My recruiter is really pressuring me to enlist asap. He had me take the asvab, and now I'm suppose to go to MEPS in a week for my physical and swearing in to the USAF. Then he says I will take the PAST a few weeks later. I'm worried that I won't be able to pass the PAST, I'm coming off of shin splints so my running is suffering and my pushups are lacking too. Should I take the PAST? I think I can pass it if I really pushed myself to the point of feeling like I'm going to die afterwards. Should I not give him my parents signed signatures thus granting me more time to train, or risk not passing the PAST? What happens if I don't pass? He did say that if I do it the way he wants I will leave in January, I can blow the PAST out of the water by January I'm pretty sure.

My recruiter got me to do the same thing. I went to MEPS, came back and even booked a job. Even though I do have a BMT date for a different AFSC, I can still take the PAST, and ditch the current job for CCT/PJ.

I don't suggest you do it this way. If you really want it bad, you might as well wait until you are better suited to take the PAST, get a date, and not have to worry about it (my current situation).

Bottom line is don't take the pressure from your recruiter, don't go to MEPS before you want to, and keep preparing yourself until you know you're ready.

Why did you choose a different afsc? I only want to join for combat control, and I would not mind TACP but combat control is my dream.

There were a number of reasons that I signed for a different job, but mainly so I could have a leave date for a "backup plan". All in all its not a horrible way to do it, I just would have done it differently looking back.

When I just recently took the PAST, the other guy testing with me went to MEPS and instead of listing a minimum of 5 jobs, he only listed CCT, which I wasn't aware you could do. Talk to your recruiter about that one.

I'm still have unanswered questions, hopefully someone knows the answers...

Remember, it's YOUR career. The next 4-6 years of YOUR life... Not your recruiter's. Don't let him pressure you if you're not comfortable. Personnally, if I were in your shoes, I wouldn't sign anything until I was certain I could pass. Why take the chance? There's no need to rush.

Very true, why should I rush huh? I guess I'm going to put my foot down and tell him I'm not totally ready. I wish I was though, I would have loved to leave in January.

While you shouldn't rush into this too much, you don't want to stall either. Unless you are overweight or physically impaired, there isn't much of a reason you can't pass the PAST with 2-4 weeks of hard work. If you really have shin splints (which is an overused diagnosis), then you need to figure out what is causing that immediately and work to fix it.

If you don't pass the PAST, nothing happens. Unless, you have already passed it previously and have your GTEP. You can take it as much as you want, until you get shipped off for one of the other jobs you have to put down.

I mean if you want it bad enough, you're going to get yourself where you need to be as soon as possible. But maybe it is just too early for that...

How can I improve in 2-4 weeks? It took me two weeks to go from 30 to 35 pushups. I have to do at least 50. As for the run, I can get it done. It is going to be incredibly difficult to calm down from that. My swim is great though and so are my situps and pulls ups are good not great. I get what your saying that there is potential for me to pass in 2-4 weeks, but if I don't I'm stuck in some job I don't want. I called my recruiter and he wasn't there, I'm still very scared I won't pass. By the way I'm not stalling, I'm preparing myself for success. I don't think he's going to be so kind to me if I don't pass, he won't help schedule a past for me if I don't pass, he's told me many times already that the USAF is only taking spec ops due to the USAF downsizing. I only want cct, so that's why I have reason to worry. I'm still thinking though and I may go to MEPs and chance it...

Screw it, I'm being a wuss if I can't improve within the month. I'm going to MEPs, and I'm going to pass the PAST even if it kills me! I only need to do 15 more and even if I don't pass the first time, I will definetly pass the second.

First time everytime Phill. How many weeks do you have until you have to take the PAST? Also what are your numbers? Cals/Run/swim

8 minute 500 meter, 9:30-10 min run, 35 pushups, 12-14 pullups, around 100 situps(it depends on how hard my feet are being held down lol), and flutterkicks are hard everytime but I can do as many as I have to. Dam pushups though... I hate them with every fiber of my being. Because I haven't ran in a while I get tired but 1.5 miles isn't that bad.

Also recruiter told me I'm going to take the past a few weeks after my physical. I don't know if that's 2 or 3 or 4 weeks. I'm going to do it though, I'm not going to fail...cct is my goal and I will do what must be done.

Just got off the phone with recruiter, past is scheduled for Aug 10th. That gives me 13 days to prepare. He also said that 45 pushups is enough, that takes a little pressure off my back... I will strive for better though. He did say even if I'm not ready that he will not send me to take the past to fail, he said I can go the next date which is in September. I'm going to Do all I can to succeed for the august date.

Are you doing any weight lifting?

No, I am not.

45 pushups is the minimum to get your contract. Your numbers look decent enough. Make sure you are doing these the right way. Pull ups chin above the bar, all the way down with no bend in the elbows. Pushups all the way down past 90 degrees then back up and lock them out. Situps all the way down and all the way up till your chest touches your knees fingers interlaced behind your head. Remember you might be able to do these numbers seperatley but you will be fatigued from the multiple events. I would suggest giving yourself a mock PAST to see where you stand. Check out this workout by Stew Smith. Its the Pushup Push, done for a total of 10 days. This should put you above the 45 mark if you are at 30 right now. Good Luck.

http://www.military.com/military-fitness/workouts/try-pushup-push-workout

Wow, that seems like a great workout. I don't get the odd
days though, how many seconds of
rest should I get between each set?

Its supposed to be done throughout the day in as few sets as possible i.e. 4 sets of 50 on the hour until done.

To be fair... that really isn't much of a "workout." You just do some push ups throughout the day. Definitely a good idea, but don't rely solely on that to get you in shape. Use it supplementally and start doing some of these Workouts that Montanapat is posting or all the other good stuff on this website (Guard's build up).