a stopwatch to check the time taken.
• The strength of the torso is not only in the abdominals. You need to do other exercises to prevent injuries, such as squats, lunges, and deadlifts. Maintain good posture when performing these exercises to avoid hurting your back.

Step 6. Eat light and healthy

Proper diet is essential for building the muscles you need to be a marine. You need to eat healthy carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Cut (and try to eliminate) sugars, fatty foods, and preservatives from your diet. Marines must have adequate body fat level otherwise they will be enrolled in weight loss programs. If you fail these programs, you may be discharged.

• Try to consume carbohydrates from vegetables, fruits, and whole foods. Avoid consuming starchy foods, such as bread and potatoes. The protein must come from lean meat in portions the size of the palm of your hand. The healthful fats are found in nuts, eggs, and vegetable oil and should be served in portions as large as a golf ball.
• After arriving in training camp, people deemed too thin will be given large portions to gain weight. Overweight people will have a restricted calorie diet. Training early will help you lose or gain weight in order to meet the criteria for the base category.
• While exercising, eat 3 balanced meals a day and some snacks in between. So you will recover better after workouts. As you approach enlistment, try to eliminate snacks as they will no longer be a part of Marine training.

Step 7. Stay hydrated before, after and during workouts

Hydration is essential for workouts. It is good to hydrate yourself sufficiently as Marine training will be the most intense of your life. Drink lots of water every day, especially if you exercise. Drink electrolyte drinks (such as Gatorade) during heavy workouts to provide the body with fuel, which you get rid of by sweating. In general, you need to drink 0.03 L of water for every 0.05 pounds of body weight, or about 8-12 cups a day for an average man.

• You can also use drinks such as skim milk or fruit juice.
• Keep in mind that Marine Training Camps are located on Parris Island, South Carolina and San Diego, California. Both of these locations are very hot depending on the time of year, so hydration is even more important during workouts especially if you are used to mild weather.

Part 2 of 2: Mentally Prepare

Step 1. Prepare to be treated like you are worthless

If in the Marine Corps all you have to do is get fit, it might be difficult but doable by anyone with good will. But instead, this also requires an intense test of the recruits' intellectual abilities, focus and character and therefore mental strength. Some athletic recruits wind up out of the marines because they can't handle mental stress. After arriving, prepare yourself for a world where there is no courtesy and respect. Be prepared to get scolded, insulted, disrespected, embarrassed, and treated like trash.

Also, be prepared to scrupulously obey people who scold or insult you if you want to avoid strict measures

Step 2. Prepare to live with only the essentials

There are no luxuries in a Marine training camp. The recruits must leave everything at home, except what is truly essential.

• Here are the essential things recommended by the Military.com site:

  • Valid driving license or identity card
  • Around € 10-20
  • Clothes

• Other items may be allowed, talk to the recruiter to find out what you are allowed to bring:

  • Orders and documents issued by the recruiter
  • Health insurance card
  • Credit card
  • Proof of citizenship (if you were not born in the United States)
  • Marriage or birth certificate for employees
  • Phone card
  • Bank account details
  • Religious material
  • Small padlock (with combination)
  • Men: 3 underwear changes
  • Women: Panties, bras, stockings and a nightgown (all neutral in color)
  • 1 pair of sports socks
  • 1 change of civilian clothes
  • Toiletries

• Do not bring the following items:

  • Phone
  • Computer
  • Clock
  • Extra clothes
  • Makeup
  • Food

  

  Step 3. Prepare to leave the people you love for 13 weeks

  Military training lasts over 3 months. During this time, contact with friends and family will be very limited. Usually, recruits are entitled to a 30-second call to let the family know that they are fine and have arrived at their destination. Thereafter, the use of the telephone is limited if not prohibited. Some superiors may reward you with a phone call, others may not. Be conservative, try to use the phone only during the last week of training or to see your family the day before the closing ceremony.

  Friends and family may send you letters but again there are several clauses. Letters must be without decorations or designs and addressed to "Rct. (Recruit) Surname, Name". Make sure your family does not specify other grades other than recruit and that they do not send out decorated or decorated letters or packages. Doing so will draw too much attention to yourself

  

  Step 4. Be prepared to follow the instructor's orders without hesitation

  Marine instructors (DI's) are famous for their stern and stern style. They talk loudly, they are mean and they scream in your face. However, they are honest and never favor some in particular. You have to understand that by pushing yourself to the limits, the instructor helps you in a way. Marine life is not easy and you could be sacrificed for your nation. To be an effective marine, you need to be able to make sensible decisions on a battlefield. If you ever get involved in a battlefield, you will thank your instructors for being so hard on you.

  Even the smallest mistake could mean punishment. You will be punished if you frown at an instructor or if you make a mistake while cleaning your gun. Under these extreme conditions, the instructor will learn you to be strong and pay attention to all the important details

  

  Step 5. Prepare to scale your ego

  One of the first things that often happens to recruits in training camps is having to alter their haircut according to military requirements. Men are more or less bald while women wear their hair short or tied in a bun. This is done for an important reason. Marines must sacrifice their individuality for the sake of the unit. Thus everyone will have the same appearance and the same task of sacrificing their life for another. Put your ego aside when choosing from the bus. From then on, your priorities are your nation and your fellow Marines.

  

  Step 6. Get ready for many "mind games"

  Often instructors subject recruits to tasks that serve to destroy their spirit and rebuild it into that of a perfect marine. Instructors are constantly looking for opportunities to stress, humiliate, and cause a nervous breakdown to recruits. They can force recruits to complete impossible tasks and then punish them for failing. They may even blame a particular marine for no particular reason. Their actions may seem unfair and indeed they are and must be! However, even if an instructor is cruel to you remember that this is not personal, it happens to all recruits. Here are some examples of "mind games" played on a rookie who is now a full marine:

  • A locker had been left open, so all the recruits had to use locks on some balls and throw them to the ground. At that point everyone had a minute to find their own personal lock and open it. After failing this impossible test, they were punished with insults and physical training.
  • After winning a competition, the recruits were punished with training in the mud for failing to win by a greater gap.
  • Marines cannot drop their flag (guidon) to the ground. While standing at attention, they cannot move until ordered. An instructor threw the flag on the ground in disgust at their performance. So after ordering the marines to move, they were punished.

  

  Step 7. Prepare for sleepless nights

  Marines usually become active before sunrise. If you are not one who wakes up early, try to adjust to the times in the period before the actual workout. Also, sleep loss is a part of Marine training. For example, during the Marines' Crucible test, recruits go on a 54-hour mission with only 4 hours of sleep. This is to prepare the Marines for the battlefield and to fight whether they are tired or not.

  

  Step 8. Prepare to be accountable for your actions

  During this training, the recruits learn to depend on each other by helping each other. Platoons frequently compete for trophies earned by accumulating points in shooting skills, teaching, etc. Since the platoons are judged entirely, the members must support each other and do their best. Also remember that platoons are often fully punished for the mistake of a single recruit, so it is in each recruit's interest to be accountable for their own actions.

  Advice

  • It is essential to train in advance before training in the Marine field, especially if you want to get high scores. The platoon leaders are those who pass the PST test with the highest score.
  • Also prepare mentally for the Marine Corps. Be prepared for fatigue, deprivation and pain. Talk to people who have been through these moments and ask them questions for advice on how to improve your mental stamina.
  • If you shop alone, choose food from the outside areas of supermarkets. In these areas you will find fresh produce, meat and food containers in large quantities. Processed foods can be found inside.
  • Vitamin supplements are not necessary to prepare you for training. In some cases, you can use vitamins if you lose a lot of weight to avoid getting sick or losing important minerals.
  • Try to achieve the best results during a one-month workout. Depending on the options of certain recruits, those who pass the STI test on arrival will suffer injuries more easily.