Cardio Advice/Evaluation

[WinterIsComing]

I was hoping you guys might be able to take a look at my goals/training and let me know if this seems like a good routine for achieving what I want. I'm going into OCS for the Navy in 2 months and for the last 6 months I've been getting myself into shape. I'm well above the entrance qualifications already and I would ideally like to be at a level where I could pass the exit qualifications before I even get there.

As it stands the exit qualifications are 85 situps in 120 sec, 60 pushups in 120sec, swim 500m untimed and run 1.5 miles in 10:30. I workout 3 days a week usually mon/wed/fri. MY training consists of swimming started at 500m added 50m more a week currently at 800m. Pushups and Situps started at 40/20 added 5 a week currently at 70/40 I try to do these without stopping. I also do the Bill Starr 5x5 weightlifting program. Running has been the area I have struggled to come up with a good program and stick with it.

My problem comes from 2 sources. I really dislike running and my legs already take a real beating from squats, deadlifts and weight training. I started doing running again about 6 weeks ago started at 10min jogging at about a 10min/mile pace and added 2 minutes a week up to 20. At this point I decided I would rather switch to less time at a faster pace cause I was spending like 3.5 hours in the gym on workout days. So last week I ran as far as I could at a 7min/mile pace it proved to be between 8-9mins.

My main goal obviously is to be able to run 1.5miles in 10:30. However my secondary goals are to improve my overall cardio and also to cutdown body fat as much as possible. I really dislike running on the treadmill but it has been the only way I have been able to maintain a 7 min/mile pace. To alleiviate this I was thinking of switching to 400m sprints at the indoor track at my YMCA. Will this still help me to improve my 1.5 mile time?

 

[Oblivian]

If your biggest goal is improving aspects on the test and time is a concern, I would cut out anything that is not related to that goal. Sure the 5 x 5 is a great routine, but if time is a concern, you may need to hold off on it until your reach the goals of the test.
If I was working towards the running goal, I would try to run the 1.5 miles as fast as I could one way and time it. The other way back you can work in sprints or take it as a light jog (depending on your workload for the day). The next time you run, try to beat your old time.
Once you comfortably hit those goals, get back to the 5 x 5 and anything else you want to do.

 

[Ian Coe]

What are your press ups and sit ups like at the moment

Start running min 3 times a week with another cardio swimming or cycling (swimming 500m isn't hard especially if untimed).
The runs should be 1 lsd run (say 6-8 miles) and the other two should be either sprint work (up hills if you can and jogging to starting position down the hill) or normal interval work. Interval work isn't boring and will be constantly challanging if you make it (its a different mind set to LSD work, but get a mp3 player for that and get some audio books on navy history and what not).
The row/swim can be lsd or HIIT work depending on how you feel.
You then have 2 days to hit the weights (if you don't believe in training in the am and then doing weights in the pm) and a day to have off completely.

Look in my log if you want ideas. I'm building my fitness base level up and getting it to a point where I can sail through the british army requirements.

 

[WinterIsComing]

So your saying I should do sprints 2 days and than on the other 1 day be doing a long distance slow pace run?

Currently I swim 800m as my warm up monday/wed/fri than I hit the weights on my 5x5 for about an hour and a half usually. Then its a run been doing 7 min/mile pace on treadmill as long as I can. After that I hit pushups/situps/Burpees and Turskish getups on mon/fri. As it gets warmer out I was planning on incorporating a slow pace run on saturdays for distance. But running in the cold always fucks me up. The thing I'm thinking of doing is switching the running I do mon/wed/fri to 400m sprints. I just want to make sure this will still in the end help me improve my 1.5 mile time.

As for dropping the 5x5 no way in hell.

 

[Ian Coe]

So your saying I should do sprints 2 days and than on the other 1 day be doing a long distance slow pace run?

Currently I swim 800m as my warm up monday/wed/fri than I hit the weights on my 5x5 for about an hour and a half usually. Then its a run been doing 7 min/mile pace on treadmill as long as I can. After that I hit pushups/situps/Burpees and Turskish getups on mon/fri. As it gets warmer out I was planning on incorporating a slow pace run on saturdays for distance. But running in the cold always fucks me up. The thing I'm thinking of doing is switching the running I do mon/wed/fri to 400m sprints. I just want to make sure this will still in the end help me improve my 1.5 mile time.

As for dropping the 5x5 no way in hell.

Sort of

Sprints one day (but jogging down again as recovery) and proper level ground HIIT work.
The other day a LSD run, just getting some miles in your legs. Then do some rowing work for eiether sprint, interval or lsd dependin gon how you feel.

Get off the treamil. Your test won't be on one so you shouldn't train on one.

Yeah, sets of 400m are good. I haven't done them yet but keep meaning to (I have a 3/4 mile loop near me, I just need to measure out 1/3 sections of it).

Who said anything about giving up weight?

 

[WinterIsComing]

Sounds good. I'm gonna give 400m sprint sets a try m/w/f this week and saturday I'll work in a low intensity 5 mile jog. My main problem is an hours in the day sort of thing. I work 9-6 and when I put in lsd runs during the week it means I dont get home to eat dinner till like 9 at night. Plus I try to get 9 hours a night so I dont have to murder hobo's in vengeance.

 

[Oblivian]

Sounds good. I'm gonna give 400m sprint sets a try m/w/f this week and saturday I'll work in a low intensity 5 mile jog. My main problem is an hours in the day sort of thing. I work 9-6 and when I put in lsd runs during the week it means I dont get home to eat dinner till like 9 at night. Plus I try to get 9 hours a night so I dont have to murder hobo's in vengeance.

The time issue is the only reason I mentioned dropping the 5 x 5 (I am not knocking strength training at all). If time is the issue, you have to prioritize. I don't see anything in your test that requires strength training more than it does cardio and muscle endurance.
I know you've heard this before: If you want to get better at push ups, do push ups. If you want to get better at running, run. If you want to get better at sit ups, do situps.

 

[WinterIsComing]

Jesus christ coe thanks for the warning. I did 3 sets with 120sec rests today. I think my heart blew a valve and I'm pretty sure my right leg is now permanently jellified.

 

[Ian Coe]

Sounds good. I'm gonna give 400m sprint sets a try m/w/f this week and saturday I'll work in a low intensity 5 mile jog. My main problem is an hours in the day sort of thing. I work 9-6 and when I put in lsd runs during the week it means I dont get home to eat dinner till like 9 at night. Plus I try to get 9 hours a night so I dont have to murder hobo's in vengeance.

I work a 9-5.30, but its usually 9.15-6.00.


I do my lsd runs on the weekend (usually sunday when I can load up some analysis and general knowledge stuff to help with my selection for the army). So then I can do some cross country running and catch up on the weeks events.

2 birds, 1 stone.

My interval work and lifting I can do in the mornings then and have the evening free.

bed at 10.30, up at 6.30-8 hours, alter as you need

 

[Ian Coe]

Jesus christ coe thanks for the warning. I did 3 sets with 120sec rests today. I think my heart blew a valve and I'm pretty sure my right leg is now permanently jellified.

Fun aren't they :icon_chee

Theres a link floating about to a t-nation article with different reps and rest intervals.
Have a look (should be able to find if you search t-nation under fat loss or something).


I would say about the muscle. Work on your weaknesses and if your training prior has been good and you're doing lots of sprint work, you're muscle loss will be limited and muscle memory plays a big part with trying to regain.

I haven't lifted since late oct or so. I did some OHP for the 2nd time since then yesterday. Before the break I could do 67.5 for 5 reps or 70 for 3-4. considering I've been doing lots of running and cardio work and a few press ups here and thhere, my 2nd session back I did 65 for 5.

Thats not much of a loss IMO


I wonder what my squats and DL will be like :icon_cry2