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Stew Smith
is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, a
former Navy SEAL, and author of several fitness
and self defense books such as The Complete
Guide to Navy SEAL Fitness, and Maximum
Fitness. As a military fitness trainer,
Stew has trained hundreds of students for
Navy SEAL, Special Forces, Air Force PJ, Ranger
Training, and other physical law enforcement
professions. His eBooks at Military.com can
help you achieve your fitness goals, whether
you're a beginner or an expert. For more info
on his books, visit the Military.com eBook
Fitness Store.
View
the Smith Archives
Email Stew Smith at stew@stewsmith.com.
Visit Stew Smith's Official Website: www.stewsmith.com.
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This week I received an email that brought back a few old memories
of Army Airborne training in Fort Benning, GA. This young soldier
wishes to become an Army Ranger and wants to know what he needs
to do to prepare each step of the way.
If anyone is preparing to become a member of any Special Operations
Group (Army SF, Rangers, Navy SEALs, Marine RECON, Air Force PJs,
EOD units, and others) they all must graduate from the Army Basic
Airborne Course (BAC) in Fort Benning. Not only is it a prerequisite
for Special Ops, but it has become a mandatory school to further
your Army career as well. So let the BAC be a starting point to
making your future in the Army bright, exciting, and fulfilling.
To prepare for BAC, you need to pass the Army PFT with a score of
180 and be able to hold a flexed arm hang for 10 seconds*. At age
bracket 17-21 that is only a score of:
|
180 Score
|
| |
Men |
Women |
| Pushups |
42 |
19 |
| Sit-ups |
53 |
53 |
| 2 mile run |
15:54 |
18:54 |
These scores are below average for the caliber of student who easily
graduates Airborne without any trouble on the daily runs and PT. I
would recommend getting closer to the 80 - 100% on the APFT so you
can enjoy the training and better concentrate on the mission at hand
- jumping out of a perfectly good airplane. The 80-100 range is:
|
240-300 Score
|
| |
Men |
Women |
| Pushups |
57-71 |
31- 42 |
| Sit-ups |
66-78 |
66-78 |
| 2 mile run |
13:00 - 14:24 |
15:36 - 17:12 |
If your goals are to one day become an Army Ranger or solider in
the Special Forces, you definitely want to be able to ace the Army
PFT with a 300 or better. The following training for any SF school
will require much more out of you that Airborne, but Airborne is
a great first step to "jump" starting your career. Many of my favorite
PT programs to train for the Army PFT can be found in the following
Military.com links:
Pullups
/ Flexed Arm Hang
Pushups
and Sit-ups
Running
Now, let's meet those physical standards and surpass the 180 minimum
score and aim higher. While you are taking the time to exercise
to prepare for the training, pick up the training a notch and really
get yourself in top shape. Non-combatants and combatants of the
Army alike, now more than ever need to raise the bar and be able
to perform at higher standards. Be ready and train hard in all areas
- we are in a war! Good luck to all soldiers and future soldiers
alike. Thanks for your service.
The Military.com Fitness eBook Store can help you prepare for the
next phase of your training. Email fitness author and former Navy
SEAL Stew Smith your questions and he will answer and may use them
as part of this column. There is a new Airborne Workout in the store
now and an Air Assault School Workout in the works.
For more on the administrative, physical, and medical requirements
check out:
U.S.
Army Infantry Hompage
Cool link for Army PFT Requirements:
U.S. Army
HOOAH 4 Health
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this page to friends
© 2004 Stew Smith. All opinions expressed
in this article are the author's and do not necessarily reflect
those of Military.com.
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