Rob, there are a couple of things you have to resolve.
I'll tell you a story....
When I was age 16, I was in a dilemma. I wanted to be a cop. My mother wanted me to be an accountant. I mentioned this to a friend of the family--a much older gentleman. He looked at me and said, "Maybe it's time to stop worrying about what your Mom wants you to be, and worry about what YOU want to be".
If you want to enlist, and you're in your 20's, do it. Do it as soon as possible.
Basic Training/Boot Camp is hard, no two ways about it. But, you WILL survive. Millions of men and women have been through the same thing; you can do it, if you put your mind to it and REFUSE to quit.
About your weight....
LOSE IT. PERIOD.
Someone mentioned earlier the one and ONLY key to lose weight. Less IN, more OUT.
So, you wanna get skinny, eh? Here ya go.
Start off simple. Don't worry about weight training yet.
First, WARM UP. Stretch for at LEAST 15 minutes prior to exercise, especially if you're starting out. Some side straddle hops (jumping jacks) will get the blood flowing.
Now, for the exercise....Start with the push-up. The proper way to do it is as follows:
Body aligned, feet together or up to 12 inches apart, head erect. The body should present an even plane from heels to shoulders. Hands should be 1 1/2 times your body width apart.
Begin by lowering your body as a unit until your chest is 4 inches from the floor. Now, raise your body as a unit until your elbows lock. That is one repetition.
To start with, concentrate on doing FIVE correct pushups per day. No waving, both hands on the floor. If you absolutely must, do ONE correct pushup, rest for about 30 seconds, and do another. Stay at that level until you can do five correct pushups.
Next is the situp. You need a partner for this one.
You will practice two types of situps. Both will involve having your feet flat on the floor, and your legs bent. For the Army standard, your legs will be bent at a 45 degree angle; they can be slightly apart, and the only part of the foot that MUST stay in contact with the floor is the heel.
For the Marine Corps, your legs will be together, bent at a more acute angle, and your partner will sit on your feet and hold your legs together.
For the Army standard, your hands will be clasped behind your head, fingers interlocked and joined.
For the Marine Corps, your hands will be crossed across your chest.
You will raise your body to the sitting position, until your elbows touch your knees (Army) or until you are past the perfect vertical plane (Marine Corps). You will then lower your body until your shoulder blades (Marine Corps) or the backs of your hands (Army) touch the ground.
Start with 10 repetitions of this exercise.
Now, you will walk. You will start with power walking, stepping with a full 40 inch stride, at a quick time cadence (80 steps per minute). This is a beginning speedwalking pace, but it isn't hard. Minimize your arm swing, concentrate on walking fast.
You must ensure that you have shoes that fit properly; do NOT skimp on your shoes.
You will walk for a MINIMUM of 30 minutes for the first two weeks. Concentrate on raising a GOOD sweat.
These are beginning exercises. Increase push ups and sit ups by one repetition each week for five cycles; then, increase by two repetitions per week for two weeks. After that, you will do push ups and situps to muscle failure.
For the cardio, increase your walking to one hour after the first three weeks. After two weeks more, walk/jog for 30 minutes for two weeks. Then, walk/jog for an hour for two weeks. Finally, jog for 30 minutes for two weeks, and then for an hour for two weeks.
After that, start going for distance. 2 miles for two weeks, 2 1/2 for two weeks, 3 miles for two weeks.
Here is your target:
40 to 45 CORRECT pushups, without raising your hands from the ground, non-stop.
50 bent leg situps (Army Standard) or 70 crunches (Marine Corps), nonstop, executed correctly.
3 mile run in 25 minutes.
Edited to add something I forgot...For the Marine Corps, get ready to do some pull ups. Here's how to train:
Find a bar that will support your weight. With arms pronated (palms facing away) or supinated (palms toward you) hang on the bar. Start for ten seconds, three or four times per day. Then, lengthen the time. This is for the first week.
In the second week, hang by the bar, and try your best to do at least one pull up. If this is not possible, do a flexed arm hang. Again, make your time ten seconds, three sets per day. Do this for the second week. Continue the flexed arm hang until you can do a pull up. (Hint: If you are exercising in accordance with the schedule I posted earlier, you will find that as you lose weight, your pullups become much easier. Coincidence? I think not.
)
Here is the standard: You will grasp the bar, palms pronated or supinated. You will then pull yourself straight upward until your chin clears the bar, with your head and eyes level above the bar. Then lower yourself until your arms are fully extended. No bicycling or kipping (giving a bit of a swing to add momentum). You will practice until you can do at least 10 pullups.
Realistically, it will probably take you 6 months to reach this mark, if you train religiously. Don't forget to stretch.
If you want to go in, DO IT! Make the decision yourself. Don't worry your parents won't disown you, either.
Yours,
Powderman
(career Army NCO)
