Using Calisthenics to get ready for military basic training is a great topic that is close to my heart, let me tell you. It doesn’t seem to long ago that I was super strapped for cash and couldn’t afford a gym membership. I had the call and knew I was going in for my APFT in a couple of months and really wanted to be ready though. All I had to go off at that time were some muscle magazines and didn’t really put together that a big bench press wouldn’t do me a lick of good in boot camp anyway.
So how do you workout at home using only bodyweight exercises so you’ll be ready for military Basic Training? It easy enough actually. There is lots of information about Calisthenics online and I’ll lay out my basic daily Calisthenics workout routine for you here as well.
I said everyday but if something ever got exceptionally sore because I went for a personal best or I was feeling really drained, then I would skip a workout day or go a little easier. When you get into military basic training, then you’ll never get a break. For a couple weeks any way, but for now, treat your body nice so it gets faster, leaner and stronger.
Most important part of your home workout is going to be cardio. It doesn’t matter if that is the truth about the job or what. The fact is you have to be able to run a certain distance in a certain amount of time or you don’t get into the military and you fail the APFT.
To cover the running, go running. What about bad weather? Really? You’re going into the Army. You’re going to be getting plenty of bad, cold, wet, weather. Get out in it and run your guts out. Do some short 2-3 mile runs mixed with some longer 5-10 mile runs every once in a while. You’ll be tested short distance but the longer runs will come in useful and really chip away at any excess weight you have.
After your run, do a 3 round Calisthenics exercises circuit of maximum repetitions on the pushup, situp and chinups. On the chinups use whatever grip you want initially. Pull up or chin up just to get started and then start using the one you will either be tested on or the one you are worst at if you are already doing well on the tested version.
If initially you are very weak on the pushups, situps and chinups then use easier versions (you can find them online) and put more rest into the circuit between exercises so that you are working the muscles for strength and not bombing out because of lung failure.
So as you can see, that’s a super simple at home workout that doesn’t keep you at home but opens up anywhere as a viable workout location. That’s exactly why the military uses Calisthenics in both their testing and daily routine. It’s flexible to the extreme, always available and it works.
By the way, if you really want to get in the best shape of your life as fast as possible, this is what I do Commando Bodyweight Training