Am I Too Fat for Basic Training?

By SGT Volkin

Am I Too Fat for Basic Training?

Many people ask me if they are too fat for basic training? The answer is, it depends. If you are going to army basic training, the standards are different than marine boot camp;. Surviving basic training is a lot easier without the extra weight, so try and lose as much as you can before you meet a drill sergeant.

I don’t know of one person that gained weight in basic training. The reason for this is two-fold. One, there is no snacking while you are there, so the calories coming in are less than the calories being burned during your workout. Second, Army fitness routines are 7 days a week, whether you like it or not.

Use these links to check your weight against the Army body fat standards, marine body fat standards, air force body fat standards and navy body fat standards.

SGT Michael Volkin is the author of one of the most helpful military books ever written: The Ultimate Basic Training Guidebook: Tips, Tricks, and Tactics for Boot Camp Survival

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February 27th, 2010

About... SGT Volkin

This author published 38 posts in this site.
Sergeant Michael Volkin is a U.S. Army veteran and one of America's most successful military authors focusing on basic training. He served in Operation Enduring/Iraqi Freedom as a Chemical Operations Specialist and received an Army Commendation Medal for his efforts and for the military fitness programs he designed to help his fellow soldiers. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Science from Stephen F. Austin State University in Texas and also a Real Estate Brokers Degree. Note from the author: "I knew absolutely nothing about the military when I entered basic training. I had no immediate military family history and no prior desire to ever join the military. It was on the tragic morning of September 11, 2001 that I realized what I was taking for granted all these years. Freedom, as wonderful as it is, is an uphill struggle, and comes with an enormous responsibility. It wasn’t so much a decision, but a calling, that I joined the military - the Army Reserves. I departed for basic training without an ounce of military knowledge one month after September 11, 2001. However, I used this lack of knowledge to my advantage. I took notes on everything, with the ambition that no military recruit would have to go through boot camp like I did, with no knowledge of what was in store for me. I listened to hundreds of soldiers share their advice, tips, and tricks on surviving basic training. When I was deployed shortly after basic training to serve in Operation Enduring/Iraqi Freedom, I had the time to organize the notes, add to them, and assemble the most practical basic training guide ever written. The Ultimate Basic Training Series is straightforward, easy to understand and applies to every branch of the military. Take advantage of the military fitness routine in these books. Many hours of research and trial and error went toward creating the program. I believe there is no other fitness program that can get you in shape for basic training faster." SGT Volkin is currently a real estate broker and marketing consultant.