Common Boot Camp Exercises You Will Perform At Training.
These exercises are what you will do while at boot camp. The graded exercises are the only exercises you will be judged on, the non-graded exercises are what the instructors will use to elevate your fitness level. The recommended number is for the typical 18-21 year old male entering the service. Please research the branch you are thinking of entering to find out what will be required of you specifically. Standards will differ from males to females, branch to branch and basic enlisting to special warfare jobs (Examples: SEALs, Rangers).
While there are different variations you can do with these exercises, we will focus on what you will be allowed to do at boot camp (Example: no 3-point push ups).
Please consult a physician before starting any physical activity program.
Graded Exercises
Push Ups
Begin by lying on your chest with your feet together. With the "PUSH UP" command lift your body off the ground. Your hands should be slightly outside the shoulders with your arms tucked besides you. Keep your back and legs straight with your head up. Lower your body to about 3-4 inches off the ground and raise yourself again until your arms are almost locked, then lower yourself again and repeat steps. Most military branches have a minimum standard of 35-40, but your goal should be to do at least 100 correct push ups within 2 minutes.
Crunches
Begin by lying on your back with your feet together and your knees at a 90 degree angle. Your arms should be crossed against your chest with your fingers touching your collar bones. There must be no gap between your arms and your chest at any time. With the "READY BEGIN" command you will lift yourself up until your elbows come in contact with your thighs. Lower yourself back down until your shoulder blades touch the deck and then come back up. Most military branches have a minimum standard of around 50, but your goal should be to do at least 100 within 2 minutes.
Pull Ups (Marine Corps Only)
Grab the pull-up bar with your hands placed about shoulder width apart and your palms facing away from you. Pull yourself upward until your chin is over the bar and complete the exercise by slowly moving to the hanging position. You should be able to perform 5-7 to start but your goal should be the maximum score of 20.
Women do not have to do pull ups in the Marine Corps, they are required to do a flex arm hang. Begin by reaching up and grabbing the bar with your palms facing inward. pull yourself up (assisted if needed) and hold with your chin above the bar. Marines are authorized to drop below the bar, however, some degree of elbow flexion must be maintained with both arms. Once a Marines arms are fully extended or they drop off the bar, the time is stopped.
Runs
Running distances from branch to branch and the recommended times for 18-21 year old males.
Air Force: 1.5 miles (9:00-11:00)
Army: 2.0 miles (12:00-14:00)
Coast Guard: 1.5 miles (9:00-1100)
Marine Corps: 3.0 miles (18:00-22:00)
Navy: 1.5 miles (9:00-11:00)
Common Non-Graded Exercises
Side Straddle Hops:
Begin by standing at attention. With the "Ready, Begin" command proceed to jump in the air while bringing your hands above your head and your feet outwards a little more than shoulder width apart. Proceed to jump again and bring your legs back together and your hands down below your waist. Repeat many many many times.
8-count body builders:
Start in a standing position. Squat down and place your hands on the floor in front of your feet. Put your weight onto your hands and jump your feet back to a push up position. Perform 1 push up. Jump both feet out to the side away from each other and back in. Jump your feet back to your hands and stand back up to the starting position. THATS ONE REP... Get used to them... do many!
Mountain Climbers:
Begin in a push-up position. Make sure to keep the head in line with the body and the stomach muscles contracted throughout the range of motion. Start the movement by bringing the right knee to the chest and back to starting position quickly. Alternate to the left leg and continue this movement for a timed period. During alternating legs both feet should be off the ground at the same time. You should not be "walking" but slightly hopping.
Flutter Kicks:
Start by lying flat on your back with your arms by your sides and your palms down. Extend your legs fully with a slight bend in your knees. Lift your heels about 6 inches off the floor. Make small, rapid up and down scissor-like motions with your legs. The key is to focus on having your midsection do the work and to keep your abs constantly contracted throughout the exercise.
Hello Dollys:
Start by lying flat on your back with your arms by your sides and your palms down. Extend your legs fully with a slight bend in your knees. Lift your heels about 6 inches off the floor. Now send each leg in opposite directions, left goes left and right to the right, now bring them back to touching. Repeat many times.
Superman:
Start by lying on your chest flat on the deck. raise your arms out in front of you and put your legs together. now lift your arms and feet 4-6 inches off the ground and hold. Some instructors will alter this exercise by making you move your arms and feet as if you were swimming. Hold position as long as they want.
Arm Circles:
Begin by standing at attention and raising both arms up until they are parallel to the deck. Begin moving your arms 6 inch clockwise circles. When the instructor wishes he will make you move your arms in front of you to do additional arm circles. Then again when the instructor is ready you will place your arms above you while doing 6 inch circles. The instructor can do as many as he/she wish and can use clockwise and counterclockwise movements. this exercise is performed until a usual minimum of 150-200 combinations of arm circles are completed.
There are many more exercises that can and will be used. Exercises like star burst, suicide runs and others are left up to the creativity of your instructors. Hope for the best.. prepare for the worst!
Thoughts on military fitness...
Your fitness results doesn't effect you much in boot camp (unless you fail), but it will during your career. Medics will have to carry out wounded in battle conditions, Infantry will carry large amounts of gear and it will even affect your advancement rate. So don't accept the minimum, but don't break yourself trying to do to much.
Boot camp is designed to get you in, get you trained, and get you out.
You do not want to have to stay at boot camp months because of a herniated disc, shin splints, rolled ankles or a physical test failure. You're job training command or getting prepared before you ship at home off are much better places to focus on drastically raising your fitness level.