Advice for women on BMQ and other courses [MERGED]

[Kruggle]

I don't eat beef unless I really crave it.

Is beef bad for your health? I have never had beef before other than food that says it may contain beef. When I was young, my family never had beef as part of our diet, so I never really bothered to include beef as part of my diet. I was thinking of eating a little bit of it just so I get enough of a variety, but if it's not great for your body, I guess I shouldn't bother?

 

[Celticgirl]

Hey Kruggle,
But I have a better suggestion than leave in conditioner, (sorry Celticgirl) but I have had my fair share of knots and tangles. Go to the dollar store and buy yourself some conditioner and put that in your hair before you go swimming and dont rinse it out until your done. Plus you do sweat in the pool when you are working out so you get the heat of your head under the swim mixed with conditioner and waalaa instant spa treatment for free.

Kawigirl, I meant that she should put the conditioner in her hair before swimming. I think that's the same thing, isn't it? Or does a regular conditioner work as well or better?

 

[Celticgirl]

Is beef bad for your health?

It's red meat, and red meat is less healthy than poultry or fish.

 

[Kruggle]

Kawigirl, I meant that she should put the conditioner in her hair before swimming. I think that's the same thing, isn't it? Or does a regular conditioner work as well or better?

I am also confused. I am guessing a regular conditioner that goes with a regular shampoo is better than an actual leave-in conditioner?

 

[kawigirl]

Hi Kruggle,
I dont eat red meat by choice, I'm not sure of the whole nutrition thing about it but I know that my body and red meat don't mix well at all.
I just eat fish and chicken, as it is less greasy, but that depends on the way you cook it too.

Hi Celticgirl,
I personally found that with leave in condition being a very light usually wont last the whole time you swim, where conditioner is a bit heavier and stays in better. It also protects your hair shaft from breaking due to too much chlorine. Also just to let you know a pool that is Ozone, does have chlorine in it. Just not as much.

Cheers, Kawigirl 

 

[Celticgirl]

Hi Celticgirl,
I personally found that with leave in condition being a very light usually wont last the whole time you swim, where conditioner is a bit heavier and stays in better. It also protects your hair shaft from breaking due to too much chlorine. Also just to let you know a pool that is Ozone, does have chlorine in it. Just not as much.

Good to know! My concern was that a regular, heavy conditioner might be kind of 'icky' in the pool, but I suppose with the swim cap on, not so much. I will try it!

 

[Kruggle]

Thanks a lot kawigirl and Celticgirl! It feels great to know I am not alone in this 'battle'. 

 

[kawigirl]

Hey Celticgirl,
It's our little secret as this probably isn't a practice that the pool maintenance pool wants to know but I know alot of lifeguards taht all do it. Oh one other thing it does however make your swim cap a bit harder to get on, but sooooooooo much nicer coming off!
Kawigirl

 

[scoutfinch]

Congratulations to those who have made the decision to join a little 'later' in life.  It's nice to have a little company.  I assure you that 2 years ago, I was the only person I knew in our demograph!

I read an article in the paper about 2 months ago (and I can't remember which one but it might have been the Ottawa Citizen) that discussed the fact that there had been a dramatic increase in the number of women in their mid 30s going to the recruiting centre for the first time. 

Have no fear -- stay healthy and fit.  No one expects you to do 50 pushups.  You will be expected to be fit and to work hard. 

 

[Springroll]

AMEN, scoutfinch!!!
For me being on the more "mature" side of the demograph, it definitely was a bit more of a struggle in some aspects, but I believe that by joining when i was older, I better prepared myself mentally for it. They helped me prepare physically. Running is definitely not my strongest part, but I trudged through, shins ready to burst and pulling up the rear...lol

Your physical fitness will be brought up to a standard you never knew was possible from your body, when you are at BMQ, but I definitely give you guys kudos for starting early!!

I recently sprained my ankle, so have been unable to do anything really physical, but thanks to my 9 yr old daughter and her nagging, as soon as I get the ok from the dr, we will be going on runs together...she wants to run better for cross country and track, and I can use the motivation from her.

I wish you guys the best with your future careers...your gonna love it!!!

 

[Fraser]

I was flipping through the topics and i came across this one. I have some tips/questions. When running on the treadmill, if you have to, make sure you put the incline up to 1-2 to make it "simulate" running outside. If you have a choice to run outside or on a treadmill( AKA Dreadmill) go outside. On the treadmill i can run 2 miles, and i can only run 1-1.5 miles outside. The tredmill does a bad job to simulate running, it shortens your stride and does most or all of the work for you. Also get an Ipod/MP3 player when you work out, you can do so much better when you are pumped up. When you are doing push ups, are you doing bicep or tricep (your arms under your shoulders) push ups? Just because I can do 40-45 bicep push ups but i can only do 20 triceps push ups. It sucks, iv been training for awhile and i was always doing bicep and now i learned that i will do tricep push ups during BMQ.

 

[kawigirl]

Hey All,
I was talk ing to a PSP staff today and she knows I am leaving very soon. And that I also hate the treadmil. But she did give me a training tip for the shuttle test.

Walk for about 30 seconds -1 minute to get the groove of the treadmill, then increase up to 8.5 and do that for 1 minute, then increase again to 9 and do that for 1 minute and the so on,  Ths will help us "more mature" women with the shuttle run as we only have to run up to level 3 to pass. But aim higher ladies, we can get to at least 5 to be exempt. That is only 5 minutes of straight running.  > 

Best of luck,
Kawigirl

 

[bms]

There is a trick to the shuttle run. Each stage is 1 minute. So, if you have a watch with a timer, you can just set it going at the start of the test. This way, you'll feel motivated because you know how much more time to the next stage, and therefore you will either be able to tuff it out once you reach your limit to the next stage, then possibly the next. And, you'll also know not to quit when you only have 10 seconds left for the stage 

Regarding push ups and sit ups:

http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/68178.0.html
http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/73657.0.html

 

[kawigirl]

Thanks BMS,
At this point in my almost leaving to St-Jean, I am trying anything and almost everything to get those damn pushups done. Then I thought I was doing great with them, then a gguy in the gym said I pretty much have to have my chest on the floor, but not rest then go up. Well to make a long story short my 10 pushups I thought I could do, I cant even do 2 now.....AHHHHH!!!! I am in so much trouble...

With great frustration,
Kawigirl

 

[RCDtpr]

Well on the plus side Kawigirl, being 35 you only have to pull off seven push-ups.  This should be a pretty easily attainable goal.  I understand nobody wants to do just the minimum, but if that's all you can pull off that's all you can pull off.  Nothing to be ashamed about.  You have to do a retest for the express once a year if you're not exempt so that can be a goal you work towards for next years testing.

Don't get too frustrated, I'm sure you'll do fine.

P.S. When I went through basic a little over a year ago as long as you passed the shuttle run you weren't sent to the warrior platoon or whatever it was for remedial PT.  Some of the guys and one of the girls failed the pushup's but passed the run on week 1.  All they had to do was a push-up retest week 10.  Again I'm sure you would rather avoid that but it's something to keep in mind so you're not worrying too overly much.

 

[armyvern]

Well,

Here's one from me. I'm old. 5'7" - 168lbs.

This morning I did 39 pushups and oddly enough, I'm 39 years old. I did those 39 fresh this morning though and I'm quite sure that I'd have done less after the ruck march.

Running 20kms!!?? Holy crap over!! Noooooooooo. Running hurts my knees -- it's painful -- I hate running (sometimes they make me do it though). I'd much rather march 20km than run 1km. We are not all pro/semi-pro runners.

It gets easier with time ladies, remember that. The CF has been paying me to go to the gym for 20 years; I figure I may as well.

Oh yeah -- I'm a sirloin (rare), carrots, broccoli, cauliflower and potato girl. If it's on the menu, that's what I'm having with a nice great big hot fudge sundae for desert. 

 

[Bruce Monkhouse]

Hold the pickles......

 

[armyvern]

Hold the pickles......

As long as it's not you holding my pickles -- I'm good. Thief. 

 

[kawigirl]

Nah, this girl likes pickles...hold the beef..Hmmm, that doesn't sound right  . But I hope you know what I ment..LOL!! Thanks for all the confidence boosts. I think I can do the shuttle run, and defineatly don't want to go on warrior platoon. But I still have 4 weeks left.

Cheers, Kawigirl 

 

[Celticgirl]

I seem to have hit a plateau with the push-ups at 12. I went to a pilates class last night (first time) and I think that pilates might be able to help me with strengthening the muscles I need for push-ups. I'm not too worried about the shuttle run part of the EXPRES test at this point because I think my fitness level is now (or should be) high enough to get an exempt. It is only the push-ups that I still worry about. Ah well, by the time this security clearance comes through, I will either be able to do three times as many push-ups as I can now, or I'll be so old, I will have forgotten what a push-up is.  ;D