Well, I’ve finally realized what it is that I want to do with my life: I want to be a soldier, through and through. I talked to a recruiter today and realized that I’m going to end up enlisting. It was something that was bound to happen sooner or later. I turn 18 in less than two weeks, so as soon as I have some time and everything is in alignment, I’m going to sign the papers.
There’s no doubt anymore as to want I’m going to do. I’m probably going to end up signing a 3 or a 4 year active duty contract. Depending on my ASVAB (which I know I’ll kill), I’ll probably be able to get 11x, which is an infantry job. I’m hoping when I’m done with my time in the Army, I can go to college, do ROTC, then graduate as an officer and start my real Army career.
I’ve realized that it hasn’t been my dream to go to college - it isn’t what’s going to make m happy. What’s going to make me happy is becoming a soldier, and waiting isn’t an option that I will consider. Numerous people have told me that this isn’t my parents or anyone else’s decision - it’s soley my decision. And ya know what? I’m going to make that decision to enlist.
As far as training goes, I’ll still have a few months before I have to start toning down the lifting and start focusing on getting ready for basic training (BCT). The earliest I would leave would be about the third week of June in 2013, so I would probably do my last meet around March and start training for the Army.
Before you try going 11x make sure its the life you wanna lead. No family, not much free time, and 61 weeks of training. Not just training but of the hardest training in the world. I’m not saying don’t do it, but think about it.
[quote]Drake37 wrote:
Before you try going 11x make sure its the life you wanna lead. No family, not much free time, and 61 weeks of training. Not just training but of the hardest training in the world. I’m not saying don’t do it, but think about it.[/quote]
I was thinking 11X or 19D. But anyways, I have enough mental toughness to make it through anything. If my friend (who never played sports before and was a lazy ass his entire life) can make it through basic and AIT, then I think I can too.
[quote]jtownlax wrote:
It takes a certain type of person to enlist in the military. Your one brave guy. I appreciate that your willing to serve this country.[/quote]
Thanks, jt. It’s been something that I’ve wanted to do for a long time.
Bench Press
2 X 8 X 135
1 X 3 X 185
1 X 1 X 210
3 X 5 X 240
NOTES: Kinda slow, but I got all the reps.
Paused Close-grip Bench Press
3 X 5 X 210
Wide-grip Bench Press
1 X 17 X 185
NOTES: Just an all out set.
Incline Dumbbell Bench Press
1 X 5 X 80s
1 X 5 X 85s
1 X 5 X 90s
Pec Dec Flyes
3 X 20 X 70
Reverse-grip Tricep Pushdowns
3 X 10 X 55
Single-arm Tricep Pushdowns
3 X 10 X 30 (each arm)
Dips
5 X 10 X BW
ENDING NOTES: This was torture today. The amount of volume was nuts. Waking up tomorrow will be painful. Can’t wait for that shit. Everything went pretty well considering Eddie wasn’t there. Just gotta keep moving on. Got light squats and speed pulls on Friday.
Got accepted into North Georgia College & State University today. It’s been making rethink my enlistment options. Talked with an Army reserve recruiter and talked to the head of cadet recruiting at North Georgia and got the same consensus: if I’m really set on enlisting, then doing SMP would be the best option. Honestly, I’d probably end up liking it the best. So, here’s the run down:
Get accepted into North Georgia (check)
Enlist in Illinois National Guard or Army reserve
Go to BCT and AIT next summer as soon as I graduate from high school (good-bye summer!)
Transfer to Georgia National Guard/Reserve unit
Start college
Drill with my unit once a month and have 2 weeks of mandatory training a year
Graduate from college, get commissioned as a 2LT, discharged from the Guard/Reserve.
Start off making $66k/year as opposed to $55k/year.
Achieve God mode in Army, go to Ranger school, SFAS, and become elite terrorist hunter.
Well, that’s the plan anyways. Plus, I’ll get to keep some gainz during college.
Go to college and be an officer. People will say “Blah blah active enlisted first” Fuck them theyre trying to hold you back and drag you down. Youve got a chance to excel here. Take it.
[quote]Drake37 wrote:
Go to college and be an officer. People will say “Blah blah active enlisted first” Fuck them theyre trying to hold you back and drag you down. Youve got a chance to excel here. Take it.[/quote]
They told me I have an opportunity that may not come around again, so I should take it while I can. Plus the head of cadet recruiting (a retired colonel) told me my ACT and my GPA are way too high to be enlisted. So, I’ll take it from him.
I was an artilleryman (that did nothing but infantry my entire time enlisted) for 4 years. You will not be an 11x when you are done with OSUT…you will choose between an 11B (infantryman) or 11C (mortar-man). I would be an officer if I were you. Having a good GPA and ACT score will mean you can make it through the ROTC program academically, but the cadet recruiter knows that as an officer you will be leading soldiers with their lives in YOUR hands. No GPA can account for that…good luck.
Didn’t go to the gym last night because I went to a White Sox game last night with my friend. Can’t complain because we had seats right on the first base line, about 10 rows behind the dugout, so it was a nice night at the park. Gonna hit up squats and speed pulls today and then light bench tomorrow.
Squats
2 X 5 X 135
1 X 5 X 185
1 X 2 X 225
3 X 8 X 260
Speed Pulls
2 X 5 X 135
1 X 3 X 225
1 X 1 X 275
6 X 1 X 315
NOTES: Went to USA Gym with one of my buddies today and they didn’t have a deadlift bar, so the pulls were kinda slow.
Vertical Leg Press
2 X 12 X 1pps
1 X 12 X 2pps
2 X 10 X 3pps
NOTES: First time ever using this, and it was extremely humbling. Legs were on fire after I got done with my top sets.
Lying Leg Curls
3 X 12 X 70
ENDING NOTES: Pretty solid day today. Starting Couch to 5k again tomorrow. I’m staring it again because I want to be in better shape for when I leave for a national leadership challenge weekend at North Georgia in November. It’s a 3-day thing where I get to go through the day in the life of a cadet, run obstacle courses, shoot guns and all that cool shit, so I’d like to go in there with a leg up and leave an impression on the people there. Also going to do light bench tomorrow around 5.
9 September 2012 - Light Bench, Shoulders & Biceps
Warm-up
PVC roll everything
Stretching
Shoulder stuff
Bench Press
2 X 5 X 135
1 X 3 X 165
3 X 8 X 190
Flat Dumbbell Bench Press
1 X 12 X 75s
1 X 12 X 85s
1 X 12 X 100s
Dumbbell Side Raises
3 X 12 X 25s
Hammer Strength Military Press
3 X 15 X 70
Lying Dumbbell Reverse Flyes
3 X 15 X 15s
EZ Bar Scott Curls
1 X 12 X 40
1 X 12 X 50
1 X 10 X 60
Supinated Double Dumbbell Curls
3 X 10 X 25s
Flat Hammer Strength Preacher Curls
3 X 12 X 40
ENDING NOTES: Pretty solid lift tonight. Gonna go run tonight before bed so I can finally get a head start on prep for my weekend getaway at North Georgia in November. Got squats tomorrow. I’m hoping it’ll go as well as the last 5 weeks have. This squat cycle is looking to go pretty well and I’m looking to hit 405 for the first time at the end. I’m also looking to bench 315 for the first time, too, so there will be a number of milestones achieved.
Squats
2 X 5 X 135
1 X 5 X 185
1 X 3 X 225
1 X 1 X 260
1 X 1 X 295
2 X 5 X 335
NOTES: Sloppy. Lost tightness at the bottom causing me to lean forward too much. Fuck.
Stiff-legged Deficit Deadlifts
2 X 5 X 135
1 X 2 X 225
1 X 1 X 255
2 X 5 X 285* +10 lb. PR
NOTES: Easy.
Barbell Rows
2 X 5 X 240
Dumbbell Rows/Dumbbell Shrugs Superset
Dumbbell Rows - 2 X 15 X 55s
Dumbbell Shrugs - 2 X 5 X 55s
Wide-grip Chins
1 X 10 X BW
Wide-grip Lat Pulldowns
1 X 12 X 160
ENDING NOTES: It was a so-so workout. Squats kinda pissed me off. I had a bad day of squatting after killing everything the last 5 weeks. I think it’s just a mental thing. I also ran last night and my hips were really sore, so that could’ve contributed to it. Oh well, just gotta stretch and roll some more until it isn’t sore. Gotta run tomorrow and then I got bench on Wednesday.
You’ll have those days man. I have them like every 3rd or 4th Sunday when pulling. I have 3-4 great weeks of training culminating in a terrible deadlift session lol. You got your work in and thats what counts…I agree though, don’t run before you squat!
[quote]CSEagles1694 wrote:
Chuck Vogelpohl follows me on Twitter now. Life is now complete.
CS[/quote]
Sorry to break it to you brother, but I highly doubt Chuck even knows what Twitter is. One time it took me 30 minutes to explain to him what PayPal was. The next day he referred to it as “Pen Pal”.
[quote]CSEagles1694 wrote:
Chuck Vogelpohl follows me on Twitter now. Life is now complete.
CS[/quote]
Sorry to break it to you brother, but I highly doubt Chuck even knows what Twitter is. One time it took me 30 minutes to explain to him what PayPal was. The next day he referred to it as “Pen Pal”.[/quote]