PFT Anxiety - Channel the Nervous Energy Prior to Physical Fitness Tests

Anxiety is prevalent in our world. It occurs at home, work, social situations, playing sports, and test-taking. Academic testing anxiety is very similar to physical test-taking anxiety. I know before taking a chemistry test at the Naval Academy, I felt the same when I took the Navy SEAL PFT. Those symptoms were: headaches, nausea, feeling too hot or too cold, etc. The adrenaline flows through your body prior to any of these events and can adversely affect your performance.

In regards to the physical fitness test, the ways to combat anxiety are similar to those of academic testing-taking anxiety. The PFT anxiety-removing techniques are as follows:

Be well prepared for the test. Do not start "studying" (exercising) for the PFT a week or two before the test. Fitness is a daily habit that needs to be developed 4-6 times a week. (See article archive for ideas)

  1. Test yourself. Take the PFT once a week. It is the stopwatch that causes most of your anxiety, so train with the stopwatch when doing pushups, situps, running etc...

  2. Maintain healthy lifestyle. Eat more fruits and vegetables than fast foods, sleep regular hours, drink more water, and exercise 4-6 times per week.

  3. PFT taking meals. On the evening prior to the PFT, drink water, eat more fruits and vegetables as in salad, and lean forms of protein like fish and chicken. Pasta is a pre-race favorite among runners and swimmers also. On the morning of the test, eat fruits like apples, bananas, or baby carrots - all high on the glycemic index and provide blood sugar for immediate energy. (See Food Pyramid Article)
  4. Test the way you train. Do not do something for the first time on test taking day like eat a protein bar or energy drink. Find out what works for you during your practice tests.

  5. Relax. Take deep breaths before the stop watch starts and think positively.

  6. Treat yourself. Give yourself a reward IF you reach your training goals.

Once you arrive to your test well prepared, the PFT becomes "just another workout" and the only anxiety you will get is a healthy dose of adrenaline that enables you to compete with your counterparts. This healthy dose is similar to competing in a 10K race.

If you are interested in starting a workout program to create a healthy lifestyle - check out the StewSmith.com Fitness eBook Store. Also check out the Stew Smith Article Archive at www.StewSmith.com. Feel free to email me anytime with your comments and questions at stew@stewsmith.com

If you would like to pay online for any of the downloadable workouts that have worked for several clients of the StewSmith.com PT Club please click the Yahoo Store link:  Stew Smith PT Club @ yahoo 

OR

Check out the Stew Smith Fitness Catalog

            His published books can be found in major bookstores and online retailers. 

They include:

 The Complete Guide to Navy SEAL Fitness
Maximum Fitness
– The Complete Guide to Navy SEAL Cross-training
The SWAT Workout
Common Sense Self Defense

The Special Operations Workout
The TV Watchers Workout


    Have any fitness questions? Send them to me at stew@stewsmith.com.

     See Stew's Article Archive

The Complete List of Stew Smith's eBooks:

 

General Fitness and Nutritional Guides for Everyone

The 45 Day Beginner Guide to Fitness

The 45 Day Intermediate Guide to Fitness

The Diabetic Prevention Workout / Diet

The Athlete Workout - Rugby, Soccer, Lacrosse & Football
The Busy Executive Workout Routine

The Six Week Advanced Weight Training / PT Guide

The Special Forces Physical Fitness Workouts
New - Combat Conditioning Workout

Navy SEAL Workout Phase 1  Beginner Weeks 1-6
Navy SEAL Workout Phase 2 - 3 - Intermediate Weeks 1-12
Navy SEAL Workout Phase 4  Grinder PT -  Four weeks before Hell Week

Navy SWCC Workout

The Army Special Forces / Ranger Workout  Phase 1 & 2

The Army Air Assault School Workout

The Army Airborne Workout

USMC RECON Workout Phase 1 & 2

Air Force PJ / CCT Workout

NEW - The Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer Workout - NEW

The OCS, ROTC, Service Academy, & Bootcamp Workouts

Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard OCS Workout

USMC OCS / TBS Workout

The Service Academy Workout (West Point, Navy, Air Force Academy)

The Navy, Air Force, Marine Corp Bootcamp Workout

The Army OCS and PFT Workout
The Army Air Assault School Workout

The Army Airborne Workout

The Law Enforcement Physical Fitness Test Workouts

The FBI Academy Workout

The DEA Workout

The FLETC Workout - Ace the PEB / Same as Blackwater's Test

The State / Local Police Academy Workout

The Public Safety Diver Workout
 Border Patrol Agent Workout
ATF Agent Workout

                                                                                                                              
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                         __________________________________________________________________________________________
       
            
     Stew Smith, former Navy SEAL and fitness writer is certified by the National Strength and Conditioning Association (www.nsca.com) as a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS).  Email him personally at stew@stewsmith.com or stew@mycustomworkout.com

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