Great Pre-OCS Workout: Fartlek
Fartlek is a word that translates into “speed play”. The basic concept of this system is to train the body using different intervals of rest and speed. Normal Fartlek sessions tend to consist of about 3 to 4 miles, running about ¼ mile or more then resting before doing it again. The course you are going to familiarize yourself with at OCS is a twisted representation of this concept.
This is a great example of a Fartlek course you can do on your own time in preparation for OCS. Feel free to mix in other exercises found on this site.
The OCS course will consist of running to pre-marked exercise stations along Quantico trails. Each station is marked with a specific exercise and number of repetitions. The repetitions increase as you progress through training. Below is an example of exercises to include in your own Fartlek course, as well as, some recommended distances to space them out.
Each station should have approximately 400m to ½ mile between them. Each exercise should count between 10-20 repetitions.
Box Jumps
Pull -Ups
Crunches
Wide arm push-ups
Diamond Push-ups
Frog Sit-ups
Spread your knees wide before doing a sit-up
Dips
Mountain Climbers
Also called floor sprints:
Up Downs
Same as burpees, or sprawls. Jump up, land, push up position, squat, repeat.
Flutter Kicks
The final run should be about a 400m sprint. It is always a good idea to find an area with at least one good hill to work into the course. OCS has a lot of hills and the Fartlek course uses many of them. This should be used to augment regular PT and should be completed no more than once a week. This is a total body-conditioning course that requires minimal equipment.
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