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Ace the PFT - Basic Tips to Create a Strategy

Recommended workout - Try 5 sets of maximum pushups in five 1:00 periods.

Curl-ups (situps) - This is an exercise you need to pace. Most people burn out in the first 30 seconds with 30 curl-ups accomplished, only able to perform another 20 or so curlups within the next 1:30. By setting a pace at, for instance, 20 situps every 30 seconds, you can turn your score of 50-60 to 80 with very little effort.

Recommended workout - Try timing yourself with 5 sets of 30 seconds, setting your pace to your goal. A good pace is 20 situps in 30 seconds - totaling 80 in two minutes.

For most people the most challenging event of any PFT is by far the run. I receive many requests everyday from military members who are seeking workouts for their 1.5 mile, two or three mile PFT runs (Navy/ Army / Marine Corps respectively). Since all these distances use relatively the same training philosophy - short distance, faster pace - here are a few options to help all Armed Forces members, regardless of service, get a little faster on their runs.

Timed run - PACE - The most important thing is to not start off too fast. Learn your pace and set your goal by pacing yourself to the finish. For instance, if your goal is to run the 2 mile run in 14:00, you must run a 7:00 mile or a 1:45 - 1/4 mile..

Recommended workout and techniques - The Four Mile Track Workout has worked for many military and short distance runners for years. This workout is basically interval training. Interval training means you run at a certain pace for a particular distance then increase the pace for the same distance. The Four Mile Track Workout is broken into 1/4 mile sprints and jogs and 1/8 mile sprints and jogs for a total of four miles. The workout goes as follows:

                              4 Mile Track Work
                              Jog - 1 mile in 7:00 - 8:00
                                      Three sets of:
                              Sprint-1/4 mile at goal pace
                              Jog - 1/4 mile in 1:45-2:00
                                     Six sets of:
                                  Sprint-1/8 mile
                                  Jog - 1/8 mile 1:00

Do this workout without walking to rest. The only rest you will receive is during your slower jogging pace. Try to catch your breath while you jog. Have fun with this one it is tough.

Another good speed / PACE workout is called REPEATS. Simply run a certain distance at your goal 1.5 mile, 2 mile or 3 mile pace a specified number of times. This time you get to walk to recover and catch your breath before the next goal pace. You can try one of the following distances for a challenging workout:

MILE REPEATS - 1 mile x 3-4 (walk 1/4 mile in between) = 3-4 miles
1/2 MILE REPEATS - 1/2 mile x 6 (walk 1/4 mile in between) = 3 miles
1/4 MILE REPEATS - 1/4 mile repeats x 12 (walk 1/8 mile in between) = 3 miles
1/8 MILE REPEATS - 1/8 mile repeat x 16 (walk 100 yds in between) = 2 miles

Finally, if you have not had enough, you can try mixing shorter jogs and sprints together for a longer period of time. This type of training is great for building the speed and endurance needed for any of the PFTs or 5 or 10K races. I call them SPRINT / JOGS. Simply run about 50 yards as fast as you can then jog 50 yards fairly slow in order to catch your breath. I like doing this one where telephone poles line the road so I can just sprint form one telephone pole then jog to the next.

                                  Sprint / Jogs 
                                  100 yd sprint / 100 yd jog
                                  for 10, 20 , 30 minutes

All of these workouts are fantastic ways to get faster but build the needed endurance which most sprinters lack. Remember to take big deep breaths, relax your upperbody and slightly bend your arms. Do not run flat footed. These workouts are just a few of over hundred different workouts featured the DOWNLOADABLE eBooks for sale at Stew Smith PT Club

 You can purchase any of the author's books at www.stewsmith.com , major online book retailers or your local book store.

Feel free to email me if you have any questions at stew@stewsmith.com

The PFT Bible:  The Most Common Fitness Test in the World

eBook or Book Available

Stew - I am writing this email to share with you my results following the PFT Bible as well as to show my many thanks. I started the program about seven weeks ago and just finished it yesterday. This is hands down the most challenging, fun, and progressive workout program I have ever done. At the start of this program I was not a runner, my 1.5 mile timed run score during week one was 17:01. Now, seven weeks later it has dropped down to 12:28.  At the end of this program my Pull-Ups  was 16, Sit-Ups in 2min, 95, Push-Ups in 2min, 105, and 3 mile run time was at 27:16. In conclusion, this program is great and does wonders. I cannot put into words how thankful I am for this. Thank you.   Josh

The most common fitness test used is one you can find in a majority of the military branches, Allied militaries, and most law enforcement departments.  The World's Most Common Physical Fitness Test (PFT) is pushups, situps, sit and reach, and 1.5 mile run.

TRX Workouts - This is a great device to use if you are failing at pushups and pullups.  The TRX rows will help you build your chest, shoulders, triceps and bicep / back muscles like a set of weights, but also work the core at the same time.

If you are interested in fitting pyramid workouts into a comprehensive training

program check out the StewSmith eBook Fitness Store.