The importance of staying physically fit

In today’s post, I want to address how important it is to stay in great shape.

Hopefully, you took my advice months ago and got into the best shape of your life in order to do your personal best on your military fitness tests.

Even though the fitness tests vary somewhat in their importance in the selection process (both for ROTC programs and the academies), the process is so competitive these days that you can’t afford to slough off on anything. Nor should you.

You should always do everything in your power to put your best foot forward.

Remember, if you reach your goal of getting an appointment to West Point, the Naval Academy, Air Force Academy, or the Merchant Marine Academy, or you got that ROTC scholarship, the quest to be physically fit has only just begun.

To be sure, it was important to show competitive fitness scores on your service academy or ROTC applications. It was good for optics, it gave the selection board confidence that you can handle the physical rigors of a military lifestyle, but it’s more than just for “show” from here on out.

You will “actually” need to be in very good shape to survive (and certainly to thrive) at a service academy, for example.

The physical demands are real and can be the difference between you becoming a military officer or washing out.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The service academies, in particular, are going to be very physically demanding — not in the sense that you need to do X pull ups, push ups, or sit ups in a row, per se, but in your overall fitness level. It will help immensely if you show up with a lot of physical strength and endurance.

You won’t be doing pushups and pull ups all day long; but, you will be up early, running around, carrying heavy backpacks, doing PT, all while dealing with a lot of mental stress and fatigue.

Even for the most fit recruits, the physical demands are intense.

The last thing you want to do is to worry about not keeping up on runs, not performing well in sporting activities, and not having the physical strength or the mental stamina to lead others during these difficult evolutions.

Remember, it will be your job to lead others through intense physical challenges. You will not want to be “out-of-shape” when faced with these activities.

They will eat you alive.

You’ll also have too many other things to worry about: academics, military bearing, memorization, policies/procedures, social dynamics, leadership expectations, injury prevention. (

To add another layer of stress by being physically unprepared is a big mistake and represents the undoing for many recruits who wash out of the program. Their physical limitations lead to subpar performance which leads to self-doubt and anxiety and may ultimately lead to quitting the program.

Do not let this be you. 

The way to avoid this particular pitfall is to be in the best shape of your life when you start school in 6 or 7 months.

It’s that simple.

Does that mean that it will be easy and you won’t quit? No. But it sure increases your odds of success.

You want the “physical aspects” of these programs to be your mental recovery time.

You want to be in such good shape that a 3-mile morning run is a chance for you to relax and enjoy the challenge and not a cause for panic.

The less energy you have to spend on the physical demands of military life, the more energy you’ll have to commit to academics, relationships, leadership, and fun.

“IN SHAPE”

What does it mean to be “in shape”? Well, only you will know that.

There will be some midshipmen and cadets who want to become Navy SEALs or Marine Recon or Pararescue Jumpers.  They will obviously be in great shape.

There will be others who are more interested in Computer Science and Cyberwarfare who probably have a different measuring stick when it comes to fitness.

Bottom line: You need to push yourself to the point where you are very comfortable being uncomfortable - physically.

Generally speaking, without getting into super-detailed workout prescriptions, which I’ve done in prior sessions, the quick and dirty formula for getting into shape is as follows:

Run

As often as you can.

Running is one of the most efficient ways to challenge your cardiovascular and muscular systems at the same time.

It will prepare your body for the constant physical demands of everyday life (from actual running, to shuffling, to carrying your books up stairs and mandatory after school sports).

Do push ups, pull ups, and sit ups

I know this sounds super simple, because it is.

Push ups will challenge your upper body in what we call the “push” motion (e.g. chest, shoulders, triceps, and core).

Pull ups will activate the “pull” motion (e.g. back, biceps, shoulders, and core).

Sit ups will help you train your core, which is the initiator of almost all physical movement.

Hydration and nutrition

I won’t go into the weeds on exactly what you should eat in today’s post. Every person is different, from the 104 lbs female coxswain to the 270 lbs offensive lineman.

There is no one-size-fits-all eating solution.

Of course, no matter who you are, it’s always a good idea to stick to whole foods (as opposed to processed and packaged foods), and eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, complex carbohydrates, and lean meats and fish.

Bottom line: Don’t stop working out and pushing yourself just because your fitness assessment and application have been submitted.

That should be the starting point. Now things start to get real.

Make sure you get real back by getting into the best shape of your life.