Physical Training
 

(I wasnt sure If I should put this in n00b tank or general :S)
So Airsoft is vastly about the Idea of playing soldier it is a fun role play Idea for people who wanted something more real than COD and less real than bullets in their faces, so I was wondering how many people actually do rigorous physical training for airsoft
like does anyone run hardcore military-esque training programs to keep themselves and or others in top physical condition for gaming ?

Have you been to a game and Looked around?

I'm 44... 20 lbs overweight.. both knees are shot... and I'm half stupid due to to many concussions and I can outrun most the 20 year olds who come out to play

I would be hard pressed to find a team which is actively training (as in working out) specifically for airsoft.

But a lot of individuals do physical training, which of course, helps their game.

Most airsofters could use a work out, and I'm not exception. ;)

it's better to maintain good cardio and knees, as moving is quite essential in airsoft.
if you really run around, airsoft is quite cardio so maybe you don't want to smoke too much between games ;)

Smoke during the game. :)

Good question. I've found that most players who already have some sort of physical regiment due to lifestyle/work apply that training to their airsoft.

I'd be happy if I could get players to just stretch before a game (all you old farts you know who you are!) just so they could minimize the chance of injury.

Basically it comes down to a personal decision on how fit you want to be, but if you do it will provide you with advantages when playing against someone of equal skill but not in equal shape.

you would be hard pressed to find a picture of me at a game NOT smoking..they exist, but few and far between :D

it's better to have big quads to run from cover to cover, it's more explosive strength than cardio, and you don't want to tear a knee when starting to run.(usually from a crouched position)

Also it's better to work out to actually be able to carry your AEG around for several hours without complaining that it's too heavy as some airsofters do ;)

I go to the gym for my own personal gain not for airsoft. Any increases in my strength, speed,endurance or flexibility due to going to the gym benefit me for my every day life, its just an added bonus for airsoft.

I do cross country running, parkour, regular heavy bike rides and intense hiking :)
, haven't been to a game yet, but Im ready for a lot of running jumping climbing, whatever it takes to flank people
or I'll just do it for fun, I like being active

hey wait. lifting pints to my mouth isn't exercise?

Yeah, same here. I basically go to the gym 5 times a week, depending how much time I have. I also do a lot of running due to lots of ultimate frisbee games.

That's my kind of workout! :D

i remember reading an age old adage on this forum awhile back:

You have to be in shape to play airsoft. But playing airsoft does not make you in shape.

I agree that it obviously helps to be in shape, however I think ANY physical exercise, be it cardio or muscular driven IS and WILL always be a form of exercise, so long as its done on a relatively consistant level, airsoft is no exception to that rule.

Airsoft leverages all of your bodies functions, Eye hand coordination (reloading while maintenaning sight of your target), cardiovascular (static and fluid running movements, ducking etc), muscular (being able to lift your 20lbs all metal M4) , muscle endurance (being able to hold your 20lbs all metal m4 while running, ducking etc....lol) add an extra 20lbs of gear and mags and it can become a full body circuit training routine...

These are just a few obvious examples....

There is always Rifle Strenghten Exercises

LOL.. I'm all that plus 2 yrs!

+1

that's why I like outdoor games, I don't need to wear a full mask so I can smoke and shoot at the same time :)

This is while hip firing, right? ;)

I quit smoking, used to go to the gym. I could do an hour easily on the elliptical cross aerobics training on level 9. I skate and snowboard. I don't have any real problems accept that i am prob 20lbs over weight. lol..... Summer is near so swim. Swimming is prob the best work out cause it works all of your muscles at once..

AHHHhhhh........the good ol man muscle, I hear ya, 38 about 45 lbs overweight and can still go all day while the 20 somethings are dieing and leaving early.

Yeah, I train, fork-food-mouth repeat, sometimes I even switch hands if my glass of Coke is on the wrong side of the plate.

It should be noted a few things are important to maintain for any kind of sport. Considering that airsoft is mainly a running game the best thing you can do is protect your assets you have. Alot of us are overweight and frankly the key to good health is protecting your joints if your overweight and running. Good boots and good knee protection is paramount.

Did someone say Rifle PT? >=)

Just do what I do, drink and smoke and eat whatever you want to, pay for it later when you are getting shot at and too tired to fire back or notice. I'm joking, really though my first game(this weekend actually :) ), my legs are tired as fuck today still, you are literally running from cover to cover firing and taking cover agian and running some more. Its pretty demanding on the knees and if you are not in ok shape you'll feel it quickly. I'm in pretty good shape and I was tired by the end of the day forsure.

Hehe only when I'm smoking a cigar!

15-20 years ago when we used to play 3-4-5 times a week yeah sure airsoft keep you in shape but now with some of us hitting the magic 40's or 50's marked with bad knees, back, hips etc. it's a miracle to be able to walk to the washroom at night without sounding like you're being ass raped from teh pain in your joints.

I myself sometimes wish I was 20 yrs old again without the 2 knee surgery and other injuries so I can keep my run and gun style of play, unfortunately the wish never comes true so instead I rely upon long reaching AEG and my 40mm to reachout and say hello to my opponents. To keep in shape now adays I actually started to do a lot more mountain biking and swimming.

Good call with the biking and swimming, low impact ftw.

Does anyone remember the fReAks? lol
They're airsoft training was so intense, they actually stopped playing because nothing was challenging anymore. Now they only come out to really big ops like coldfront 2...

Anyway I workout with kettlebells, it's one hell of a universal gym lol

Go down to your local airsoft field, ask the owner what needs to be done and swing an axe/hammer for a day.

Airsoft is a work out!

My legs are defiantly feeling sundays game! Happy to be back in the action!

i like to do rigorous stretching on the couch, with no shortage of power napping!

I use public transit and my legs so I get a fair amount of excersise and yet I feel the need to really step up this year to keep me fit for the season (sunday had me as medic in a vip game, I'm still in pain). On my team 2 of the six are in a martial art and one is the biggest health nut I grew up with so if I get going it will be the majority:) Another team has three guys into mma and stuff so they work out. Along with a fit and active life style you can really improve your training by having a good diet, not that you can't eat (I stuff my face man) or that it has to be certain foods. Just regulate how much of a certain type or quality of food you eat.

I always order diet coke with my burgers, pizza and subs.

Haha, personally, I hate that stuff and the aspartame that comes with it. I too stuff my face but with certain foods only. I actually don't like dessert much or sweets like chocolates and most candy. I would much rather have a second serving of food instead of dessert.

Yup I hear ya Carrying 50 pounds worth of gear coming back home when buses aren't running, kills my poor shoulders D:

I'm in shape....round is a shape.

I hate diets.

There now that you know (my mother and her health kicks made me the least popular in the schoolyard) diets are not my cup of tea, let me explain. The average person grabs chips a pop and some smokes at the place I work. Given that chips and pop are null of almost anything your body wants I change that to nuts or seeds and a juice or chocolat milk. I expell a lot of energy in a day so I really try to keep extra stores of fat (I'm 138lbs so ya they don't last) by motoring through a pizza, gorging on krullers and using real cream to dunk cookies in (and 3.5% in the fridge)!

All I'm pointing at is that you can really have a better start for a game if you try to fuel your engine! Pasta the night before and granola bars in the morning, bring fruit to the field instead of redbull and if you have to have a MRE bring some mints:|

Yep, the muscles love those complex carbohydrates the night before. Fruits are good for quick boosts of energy. A good breakfast is always important and so is A LOT of water. It's always best to keep hydrated at all times. A lot of common fatigue is caused by lack of water.

I've never been on a "diet" but I guess my regular diet is a "diet." I never starve my body of food. I always eat at much as a I can, which is a lot for my size. But that's because I do not particularly like the "unhealthy" foods. They aren't that amazing delicious. Chips are okay. But sodas, candy, chocolate, desserts in general, instant anything, microwavable anything, etc. aren't a part of my diet. The occasional soda pops in once in a while but that's about it. There's almost never any junk food or candy at my house.

Christ if I keep eating for another week I could be two of you....... :p

LOL!! I'm a pretty small frame too. :( I wish I was a bit bigger but I guess track made me like this. :mad: I'm about 145-150 lbs 5'9". Small fuck, eh?

Just join a gym and go 3-4 times a week for an hour. If you don't make the effort, nothing will change. If you need advice on how to improve specific things, I'm sure the internet can help you with that. Or you can PM me, I'm a personal trainer.

Haha, well actually my scale is fucked, its for someone on a diet who has a profile on it and I don't have one! So it says that but, ya 138 and 5'11 try getting a vest that fits nice! Oh and I forgot to mention that I am looking into the coolest idea I seen this weekend its called slow food and its real cool. See Bill Maher and Alice Waters talk http://www.billmaher.com/ its the april 9th one.

Check out defrancos system, I havent tried it cause I like being small (5'10 170)
but I have heard it works
http://www.defrancostraining.com/articles.html

I'll look into it thanks. But following all of these plans is pretty tough lol. I'm not one to follows these usually. I just do whatever I feel like such as alternate upper and lower throughout the week. I used to be smaller though, roughly 135-140 when I actually did track. I've been going to the gym roughly 3-5 times a week though and have gained some muscle mass in the process. I'm trying to stay not too big. I like to keep agile for sports. :D

Unless you carry a really heavy gun you really want to focus on working out your legs (quads especially) since they will be doing most of the work in a game. Try running stairs (up and Down), work on beating the time then increase the amount of stairs or times you do them.
At least thats what I'm starting to do, I'll see if it helps.

I was more so giving advice for getting big

yeah go for stairs great cardio and muscular workout
(dont do to many in one day tho, and make sure to stretch properly before and after, probably only do it every other day)
stairs is a great workout but it can be very harsh on the joints
so you need to space it out
If your going to run stairs alternate between stairs one day then something low impact but still good for the legs like biking, or bodyweight squats
if stairs get boring switch it up by running up and down hills, preferably in the woods with some crazy terrain (thats what i did yesterday lol, so fun)

Haha, yeah. I think I'm pretty good in the leg department. Well, I hope so. Although my legs are chicken legs, they do their job! :) I used to run a lot of track and actively play a lot of ultimate. When I go to the gym, I squat around 215lbs. Is that good for my body weight and size? To be honest, before this year, I didn't go to the gym since grade 10 so I know jack shit about this stuff. All I did was play a lot of sports. In track, we didn't use the gym. Just intense 3-4 hour practices 5 days a week with a meet on the 6th day almost every week back in California.

couldnt tell you how good that is lol, I dont do weight training, only bodyweight (cheaper that way)

Well, free access to the university gyms. Might as well use it right? :) And I like to do body weight training too. That's what I think I'm best at. :D

Sunday at FR was my first time playing and I don't mind telling you I was worried about keeping up. I'm 51, 235 lbs & 5' 10". (I used to be 5'11" but I've started shrinking. It's pretty funny until it happens to YOU. And it will. just wait.) I figured I could sit out the odd game just to catch my breath if I had to. I got there at 0815 hrs for a 0900 start only to be told that airsofters never start on time. Funny paintballers I thought. Turned out to be true. Finally hit the field about 0945 for the first game. At 1600 hrs I was one of the last to leave and in between, the only time I wasn't on my feet was when I was in the dirt manuvering for position on the field. Didn't even sit for lunch. I made every game and had so much fun I didn't notice I was tired and sore until I got in the car to leave. Turns out I got a fair bit of sun for the first time in a few months, too. A couple advil and a nap and I was fine.
Now I'm motivated to drop some weight (as per doctor's orders to bring up the good cholesterol) and I'm going to have some fun doing it. My new motto is "Guns Make exercise Fun". I might even put it on a t-shirt though I'll probably add the word Airsoft just just to keep people from freaking out too much.

good question!!
airsofts are mostly designed for those amateurs,or in some ways we could say,for those military fans who are not able to achieve their personal ambition.So airsofts are the best imitations to simulate the battlefield,undoubtedly,relatiively good physical condition is the prerequisite!
However,honestly,i think its really a personal issue,for those who only treat airsofts as a fun,absolutely u can show up on the field with your belly...

Dont forget you always want to limber up

Drink lots of fluids. Drink a glass of water 1 hr before the game, keep hydrated during and after and before bed drink another glass of water (muscles and joints wont ache as much then next morning). Just my 2 cents!

A spambot necroed this thread.

Anyways.... I'm honestly a fat ass. I'd say I'm probably 5 pounds overweight, I try to eat healthy but those junk foods always seem to slip into my meals/snacks, drink a lot of alcohol, I live a pretty sedentary lifestyle studying in my room or in the library and all that.

At least I don't smoke (although doesn't T7 smoke like a chimney and still outrun half the people on the field).

Overall though I'd say I'm in fairly good shape by at least attempting to take care of myself and I do a lot of walking so that's good.

Practice practice practice, a full metal AEG with an NIMH in a full stock is great for wrist strengthening exercises ergo basic and advanced rifle PT (no space in my in laws place, so it will have to do), I work on reflex, proactively helping around whenever I can, muscle memory, survival-mania weekends, I do runs in rough terrain whenever I can, chain sawing dead trees (Stihl man-through and through) and lumber for burns when I'm near Ottawa Valley, foot patrols for deer traps (hate 'em, pure wussies use 'em), basically, I'm more of an outdoorsman than anything else.
At home I work on my stealth skills by stalking my wife around the house, surprising my boy with 'ninja attacks', and my running skills are enhanced by running away after telling (HER) to make me a sandwich...
Dietary, well, I look at diet as being DIE with a "T" at the end of it, so I eat like I'm gonna make both PETA and buffet owners cry, but I do balance out proteins and carbs, I used to be 290, I went down to 180 by simply eating it away; Basically I eat twice the amount of proteins compared to carbs, yep, sounds weird but it worked. I still eat like a MickeyD's poster child though, simply based on the fact that the lady and I cook everything gourmet to BBQ to comfort food, food is delicious... Maybe one day I will show up to an ASC event and BBQ for everyone with the wife.
But make no mistake, I'm not in shape, I'm actually still overweight for 5'10

I do smoke, and the smoking does prevent me from performing better athletically. However for the health safety of everyone around me, I continue to smoke.

M-W-F morning 30 min on the tread mill, approx 5km sometimes more sometimes less.
+light weights

T-TH morning 30 min swimming lanes

T-TH nights 30 min heavy bag work outs.

yeah the smoking taints me a little...but I consume enough pineapple to counteract it. :D

I've always worked out since i started in high school just to keep in shape and so I'd have an advantage playing sports also for my firefighting program. In airsoft it's important to have cardiovascular endurance and if your carrying heavy gear to have the muscle stamina as well. Just stay consistent and keep progressing to see the best results.

If you want to get in shape you can check out these sites for good resources
http://scivation.com/books/
http://bodybuilding.com

To get the most out of your training time stick to a nutrition and supplement plan(stick with lean proteins, healthy fats and complex low G.I. complex carbs and as far as supplements go it'd recommend at a minimum a multivitamin and protein shakes)
If your new to exercising/lifting weights I would start out with a moderate intensity cardio program and stick to compound movements :squats, dead lifts, bench press, bent rows, military press etc..if you combine that with sports training, full body stretching, sports specific training and plyometrics it will compound your benefits.

I played on and off "competative" tennis for 10 years, so Airsoft can be anything from a lazy man workout for me (like running on a treadmill) to an all out workout (doing laps across 6 courts (touch every horizontal line on the court back and fourth over a span of 8 or so courts).

Now I do not lie I am 5'5" and made of skin and bone so speed for me always works in my favour, however I wouldn't mind some muscule lol although I did hit a mean topspin back hand

muscle is relative when you think of it. Look at Bruce lee, small guy but knew what to do with what he had.

Some people will never be big like myself and you.... but working those muscles still makes them stronger even though they are not bigger

I only comment cause I to wanted to be bigger at one point but after a long haul in the jim/training I realized my body didn't want that for me and no matter what I did I stayed the same +/- 5lbs

With all Bruce Lee's strength training, word is at 24yrs old he could bicep curl 80lbs and weighed only 140lbs. And that's with 14" biceps!
I see some muscle bound testo head steroid users with 20" arms that only bicep curl 50lbs...
Size doesn't mean crap. Once I started working out and started talking to people I learned really fast there's a huge difference between muscle bulk and muscle density.

I hear where your coming from, some extra bulk makes you look better, but just as well, being able to take on someone with 60lbs on you will get you more ladies ;)

Haha bruce lee :) if I had a body like him, I'd just strut around town all, day, long!

On top of that I'd play shirtless all year round at airsoft games.