What Is Expected of Me? (as a Navy Sailor)

Even though I have been in the Navy for almost 7 years, it never occured to me when I started this blog to share what was expected of me in the physical fitness department.  So, after a suggestion from my new ladies at The Sits Girls, I felt that it was a very great idea!!!  So thank you ladies!!!  And here goes!!!  :)

Luckily, we are not in these days that this old school Navy ad suggests!  Now we GIRLS  can serve proudly as sailors in the finest Navy of the World!!!  (Ahem, excuse me while I get out of my promoting uniform!)  But as any military service member, we still have to uphold certain fitness requirements to stay fit for full duty and serve the Navy proficiently!!!  As sailors, we are tested twice a year on our abilities to run or jog a mile and a half in a certain time frame, the amount of situps that we can do in two minutes, as well as the amount of pushups in two minutes as well.  Now, don't not fool yourself and believe that this girl just hangs out all year long until two weeks before this assessment and passes with flying colors!!  Not the case at ALL!!!  Though it does not sound hard, when you are actually doing these activities, you just wish that it is over as soon as it started.

I, according to my age, has to make the mile and a half run in 15 minutes and 15 seconds.  I actually opt to do the station ary bike, which is also an approved method of taking the assessment.  During this assessment, I must burn as many calories as I can in 12 minutes.  In my case, my limit is a minimum of  90 calories.  Now, if you have ever tried to ride the stationary bike with a calories burn/ time limit goal orientation, you will find that it is not very easy!!!  (Unless of course you ride every single day and are just a kickbutt ROCKSTAR!!!)  Usually, after my 12 minutes on the stationary bike pedaling my little heart out, my legs are jelly afterwards!!!  So, even though I prefer it to running a mile and a half track outside, it is still no JOKE!!!

Yes, I understand that not all of you are in the Navy and do not need to exceed military requirements.  But, I challenge you!!!  Try to give yourself your own little Physical Fitness Assessment.  How many pushups and situps each can you do in two minutes?  How many calories can you burn in 12 minutes on the stationary bike or elliptical?  (Hint:  Try boosting you resistance levels on the bike in order to reach your goal!!)  Boosting your resistance will make it harder to pedal but will burn more calories per minute.  Try this test and see how well you do.  And if you don't do as well as you like then just keep training to get to your goals!!!

Here is another tip!!  To build up your endurance, use the elliptical instead of the bike and only test yourself on the bike once a week.  The elliptical has a larger range of motion and stretches your movements to better train all areas of you legs and arms, as well as your cardio!!!

Try to make changes in your daily life to promote healthy living!!!!  Challenge yourself as Navy personnel do all over the world!!!  For details of requirements, just google "Navy PFA (Physical Fitness Assessment) Standards"

Also, you can just look up different workouts that help you get to your goal.  To point is to challenge yourself and see a difference in your body and confidence.