Search Results for: blisters

Fitness, OCS Tips & Training

Tale of the Tape: A Cheap, Easy Way To Prevent Blisters

The most common injuries at OCS which derail candidates’ performance are shin splints and foot blisters. A combination of excessive running and marching, sweaty or wet feet, and adjusting to combat boots lead to the perfect storm for blisters. Luckily there seems to be real progress made by science on solving this issue–pioneered by Standford scientists who work with runners covering over a marathon per … Continue reading Tale of the Tape: A Cheap, Easy Way To Prevent Blisters

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OCS Tips & Training, The Basic School

The Most Ingenious Gear and Tips (or gift ideas!) for OCS and TBS

The Marine Corps seems to embrace difficulties in an extreme way, but at the end of the day, there’s nothing wrong with working harder rather than smarter. Here are the best tips from our fans for equipment and mindset approaches to help you succeed at OCS and TBS. Avoid blisters and chafing with vaseline “Using vaseline during night was a lifesaver. I had candidates from … Continue reading The Most Ingenious Gear and Tips (or gift ideas!) for OCS and TBS

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OCS Tips & Training

The Ten Commandments of Foot Care at OCS

Blisters, hotspots, fatigue and pain affect most candidates’s feet at OCS due to the incredible amount of stress and limited recovery time afforded, on top of breaking in new boots in often-wet environments. Don’t forget–wet is the enemy! We surveyed successful candidates on their top tips for foot care at OCS, and curated the top ten suggestions we heard again and again. Get yourself some … Continue reading The Ten Commandments of Foot Care at OCS

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Gear Reviews, General OCS Advice

The Top 10 Items Every Candidate Should Bring To OCS

1.) Broken-in boots Lightweight and comfy combat boots to wear on the everyday. Not your O-course/endurance/stamina course boots. Not your inspection boots. Just good, comfortable, broken in boots (Bates Lites are a common choice). You should be able to walk, run, and drill in these, as you will wear them for a majority of your time during OCS. Make sure they are a bit roomy, … Continue reading The Top 10 Items Every Candidate Should Bring To OCS

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Fitness

Hikes At PLC Juniors

We’ve been getting great questions about OCS through our email campaign. We will share some of the best ones, updated with information for 2018 on the blog. Marine hikes are often one of the most challenging PT events for candidates. Question  Hello, Skipper. I was OCC-99 (1976). My son has been selected for his 1st summer PLC this coming May 2018. I was going to … Continue reading Hikes At PLC Juniors

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Q&A

Avoiding Injury At OCS

We received this question via our email campaign. It’s good gouge for anyone heading to OCS. Getting injured at OCS and “failure to adapt” are the main reasons candidates get sent home. It’s of paramount importance to prepare for avoiding injury at OCS. Question: Avoiding injury at OCS? My top question is, “What is the best way to avoid injury and avoid being put on … Continue reading Avoiding Injury At OCS

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Females, Leadership

Straight Talk from a Successful Female Marine Candidate

Thanks to 2ndLt A for sharing her insight into OCS as a female Marine Candidate and the challenges you will face there. Regardless of gender, OCS is about mindset. Female Marine candidates, your mentality will be the reason you succeed or fail at OCS. You better be prepared to be a servant. As a female Marine candidate or any candidate, if you aren’t there for … Continue reading Straight Talk from a Successful Female Marine Candidate

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Fitness, OCS Preparation Workouts

Humps (Hikes) at OCS

Hikes (known as humps) at OCS are one of the more difficult training evolutions that candidates will face on Brown Field. Preparation There are a few ways that candidates can help themselves prepare for humps. Most humps will occur before a major evaluation such as the Leadership Reaction Course or Small Unit Leadership Evaluation. You will spend the night in the field before the training evolution … Continue reading Humps (Hikes) at OCS

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General OCS Advice, OCS Tips & Training

Know Your Most-Recommended USMC OCS Boot Socks: Fox River vs Thorlo

Blisters are caused by heat, moisture, and friction. Foot care and boot sock choice are important factors in preventing issues with your feet. Taking the extra time to care for your feet is worth losing sleep or gaining the attention of the Sergeant Instructors. Two sock brands that are common at OCS are Thorlos and Fox River. Personally, the Fox River socks are my go-to … Continue reading Know Your Most-Recommended USMC OCS Boot Socks: Fox River vs Thorlo

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Q&A

Packing List Discussion: “Go-Fasters,” or “Running Shoes”

Candidate’s Question Two questions about the packing list: Is there a specific brand of running shoes they want us to bring to OCS? Is it really necessary to bring two pairs of go-fasters to PLC Juniors or seniors considering they are both only six week segments? Answer First, very moto use of the term “go-fasters.” No need to use that OCS-specific word for “running shoes” … Continue reading Packing List Discussion: “Go-Fasters,” or “Running Shoes”

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