Ask Stew: Why Getting Specific Will Help You on Your Military PT Test

A lack of specific training is often the cause of people performing poorly on military fitness tests. Failing to arrange workouts to mimic the fitness test order also can cause you to be off your normal passing scores. 

Here is an email from a student seeking better performance in the Army physical fitness test:

Hello, I am a current medical student in the National Guard. I have been trying to pass my PT test for about eight months now with no success. I have been in for two years and have never passed one. I feel like a complete failure because I cannot find a reason as to why I cannot pass. 

I am not overweight, and I am only 25 years old. I also enjoy CrossFit three times a week (beginning four months ago) and will usually run 2-3x a week. I can run 1.25 miles at a 9:19 pace, but when combined with the other events on test day, my mile times plummet to 11:00 per mile. I am getting extremely frustrated with this test and could really use some advice on how I can pass. I have six weeks until the next test and am willing to do anything to pass. I will make time in my day for anything you recommend. Thank you, Rachel

You have to get specific. If you want to pass a fitness test, you need to do the fitness test. Any exercise other than your test, and you are just working to work out, not to pass a fitness test.

If you are not doing at least one of these events each day, you are not preparing for the Army PFT:

• Push-ups
• Sit-ups
• Two-mile runs

If you really want to pass this test, get specific to the test. Do the test as a workout regularly. Create a strategy to perform better each time.

Here are some ideas:

Drop Mile Pace: Start out with quarter- and half-mile sets, then build up to mile sets. You soon will have two miles at that goal pace. More running workout ideas.

Better Push-ups: Push-ups every other day works well for building up, but you can try a system that pushes you daily for a few weeks. The Pushup Push.

Proper Sit-ups: It is all about pace. Practice your goal pace when you do sit-ups. In two weeks, you will see a big difference.

There is a rule in fitness called the FITT Principle, which stands for:

Frequency: How many times a week do you train for the PFT? You can do three upper-body PT days and 4-5 running days, making two of those running days a leg PT focus in order to build some muscle stamina (not one-rep max strength) in this PFT cycle.

Intensity: As hard as you train normally, you can put that energy into max-rep calisthenics sets, PT pyramids and calisthenics supersets. Focus on your pace, however, on the sit-ups and running. It is all about the pace of those two events.

Time: How long are your workouts? You need to work out 45-60 minutes to build the kind of muscle stamina and cardio endurance not just to pass a fitness test, but also to have some pride in your score and come close to maxing it.

Type (Specificity): What type of training are you doing? Are you lifting a lot of weights? Stop. Instead, get into PT (calisthenics/running) mode and master the events of the PFT for a six- to eight-week cycle.

That is how you do it. Let me know how you do over the next month. Also consider the Army PFT Training plan if you need specific daily routines.

Stew

Stew Smith is a former Navy SEAL and fitness author certified as a Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) with the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Visit his Fitness eBook store if you're looking to start a workout program to create a healthy lifestyle. Send your fitness questions to stew@stewsmith.com.

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