The Ultimate OCS Preparation Workout

Candidates, this is my recommended pre-OCS workout. I would do you a disservice if I only laid out a formula to follow. Instead, I’m going to show the process I worked through to generate this plan, so that you can copy the process and get a personalized workout for yourself.

First: Rank Your Goals

First, I ranked my workout goals:

1. OCS-specific type activities
2. Run for 3 mile speed
3. Run for endurance/improve cardio
4. Core improvement
5. Pull-ups >20
6. Stretching: recovery, injury prevention

First, proficiency at OCS workouts is the number one goal. Those are the ones you’re going to be doing! Fight as you train. Secondly, being able to do a strong 3 mile run came in as the second goal. Overall cardiovascular endurance is similar to the second but warrants its own goal. Next, core strength is goal 4 to do such things as planks, to help with humps and the new amounts of weight your body will be supporting. In fifth comes getting those 100 PFT points via pull ups. Lastly, incorporating stretching, recovery and injury-proofing multiplies the effectiveness of the workout and sets you up for success at OCS.

Here are some additional guidelines I set for myself concerning running, and daily and weekly pace of exercises:

Running:

The running program should be comprised of weekly workouts of 1 long run 5–8 miles, 1 day 3–4 miles, 1 day sprints.

Daily:

Stretching. Lower leg care, such as ankle mobility and strengthening exercises.

Weekly:

1 rest day, with yoga or stretching on that day.

2 days a week real OCS workouts minimum

Key:

PPPA: Push, Pull, Press, Abs

Fartlek: Fartlek runs

FF: Functional Fitness

C+FK: Crunches, Flutterkicks workout

Click below for the full workout:

Sunday

Push Pull Press Abs hits your OCS workout goal (1), as well as Core strength (4) and Pull (5)

A sprints workout helps your Run goal (2)

Stretching helps your Injury prevention goal (6)

Monday

Crunches + Flutterkicksworkout builds your core. (4)

Armstrong helps your pull ups (5)

Stretching helps your Injury prevention goal (6)

[caption id=”attachment_2879" align=”aligncenter” width=”548"]

Armstrong Pullup Program is of course the number one pullup workout anywhere for PFT success.[/caption]

Tuesday

A Fartlek hits your OCS workout goal as well as your Run and Cardio (1, 2, 3)

Stretching helps your Injury prevention goal (6)

Wednesday

A three mile run hits your OCS and Run goals (1, 2)

100 Crunches work your Core (4)

Armstrong helps your pull ups (5)

Stretching helps your Injury prevention goal (6)

Thursday

A functional fitness workout hits your OCS workout goal (1) as well as your Cardio and Core (1, 3, 4)

Alternatively, Push Pull Press Abs hits your OCS workout goal (1), as well as Core strength (4) and Pull (5)

Stretching helps your Injury prevention goal (6)

[caption id=”attachment_885" align=”alignright” width=”225"]

Candidates doing crunches on their PFT[/caption]

Friday

A five mile run hits your OCS and Run goals (1, 2)

Stretching helps your Injury prevention goal (6)

Saturday

Crunches + Flutterkicks workout builds your core. (4)

Armstrong helps your pull ups (5)

Stretching helps your Injury prevention goal (6)

Note: Doing the complete Armstrong workout on top of this workout will lead to overtraining. Skip Armstrong’s workout of the day when doing PPPA.