FAQ: How Can I Prepare Myself for Marine Corps Boot Camp?

by Boot Camps on February 17, 2012

Also called boot camp, Marine Corps Recruit Training is one of the most difficult times a soldier will have in his career. Boot camp will test you both psychologically and physically. The Marine Corps Recruit Depots in Parris Island, South Carolina and San Diego,California are the two locations where the 12-week recruit training is conducted. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions we get every month about preparing for boot camp:

  1. How can I get better at pull-ups and push ups? 

You can practice at home, but you’ll soon find no amount of preparation will make recruit training easy for you. Drill sergeants are trained to work your body to its absolute limits. On the other hand, if you’re physically fit that is a plus and

it will be easier to keep up and do well during training. So practice doing as many pull-ups and push ups as you can, so you’ll have them down pat by the time you arrive at boot camp.

  1. What exercises can I do to prepare for boot camp? 

Start an exercise regime right away to get ready for recruit training. Gradually increase the length of your runs until you’re doing three miles daily, and try to do it in less time each day. You also need to ensure that you get into the water because in recruit training you must do a swim certification. Your local recruiting office can offer support and hook you up with other recruits for training and exercise.

  1. My upper body is weak – I can’t do many push ups. Should I just wait till I actually get to boot camp to improve this?

 Don’t wait – do your upper body weight training now. You should also get a good core workout and stick with it. If you improve all the physical components before leaving for basic training, you’ll have a better chance of passing the PT testing, and you won’t have to worry about failing basic training. The Corps does not expect you to be Mr. Muscles when you get there, but they will see that you’re that when you leave.

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Tagged as: boot camp, boot camp fitness, exercises, fit, marine boot camps, marine corps, navy boot camps, Physical Fitness, physical shape, Preparation Marnines, PT in BootCamp, upper body strength

{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }

Mike Y. October 19, 2011 at 3:37 pm

Do more lat pull downs and cleans to help your pullups, and also do burnout pushups to increase your pushup strength. burnouts are when you burn out you push every single pushup out of your body as possible, I’ll explain. Start by dropping and doing 20 pushups, after that almost immediatly drop again and do 15 more, then get up for a second or two themn drop again and grind out 10 more pushups. then go to 5, 3, then 1. It’s a really intense workout and I think you should try it. I learned it in football and it helped me alot and I’m sure It’l help you too

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Brayden R. October 27, 2011 at 11:45 pm

A great way to help with this is to do free running types of activities. Go to a football stadium or something and get to one of the slanted entrances to the stands. Grad on to the safety rails bottom bar at about as far as you can reach up and then move your self upwards using only your arms.

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Daniel Irish December 9, 2011 at 12:05 pm

I have all the PFT requirements, but I have a small deformity in my wrist that it puts strain when I try to rotate my palms facing up, my right rotates about 70 and left only about 30 degrees… will this be a problem or a reason for not being chosen? would appreciate any advice thanks

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