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Msft
I don't get it!!! 
Before I attended prtc i was working all sorts of shifts and was getting virtually NO phys in for a good 4-5weeks before i went. (hang my head in shame, yes, but i needed the money!)
NOW... I have been running, rowing, swimming, X training, spinning, and i just got a much LOWER score than I did on prtc!! So I done it again.. and it was just as bad!!
Where am i going wrong??
My Running - 2.4km but i have to be honest i am not very fast. I have been concentrating on finishing it rather than maxing myself to too much because then i get so out of breath that i can't! It doesn't help that i have a stupid cough!!
Would it make more sense to max out as much of a run as i can, even if it's not 2.4km??
My Rowing - I have noticed that my arms are so maxed afterwards and my legs are fine. Aren't your legs meant to be really worked too?? I have it on the highest level but, like in swimming, my arms seem to dominate. Any suggestions on how I can get the most out of rowing?
My Swimming - I have never been the strongest swimmer but i am not weak either. I cannot however swim front crawl non stop. Or at least, not for very long at all. I think this is because i don;t use my legs much, but my arms and i fatigue very easily. Instead, what i have been doing is a good 10-15mins breast stroke to get my heart rate up, then 10-15 mins doing a fast front crawl (getting out of breath) and a lenghth of breast stroke to recover. Can anyone suggest how I can build this up/give myself a good workout by swimming?
My X Training - I used to hate the X trainer but I believe we use it at Halton so I have been using it. I have been doing about 10-15 minutes on level 12, then working up doing 1 minute of each level to 22 and back down again. Any suggestions for how to get a good workout on the Xtrainer?
Spinning - Now this really does give me a good workout! But sadly my class ends this week and i won't get to do it again until Halton!
I realise I only have 3 weeks left before training, but my MSFT score has really pissed me off as i have been gyming it, running etc.. and i am WORSE!! I am so dissappointed.
After failing the MSFT on prtc I think I have been in fear of trying it again, and I genuinly think I drop out too easily because I tell myself I won't get to the required level rather thantell myself I CAN! I am just the sort of person who needs encouragement when I struggle with things and I am worried that I won't get this on RTS! And equally worried that us girls don't get to run much while we are there!
I guess what I really need to know is how do I really increase my lung capacity in 3 weeks?
x
Before I attended prtc i was working all sorts of shifts and was getting virtually NO phys in for a good 4-5weeks before i went. (hang my head in shame, yes, but i needed the money!)
NOW... I have been running, rowing, swimming, X training, spinning, and i just got a much LOWER score than I did on prtc!! So I done it again.. and it was just as bad!!
Where am i going wrong??
My Running - 2.4km but i have to be honest i am not very fast. I have been concentrating on finishing it rather than maxing myself to too much because then i get so out of breath that i can't! It doesn't help that i have a stupid cough!!
Would it make more sense to max out as much of a run as i can, even if it's not 2.4km?? My Rowing - I have noticed that my arms are so maxed afterwards and my legs are fine. Aren't your legs meant to be really worked too?? I have it on the highest level but, like in swimming, my arms seem to dominate. Any suggestions on how I can get the most out of rowing?
My Swimming - I have never been the strongest swimmer but i am not weak either. I cannot however swim front crawl non stop. Or at least, not for very long at all. I think this is because i don;t use my legs much, but my arms and i fatigue very easily. Instead, what i have been doing is a good 10-15mins breast stroke to get my heart rate up, then 10-15 mins doing a fast front crawl (getting out of breath) and a lenghth of breast stroke to recover. Can anyone suggest how I can build this up/give myself a good workout by swimming?
My X Training - I used to hate the X trainer but I believe we use it at Halton so I have been using it. I have been doing about 10-15 minutes on level 12, then working up doing 1 minute of each level to 22 and back down again. Any suggestions for how to get a good workout on the Xtrainer?
Spinning - Now this really does give me a good workout! But sadly my class ends this week and i won't get to do it again until Halton!
I realise I only have 3 weeks left before training, but my MSFT score has really pissed me off as i have been gyming it, running etc.. and i am WORSE!! I am so dissappointed.
After failing the MSFT on prtc I think I have been in fear of trying it again, and I genuinly think I drop out too easily because I tell myself I won't get to the required level rather thantell myself I CAN! I am just the sort of person who needs encouragement when I struggle with things and I am worried that I won't get this on RTS! And equally worried that us girls don't get to run much while we are there!
I guess what I really need to know is how do I really increase my lung capacity in 3 weeks?
x
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you need to push your efforts harder. Do you use a heart rate monitor on the gym kit? That should help you push your limits. With any of your exercising, you need to do interval training - that will make you faster and help with max VO2. Go and run around a football pitch - sprint the short ends and recover on the long sides - keep doing that. Same with rowing, x-trainer, anything. I'm sure that you do efforts / intervals in spinning - high effort for 30 sec, slower for 2 min, repeat. It gives results quicker than steady pace. Your rowing - have you had anyone look at your technique to make sure it is correct? Many people get it wrong.
I think you need to work harder. I have days where after interval training I can barely walk home; if I swim I need I have to sit in the steam room for 15 mins. Do intervals in the pool, intervals on your runs. It's a much more effective way to push your body. Most training programs recommend 1-2 long slow runs/week. Get your mitts on a copy of Fighting Fit by Adrian someone (Amazon) and read that. Mostly comprises of interval training and circuits. Most tri books and sources say intervals, intervals, intervals.
What's your 2.4km time and what level are you making on the bleep test? Remember doing it Vs. yourself is a bit demotivating; there's no one to push you on and certainly no adrenaline. I can never seem to get to Level 7 on my own yet can go past 8 quite happily, probably could do 10 when in a group situation.
What's your 2.4km time and what level are you making on the bleep test? Remember doing it Vs. yourself is a bit demotivating; there's no one to push you on and certainly no adrenaline. I can never seem to get to Level 7 on my own yet can go past 8 quite happily, probably could do 10 when in a group situation.
On the bleep test i am not reaching 7.2, I got 6.6 on prtc and last night I didn't even get that. But yes, I think it is really hard to train alone! I just hope I can perform when I get there! Although I plan to work hard over the next 3 weeks, my main worry as I mentioned above is that (as far as I am aware) us girls don't get to run/use the treadmill whilst we are on RTS. Will the phys that we do there be enough to increase my VO2?
My 2.4km best is 13.20 but at the moment I just can't seem to get that either!
jon33 - I am training 4-5times per week.
prostacker - No I haven't been using the HR monitor. I will start!
Would it help to do the bleep test a few times each week?
x
My 2.4km best is 13.20 but at the moment I just can't seem to get that either!
jon33 - I am training 4-5times per week.
prostacker - No I haven't been using the HR monitor. I will start!
Would it help to do the bleep test a few times each week?
x
It would help to do interval training! You will increase your VO2 max if you do interval training - the efforts to the higher level / pace are what brings results and make you faster / reduce recovery time / increase VO2 max. Don't worry about training at Halton - girls pass through there all the time and are able to pass.
Just do your training but increase effort - when you are on a machine, just do 30 sec of hardest effort every 2 or 3 min. You'll soon see how hard it is and you'll feel far more tired afterwards - THIS is the effort and the pain to get the gain. Doing the Bleep Test on your own would not help you mentally.
Just do your training but increase effort - when you are on a machine, just do 30 sec of hardest effort every 2 or 3 min. You'll soon see how hard it is and you'll feel far more tired afterwards - THIS is the effort and the pain to get the gain. Doing the Bleep Test on your own would not help you mentally.
best thing to do in my opinion is do the bleep test itself! Do it every day in the park, gym whatever, and you will get better.
Take a 20m piece of string, an mp3 with the recording on, and practise, because alot of the bleep test is down to technique. Of course running helps, but I have done this myself and gone from a 9.2 to a 11.9 in less than a month.
I'll pm you the mp3 if you need it.
Good luck!
Take a 20m piece of string, an mp3 with the recording on, and practise, because alot of the bleep test is down to technique. Of course running helps, but I have done this myself and gone from a 9.2 to a 11.9 in less than a month.
I'll pm you the mp3 if you need it.
Good luck!
carboncopy
best thing to do in my opinion is do the bleep test itself! Do it every day in the park, gym whatever, and you will get better.
Take a 20m piece of string, an mp3 with the recording on, and practise, because alot of the bleep test is down to technique. Of course running helps, but I have done this myself and gone from a 9.2 to a 11.9 in less than a month.
I'll pm you the mp3 if you need it.
Good luck!
Take a 20m piece of string, an mp3 with the recording on, and practise, because alot of the bleep test is down to technique. Of course running helps, but I have done this myself and gone from a 9.2 to a 11.9 in less than a month.
I'll pm you the mp3 if you need it.
Good luck!
Wow. Thats some improvement!! Well done you!!
I do have the mp3, but thank you anyway!
x
xxRAFNurse2bxx
Wow. Thats some improvement!! Well done you!!
I do have the mp3, but thank you anyway!
x
I do have the mp3, but thank you anyway!
x
thanks! It really is down to doing it more, If you can do the test just three times a week you will definately see an improvement. Although running is great overall fitness, if you are trying to pass the bleep test, then just train solely for that by practising it as much as you can, just try to increase the shuttle level by at least one each time.
If you start at a 9.0 then aim to get 9.1 next time, and so on, before you know it you'll be completing the test! You can do it!
xxRAFNurse2bxx
Would it help to do the bleep test a few times each week?
carboncopy
best thing to do in my opinion is do the bleep test itself! Do it every day in the park, gym whatever, and you will get better.
The bleep test is an awful form of training. It's decent as an assessment, but it's not a good way to actually improve your fitness.
When carboncopy talks about doing it daily and always aiming to go 1 shuttle further, you're not really improving at all. You're running an extra 20m; maybe 1020m instead of 1000m; and it is purely psychological.
The psychological aspect is always important; I always go a little further when doing it in a group. Training wise, I don't think you can beat doing a lot of running, but there are people here better placed to give training advice.
No matter what though, don't obsess over the test itself, or keep trying it to improve. It's a bad form of training.
As I said:
One long run per week; HIIT at least twice and 2 short hard fast run twice. That's 5 days accounted for. You need to get miles in your legs. The Bleep Test isn't the be all and end all;if you have the overall fitness you'll be fine.
One long run per week; HIIT at least twice and 2 short hard fast run twice. That's 5 days accounted for. You need to get miles in your legs. The Bleep Test isn't the be all and end all;if you have the overall fitness you'll be fine.
Wzz
The bleep test is an awful form of training. It's decent as an assessment, but it's not a good way to actually improve your fitness.
When carboncopy talks about doing it daily and always aiming to go 1 shuttle further, you're not really improving at all. You're running an extra 20m; maybe 1020m instead of 1000m; and it is purely psychological.
The psychological aspect is always important; I always go a little further when doing it in a group. Training wise, I don't think you can beat doing a lot of running, but there are people here better placed to give training advice.
No matter what though, don't obsess over the test itself, or keep trying it to improve. It's a bad form of training.
When carboncopy talks about doing it daily and always aiming to go 1 shuttle further, you're not really improving at all. You're running an extra 20m; maybe 1020m instead of 1000m; and it is purely psychological.
The psychological aspect is always important; I always go a little further when doing it in a group. Training wise, I don't think you can beat doing a lot of running, but there are people here better placed to give training advice.
No matter what though, don't obsess over the test itself, or keep trying it to improve. It's a bad form of training.
why is it not a good form of training? It works for me. I'm not pretending I know everything about fitness, but doing the test daily in the park seriously increased my running ability. I took a 2.4k run after improvement, and that time was also lowered dramatically.
It might not work for everyone, but it wasn't just a psychological improvement.
carboncopy
why is it not a good form of training? It works for me. I'm not pretending I know everything about fitness, but doing the test daily in the park seriously increased my running ability. I took a 2.4k run after improvement, and that time was also lowered dramatically.
It might not work for everyone, but it wasn't just a psychological improvement.
It might not work for everyone, but it wasn't just a psychological improvement.
It's hardly an improvement if that's all you are doing. Basic isn't just focused on the MSFT and PFT. You will be doing much more endurance stuff so you need to be getting some miles and strength in your legs whilst at the same time inproving your lactate threshold and also your aerobic capacity.... so yes: HIIT for strength and anaerobic and longer runs for endurance and aerobic.
xxRAFNurse2bxx
On the bleep test i am not reaching 7.2, I got 6.6 on prtc and last night I didn't even get that. But yes, I think it is really hard to train alone! I just hope I can perform when I get there! Although I plan to work hard over the next 3 weeks, my main worry as I mentioned above is that (as far as I am aware) us girls don't get to run/use the treadmill whilst we are on RTS. Will the phys that we do there be enough to increase my VO2?
My 2.4km best is 13.20 but at the moment I just can't seem to get that either!
jon33 - I am training 4-5times per week.
prostacker - No I haven't been using the HR monitor. I will start!
Would it help to do the bleep test a few times each week?
x
My 2.4km best is 13.20 but at the moment I just can't seem to get that either!
jon33 - I am training 4-5times per week.
prostacker - No I haven't been using the HR monitor. I will start!
Would it help to do the bleep test a few times each week?
x
May be it's because you are drinking too much. All the time you are tipsy as far as I remember from posts in the other threads. So either give up until you are done or drink less.
But hey you are the nurse
newboyintown
May be it's because you are drinking too much. All the time you are tipsy as far as I remember from posts in the other threads. So either give up until you are done or drink less.
But hey you are the nurse
But hey you are the nurse
That was only last night.
I don't really drink tbh! 
I think im just needing a right kick up the arse fitness wise!
x
*Kick* *Kick*
I managed to increase my score a whole level simply by changing the way I turned. I'd stop a few feet from the line, touch my toe to the line and turn back the other way at the same time ready to push off when the beep went. I'd originally been running right to the line and turning. Going physically past the line in any way is wasted energy.
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