Is running for 15-20 minutes a day good enough training for army basic training?

Question

I swim 2 hours a day, 4-5 days a week but I need to start running...how long should I run a day? I do most of my running on the treadmill.

Answer 1

swimming is a great workout but to prepare for the event you need to do whats coming, hit the road and start getting your distances up to Army standards. You better do pushups, situps and pullups too. Most runners suck when they first start swimming and vice versa for swimmers getting on the track. Its not that you are in bad condition but you don't have the practiced bio-mechanics for running. In water you are kind of weightless when you run you impact 4-6 times your body weight with each foot strike. Get on your horse and get your butt in gear.

Answer 2

30 mins 3 times a week. That's about how much you do it in the Army.

As a young female you should get your 2 mile run down to about 16 minutes. You will have almost 18 mins, but you don't want to be the one that just does good enough.

Answer 3

More running, I say. Running and marching is an essential ingredient to recruit training. On a treadmill would be fine, but the real thing would be more preferable... you work more on some muscles than others when you're running on the treadmill as compared to traditional running, not to mention the greater impact on your feet and heels on a treadmill.

I wouldn't worry about it, just aim for an hour of so of running/jogging, and take a couple of days off a week as a cool off - else you may feel sore and will gain little benefit.

In the meantime, work on your other life skills - cleaning, making hospital corners, doing common tasks quickly, etc. Training is more of a mental thing than a physical thing.

Answer 4

whilst you swimming is all well & good, in the Army we dont do too much of that. Each PT session last a hr, that might be 45mins running or circuits etc. Try to get out on the road, treadmill running is so different, you will fell the difference. They are mad for interval training & fartlek training try to see whats on at your local gym, ie circuit training sessions. My mile 1/2 run time has always been 10 1/2 mins, try to get it down as low as poss it will make your life in basic a hell of alot easier, trust me!!

Answer 5

As long as you don’t quit they will get you through the physical part. You will learn that it is really 90% mental …give all you can, that is the limit they are trying to have you find. That being said, if you run about 2 miles every other day you should be about at the minimum required for the running component, but I think swimming is probably good as well (I didn’t try it). Also running on a treadmill is totally different, try to get outside if you can. Best of luck.

Answer 6

Run 3 miles until you can run it in 24 minutes or less. Then plus up to running 4 miles. Trust me, it's about your endurance over distance as ruck marches and runs can be a drag. Throw a pack on, pad it, and practice running with at least 40 pounds on your back as well.

Answer 7

I would forget the threadmill and try running (or more like jogging, really) a mile or two wearing some sort of hiking boots and running in all sorts of weather. It.s a question of building endurance. Swimming 2 hours a day is great for cardio, but running is a different story.

Answer 8

hi I dont know much about running training but you should do some 10 minutes warmup and 10 minutes calm-down. zou do not have enough time for the training then, in your 20 minutes.

Answer 9

Might be better if you were to run outside as the military wont be giving you the niceties of a tread-mill.

You will need to get some place with hills as to increase your stamina and build up the calves.

Try bringing a small rucksack with some bags of sand to replicate a military ruck when running.

Answer 10

Below is a link to the army Physical training manual.
Cheers