Basic training, also known as boot camp, is the intimidating and strenuous initiation for men or women interested in joining any branch of the military. Start acting and thinking like a soldier -- before you leave for basic training -- to give yourself a major advantage, recommends Sgt. Michael Volkin, writer for the Army Study Guide. Prepare a few weeks in advance by following a routine that mimics exercises you will do at basic training. This will also get you ready for the physical fitness test required of all recruits.
Running
Running makes up a large part of basic training. You will run at your morning training session and you may run instead of walk as you travel to and from camp locations. Stew Smith, a former Navy Seal and certified strength and conditioning specialist, recommends a 4-mile track workout that incorporates intervals. Begin with a seven- to eight-minute 1-mile jog. Perform three sets of a 1/4-mile sprint followed by a 1/4-mile jog, with the jog done in one minute and 45 seconds. Perform six sets of a 1/8-mile sprint followed by a 1/8-mile jog in one minute. Do this workout continuously without walking, with your only rest being the slower jogging pace. Initially, you may have to walk between sprints.
Calisthenics
Practice pull-ups in a pyramid workout. Begin with one pull-up, and then move to a set with two pull-ups, then a set with three pull-ups, and so on. When you can't continue, repeat the sets in reverse order until you're back at one. Do push-ups by placing your hands on the floor a bit farther than shoulder-width apart, at shoulder level. Perform five one-minute sets in which you do as many as possible. For sit-ups, set a pace to avoid burning out early. Initially, do five sets of 30 seconds each, with a goal of 20 sit-ups for every 30 seconds.
Exercise Schedule
In basic training, your physical training sessions begin early in the morning. Practice rising and working out at 4:30 a.m. every day a few weeks before basic training starts to accustom your body to exercising at an early hour. In addition, consider any time zone change. If your basic training is on the east coast and you live on the west coast, for example, you need to adjust to a three-hour time change. That means you should rise at 1:30 a.m. for exercise and adjust your bedtime accordingly.
Menu
No exercise routine is complete without the right kind of fuel. Get up and do your exercise routine on an empty stomach, as you will exercise before breakfast in basic training. At all times, complement your strenuous routine with healthy fare. Avoid "junk food" like cookies and chips and get out of the habit of snacking all together, as you will have no snacks at basic training. For meals, Volkin recommends healthy basics such as beef, fish, chicken and pasta dishes with ample doses of fruits, vegetables and carbohydrates.
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