First id just like to say thanks for any help anyone here can offer.

I am 20 years old and currently looking to get in shape for the Marine Corps. Height was I am somewhere around 6'2-6'3. I currently weigh around 230 pounds (I was around 265-270 but cutting out soda and walking 45ish min a day knocked that off ).

Anyways I am looking to kick it up a notch and really shed off this extra weight to get ready for basic. I do not want to talk to a recruiter until I can at least run for a few straight min and be able to do at least a few push ups. So on to my questions!

1. I cannot "run" at all for more than 45 secondish. The problem is not my leg muscles giving out but more I get out of breath amazingly easy around that time. I assume my endurance and stamina is just not high enough from all the years of being in horrible shape but how can I fix this?

Due to holiday related things I have cut back on my walking but I have been reading a bit and it seems the solituion to this is to jog/run for a min and walk for a few min then repeat.

Any thoughts on if this sounds right or other suggestions?

2. I cannot do push ups at all, maybe one if I try really hard and push myself (no pun intended). The upper body strength apparently is just not there to push myself and my extra body fat. Until I can shed the extra fat does anyone have any recommendations to build the upper body strength for push ups?

I can do knee ones fairly well but I am more or less curious if doing them will eventually build up to me being able to do "real" push ups and how many reps/sets should I be doing a day?

3. Crunches, how many sets/reps of these should I be doing a day to better prepare myself for basic?

Thanks again for any help anyone here can offer. It is VERY much appreciated .

Hello,
First let me start off by saying Thank you for your interest in joining the military. It is a very brave thing to do.

Running: If you are having trouble with running out of air/having difficulty breathing (extreme)then what I would suggest is some sort of negative impact cardio workout. An example of that would be a spin class. Those actually work GREAT. I had my knee operated on and was unable to run for over 6 weeks and did that for my cardio. You can actually burn 500 calories in about a half an hour.

Push Ups: The knee push ups are a good start to being able to work up to regular push ups. If it is working for you then I would recommend continuing. Another option is to do any type of chest/shoulder/back workout like bench press/dumbell press at high reps/low weight. What this will do is tone up your muscles to do the job that you want them to. Increase weight about every week or so.

Crunches: I am very loving of the crunch. My own personal workout is to do as many as I can to the point I almost have to roll over and do a push up to get off of the floor. One option is to do 3 sets of 20 every day for a week. Every week there after increase your number of crunches by 10.

I personally started where you are at now back in 2000 and now am running at least 4 miles a day 4 days a week and doing well over 500 push ups and sit ups per week.

The best way to increase your performance in a specific task is to do that task.

Running - With your current condition, your body is not ready to run. Your legs may be strong enough, but there are many body parts that are not. Begin by finding a track. Walk a mile every day for 5 days. Walk fast enough that you elevate your heart rate and breathe hard. Rest for 2 days. The following week do the same distance, but jog for 30 seconds, then walk for 60 seconds. Rest for 2 days. Next week, jog for 45 seconds, walk for 60 seconds. Rest. continue to increase your jogging time, keep your walk at 60 seconds. The keys to success are being consistant, do not skip workouts and the rest is just as important as the running. Doing each program for a week helps to prevent injury and allows your body to get used to the demands you are placing on it before upping that demand. Heavier people place alot of stress on the knees and ankles. If you notice joint pain in either location, reduce your runs to 3 times a week and bike or do some other cardio routine on alternating days.

Push-ups is easy, do push-ups to start. If you can only do one, then do one, then drop to your knees and do as many girlie push ups as you can. When you can do no more, roll on your side and get to your knees again, in the girlie push up position and lower yourself to the ground. Control the lowering, make it take 4 seconds. Do this until you can't control lowering yourself. Do that 3 times a day every other day. Make sure you rest, it is just as important as doing push-ups. You will see an improvement every week. Dips are also a good supplemental exercise. I have 2 masonry blocks that I use to do dips, cheap and easy. Bench press is also good.

Good Luck

Ok so I just have a few questions.

I've really been wanting to join the airforce for a long time now. I'm five eight and in really good shape i constantly workout, run, cardio, liftweights, the whole nine yards but I was diagnosed with Crohn's disease last year and I'm required to take a shot once every two weeks. I'm only twenty years old a few months from being twenty-one and I'v been to college for aviation flight already. Is this Crohn's thing enough to stop me from achieving my dreams of going to the airforce?!

Yes. Try asking on the join the military forums or AIr Force Forums.