How did you maintain your fitness while underway?

ENS Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 09 Aug 2016 17:28:49 -0400

As a distance runner and distance swimmer I regularly put in high mileage and several hours a week towards running and swimming cardio. I have verbals to a DDG in several months. Will my fitness performance suffer while underway? What did you do to remain in shape during deployment? Was there enough time in the day to get a workout in?

Response by SN Greg Wright made Aug 9 at 2016 5:36 PM

SN Greg Wright — Tue, 09 Aug 2016 17:36:24 -0400

A DDG should have plenty of place for you to run. If the command doesn't let you run from bow to stern, then the flight deck will do in a pinch, if a bit boring. And there's plenty of ladders. Running from the bottom of the engine room to the bridge is something you can only probably do a few times until you work up to it. Finally, I'd be really surprised if they didn't have treadmills on board.

Response by CPO Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 9 at 2016 5:56 PM

CPO Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 09 Aug 2016 17:56:24 -0400

Why did you not try for NECC type commands with your rate, they have billets and you can get your EXW, and if you went to a Battalion you could get EXW and SCW. They also do 3 day a week PT sessions and on deployment depending on site you can get your run times in. NECC Intel and training teams go all over and so do NMCB's

Response by PO3 David Fries made Aug 9 at 2016 6:06 PM

PO3 David Fries — Tue, 09 Aug 2016 18:06:27 -0400

The only fitness I was worried about was fitness this alcohol in my belly! Lol

Response by LTC Greg Henning made Aug 9 at 2016 6:39 PM

LTC Greg Henning — Tue, 09 Aug 2016 18:39:40 -0400

I would either run or go to the gym every morning while deployed. I use to say Gym was my best friend. This kept my fitness level where it needed to be.

Response by SSgt Dan Montague made Aug 9 at 2016 6:49 PM

SSgt Dan Montague — Tue, 09 Aug 2016 18:49:46 -0400

I was on LSD's and LHA's. We ran a lot, up and down those damn steel ramps. We even dawned full gear, packs and weapons and humped around the flight deck and ramps for an hour. My shins never hurt so bad. We also never used mats like you see in the photo.

Response by PO1 Brian Austin made Aug 9 at 2016 10:46 PM

PO1 Brian Austin — Tue, 09 Aug 2016 22:46:47 -0400

You have to find the time when you can. Between watch standing, Rating/ESWS quals, drills, meetings for drills if on CSTT or DCTT teams, ship all hands evolutions and collateral duties, time is at a premium with 20+ hr days the norm. I worked out whenever i could, whether it was 0300 or 1300. Small boys usually had some universal weight sets, some free weights, treadmills and stationary bikes stuck in every nook and cranny of fan rooms.
PO1 Andrew Gardiner gave you some really good info.

Response by PO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 18 at 2016 3:01 PM

PO1 Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 18 Oct 2016 15:01:03 -0400

I made time. After working a schedule of how my department would do admin and watch, I worked a way to incorporate a 2 hr workout into the mix. The only deviation I would allow would be if my body was waaaay to tired or that I was feeling under the weather. My workout was intense but I loved working out everyday.....I also would be climbing ladderwells all day to get from point A to point B; so I got a workout everywhere I went.

Response by Capt Tom Brown made Oct 18 at 2016 6:12 PM

Capt Tom Brown — Tue, 18 Oct 2016 18:12:24 -0400

My experience was pretty typical for a Marine, stationed on the old USS Bon Homme Richard (CVA31) for a year. We worked out quite a bit on the flight deck between flight ops running and doing calisthenics. The ship didn't have a weight room or work out facility; instead, someone had brought a set of weights on board years ago and put them in the monkey focsle along with a couple of old mattresses which we used for sit-ups. We went up there and worked out whenever we could find time. Never saw any of the ships' crew or airwing working out. I believe they were too busy with operations as described by others on RP.

Response by CH (CPT) Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 21 at 2019 10:33 AM

CH (CPT) Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 21 Feb 2019 10:33:11 -0500

Awesome.