BMT: Route March

taka90 SG

i'm a obese rec i had having a hard time walk 12km is there tips can u guy give me ? to takan, have energy , relieve from pain etc ?

Any other tip for me ? My 16 km i near KO so hw 24km next ?

fudgester SG

Wear bicycle tights if you can to prevent thigh abrasions.

But you must compensate by drinking more water. These tights tend to trap body heat.

Also, wear two pairs of socks. Wear thin, light socks under your SAF green socks. This shifts the friction to the layer between your socks - you will then have less chance of getting blisters.

sinicker SG

yes. when i was instructor to PES BP recruits, i made them buy tights.

and they wore it the entire day anyway. for other exercises too.

taka90 SG

yes. when i was instructor to PES BP recruits, i made them buy tights.

and they wore it the entire day anyway. for other exercises too.

my coy dun allow tights

TrueHeart SG

i'm a obese rec i had having a hard time walk 12km is there tips can u guy give me ? to takan, have energy , relieve from pain etc ?

Hi taka,

You can try adding glucose or pocari sweat to your water bag, provided that your commanders do not mind it.

As for the pain, my sibling says that the best thing is still to have a good massage from your buddy at every breakpoint.

Cheers.

sinicker SG

my coy dun allow tights

then have fun slapping talcum power on your thighs each night.

Blahhh SG

- Wear double socks; white pt socks under the green one is fine. Make sure your boots are tight. Adjust your fieldpack, tighten the upper straps but leave some space for the lower ones.

- The problem with route marches for me is the weight of the rifle. So what I did was to stick the bottom part of the magazine into my LBV, so that it helps to support the weight of the rifle. Kinda' like a third hand. Also, never leave the rifle dangling while marching. It will only worsen the pain. Try craddling/hugging it (like a baby) when your arms are too tired to carry it normally.

- Another thing, adjust your helmet until it fits well. Its irratating to have a loose fitted helmet moving about on your head.

- You can also stick some socks on your shoulders under ur no4 to act as pads..

- Don't follow the standard fieldpack items arrangement. Arrange them in a way so that the heavier stuff are placed bottom and centre. You don't want one side of the field pack to be heavier then the other. It will take a long post to tell you how I did it, so just use some common sense.

- Add some pocari sweat powder into your water bag. It will taste like crap due to the mix ratio, but the sugar will help alot during marching. And ur sgts can't find out unless they taste it.

Will post more when I can remember them. The reason I can give you this many tips was because route march was the toughest part of bmt for me. chao keng was not an option, so instead i came up with 101 ways to make it more bearable. I was also from obese batch, "K" coy, 02/08 batch. Ala ke pompor!

deepak.c SG

Drink lots of water, put lots of powder on your foot and groin.

Remember to stick really really close to the platoon and men directly in front of you. Don't later PC say close the gap, you might have to end up running the length of one to two football field (if you are the last man in the last platoon).

Best is be the first platoon, but I am sure your OC will rotate to be fair.

Anyway 12km is no big deal. Serious.

I like the forced march best, cause I am used to walking fast.

Day Dreamer SG

Route March with ILBV is really STEAM

SGporkz SG

what i did during bmt was.. drink loads of water..wear 2 pair of socks ..dont think about the distance just walk and try to get your buddy walk with you..beside you..talk with him.

tips from commander are..

drink more water

wear tights.

adjust your field back..the pad should be fitted onto your shoulder..and items inside put properly..so the weight is even out ( light below heavy on top ) same for your rifle..dont sling it too low ....keep it to your body.

tighten your shootlace.

and dont think its tiring becos everyone is doing the same thing..

so far i can think of.

taka90 SG

i'm a obese rec i had having a hard time walk 12km is there tips can u guy give me ? to takan, have energy , relieve from pain etc ?

Any other tip for me ? My 16 km i near KO so hw 24km next ?

tarutaru SG

Any other tip for me ? My 16 km i near KO so hw 24km next ?

There's so many suggestions, so u have to decide what's the best for you.

dkcx SG

Any other tip for me ? My 16 km i near KO so hw 24km next ?

Personally most of my later route marches like 12km, 16km 24km after them all sure feel like KO de but because everyone around u also dragging themselves to complete, somehow i was still able to pull through.

Alot of suggestions have been given, just do ur best and good luck for ur 24km.

kwlee SG

Any other tip for me ? My 16 km i near KO so hw 24km next ?

find something to talk about. talk wif ur buddies. sing retarded songs, when the spirit is there, it becomes easier. :)

fudgester SG

Frankly speaking, 16km was the more difficult march for me.

I think I managed to pierce some psychological barrier by clearing that - I found the 24-click march to be easier.

Man!x SG

"March Or Die!" - My old BMT PS used to say that.

Seriously speaking, if you are not strong in route marches, try to stay in front (near the PC or PS) or the first few ranks of the platoon. If the gap opened up, its easier to catch up rather the the last few ranks.

Dont gobble down water like a camel during the 15 mins break, Chances are you ended up puking. Just drink to quench the thirst and then somemore.

Most likely than not, at the 16km rest point (half and hour or one hour) Red Bull might be provided, dont tanked up on it. Best if you keep it till the end of the march or sipped it slowly during the walk. Same for food (most likely dinner) dont eat till bursting point.

Dont straight away plonked down and sit during rest points, Cramps will come inevitably.

Keep your morale up by talking or singing the lame songs. Dispel the notion that the rest point is still far away, If the feeling to give up comes in, try to motivate yourself to last till the next rest point, the next one, then the next point. Before you know it the march has ended.

Just my 20 sen opinions. I am not a good marcher myself. I had to fight my brain urging me to stop and sit in the 5 tonner. I nearly killed myself during a ball breaker march in Crescendo. I sure missed being 19 again.

Good luck!

taka90 SG

thank

Xelement SG

then have fun slapping talcum power on your thighs each night.

its damn painful putting powder on abrasion

ifish SG

no need pocaris powder la. just go vending machine buy.

i pour in 8 cans of pocaris sweat inside my waterbag for my 24km route march.

sqsz SG

24k is ok actually, feeling of going to POP motivates you =D

tights are good, for those who find it hot/coy dun allow you can do the same as me and go Guardian buy those waterproof transparent dressing kind (called opsite post-flex or sth liddat). It's like scotch tape but much softer, meant to cover operation wounds. Apply that on the inner thighs (esp for obese ppl or ppl with big thighs like me) to prevent you from walking like you have a delta lima papa for the next few days =D

pocari powder > pocari sweat cos its concentrated. gives you a rush when u need. but pocari sweat works too, although my coy was anal about no civilian food and actually made sure we filled it with water -.-

talk, sing, do whatever it takes to pass time. LOOK UP and dun drag ur feet, you do tt when ur tired but ironically it makes things worse.

have fun haha. you'll feel damn accomplished after that =D