Pre-OCS Workout for the Busy

Candidate, er, future Chaplain, Question:

I was wondering if you would be willing to assist me in tailoring your OCS prep workout to my schedule.

I am currently a seminarian studying to become a priest. My goal is to be ordained and then join the Navy so that I may be placed as a chaplain with the Marines … I figure if I am going to serve God by serving the Marines I had better be able to keep up with them. … I used to powerlift and box and I still run several times a week; I am no stranger to having to sweat and push myself. The problem is with all of my seminary and pastoral commitments I have only three days a week where I can workout: Mon, Wed, and Sat. for about 90 min. each. I was thinking for sure I would do a fartlek on one of those days but what about the others?

Matthew

Answer:

So, you could do Fartleks two of your workouts, and the other one do an intense circuit. Or do one Fartlek, one circuit, and a weight-lifting session per week to mix it up. Either way, don’t give up on a day’s workout if you don’t have more than 90 minutes. You can get a great workout in only 30 minutes. Extra time is great, but for a very busy seminary student, I’m sure you want maximum results in the most efficient time possible.

Proposed 30 Minute Workout

Say you only have 30 minutes. You can still knock out a great cardio workout! Do a 5 minute warm up of boxing or 200 slow jumping jacks and a 5 minute cool down of walking, dynamic stretches, and hydrating. That leaves 20 minutes for working out. Try doing these exercises for one minute each — including your set and any necessary rest, all in 60 seconds. That leaves you 20 exercises to hit, with as little rest as possible. Try just randomizing the following list of mostly bodyweight exercises. If you don’t know any, just google them or search on Youtube.

Warm up

5:00 Boxing, jogging, or 200 slow jumping jacks

Cardio exercises

1:00 each, including any necessary rest. Pick 20:

• pushups
• pullups
• crunches
• knee raises
• steam engines
• lunges
• body squats
• plyometric squats/lunges
• kettlebell swings
• plank (front/side)
• jumping jacks
• janda sittups
• diamond/wide grip pushups
• shadow boxing
• star jumps
• inchworms
• spiderman
• burpees
• bend-and-thrusts (almost the same as burpees — no jump)
• sitting frog sittups
• overhead/military press
• box jump
• prison cell pushups

Cool down

5:00 Walking, dynamic stretching, hydrating