PRMC Diary 29th May 2018

Thought I would make a diary as really enjoyed reading them before I did mine.

Tuesday - Long train Journey down meeting up with lads on the way, wasn't too nervous was quite excited to be honest. Arrived at CTC for around 14:30 and was told to unpack and get all the kit we needed, make beds and polish boots as more were still to arrive. Had a basic briefing, bit of admin and scran (food) and it was quite a laid back day. Early to bed every night (light out at 8/9) as you need all the sleep you can get.

Wednesday - We were told to wake up for 05:45 but we set alarms for 05:00 as you need to shower, shave and do admin then scran around 06:15. Like most people say they give you a lot of time before you do any exercise. Remember to be 5mins early to every detail/time the staff give you or you can be punished, our group was pretty good at it but one time were made to do press-ups in our suits in the corridor. You will practise drill also such as how to march, halt, stand to attention and all that which was quite enjoyable and the corporals are all funny. Every time you change clothes you have a shower and yes most of the time they are cold. After this we were in PT rig and had a briefing on the physical assessments to come and the point system. Then straight into gym tests soVO2, press ups, sit ups, pull ups make sure you are training with the beep and form is good as you get stopped if bad. Then scran and ready again for the 3 mile run. when they say fill bottles up fill them right to the top as they check and if not you throw it over your heads. You do a little warm up and then do the first 1.5m as a troop with a pti setting the pace, then your allowed to have a slash ready for best effort back. After this was the swimming test very simple jump in off the board swim a length, a width, a length and dive 3m to pick a brick up, some lads found this hard. Then we had a talk by some Olympic swimmers, we were all knackered and tired at this point the guy on my left fell asleep and I am sure a few others did.

Thursday - This is where the fun begins lads. just the usually wake up shower get in kit then have a big breakfast ready for assault course. Like most things youll do a quick warm up with the pti then on to the confidence test you get told to walk jog sprint across a beam which is a little bit small but fine then jump into a cargo net by punching into it then climb up and get off. A few lads had to do this multiple times and one guys arm after was purple and swollen from it. After this you get shown the assault course 3 parts at a time. The pti will demonstrate then you will do it and so on. After you've gone through it all you do your timed run. After this is bottom field determination test. You get in the pool fully submerged under the monkey bars (which everyone had a wee in) then do bunny hops up hill go back down do it again and again, do loads of crawls, sprints, do carries (go with someone the same weight), more bunny hops, sprints, crawls, burpees, press-ups, pull ups, dips. There's a lot more but just don't think about it just do it and stay near the front, it will end. After this shower scran then on the coach for endurance course. So the Pti will run and everyone follows (be at the front) you go through loads of pools, pitch black tunnels, crawling through mud and stones, hill sprints, burpees, press-ups. You get a banana and drink half way round then straight into it again, lads if people are struggling get behind them and help, one time I was holding a guy up by his shirt running and pushing people feet whilst crawling, keep giving people encouragement but do this all on the low key. We got to a van and the pti said to get changed to dry kit. As soon as we started to unzip our combat jacket we said I am joking off we go again, no idea why but found it hilarious so again did it pays to be a winner when you partner up and race them up a hill if you win you rest, lose and you do it again. You do something called triangle of death thankfully I was in the top 5 so watch everyone run in a triangle and if your not in the next top 5 you go again. It fair to say lads I wee myself 3 times doing this course as your not allowed to go toilet, but *text deleted* its a nice warm. Then fireman carries to the end. You get a biscuit and allowed to drink when back. the coach was let so we had to do push ups singing happy bday to the corporals son, then a few games such as tell a joke if they laugh you don't do more phys. Anyway you get the coach back and at this point you pretty much have passed, one lad didn't even though he completed it all, who I felt sorry for.

Friday - wake up to ache and pains you've never felt before have scran then you just have a briefing with the pti about fitness and medical staff etc clean the accommodation, just nothing special on this day apart from getting your certificates then back on the train round 12:30

Tips

• 5 mins early to detail
• don't fidget in the gym or you get phys
• Listen to every detail you get given
• Be first in showers
• Stretch everyday
• eat loads
• Help one another
• Take plasters for when your boots rub against you and take some food too

Overall lads its a great experience pass or fail. Its horrible when doing some stuff but you look back and find it funny. My course had a great bunch of lads in which made it great. Any questions feel free to ask me.

 

Thought BFT was before gym tests? Or has this changed?

 

They've changed it mate, I think they said its in our best interest as you are more fresh for gym tests.

 

That is interesting to be fair. Most likely because of a fair few gym score and vo2 fails? So they’ve decided to put that first so they can bin off people quicker maybe? In addition to that pre fatigue for the BFT which has recently had its time limit extended.

 

Thanks for this, really interesting and encouraging. Bottom field still sound difficult but it seems that with a positive attitude it doesn't have to be a completely terrible experience - most people on here make it sound like you get sent to hell and back about 500 times over!

 

Yeah its definitely not hell but you are in a lot of pain and fatigue yet you just crack on with it. Have 'a don't think just do it' attitude with stuff like this or it will play on your mind.

 

yeah I believe so, as I think the VO2 gets quite a few fails just as its new for most people and its all about timing and pacing with the bleep. I think its to help more people pass as yes you're a bit fatigued after but you should be recovering as the 3 other gym tests don't need lower body too much plus they give you a small rest between the tests and 3 miler, and as you've mentioned they've extended it so is more likely to be achievable.

 

Thank you @Shaza99 ! I’ve got my PRMC in a month and your diary defo helps get a good understanding of what to expect!

A few things are also in different orders now, like gym tests before the BFT and i’m sure swimming used to be done on the last day.

 

Quite a difference to how I did my PRMC in 2014, made it well easy considering. The 3 miler is last so thaf effectively means your warmed up and the niggles haven't truely set in, for me at least.

And in some aspects worrying, that they've extended the time, you want it to be hard as the benchline set at the start of training isn't forgiving if going into prmc and it's mega you'd expect what's to come.

 

That's one thing I've never understood - especially in this day and age with apps and YouTube clips galore, how come so many - in fact any - lads turn up for their PRMC/POC having never done the bleep test before? They've clearly got access to this forum so it's not as if they wouldn't be able to access these other things as well. Surely anyone half serious about joining the RMs would know that the bleep test is a pass/fail element of selection?!

 

Unfortunatly it happens all the time! Was just having this conversation with a colleague who’s ex Navy. Some people just don’t bother putting the effort in to research properly and what to expect on the day and to train for it. Was even told of people who pass their PJFT and then don’t train anymore from that point because they assume themselves fit enough

 

It just seems like such a shame and a waste of time, both for applicants and for the assessors. Why aren't people preparing themselves as much as possible, even so far as trying their best to replicate what bottom field might be like? Ah well, perhaps failing the first time might help to motivate people to make sure they're fully ready second time around, but if you're not completely committed from the get-go, do you really have the RM 'State of Mind'? Failing is one thing, and anyone who gives it their all shouldn't beat themselves up too much about it, but failing to prepare is just ludicrous, not to mention being likely to end up adding months to an application!

 

Yeah I agree that all lads should be practicing the bleep test and all that especially with what you said about their accessibility to videos etc. We did have one person on the course who dropped out after the 1.5m as a troop 20secs into the return, not sure why that was but I think people think they can wing stuff and not train as hard as they should

 

Mate start practicing your bunny hops, hill sprints, crawls and carries if you can you will need strength and endurance in your legs to get through it, all the best pal

 

The title of this thread shows the 29th June. I take it you meant the 29th May, so I’ve taken the liberty to change it.

Back to the future and all that!

Alan

 

haha cheers

 

Did you pass your PRMC? Also what scores did you get on each test? if you passed, do you know when you're starting RT?

 

Yes mate I passed, got max press ups, max sit ups, 10 pull ups as hands slipped which was annoying so make sure you dry them before doing it, 12 VO2, 1.5mile return 9:34 not sure what was my assault course time. And we could start RT pretty much 2 weeks after but decided to put mine on hold for a couple of months.

 

Did they laugh at your joke or did you have to do more phys?

 

yeah the first joke made one of the corporals go behind the van as he was in stiches, but they laughed at 2 of our jokes then no one told one in time so had to do some press ups or burpees. By the way the darker the joke the better they say