hello all i am currently in the military and have specific standards i have to meet. push ups, pull ups, set ups, and running. i have the run down but have been neglecting my push ups. should i barely skirt by with that aspect or is it not that big a deal for me to do push up and other upper body as long as its not "weighted"? 

im just afraid that if i start to work on my push up that i will start to build muscle again and that kinda counter productive to what i am trying to do with all the running. does anyone else have the same issue or anything similar. or just advice.

It depends what branch you are in and what your career goals are.  In the Navy, the standards were kind of a joke, and since I knew I wasn't going to stay in long enough to make chief or put any other type of package in, it was fine for me to just hit the minimum.

Well if things haven't changed that much since I was in, its a pass or fail. I am lazy and always went for the minimum +2-5 more as a "I could do more if I actually wanted to" sort of attitude. On the run, I really, really hate running and always timed it out to pass within the time limits. I always got my promotions, went to PLDC to become promotable from E4 to E5. Yeah all the "extras" may look good but they tire you out quick. Push ups will build your triceps and chest. Sit ups will build up you abdomen and pull ups I'm not really sure about but if you don't want to build your upper body and don't plan on making a fastrack career out of it, just go for the minimums for passing.

thank you and it help to know that there are others that have gone threw what i am going threw and yea the pfa is a joke but what can you do right. im just afraid of training to and building that muscle will mess up my appearance in the long run. i mean its only like 45-50 push ups i should and like 60 set ups i shouldnt have to work to hard i think im just freaking out over nothing.

how did you handle being in the service and having hide who you are. i mean its killing me i work with a bunch of homophobic, misogynistic, politically incorrect, ass hats. if i even hinted that i was transgendered im sure the soup socks would follow soon after. and i know that i cant go to a therapist about it because they would deem me mentally unfit to serve, and i would get admin sep almost as fast. and i cant go to a civ. therapist cuz that a articular 92. i love my job i love the military i really do. what can i do i know i cant really start my transition until i get out and that really sucks. but i can get over that. its just the having to pretend to be someone im not. does anyone have any advice on that.

I didn't handle it.  I had the plan that I could make it until I get out before addressing transition.  Two years away from fulfilling my contract, I hit a bit of a rough spot and talked to a therapist.  I was incredibly dumb and thought if I said I didn't want to transition until after I got out, I could talk about it and sort of prepare for getting out and addressing my dysphoria.  Especially since I was in an undermanned job that required 2 years of training. I was super wrong though and got the boot involuntarily, but I was lucky enough to receive an honorable discharge.

im in the same damned situation and with the guidance of you i know what not to do. i hadnt had dysphoria up until recently and it hasnt been to bad. im hoping it doesnt get worse. but it really blows that we cant even talk to someone who is supposed to be there to help us about this. i mean i see a therapist about my anger and depression but i never told them the real root as to what it was once i finally started to figure it out on my own. i and going to have to bit the bullet and just have a fractured life for the next 4 years there. lol really souldnt have re enlisted. 

What branch are you in? If it's navy I can tell you all the manuals and instructions that would apply to you.

yeah navy

Alright, the following manuals and instructions apply:

NAVMED P-117, article 15-58, paragraph (15)
MILPERSMAN 1910-120
BUPERINST 1900.8D

The most pertinent snippet from those is from the end of 1910-120:

Quote4. Characterization of Service. Honorable (HON), unless an
entry level separation (ELS) (MILPERSMAN 1910-308) or General
(under honorable conditions) (GEN) (MILPERSMAN 1910-304), is
warranted. Selected Reserve (SELRES) personnel are not eligible
for ELS.

No although that makes it seem like it should default to honorable unless not deserved that is not always the case.  When you are discharged via 1910-120, the CO is to review your service record and decide what characterization you deserve.  However it is entirely up to them and yu have no chance to appeal.  You could have been the most ->-bleeped-<--hot sailor in the history of the Navy, but if your CO doesn't like you he can give you a general discharge and you can't do a thing about no matter how good your service record is.  Luckily, I was at a good command which knew I didn't want a discharge and a good service record to back it up, so I was pretty much told if I submitted a request to separate via that instruction instead of forcing it to be command-initiated, (it's a lot quicker and easier process if it is SM-initiated and I didn't have enough time in to get separation pay for an involuntary sep) then I would get an honorable characterization.  So even though I still wish I could have finished my contract, things turned out pretty well for me.  However, I definitely got lucky.  If I was at the wrong command and got stuck with a general life would be terrible right now and I definitely wouldn't have the resources to transition anyway.  Of course, if you get to a breaking point go talk to mental health, but if you can stick it out, definitely try to.  If you have any other questions let me know. 

thank you and i will definitely ask if anything comes up. i know im new to this, but if there is anything that i can do to help out let me know i will do my damnedest to help as well. im really lucky that i have my wife to help me threw this as well.

thank you again