What is the process to join the Royal Marines?
Apply, attend an interview and a basic background check, then pass a written exam.Attend a PRMC (Potential Royal Marines Course) and get mercilessly thrashed for a week. The training bleed was so large for the RM back in the day, they started the PRMC to stop wasting the time of both the applicant and the training team.Pass the PRMC, get a joining date.Go back to Lympstone, get thrashed for another 32 weeks.Get a Green Beret.Go on operations!
How can I get fit for the Royal Marines?
The best advice I ever heard on prep for the All Arms Course when I was in the RN was this:Build your legs, not your arms.Almost all of the physical endurance part is carrying weight for distance, getting up hills, running (a lot). A surprisingly small amount is upper body. Even climbing a rope is legs.The guys who look ripped but drop out are the guys who have spent all of their time in bench presses and heavy weights. 60% wasted effort and now they have extra mass (their bodies) to carry round with them.Check out some phots online. All the guys who make it look lean and wiry. Actually this is just because all of their explosive power and endurance is in their legs.
Should I train for the Royal Marines 2 years in advance?
The PJFT is:1.5miles 12:30 2% gradient followed by 1.5miles in under 10:00 2% gradient.The minimum PRMC/ POC scores are:1.5mile squad run under 12:30 followed 1.5mile best effort under 10:00Level 11 on the beep test (20m)60 tricep press-ups to beeps85 sit-ups to beeps16 pull-ups to beeps up, hold, and beeps downAssault Course run in under 4:30To achieve the maximum points you’ll need to return on your 1.5mile in under 08:15, the beep test tape stops at level 15.5 and the Assault Course will have to be run in under 03:15.Do you need 2years to prepare for these scores or push for the maximums if you’re that way inclined? Or are you already racing snake fit?See how your prep training takes you and apply when you feel ‘comfortable’ passing the physical tests- the application process can be quite long so plenty of time to keep up training for improvement from then on- you could get bored waiting 2years.If you want some training tips and/or general up to date info then I recommend getting on to the PRMC Forum (just search exactly that into Google and it will come up).Or I’ve written an answer from my own experience physically preparing: What and how much type of training should I do if I want to make it to the Royal Marines?Good luck.
What is a good all-around exercise routine for someone preparing to go into the military?
What is a good all-around exercise routine for someone preparing to go into the military?The time you have before reporting determines the best approach for a prospective recruit. The honest person knew they would enlist and have no excuse for the short track. Therefore, we'll just skip that one all together.Even if you don't know your future military occupation, the best route is to prepare for the worst, most physical job you can think of. In other words, train hard, train long, and train consistently.Basics: runs, pull-ups, sit-ups, crunches, and push-ups.Runs- break them up into shorter runs (1-3 miles) at 75-90%. Longer runs (5-10 miles) at 60-75%. Run wind sprints at 100%. My favorite was run a 1/4 mile at 100%, then another 1/4 mile at 40-50%. Then repeat this process trying for 10 repetitions.Pull-ups/push-ups- either do sets of repetitions or better yet pyramids. 1 pull-up, 3 push-ups, 2 pull-ups, 6 push-ups, 3 pull-ups, 9 push-ups… Your goal should be 20 pull-ups/ 60 push-ups. When you get that far, start working backwards to 1/3.Crunches/sit-ups- two or three times a day just blast out 2 minutes without stopping. Just do them until the time runs out.Start every morning with 7 sets of calisthenics (call them your Daily 7)It's not necessary but you could add in some weights. If you do, focus a lot of the time on squats and legs. Do long quick paced walks with a heavy backpack carried high on your back (call them your Humping Days)If someone did these few things consistently, by the time they checked into recruit training, all they need worry about is head games. I dont know any way to train for that.
What is the dropout rate of the Royal Marine Commandos?
The rough numbers from what I remember is you’ll start with a troop of approximately 50 lads at the beginning of training.Over the course of the 32 weeks training the troop would lose roughly a third from injury. These lads ( I was one, I busted my knee and was out for 5 months) will join Hunter Coy and then return to another troop when fit.You will also lose around a third from people quitting and failing. You’ll get lots of goes to not fail, well, three I think and then you get binned at most tests, you might get put in Hunter Coy with the injured guys to improve your fitness but you don’t get forever.They’ve done the work to get you ready, you have to do it yourself as well and really push yourself….really really push yourself.So you’ll have maybe a third of the guys left that finish in their original troop, joined by back troopers along the way that add up to a few extra.Some people want to quit ten seconds after pledging their allegiance to the Queen, despite them saying that multiple times before that as soon as you’ve pledged you are theirs for two weeks so quit now, not in five mins (the lad in my troop hated those two weeks ha ha.)Some people quit further down the line, the may not fancy it, it just might not be for them. They may have personal problems, pregnant girlfriends, there is a multitude of reasons.Those that finish though, we got to join the biggest, best boys club in the world.I blog about Elite Military Forces - , you might find something you like there.