What are the best ways to prepare for Air Assault School 30 days out?

SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 01 Jul 2018 09:02:00 -0400

Response by LTC Kevin B. made Jul 1 at 2018 9:15 AM

LTC Kevin B. — Sun, 01 Jul 2018 09:15:32 -0400

-Practice climbing a thick rope, without knots.
-Continue to make sure you're in great shape.

Otherwise, you'll be fine. In my opinion, the toughest day was the very first day ("zero day"). Everything after that was simply a matter of paying attention to detail and hanging tough through the road marches.

Response by LTC John Shaw made Jul 1 at 2018 11:26 AM

LTC John Shaw — Sun, 01 Jul 2018 11:26:48 -0400

LTC Broom is right, practice climbing a rope, w/o knots and using your legs as your primary method. If is it raining that day, you will still need to climb the rope and go through the course wet.
Let's assume you max or close to max your APFT, you still need to be in shape for balance type of obstacles and working at heights.
If you have access to the base obstacle course run through it as many times as you can, especially the Tough One (should be at least a 30 foot rope climb) and the Weaver. These were the obstacles that caused many in my class to fail on Zero day.
If you have not had road marches at a long distance you will want to practice this as well. The other things you may do if you have time is rappel off a tower with a skid so you get used to that difference and you have muscle memory of it. Also make sure your triceps are used to the weight of you with a backpack and gear.
If you are going to the school in July or August, spend your time outside getting used to the heat.

Most of the school is detail orientation and mental toughness. Not applying static line & bad loads get people killed, you need to be mentally sharp during this part of the course. When you get to the rappelling you will be pumped and won't allow anything to stop you from completing the course.
God Speed, I am excited for you, it is great school. Air Assault!

Response by SMSgt Thor Merich made Jul 1 at 2018 11:37 AM

SMSgt Thor Merich — Sun, 01 Jul 2018 11:37:57 -0400

The school is as much mental as physical. Others on this post had great suggestions on preparing for the physical portion. But don’t forget about the mental portion too.

I am not sure how you prepare for it, but attention to detail is very important. Failure to be mentally prepared has led to many failures in AA school. There are brain exercises and apps you can download that help with brain “training.”

Follow thier instructions to a T. Don’t add or subtract anything from the packing list for the ruck march.

Good luck.

Response by SFC Charles Temm made Jul 1 at 2018 12:15 PM

SFC Charles Temm — Sun, 01 Jul 2018 12:15:23 -0400

do a lot of pushups...often

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 1 at 2018 12:52 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 01 Jul 2018 12:52:44 -0400

Make sure you can run a good 2-mile. Strecth and hydrate A LOT. Practice the O-course if you can. Make sure you can climb a rope with ease. Lastly, make sure you are not burdened with too many other aspects of life during the course, you will need you study time.

Don’t stress too much about AA. Its not too bad as long as you take it seriously. make sure to studay and use the extra time they give you to practice sling-loads, don’t just go home. You be good to go!

Response by PFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 1 at 2018 1:54 PM

PFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 01 Jul 2018 13:54:57 -0400

there isn’t much you can do to prepare because they’re going to treat you like you don’t know anything because you won’t and build you from the ground up

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 1 at 2018 5:20 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 01 Jul 2018 17:20:46 -0400

I would say climb a rope but make sure you can do it while you're tired. When I ran Air Assault PT at my unit at Fort Campbell, I would do the Obstacle course but start with 2 mile run first then light smoke session before we started the tough one. Make sure you have conditioned boots for the ruck. If you make it past day 0 pay attention to detail. It's not a hard school of you pay attention and stay after for the things you dont understand. AASLT

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 2 at 2018 1:55 PM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 02 Jul 2018 13:55:57 -0400

Not really a school you need to prepare for. Just study all you can and dont make stupid decisions

Response by 1SG Timothy Trewin made Jul 2 at 2018 2:35 PM

1SG Timothy Trewin — Mon, 02 Jul 2018 14:35:47 -0400

Like others have said, climb a rope and do it while tired. Also practice rucking till you can do 6 miles in 1 1/2 hours and 12 miles in 3. Other than that there is not much physical to it. The run is not hard if you are able to pass a standard Army APFT run. It's far more mental than it is physical.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 2 at 2018 11:04 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 02 Jul 2018 23:04:43 -0400

Your an infantryman so I doubt you’ll have any issue with air assault school. If you’re in decent shape and can climb a rope I wouldn’t sweat it. People normally have issues with the packing list, layout and identifying the deficiencies with the A22 cargo bag.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 4 at 2018 1:55 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 04 Jul 2018 13:55:20 -0400

Run and ruck!!! Pay attention to details. That Styrofoam cup placed in the bottom of the palate is there for a reason. Stomp stomp stomp

Response by SGT Darin Jenkins made Jul 5 at 2018 2:39 AM

SGT Darin Jenkins — Thu, 05 Jul 2018 02:39:41 -0400

30 days out????? Its to late to do anything. Good luck, you'll need it.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 5 at 2018 1:13 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 05 Jul 2018 13:13:16 -0400

Make sure you have everything on the packing list for Air Assault School.. I know it sounds like common sense to a grunt, but believe it or not, that is what gets people booted on day zero...The packing list ...Make your leadership check your stuff out.. Set you up for success. Hope it helps. This is what I saw when I went through in 05....

Response by SPC Erich Guenther made Jul 7 at 2018 12:42 AM

SPC Erich Guenther — Sat, 07 Jul 2018 00:42:23 -0400

And to be perfectly honest, the instructors don't hassle the Infantrymen that much because usually they have their shit together and their standards are already high. Only item you need to be aware of is sling loading phase is more academic for someone that just had Infantry OSUT and maybe a few classroom schools. You have to take notes and study for sling loading to pass the test. Don't try and remember it all just by attending the instruction. Take notes and review them after class at night. As for the rest of the stuff your MOS puts you waayyyy ahead of the pack of other attendees in the area of physical fitness, and showing up with equipment that is serviceable and layout inspection ready. I still remember the Obstacle course and running past a student crying at the base of an obstacle like an infant because they were not in shape to perform the obstacle. You just have to run around those people and stay focused.

Response by CSM Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 19 at 2018 2:04 AM

CSM Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 19 Jul 2018 02:04:23 -0400

Road march

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 15 at 2018 7:33 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 15 Oct 2018 19:33:13 -0400

If you can borrow someone's smart book, start learning the permanent and temporary ties on sling-loads. Everything else will be easy.

Response by MSG Dan Castaneda made Mar 29 at 2020 8:35 PM

MSG Dan Castaneda — Sun, 29 Mar 2020 20:35:06 -0400

Like everyone else, I agree that you should master the rope climb. But more than that learn how to climb it using your feet. You may get smoked prior to the rope climb and your upper body may be tired. If you know how to use your feet effectively, you’ll be alright. Other than that, that shit was easy.

Response by SFC David Reid, M.S, PHR, SHRM-CP, DTM made Jun 27 at 2021 9:35 AM

SFC David Reid, M.S, PHR, SHRM-CP, DTM — Sun, 27 Jun 2021 09:35:53 -0400

Run 5 miles a day and do pull upd for Upper Body strength,

Response by SSG Brian Carpenter made Jun 27 at 2021 10:03 AM

SSG Brian Carpenter — Sun, 27 Jun 2021 10:03:59 -0400

Run everywhere at all times while outdoors...rin to your car, run to your office or shop run from your car to your house or room. Run run run