Beyond the physical

[Adam17]

I read a while ago a thread titled "mind power" and I was intrigued. A question to everyone, Ranger or not, what does your mind go through when you have 50+ pounds on your back rucking for hours on end for miles? Endless PT, getting smoked being a cherry in Batt, and every other extreme phyiscal/mental challenge that soldiers have to go through. I'm asking because I'm constantly training before I get shipped. I notice that whether you can do 10 pushups or 1000, your mind is the one that gives up first, not your body. That training your mind is equally important if not more than your body. Any experiences/comments or opinions people would like to share?

[Parabellum]

Think of the pain. It's weakness leaving the body.

[deleon275]

I read a while ago a thread titled "mind power" and I was intrigued. A question to everyone, Ranger or not, what does your mind go through when you have 50+ pounds on your back rucking for hours on end for miles? Endless PT, getting smoked being a cherry in Batt, and every other extreme phyiscal/mental challenge that soldiers have to go through. I'm asking because I'm constantly training before I get shipped. I notice that whether you can do 10 pushups or 1000, your mind is the one that gives up first, not your body. That training your mind is equally important if not more than your body. Any experiences/comments or opinions people would like to share?

What got me through all of this was telling myself it wont last forever. A lot of times I used false motivation for mass private smoke fests. I never really had a personal smoking session and if it did occur it was just to see if it would piss me off which I reacted with superior motivation!

For roadmarches I just kept my thought off my feet and shoulders and thought of happy things like hot chicks and video games. There is however where you reach the "suck point" and the suck face comes. By then you dont feel pain and for me personally I would just get silly and laugh a lot I was in so much pain. Hey, it worked :).

Do all you can to prep your body physically for whats ahead, but from what I've seen its your own personal intestinal fortitude that gets you through. That is something _I_ believe you're born with. Some people have a lot of it, others dont. You'll find when you're really sucking your Ranger buddy next to you is great for bitching at back and forth and releiving some of the stress :).

For instance our company had to do a Platoon Ex. Eval (pray you never do this). Basically some officers from Regiment come down and plan a 3 day FTX where you get virtually no sleep and do at least 40 miles on foot. It was my mind and my gun team that got me through it all and to this I look back at it and just laugh it was so horrible.

It all pays off though. If and when you finish RIP and make it to Bat you'll find that you have a company, platoon, and squad of people who will look after and care for you just as much if not more than your own mother and father.

[rangercamaro]

i used the buddy system. When i started to get smoked in a run or a roadmarch or even an all night mover through Ft Stupid I would look around me. If i saw everyone going through it pretty easy then i re-evaluated and told myself to quit the fuckin whinning!!! If by chance i saw a couple Rangers having a lil trouble executing to standard or even struggling I would Ride it. I would say to myself that i had to step up because one day I may have to carry their slackin ass of the battlefield. I would not fail them if it came to that. They would depend on me for that.

Oh yeah and i also NEVER fell out of any run, Roadmarch or movement during my time in 1st Bn. (Damn I felt like it ALOT of times!!)

INTESTINAL FORTITUDE and a lil help from the fellow Brothers.