Preparing for U.S. Army Ranger School

[NeroTheWarlord]

Hi everyone, I'm a soldier in the U.S. Army and I'm trying to get ready for one of the hardest military schools in the world. To prepare for this I'm coming to you guys, the professionals on guidance on how I can become more physically fit.

I've been warned to stay away from supplements by others, but they won't explain why other than the fact that I won't have access to them in Ranger School.

I'd like to request to anyone here willing to do so to mentor me in my physical training aspect. My goal is to be in the best cardio shape of my life and increase my muscular and respiratory endurance to as high as I can get it.

Right now my stats are as follows:

5'10" (Sometimes 5'11" if I really stretch)
I range from about 210-215 lbs.
Body Fat is probably about 16-17%
I can do approx:
46-50 Push Ups in 2 minutes
65-70 Sit Ups in 2 minutes
Run two miles in 15-16 minutes (Probably low 15's)
Chin Ups- I'm guessing about 5 or 6


For the tested physical portions of this school, I'll have to be able to:

Run 5 miles in under 40 minutes (preferrably less).
Do 49 Push Ups in two minutes
Do 59 Sit Ups in two miniutes
Run 2 miles in under 15 minutes (but I'd like to be able to do it in 12:30 - 13:00)
6 Chin Ups
I'll also have to be able to carry what's called a rucksack (a big back pack) that weighs anywhere from 65-90 lbs over the duration of the course for a total of 200+ miles.

There are various other physical aspects of the course, but I think these are the most important.

I've been taking Ripped Fuel Extreme (full dosage) for about 1 week now, along with regular excercise. Here's what I've done so far in preparation for this school:

Mon 14 March 05
Morning Workout:

Took two tablets of Ripped Fuel Extreme.

Stations Training: Various repititions of lunges, dips, pull-ups and a variation squat/lifting over the head excercise with a 25 lb weight. (Workout was aproxximately 20-30 minutes long with 3-60 second rests in between stations)
Ran 1.4 Miles

Evening Workout:

Took two tablets of Ripped Fuel Extreme.

Ran on treadmill for 30 minutes between 6.5mph - 7mph (3.38 miles).
Walked at ruck march pace (4.0mph) for 20 minutes (distance unknown).
Ran for 10 minutes between 7mph - 8mph.
(Total distance covered was 6 miles)

Tue 15 March 05

Morning Workout:

None

Took two tablets of Ripped Fuel Extreme


Evening Workout:

Took two tablets of Ripped Fuel Extreme

Ran 4.05 miles in 35 minutes at 7 mph. Walked 1 mile in 15 minutes @ 4.0 mph. Ran another 1.2 miles in 10 minutes between 7-8 mph. Total distance covered: 6.25 miles in 60 minutes.


Wed 16 March 05

Morning Workout

Took two tablets of Ripped Fuel Extreme

Ran 1 mile in 7 min 25 sec
Max Push Ups in 30 Sec (36)
Max Sit ups in 30 sec (27)
Ran another mile at moderate pace in 7 min 52 sec
Max Push Ups in 30 Sec (34)
Max Sit Ups in 30 Secs (27)


Evening Workout

Took two tablets of Ripped Fuel Extreme

Ran 3.8 miles in 35 min at 6.5 - 7 mph.

Thurs 17 March 05

Did not take Ripped Fuel Extreme at all this day.

Morning Workout

Station Training -


One set of twenty repititions of each of the following:
Obliques
"Rower Style half sit ups"
Flutter Kicks (Four Count Excercise)
Deadlift - three sets of ten repititions (135lbs)
Decline sit-ups - three sets of twenty repititions


No run due to sharp pain in left knee.

Evening Work Out:

None

Fri 18 March 05

Morning Workout:

Took two tablets of Ripped Fuel Extreme

Company PT (Football)

Evening Workout:

Took two tablets of Ripped Fuel Extreme

None


(No run other than the football, trying to heal the knee)

Sat 19 March 05

Took four tablets of Ripped Fuel Extreme (Two when I woke up and two in the afternoon).

Walked one mile at 4-4.5 mph (Started out running for about .10 mile and felt my knee injury getting irritated and started walking the rest of the way which was about as bad on it as running anyway)
Did 210 Push Ups throughout the day in sets of 20 or 30.


As you can see I'm having trouble with my left knee, it's a sharp pain on the left side of my knee and about 3 fingers below my knee cap. I've been recommended to start taking Glucosamine which I'm starting today, and I've replaced my running shoes (which were about a year old). I really need this pain in my knee to go away quickly (and stay gone) so that I can continue my running, as it's worked the best for me in the past.



Sun 20 March 05

Broke down and bought an excercise bike.....

Morning Workout:

Took two tablets of Ripped Fuel Extreme.

25 Push Ups

Evening Workout:

Took two tablets of Ripped Fuel Extreme.

Biked 15.6 Miles in 1 hour
737 calories burned (According to the bike)



Mon 21 March 05

Morning Workout:

Took Two Ripped Fuel Tablets

Rode Excercise Bike at GYM:

8.6 Miles
20 Min
326 Cal Burned (according to the bike)

3 sets of 15 reps:
Leg Press (200 lbs + bar)
Leg Extension (30 lbs)

Ab Machine: 3 Sets of 50 reps:
SET 1: 40 lbs
SET 2: 60 lbs
SET 3: 60 lbs

Behind the Neck Press:
(45 lbs bar)

SET 1: 15 reps
SET 2: 20 reps
SET 3: 25 reps

Push Ups:

SET 1
Elevated Wide Arm:25
SET 2
Elevated Regular: 25
SET 3
Elevated Diamond: 25


Evening Workout:

Decided to stop taking the Ripped Fuel

Rode excercise bike at HOME:

30 miles
2 hrs 3 min
1413 cal burned (according to the bike)

Obliques: 50 on each side (Slow and hold)
Flutter Kicks: 35 (Four Count)
Push Ups:
SET 1: 30
SET 2: 20

EDIT: Did 20 Push Ups for bein' a dick. LOL (see later posts)
_________________________________________________________



Any advice you pro's have for a soldier trying to become one of the world's most elite fighting men would be greatly appreciated.

EDIT: I'm going to continue editing this post with my daily workouts, so if anyone sees a bad pattern or something I should take note of, please let me know.

[ryuage]

couple words of wisdom.... id work on your rucking and sleep/food deprivation

[NeroTheWarlord]

What do you (or anyone else) think would be a good diet for me to follow?

[shansen008]

carb it up dude, thats a lot of cardio.....youre gonna want to be as light as possible too, id just do lots of compound lifts at moderate weight for 12-20 reps. Do lots of body weight exercises...realistically you dont need to bench 500 pounds for what youre gonna be doing. Chins, dips. I have soem marines in my family, and they all said the hardest part of training was the mental aspect. So what i would do if i were you is take whatever exercises you are doing and take them to extremem reps at low-moderate weights. Do them until your brain wants to quit...but dont. We all know our bodies are capable of FAR more than we think they are. Our brain is an emergency shutoff switch for our body.....its an evolutionary tool. Look at most animals...like horses. A horse will run itself to death if you let it....will just drop dead. Our brains set limits on what we can accomplish to protect us in that sense. Learn to take it to the extreme so you are familiar with what it feels like, then when it comes down to it in Ranger school....you are gonna have a leg up on everyone there right from the get go.

Good Luck.....

[MixmasterNash]

Why are you taking ripped fuel? Are you over a weight limit?

I'm surprised at the low pullup requirements.

[Geeper]

Knowing several special forces/black op guys, I'd do a lot of general conditioning and then take a week or a week and a 1/2 off just before training started so you'd be nice and fresh and recouperated.
Fact is if you are no where near the shape you have to be in you will never make it, but you seem to be pretty close to the physical requierments and they will push you to make it if you can. (mentally and physically).
I'd quit the ripped fuel in plenty of time to get over any withdrawl symptoms too.

[NeroTheWarlord]

Why are you taking ripped fuel? Are you over a weight limit?

I'm surprised at the low pullup requirements.

I want to tone up and get rid of some of this body fat, the lighter I am, the easier it will be to run, etc.

@ Geeper, I plan to quit taking the supplements 3-4 weeks before I leave for Pre-Ranger. Thanks for the replies.

[wannabeabigboy]

depending on how much time you have before you must go to teh school, id try and run longer distances at one time (4-5 miles). you dont have to run this very hard at all just a slow steady pace. this will help get your endurance up and you'll see your time trials go down.

[NeroTheWarlord]

Thanks man, I think I'm gonna start running long distance and rucking alot when my knee starts feel up to snuff again. For now though I broke down and bought an excercise bike.

[Gutz981]

Nice ranger training huh I heard that stuff is some pretty hardcore stuff man...the running is what smacks me in the face...lol good luck to ya

[Max-Mex]

Other than dumping the ripped fuel, everything seems fine. It's just a matter of endurance which is what most military physical fitness seems to be based on. As long as your diet is good, you won't need the extra help of a fat burner.

[NeroTheWarlord]

What's everybody got against the Ripped Fuel?

If someone can give me a reason other than I won't have it in school and I "might go through withdrawals", I probably will dump it. I just think every little advantage can help right now. I stopped taking it for a day, but then I thought about it and it didn't really make sense for me to stop (IMO). I drink tons of water, so it ain't gonna de-hydrate me....

[MixmasterNash]

re: ripped fuel
Yes, I too, see it as entirely unncesessary given the amount of cardio you should be doing in preparation for this great endeavor.

I would also recommend swimming!

[The Celt]

BTW, Nero, how did you get into Ranger school? Did your drill sgt. recommend you after basic training? I was interested in becoming a Ranger when I was a teenager and I'm still just kinda curious.

[Praetorian]

you should do a search for 'marines' in this forum. we've had several threads about preparing for bootcamp.

other then that, good luck man

[pfc3rex]

you need to definitely improve on your pt test scores.. I'm only a pfc, and my scores are well beyond your's. You need to max all three events, and thensome. You should mostly be working for strength, and endurance. Your diet should consist of alot of carbs, and protein. Good luck, you'll need it!

[Songsangnim]

.

EDIT: I'm going to continue editing this post with my daily workouts, so if anyone sees a bad pattern or something I should take note of, please let me know.

Wouldn't it make more sense to start a journal in that case?


As for the ripped fuel question, there are two reasons you don't need to take it. First it's not necessary. If you do plenty of cardio that will do a lot more good than this supplement. Secondly you may come to mentally rely on this substance. Thus possibly inhibiting your workouts for lack of the placebo effect.

[ryuage]

BTW, Nero, how did you get into Ranger school? Did your drill sgt. recommend you after basic training? I was interested in becoming a Ranger when I was a teenager and I'm still just kinda curious.

its not hard, you either

a. signup for it
b. request it when you get to your unit

[Mission]

Only 6 pullups? That sounds a little strange.

While you're not going to be a Navy Seal, I think this workout schedule would really help you.

http://www.teenbodybuilding.com/brent2.htm

[NeroTheWarlord]

you need to definitely improve on your pt test scores.. I'm only a pfc, and my scores are well beyond your's. You need to max all three events, and thensome. You should mostly be working for strength, and endurance. Your diet should consist of alot of carbs, and protein. Good luck, you'll need it!

You're so tough.

[NeroTheWarlord]

Wouldn't it make more sense to start a journal in that case?

Um.... ain't that what I'm doin in this thread? LOL

[Praetorian]

What's up with the attitude?

This section is for BB related questions. There is another JOURNAL section, he meant that you should start a journal there instead of this thread.

Comprende?

[NeroTheWarlord]

Roger that, my bad.

Knocking 'em out. (Push Ups)

Can someone please move this thread to the Journal section? Thanks.

[Ryan Hale]

Did you ever get through Ranger School?

Ryan Hale