Training for Royal Marines

Hello everyone, I am currently training with the goal of becoming a royal Marine.
I want to start My training now at 19 (twenty on the 27th of the month) and start the application process straight after my 21st birthday.

I am a former fat guy and have lost around five stone in the last couple of years however the last six months have been frustrating as I have been out of training due to a knee injury that I got awhile back, building my fitness back up sucks.

I popped into the AFCO and had a chat with the royal marine guy about a year ago when I first started wondering about joining the forces. As I was very out of shape then he gave me the simple goal of running an hour every other day and doing bodyweight exercises on the other days.

I am now much fitter and am looking for a schedule to get me ready for the 32 weeks training and the 30 miler with full kit at the end. I have been doing some weight lifting with my cousin but I don’t feel it helps as much as simple bodyweight exercises like dips, pullups, chins and pressups. I have three 6 mile runs a week and one bleep test or 3 mile run depending on how I feel, along with 3 days of lifting or bodyweight workouts.

I weigh around 160-165 lbs and am 5 foot 10. I have a solid diet that has 3500 calories exactly, I have the same food everyday (bulk buyer) and am dedicated to my nutrition.

I get 314 grams of protein in my diet along with 100 grams of fat and 337 carbs.

I would really be thankfull for some quality advice. I understand as is the nature of a forum like this, for the people to naturally recomend weight lifting, however I am using guest passes my cousin got me at the gym and when they expire I will only have a pullup and dip station, sit up board and 16kg kettlebells along with my cousins olympic bar and 35 kilograms of weight plates if he decides to hook a brother up.

He is constantly telling me to squat and deadlift but if I am going to be working out at home I can’t exactly squat and deadlift with no rack and no heavy weights so basing my routine of lifting seems pointless.

Anyway thank you very much for taking the time to read this and some honest advice will be welcome.

God bless.

I was thinking that this would be a good routine with a lot of high volume cardio and some bodyweight and functional strength weightlifting exercises I can do at home without a gym.

Pull Ups
Dips
Shoulder press

10KM run
Abdominal raises

Bench press
Chin ups
Press ups

20KM run
Decline sit ups

Olympic snatch
KB clean and press
High repetition Dead lift

10KM run
Abdominal raises

[quote]CockasaurousErex wrote:
Hello everyone, I am currently training with the goal of becoming a royal Marine.
I want to start My training now at 19 (twenty on the 27th of the month) and start the application process straight after my 21st birthday.

I am a former fat guy and have lost around five stone in the last couple of years however the last six months have been frustrating as I have been out of training due to a knee injury that I got awhile back, building my fitness back up sucks.

I popped into the AFCO and had a chat with the royal marine guy about a year ago when I first started wondering about joining the forces. As I was very out of shape then he gave me the simple goal of running an hour every other day and doing bodyweight exercises on the other days.

I am now much fitter and am looking for a schedule to get me ready for the 32 weeks training and the 30 miler with full kit at the end. I have been doing some weight lifting with my cousin but I don’t feel it helps as much as simple bodyweight exercises like dips, pullups, chins and pressups. I have three 6 mile runs a week and one bleep test or 3 mile run depending on how I feel, along with 3 days of lifting or bodyweight workouts.

I weigh around 160-165 lbs and am 5 foot 10. I have a solid diet that has 3500 calories exactly, I have the same food everyday (bulk buyer) and am dedicated to my nutrition.

I get 314 grams of protein in my diet along with 100 grams of fat and 337 carbs.

I would really be thankfull for some quality advice. I understand as is the nature of a forum like this, for the people to naturally recomend weight lifting, however I am using guest passes my cousin got me at the gym and when they expire I will only have a pullup and dip station, sit up board and 16kg kettlebells along with my cousins olympic bar and 35 kilograms of weight plates if he decides to hook a brother up.

He is constantly telling me to squat and deadlift but if I am going to be working out at home I can’t exactly squat and deadlift with no rack and no heavy weights so basing my routine of lifting seems pointless.

Anyway thank you very much for taking the time to read this and some honest advice will be welcome.

God bless.[/quote]

Scan the interwebs for some insight into the standardised pass or fail requirements that you’ll need to be prepared for once your are accepted for PRMC. If you can’t beat the requirements of the PRMC then you wont even get to the more specific tactical training tests the commando course throws at you. And so whatever your programme looks like, you must test yourself in those areas to gauge your readiness. The actual selection assessment is easy peasy, but it is vital that you beat the split timed run on the treadmill. (I think they’re still using that). Typically the Navy will give the older recruits some leeway, if they aren’t super fast. But as a younger recruit, you’ll be expected to run like a hare. I think it is important that you take command of your own fitness programme and why I wont personally give you a list of exercises. Your potential to become a Marine is directly proportional to your ability to create success from your own initiative.

Check out militaryathlete.com. The site typically doesn’t provide training programmes for people without a military email address, but they do help out coalition allies. You should pop them a mail and ask very politely if you don’t already have a UKNavy address. Maybe even ask your military sponsor/mentor to request the programme for you, if you have one. That really is the best advice I can give you because those dudes know what they are doing and I consider them streaks ahead of standard military fitness training providers. They offer free basic WODs and military only deployment prep stuff. Although timed long distance will be incorporated into your Navy training, you should prepare for the commando course with sprint interval training.

Not to give you a false sense of security here, but the UK armed forces have a very pragmatic approach to selection and fitness. If you are not fit enough but demonstrate potential, they give you reasonable opportunities to prove yourself. They don’t have infinite patience, but it’s not a one and done situation that some other militaries offer recruits. I have a mate who bombed quite badly out of para training twice before finally beating P company. He was a stick insect of a kid, but with heart of a lion. Officers see that. Do not get hung up on dumb shit like combat training, hand to hand, map reading, marksmanship. Just be fit and ready. The Navy will teach you the rest.

I just checked up on the timed run for pre joining fitness test. It’s not a split timed run anymore. Also, when I mentioned the “actual selection assessment” I meant this:

http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/Careers/How-To-Join/Interviews-and-Tests/Pre-Joining-Fitness-Test

The PRMC is the “actual selection assessment”, of course and it isn’t “easy peasy” as I described it. Pre joining is easy peasy.

Density training, that’s how I gor ready for my previous friends/ clients for bootcamp. Sprints in the morning, density afternoon or night, next day do strong man training. IE: farmers walk, walking with heavy back packs and sled and battle ropes if you have them.

Thank you very much for the reply Pigeon. I understand that it really should be up to me to prescribe my own routine and thank you for the site reference, my brother is in the Royal Air Force so maybe I could use his to get onto the site.

As for the treadmill split and press up/situp tests I believe that was gotten rid of but they still have the split 3 mile run as part of the PRMC

The course is composed of four physical assessments:

  1. Three-mile run
  2. Gym test one
  3. The Bottom field
  4. Endurance Course (including the 0.5-mile ‘hare and hounds’ chase

Day 1
The run
On the first day of the PRMC, potential recruits begin their assessments at 6am with the Three-mile run and Gym Test One. The three-mile run consists of 1.5 miles as a squad followed by 1.5 miles personal best effort. The first 1.5 miles is done in 12.5 minutes followed by your best effort, which needs to be run in under 10.5 minutes. However, you should aim for a time of around nine minutes to improve your chance of passing.

Gym test one
Your first gym test will take place in the afternoon of your first day of PRMC and consists of:

The VO2 max bleep test
To achieve maximum points you need to reach level 13. Candidates should aim for at least level 11 to improve their chance of success.

Press-ups
You will do a set of press-ups immediately after the bleep test. A maximum score of 100 points is achieved for 60 press-ups within the two-minute time limit, but candidates should complete more if able.

Sit-ups
Immediately after the press-ups you?ll do the sit-up test. 80 within the appointed two minutes will get maximum points, but again, you should aim for more.

Pull-ups
You must do at least two pull-ups to stay on the course, but candidates should aim for at least six good pull-ups.

Swimming assessment
After Gym test one, there?s a short assessment in the pool, which is simply to see how strong you are at swimming. You?ll be asked to swim the perimeter of the pool unaided after jumping off a diving board. You?ll then need to climb out of the pool unaided.

Day 2
Your second day is a test of mental strength, physical endurance, stamina and determination. Both of your physical assessments will be done wearing a combat jacket, combat trousers, a rugby shirt and boots. The first assessment of the day is the high obstacle course, the death-slide and the assault course, followed by the Endurance Course in the afternoon.

Day 3
Your last day is back at base cleaning your accommodation and returning equipment and clothing to the storeroom. You will also be told whether or not you have been successful on the course.
If you successfully pass the PRMC, you will be issued with a pair of boots and socks and will be entitled to join a recruit troop. We?ll also give you a ?PRMC pass? certificate to prove you have passed.

Preparing for the test
You?ll need to be in pretty good shape to complete the PRMC. It?s as much about physical as mental strength, so to prepare yourself for the challenge try our Fitness Training Programme.

[quote]CockasaurousErex wrote:

Preparing for the test
You?ll need to be in pretty good shape to complete the PRMC. It?s as much about physical as mental strength, so to prepare yourself for the challenge try our Fitness Training Programme.
[/quote]

That’s what I’m saying. PRMC is bad ass. Dudes wilt under the strain, don’t be one of them. Now, you giving yourself almost a year to prepare means you have no excuses. However, such a long time before you actually enlist gives plenty room for slacking off and undermining your progress. Don’t lose focus, make sure you excel at the regular personal tests you give yourself, try and train with people aiming for the same goal, and get advice from people in the know especially former or currently serving Marines. People you can show your progress to and who will shit on you if you’re not making the cut. But that’s really all I can tell you. It’s pretty cut and dry. Be fit and ready for the stuff you’re aware of and be prepared to endure surprises come PRMC.

Thanks and I will stay motivated you can believe that.

I am going to stop posting now as those who talk about doing this or that never seem to do anything but I will be putting up monthly progress videos and pictures, times and lifting numbers.

I have found a PRMC forum with other future recruits so my general questions can be directed there if I need anything.

Thanks and stay posted.

How much you weigh now,Height? and hows your fitness levels? pushups pullups flutter kicks. Even if your good with the mentioned before , being a R.M or S.O.F isnt only about physicalities ,There’s the academic stuff , your mental sharpness will be tested and thoroughly.

Anyways hope you get through, My 2 cents though, If you arent physically in your top shape, don’t bother enlisting. Pjft will will determine if your up to it or not.

I’m hopefully joining, too. Have you thought about keeping a log in the training logs section?