Ok, I'm not fat by any means. I am just very week and i can't run. I leave for basic in July for OSUT at benning (infantry). I run all the time but i never get any better.
How likely would it be that i get sent to fat camp cus i am scrawny. And how long will it be just to get me running and up to speed.
Also what is fat camp like to the people that have gone?

I was a smoker and lazy never ran or did anything physically challege me before I went to basic and I still did ok on the first test I took in reception center. Don't worry about you will do good. If you can:

Run 1 mile in 8mins 30sec and below
13 Push ups
16 Sit-ups

Correct me if I'm wrong I don't remember the actual numbers...

It takes time to develop into a good runner. Just keep running even after school and after awhile your body adjusts and 3-4 mile runs come naturally. I never ran 1 mile in my life before Basic and now many many moons later I can go 5-6 no problem.

One thing to remember for someone who has never run before is you're lungs will give out before your legs ....

endurance is important, learn to control your breathing, and then learn to run fast.

Yeah the inital PT test at 30 AG shouldnt be that bad, but if in the event you get held back, u take a test every week and u get to work out all the time, thats not bad at all.

ok good thank you you have eased my fears signifigantly. I am always looking for a challenge.
Eric
L.

plus FTC isnt fat camp, its fitness training camp. People just call it fat camp because most of the people that go through are out of shape or fail the height and weight test. Many people pass the pt test at reception and fail the first pt test in basic and thats ok too. Your first pt test in basic is to determine where you are at doing PU, SU and running, it also places you in your ability groups (the fast, medium and slow groups)when you run for pt. But I dont know if Benning does ability group runs.

So does everyone find out if you went to FTC. I mean would a person get made fun of for going. Thats the last thing I need is to stick out like a sore thumb in basic.

Eric
L.

[quote:6024224981="armygurl21"]plus FTC isnt fat camp, its fitness training camp. People just call it fat camp because most of the people that go through are out of shape or fail the height and weight test.[/quote:6024224981]

I'm confused how would that happen? Meps checks you for height/weight/tape before you go to reception and if you don't pass you go home...

[quote:26191d46fc="jeremy.nelson5"][quote:26191d46fc="armygurl21"]plus FTC isnt fat camp, its fitness training camp. People just call it fat camp because most of the people that go through are out of shape or fail the height and weight test.[/quote:26191d46fc]

I'm confused how would that happen? Meps checks you for height/weight/tape before you go to reception and if you don't pass you go home...[/quote:26191d46fc]

The standards at MEPS are only to get you INTO the Army, but once you're in, the standards are a bit tougher.

How do you mean? I thought you just had to be able to pass the IET PT at reception (8:34 mile, 17 situps and 13 pushups).

I ask because I'm still not in the best shape in the world, I'm 28 yrs old, at 26% body fat %. Right now I can do <8:00 mile and about 30 pushups 30 situps (this is for the one minute). Are you saying that even if you pass the reception PT test they can still send you to FTC?

Edit: I know the requirements are higher to graduate from AIT than from Basic, ie at 28yrs old you can't tape higher than 24%, is that what you're refering to? I"m just asking because I'm a couple of weeks from shiping and want to know if I get to "look forward" to FTC...

I was actually wondering the same thing.

When I initially went through MEPS, I tipped the scales at 227 and measured 72 inches. I passed tape with 23% body fat.

I'm currently down to 200, but I can do well above the minimums: 7:30 on my last mile, 48 pushups in a minute and about 40 situps if I recall. So I assume I would be carried forward into BCT.

But what about restricted calorie diets? Does the Army still have (or did they ever) have these? I'm quite sure I'd lose these last twenty pounds quite easily during Basic; you're just completely high speed from what I've been told.

Expect to lose weight if you are a heavier person, and gain weight if you are a lightweight. I went from 140 to 160 during basic. I saw someone go from 220 to like 180. The cooks at BCT create meals that are based upon your necessary intake. Your Drill Sergeants will ensure that you won't get cake, etc, rather than the necessary nutrients your body needs. It works very well.

I believe it is possible for a person to be sent to FTC camp once they made it past reception. For example a person who seems to physically not be able to handle basic, can be sent to FTC camp and then recycled back into the system.

If you get injured during basic, or if you fail to pass your final PT test, you'll be sent to FTC. For those that are injured, you'll be doing rehabilative PT until you're healthy enough to be recycled. If you failed the PT test you'll do a PT test every week until you pass, meanwhile you'll do PT every day, 2 or 3 times a day.

When I went through basic back in '98, I failed my run by about 10 seconds at reception. I was sent to FTC for a month! The people who failed the push ups or sit ups were only required to stay until they could pass, which was useualy about a week. But, the run failures were required to stay for a whole month.

Honestly, to tell you the truth, I had fun! We did PT every morning, had breakfast, did arobics, had lunch, did weight training, ect,. I walked out of that place 15 pounds heavier and buff! It actuly gave me an edge on some of the people that went straight to basic.

To answer one of your questions, no one in basic knew where I had been.

One thing that gets me is how people always call it "Fat Camp". Most of the people there were so skinny that they could not even do a push up!