Training for USMC OCS (Endurance)

[Jeff5886]

I am going to Officer Candidate School in about 8 weeks and looking to have my training critiqued. I am going for cardio endurance, cardio speed and all around muscular fitness (calisthenics). I am already a muscular guy but need to focus on leaning out, improving 3 mile run time and all around cardio endurance for those long runs.

Here is my routine as of now:

Day 1 - Sprints, Max Pushups x 5 and Max Pullups x 5
Day 2 - Ab Routine (20 Min) 35 Min Stretch Routine
Day 3 - 3 Miles for Time, Max Pushups x 5 and Max Pullups x 5
Day 4 - Hill Sprints, Squats (No Weights) x 4 Sets and Calf Raises (No Weight) x 4 Sets
Day 5 - Ab Routine (20 Min) 35 Min Stretch Routine
Day 6 - 4-5 Mile Endurance Run (Slow) Shoulder Press x 4sets Bicep Curls x 4sets and Dips x 4sets

I am thinking about throwing in another ab/stretch day somewhere. Right now I am doing a Run/Run/No Run routine. I think this might be over training a bit. I was doing a run/no run routine and I felt like I could do more but at my workout posted above, I can tell I am over training a bit. Please throw me some advise.

Thanks

 

[MANdrew]

Hey man, don't worry about it. It's not going to be killer. What you're doing right now is great! In all honesty, you'll probably come out of it in worse shape than when you went in. Good luck, man. I leave for San Diego dec 10, looking forward to having you as my boss someday!

 

[ZiR RED]

I am going to Officer Candidate School in about 8 weeks and looking to have my training critiqued. I am going for cardio endurance, cardio speed and all around muscular fitness (calisthenics). I am already a muscular guy but need to focus on leaning out, improving 3 mile run time and all around cardio endurance for those long runs.

Here is my routine as of now:

Day 1 - Sprints, Max Pushups x 5 and Max Pullups x 5
Day 2 - Ab Routine (20 Min) 35 Min Stretch Routine
Day 3 - 3 Miles for Time, Max Pushups x 5 and Max Pullups x 5
Day 4 - Hill Sprints, Squats (No Weights) x 4 Sets and Calf Raises (No Weight) x 4 Sets
Day 5 - Ab Routine (20 Min) 35 Min Stretch Routine
Day 6 - 4-5 Mile Endurance Run (Slow) Shoulder Press x 4sets Bicep Curls x 4sets and Dips x 4sets

I am thinking about throwing in another ab/stretch day somewhere. Right now I am doing a Run/Run/No Run routine. I think this might be over training a bit. I was doing a run/no run routine and I felt like I could do more but at my workout posted above, I can tell I am over training a bit. Please throw me some advise.

Thanks

From a strength and conditioning coach standpoint there are a few problems you might want to consider.

First is the lack of recovery days.
Second is the imbalance of the training (too much spinal flexion, knee extension, shoulder flexion/scapula protraction to spinal extension, hip extension, shoulder extension/scapula retraction). In other words, you need to focus your time inside the gym training pulling movements, good morning/rdl movements, and core (not ab) work: planks, bird dogs, rotation and anti-rotation, etc. All this will improve your 5k time.

Next, to improve 5k time you would be suited with 3 running days.

Day 1: Anaerobic work: Hill sprints, parachute work, 200-400 m sprints, etc.
Day 2: Lactate threshold work: 600-1000m repeats with a work to rest ratio of 2:1
Day 3: Technique/economy work. This will be your long run.

You should also focus on mobility work prior to any training day.

Br

 

[Jeff5886]

Thanks for the excellent post ^^.

My ab workouts are core workouts. Sorry for the confusion. I do three different Core workouts per week. P90X (Ab-Ribber X), and Insanity (Core Cardio Routine) and (Core Strengthening Routine). The Insanity routines cover good mornings, planks etc.

Also, I warm up with a dynamic warmup (Butt-Kickers, High Knees and Mobility Work) followed by a five min stretch.

How would you readjust the schedule? How would you adjust to allow imbalance of the training?

I am thinking something like this:

Day 1 - Sprints (600-1000m) @ 2:1 Ratio for 10 Sets, Max Pushups x 5 and Max Pullups x 5, Stretch
Day 2 - Off
Day 3 - 3 Miles for Time, Ab Routine, Stretch
Day 4 - Max Pushups x 5 and Max Pullups x 5 and 35 Min Stretch Routine
Day 5 - Hill Sprints, Squats (No Weights) x 4 Sets and Calf Raises (No Weight) x 4 Sets, Stretch
Day 6 - Ab Routine (20 Min) 35 Min Stretch Routine
Day 7 - 4-5 Mile Economy Run, Shoulder Press x 4sets Bicep Curls x 4sets and Dips x 4sets, Stretch

 

[ZiR RED]

I'm really hesitant about the p90x, insanity, etc. workouts. They are (in my opinion) very spinal flexion based. Any how, good mornings and RDL's you are going to want to do with weight. You want to further develop and strengthen your hamstrings and glutes.

I would schedule the program something like this.

Monday: Hill Sprints, max push ups and pull ups
Tuesday: Over head presses, horizontal pulling work, anti-rotation and anti-flexion based core work
Wednesday: Rumanian deadlifts, good mornings, glute concentrated core work
Thursday: Rest, (stretch, mobility)
Friday: Lactate work. 4-8 x 1000-600m @ 2:1,
Saturday: dips, biceps, rear delts, Long run, rotation based core work
Sunday: Rest

Check what I did for the lactate work. You don't need more than 3-5k of work...any more in a workout like that and you will verge on over use.

Br

 

[Jeff5886]

I'm really hesitant about the p90x, insanity, etc. workouts. They are (in my opinion) very spinal flexion based. Any how, good mornings and RDL's you are going to want to do with weight. You want to further develop and strengthen your hamstrings and glutes.

I would schedule the program something like this.

Monday: Hill Sprints, max push ups and pull ups
Tuesday: Over head presses, horizontal pulling work, anti-rotation and anti-flexion based core work
Wednesday: Rumanian deadlifts, good mornings, glute concentrated core work
Thursday: Rest, (stretch, mobility)
Friday: Lactate work. 4-8 x 1000-600m @ 2:1,
Saturday: dips, biceps, rear delts, Long run, rotation based core work
Sunday: Rest

Check what I did for the lactate work. You don't need more than 3-5k of work...any more in a workout like that and you will verge on over use.

Br

Thank you very much! Great insight!