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Marine Corps Officer Candidate School (OCS)
Fitness Standards - Ace the PFT

Preparing for any of the United States Marine Corps training programs is not easy and it should only be done with a solid foundation of physical activity. This could require years of athletics or workouts to have the kind of foundation required to excel in the Marine Corps. Personally, a lifetime of sports and learning to be a team player is critical to your success not only through the boot camp or OCS programs but also during your career as a Marine. People who become USMC recruits often make the mistake and think that the USMC will "get them in shape". It is true the USMC will get you in BETTER shape, BUT if you do not go to training with some sort of above average ability, you will suffer in many areas.

Typically the under-prepared, new recruits will become so stressed mentally and physically with remedial training programs (done during "free time"), guilt from failing their team, and over-use injuries that they struggle learning the critical things of their profession like marksmanship, patrolling, land navigation, and many other skills detrimental to their success. A statistically proven method of performing well in any type of military / law enforcement training is to ace the entrance fitness test.

In this case it is the pullups, crunches, and 3 mile run for the USMC PFT. By far, this is the toughest service wide PFT in the military. First pullups require significant upperbody strength in order to lift your body over a bar. It helps to be more lean than overweight as each extra fat pound takes away from your pullup score in fewer reps performed. The three mile run requires more of a base of running training compared to the other services that use the 1.5 and 2 mile timed runs for their standard PFT cardio event.

Here are some related articles to help you with those challenging events:

Pullups - Start here is you cannot get any or too few under the required minimum

Pullup Push Program - Start here if you goal is to max the pullup test (20) and can do 5-10 reps already.

Crunches - Learn to pace yourself with a two minute crunch test to easily max the test

Running Plans - Start here if a beginner

Running to ace the test - Max the Run Program phase 1

Running fast for 3 miles - Max the Run Program phase 2

Testimonial - Stew - I decided to spend this summer at the US Marine Corps Officer Candidates School in the PLC juniors program. Because soccer greatly limits my ability to do military style pt, I was thrilled when I came upon your Six Week USMC OCS/TBS package on the website. I followed your program to the letter for 6 weeks. I showed up at OCS in great physical condition, graduated in the top 10% of my class and ran a 300 Marine Corps PFT (20 pullups,114 crunches in 2 min and a 17:35 3 mile run). I just wanted to write you and say thank you for such a great sport specific resource. It was invaluable to my success, and I just purchased your Marine Recon package and look forward to getting into that in the coming weeks.

USMC Physical Fitness Test (PFT)

Male Marines will perform "dead-hang” pull-ups, abdominal crunches, and a 3.0-mile run. Female Marines will complete the "flexed-arm" hang, abdominal crunches, and a 3.0 - mile run with a pull-up option.

Check out this USMC PFT grading chart below to figure out where your fitness level stands compared to a U.S. Marine.

Marine Corps Physical Fitness Test Points - Male
Points	Pull-Ups	Crunches	3-Mile Run
100	20	100	18:00
99		99	18:10
98		98	18:20
97		97	18:30
96		96	18:40
95	19	95	18:50
94		94	19:00
93		93	19:10
92		92	19:20
91		91	19:30
90	18	90	19:40
89		89	19:50
88		88	20:00
87		87	20:10
86		86	20:20
85	17	85	20:30
84		84	20:40
83		83	20:50
82		82	21:00
81		81	21:10
80	16	80	21:20
79		79	21:30
78		78	21:40
77		77	21:50
76		76	22:00
75	15	75	22:10
74		74	22:20
73		73	22:30
72		72	22:40
71		71	22:50
70	14	70	23:00
69		69	23:10
68		68	23:20
67		67	23:30
66		66	23:40
65	13	65	23:50
64		64	24:00
63		63	24:10
62		62	24:20
61		61	24:30
60	12	60	24:40
59		59	24:50
58		58	25:00
57		57	25:10
56		56	25:20
55	11	55	25:30
54		54	25:40
53		53	25:50
52		52	26:00
51		51	26:10
50	10	50	26:20
49		49	26:30
48		48	26:40
47		47	26: 50
46		46	27:00
45	9	45	27:10
44		44	27:20
43		43	27:30
42		42	27:40
41		41	27:50
40	8	40	28:00
39		x	28:10
38		x	28:20
37		x	28:30
36		x	28:40
35	7	x	28:50
34		x	29:00
33		x	29:10
32		x	29:20
31		x	29:30
30	6	x	29:40
29		x	29:50
28		x	30:00
27		x	30:10
26		x	30:20
25	5	x	30:30
24		x	30:40
23		x	30:50
22		x	31:00
21		x	31:10
20	4	x	31:20
19		x	31:30
18		x	31:40
17		x	31:50
16		x	32:00
15	3	x	32:10
14	x	x	32:20
13	x	x	32:30
12	x	x	32:40
11	x	x	32:50
10	x	x	33:00

* Round up all values (e.g., 18:01 to 18:09 equals 99 points)

In order to pass the semi-annual fitness test, Marines must perform the minimum acceptable performance requirements shown in the chart below. Additionally, they must have enough overall points to meet the 3rd class fitness requirements (see below).

Marine Corps Physical Fitness Test Points - Female
Points	Flexed-Arm Hang	Crunches	3-Mile Run
100	70 sec	100	21:00
99		99	21:10
98	69 sec	98	21:20
97		97	21:30
96	68 sec	96	21:40
95		95	21:50
94	67 sec	94	22:00
93		93	22:10
92	66 sec	92	22:20
91		91	22:30
90	65 sec	90	22:40
89		89	22:50
88	64 sec	88	23:00
87		87	23:10
86	63 sec	86	23:20
85		85	23:30
84	62 sec	84	23:40
83		83	23:50
82	61 sec	82	24:00
81		81	24:10
80	60 sec	80	24:20
79		79	24:30
78	59 sec	78	24:40
77		77	24:50
76	58 sec	76	25:00
75		75	25:10
74	57 sec	74	25:20
73		73	25:30
72	56 sec	72	25:40
71		71	25:50
70	55 sec	70	26:00
69		69	26:10
68	54 sec	68	26:20
67		67	26:30
66	53 sec	66	26:40
65		65	26: 50
64	52 sec	64	27:00
63		63	27:10
62	51 sec	62	27:20
61		61	27:30
60	50 sec	60	27:40
59		59	27:50
58	49 sec	58	28:00
57		57	28:10
56	48 sec	56	28:20
55		55	28:30
54	47 sec	54	28:40
53		53	28:50
52	46 sec	52	29:00
51		51	29:10
50	45 sec	50	29:20
49		49	29:30
48	44 sec	48	29:40
47		47	29:50
46	43 sec	46	30:00
45		45	30:10
44	42 sec	44	30:20
43		43	30:30
42	41 sec	42	30:40
41		41	30:50
40	40 sec	40	31:00
39	39 sec	x	31:10
38	38 sec	x	31:20
37	37 sec	x	31:30
36	36 sec	x	31:40
35	35 sec	x	31:50
34	34 sec	x	32:00
33	33 sec	x	32:10
32	32 sec	x	32:20
31	31 sec	x	32:30
30	30 sec	x	32:40
29	29 sec	x	32:50
28	28 sec	x	33:00
27	27 sec	x	33:10
26	26 sec	x	33:20
25	25 sec	x	33:30
24	24 sec	x	33:40
23	23 sec	x	33:50
22	22 sec	x	34:00
21	21 sec	x	34:10
20	20 sec	x	34:20
19	19 sec	x	34:30
18	18 sec	x	34:40
17	17 sec	x	34:50
16	16 sec	x	35:00
15	15 sec	x	35:10
14	x	x	35:20
13	x	x	35:30
12	x	x	35:40
11	x	x	35:50
10	x	x	36:00

USMC is a challenging profession and more information can be found at the StewSmith.com Article Archive

Six Week USMC OCS/TBS Workout book - is a great plan to use if you need to learn how to train for USMC tests and training.

For more specific info on the USMC Fitness Requirements read the following related articles:

Pull-up Alternatives

Passing the Tape Test – Losing Body Fat / Inches / Weight

Lean Down Diet Plan

Links to Stew Smith eBooks
Army	Navy	Air Force	USMC	Coast Guard
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__________________________________________________________________________________________

Stew Smith is a former Navy SEAL and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) by the National Strength and Conditioning Association. He specializes in military and law enforcement fitness, particularly Special Operations units. Please feel free to email him at Stew@stewsmith.com with any comments or questions.

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