Hi.
Im new to this forum so bear with me if I go against the forum protocol or rules.

I am a freshman in highschool who has been training extensively for about a year since i found out about pararescueman. It is my dream to become a reserve pararescueman (due to my civilian obligations). So my questions are:-

1.) will becoming a EMT-P or atleast an EMT-Intermediate help in the paramedic section of "superman school"?

2.) For the past year i've been getting ready for getting ready for pararescue and I think i'm fit enough for the real hardcore training. Any suggestions? Programs i can follow? The morrison system?

(p.s. I used to be scrawny but now i have more bulk nd im in strong form. I used to run alot and that's what made me scrawny. Then i started hitting the gym, but stopped running. So my final question is how do balance the two so tht i am muscular but still fit?)

Thank you

If you want to balance the two out, you need to eat A LOT more food. Your aerobic Workouts (distance runs) will influence muscle loss but for this field they are necessary, so you just have to accept that you will need to eat much more than you normally do. If you want to have a program to follow I would stay away from The Morrison System, I don't like it, it is expensive, it is way too slow and is based on the belief that pain is bad, I also have a slightly biased view towards it (I don't like the guy... again, just my opinion). For muscle building and strength training, a Crossfit routine is ideal, you will gain so much functional strength.

Here are some good sites that have great Workouts that you can follow...

www.Sofwods.com (GREAT GUYS, GREAT STUFF!!)
www.rescueathlete.com (Active duty Pararescue Instructors!)
www.failuretotrain.com (gut check stuff, this stuff is just insane).

Our training routine consists of the following and I think it will apply well to you, especially with you being in school...

0400 - wake up, eat some carbs for energy (oatmeal, cereal, bagel, etc.)
0500 - begin the workout... Run - Can consist of distance days (3+ miles), eval sprints (1.5 miles), rucking, sprints, or grass and gorilla drills.
0545 - Gym, Crossfit WODs, strength training (higher weight functional movements (DO NOT ATTEMPT WITHOUT PROPER FORM!!)),core training (this is important!)
0645 or 0700ish - Pool, distance swimming some days, sprints other days, watercon every day (BE SAFE!!)

Also if you have a bike, ride it, it helps me relax and still get a good burn during active recovery days. I don't believe in full blown recovery days, I like active recovery (easy cals, bike rides) and full deload weeks (a week of active recovery days) after a good month or so of hardcore training.

If you stick to this type of setup you will be better off, the early morning Workouts will help you feel more aware and happy during the day, and help your studies too. You will feel like you utilized your entire day, instead of staying up til midnight doing nothing.

Like I said, check out those websites, they are 100% free, sign up for RAWW on Rescue Athlete, there is a Pararescue prep group on there and there are some good guys on there.

Check out Paleo diets and The Zone, they are both great diet plans for healthy energy. Stay away from supplements... train your body to function without a crutch.

Balance = doing everything (run, lift, swim, cals, etc.) as box intimated above. Concentrate on weaknesses but not to the detriment of other areas. Test your progress regularly to guage where you need more work.

As for paramedic, it certainly wouldn't hurt but you will get all that training, paid for while being paid, in the pipeline...there is really no reason to spend your money getting qualified. An EMT-B course would be a good option if it's not too expensive to get a taste of emergency medicine and get some of the anatomy and physiology into your head to see how you like it.

Morrison has come out with a specific ST prep course which I will be posting soon but it's not free...the Morrison system is more for current SOF operators to develop their programs.

Good luck...you've got years to prepare, don't get into the weeds, read the entire site and search the forums for answers, work on fitness, keep your nose clean (for entry into the Air Force and your security clearance), and take some medical/A & P/etc. related classes in high school.

Good luck.

Thank you BOX and TE, this really helped me. So I'll stay away from the Morrison system, eat a balanced diet, work both groups and hard (especially in the morning) and a EMT course is helpful but not essential.

Sounds like a solid plan bud! Key word here is diet, keep that mindset, stay away from supplements, you DO NOT NEED THEM. For some reason people think that protein shakes and pump builders are a necessity... I stopped taking all that junk years ago and I am in better shape than ever. A protein shake is good for a meal replacement in case you miss a meal, other than that it did nothing for me. My food and body give me everything I need. Stay motivated, you have A LOT of time to train up, concentrate on SCHOOL and fitness!

boxinabag-
I see you are trying to help and give insight into matters pertaining to training. It is greatly appreciated I am sure, just be careful on what and how you say things on here. For one, DO NOT bring your personal grudges on this site and use them in an influential manner. Having discord with someone is ok because we all see things in a slightly different manner. Especially on the topics of fitness and training. When a person decides to degrade or belittle something with out doing full proper research or having even tried it has no grounds to stand on. Give knowledge and advice only on things you are 100% on or let the moderators/operators do their jobs and handle it accordingly. If you are not 100% on a topic then make that clear to the readers as it's merely an educated or sometimes even an uneducated guess rather then fact.

We should take what people say and their opinions with a grain of salt, especially if we do not agree. Look at the situation from their point of view and try and see WHY they believe this or what do they know that we don't. We should be humble enough to understand that we don't know everything and mature enough to respect someone for having a different outlook than ours. Sometimes people are negative/disgruntled about things simply because they don't want to learn or see it from the others perspective and think just because its not how they think then its wrong. Thats ignorant and unnecessary.

How do you KNOW the Morrison STS train-up does not work? I know your a big cross fit guy and thats good, do what you believe works for you. Its good for people to stand up for what they believe in, but there is a right way and a wrong way of doing so. What works for one person does not always work for another.

This goes out to everyone, so i hope BOX you don't think I am singling you out on this. It is something we all need to take into consideration and thought before we decide to voice our opinions. I don't mean to "step on anyones toes" but if it offended you then you probably needed to read this.

Good input. I would add that I did not address what box said because he divulged his bias with his post...I've known Nate for years...I like him, but everyone is entitled to their opinion as long as they make it known that it's an opinion...based on nothing more than "not liking a guy"...as long as readers see that and comprehend what it means, I have no problem with it.

I do not consider Nate's program expensive given what it does for a unit/team/individual...I am still in the process of reading it (along with a few other things...I read 3-4 books at a time) and will be posting a review to go along with advertising it on the site. As I stated earlier, I will also be posting Nate's ST prep specific program also (hopefully this weekend) and will read it also.

Having said that, physical training is not the Rocket science that many make it out to be...the key is getting out there and doing something you like and some things you don't like...sadly, it seems many young people these days spend way too much time on facebook, the internet, playing videos, etc...I've said before I believe folks don't want to work for what they get much anymore...right or wrong, one MUST work to "earn" their fitness...no way around it. If you can find something you like, whatever it is, you'll look forward to doing it, and be much more likely to make meaningful, consistent gains.

I don’t endorse any specific workout regime or system, I do advocate there are some training that should be done under supervision of trainer knowing the risks of some of the advanced or extreme training and knows how to deal with it should the unexpected or undesired happens.

That being said research studies have consistently put forth data since WWI that 50% or more of male draftees and volunteers enlisting in the military services lack the physical fitness suitable to function adequately as combatants on the battlefield. The research study that caused the Air Force to establish and institute its weight and fitness standards and other studies after WWII reported finding of nearly half of all World War II draftees and volunteers were rejected or given non-combat positions because of mental and physical defects eliminated them from being fit enough to be useful in combat and many who passed the examinations were not vigorous enough, alert and strong enough for combat and had to be classified into noncombat jobs or combat support jobs.

The trend of lack of physical fitness is now getting strong competition with lack of mental and emotional fitness with one study reporting about 20 percent of children ages 9-17 in the United States have a diagnosable mental or addictive disorder associated with at least minimum impairment, while 11 percent have a significant functional impairment.

Recent studies are also finding and reporting current BMI standards eliminate 40% of young women and 27.5% of young men.

The accepted belief among military leaders has and remains lack of physical fitness is the easiest and fastest physical human performance disqualification to correct. Unfortunately the service minimums physical fitness standards were designed to emphasize a healthy fitness for quality of life rather than effective and efficient human performance ability for force readiness pertinent to force preservation and force survivability in combat.

There are valid legitimate for why a fitness regime or program is expensive, too slow and based on belief pain is bad. In fact those reasons is why there is a PAST to get into training and why PJ Indoc is the number of weeks it is. Those reasons are also why there are designated “fit flights” at BMT the battlefield airmen are put into and why there is a pre-indoc to the PJ indoc.

Being physical fit with sufficient functional (occupational) fitness to do duties such as Pararescue or CCT requires a bit more than strengthening of muscles and improving aerobic efficiency. The bones have to acquire a bit more density to handle the repetitive impact and carrying the extra weight of heavy rucks and fighting equipment. The ligaments and tendons also need to adapt to the new demands. diet has impact. The training so fast and ignoring certain pains develops chronic painful hard to rid of problems that can be avoided by a slower program. Also suitable combat fitness is not sport fitness in that it’s always be ready and available to be in combat and there are no scheduled rest periods or number of innings or quarter in a game and then game over.

New Fitness and Combat-Readiness Tests does show the military services are putting more focus on establishing fitness standards for obtaining and sustaining force preservation and force survivability in combat levels of fitness. Unfortunately it’s actually politically correct influenced in establishing minimum gender neutral standards to allow women opportunity rather than minimum human performance capability needed by all members of the group to perform effectively and efficiently with fair chance of surviving current mission to do the next mission.

If I was top dog the standards would be do a 5-10 mile across rough terrain (not on a road or groomed trail) ruck march carrying a 70 pound ruck pack and then do the current AF fitness test with no rest period. The best performer or top 10% of performers get to go home and the others get to do it again with no rest period, keep the cycle going until all either quit or complete. ---an unrealistic standard, but the point being many people need to given some external motivation to meet or exceed standards and also the human performance capability needed is more than strong like bull (has brains), smart like tractor (lacks brains).----

BTW if the human performance capability needed in the operational environment were only about number of miles run in a fast time and callisthenic reputations study after study since 1947 (Air Force) and 1953 (Army) wouldn’t consistently produce data of most who voluntary withdraw/self-initiate eliminate from training have the physical fitness necessary to complete training and many who complete training were less physically fit (slower running times less callisthenic repetitions) than most of those who quit.

I am not degrading Nate or his system, it was a simple voice of my opinion, made sure that I stated that too lol.

Different systems work for different people, but I think the OP was looking for a routine that would work correctly around his schedule and being a Freshman in High School I wanted to present free options for his training. I just didn't want him to jump into a program and spend money without knowing about the free options available to him.

Another option would be to look into a high school sports program. It will at least create a sound base and understanding of physical fitness, which could be good before jumping into a much more demanding regimen. Most sports trainers are well educated in exercise fitness and can influence proper form. We have to remember this is a kid, not an adult so trusting a written system without personal guidance is just not smart.

Again these are my opinions from my years of sports in school and different routines I have done over the past 8 years, and a few books here and there that I have read about exercise fitness.

In regards to this passage, check this out Yukon.. you may like it.

http://blog.refactortactical.com/special-forces-pt-test-upper-body-round-robin/

Looking forward to your thoughts on the program TE. I am very interested in hearing an opinion of the program from an un-biased (maybe?) third party.

I purchased the STS Prep and wish I would have purchased the Morrison System along with it. I think of it as an investment in my future, and at 50 bucks I consider it a good one. I will be purchasing the full program, if not just for an interesting read, once my budget can accommodate it.

However, the STS Prep doesn't divulge much of the reasoning behind Nate's training methodology. A quick search around his website offers a small bit of insight into the methodology, and most of it certainly seems valid and based off of scientific evidence; the full program may offer more in-depth explanation.



Wise and true words. Sometime, I even get wrapped up in "programming ADD", and the truth is that you just have to commit to working hard and meeting standards.

OETKENAF- If you go the "the Morrison system" on Facebook you will find a bit more of the mentality and reasoning behind Nate's training philosophy. He tends to consistently write articles, and in those one could definitely understand a bit more of why and how he thinks. They are quite interesting and I assure you that you will not be disappointed. Simply have a humble mindset and a true willingness to learn and see things in a different light rather than what the "main stream" of our current culture as taught us and you will see. Hope you enjoy it.

Thanks for your input mreay. I will keep that in mind. Starting his STS Prep program tomorrow.