Army and Weight.

So Im Planning to go to the Israeli Defence force Next year 2009.  In relation, I want to be a fighter or foot soldier (Soldiers working on land with no weapons such as a tank or canon except a gun) yet everyone tells me that I have to be at a really healthy weight to be a fighter and you can't even be a little underweight or they won't accept you, Is this true?


I mean Im not that underweight barely.  Im 17 and a half  5"4 and 115 pounds.

I mean I always thought that in order to be in the army you have to be really underweight.

 anyone not interested in the army in America.  I don't get it.

Haha,
They dont want you to underweight in the army
You need to be healthy anf fit, but most people in the army should be a bit heavier than normal cos they should have more muscle. So you should want to tone up
If you were underweight and a fighter, then you'd get more tired easier and couldnt carry as much
Having said this you cant be super fat either
If you are too skinny you wont have enoguh muscles to help you hold up your rifle(which is what you called a gun) and to run.

If you would like to prepare for the army i suggest you try eating a little more protein and go to the gym, or do weights. If you cannot afford to go to the gym, do body weight, which means puships and sit ups
I would also suggest you do 'pack marches'. this means putting on a well fitting back pack and going for a 5km walk, carrying water and maybe something heavy in your hand (like a pole) to get used to it.
Perhaps you can ask the army people about what you have to do. they will no doubt have a fitness test before you join.

Good luck!

finally! thanks for the advice.  As for calling the rifle a "Gun"  -I guess thats because I speak Hebrew....Since there's only one word for gun in Hebrew.  I guess thats what happens when you speak 2 languages HA  =)

I looked at the mediacal questionairre since they had it on their site.......But It only asked questions converning mental illnesses and physical ilnesses such as hearth problems, eye problems, diabetes.....My "Boyfriend" is in the army now and he told me that he had a BMI of 20.3 and he just barely got accepted into the fighter division. 

But ya I just wanted to know more opinions thanks  =)

Original Post by thebledx3:

 anyone not interested in the army in America.  I don't get it.

 I think that your post went unnoticed because of it's timing.  Everyone posts around that time, so if it wasn't noticed right away, other posts would have bumped it down.  I was online around that time and didn't see it then.

As for "weight" gain, I think Red_ has the right idea, but if you haven't done high intensity workouts before like the "pack march" be careful, you may end up losing a little weight before you gain. And definitely get a little more protein in your diet.  My favorite way is to add chocolate flavored whey powder to some sugar free chocolate pudding.

Ya I guess my posts are always at the wrong timing because people rarely respond to them, Yet respond to things such as "Oh no I ate a whole pig" but it's okay.  I forgive.

 When I was a Ranger in the army I was about 165-170lbs, right around a 25 BMI (24.8-25.4) - and I was pretty slight compared to the rest of the guys in my platoon; the platoon corporal used to warm up with my bench press max. We weren't supposed to be bodybuilders or powerlifters, but we were supposed to be able to go a week on foot in full combat gear.

 So nah - underweight ain't it. Check out CrossFit training; it resembles what we used to get up to. (CrossFit isn't all it's cracked up to be from a strength/sports performance PoV, but as preparation for infantry or slightly special forces training it's pretty good.)

Melkor.....(I hate using usernames but I don't know your name).....How long were you in the army for?  Were you in the US army?

Oh ya forgot to mention one small item of importance- Im a female.

See http://www.army.mod.uk/linkedfiles/tayforth/n utrition.pdf

I was a Soldier in the US Army and I had to lose weight before I could qualify to get in. Once I was down to 136 lbs (I'm 5'3 and female) I joined and made it in.

It was very important that I got down to that weight at the time as I wasn't going to get a break for a long time to come after that. Lots of looong marches with over 55 lbs of gear on, lots of runs, never sitting down, climbing over towers and etc etc...

I'm afraid I know nothing about the army experience in Israel though so I really can't answer your question specifically... 

God Bless.

Original Post by thebledx3:

 anyone not interested in the army in America.  I don't get it.

 I AGREE!

 

US ARMY SOLDIER AND PROUD OF IT!

"Yet respond to things such as "Oh no I ate a whole pig" "

You're very funny :D

I mean sure I have experience with the Israeli army, My whole family went.  My "Boyfriend" -(I dont liek saying boyfriend) goes to the Israeli defense force, But still I was asking because none of the females in my family have been in the fighter division in the army.  Thats why i was wondering if there was a certain "Skinny' requirement.  Because I really don't want to be in the air force of intelligence, I want to do everything possible to be a female fighter on an Israeli tank or at least a foot soldier-My dream Can't wait for that day to come.  Thanks for the advice for those who did go to the and thats really awesome that you did.  I dont see a lot of people in california joining the army.  sad.