Comments on: Army Physical Fitness Test

By: Cows

Cows — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 02:03:11 +0000

You've got a good start. Slow the run down a notch and start pushing the distance. Keep pushing it until you get three miles and then start working for time at 2 miles.

Start working on push ups but make sure youre going all the way down and up in a straight line (Lock the elbows at the top and make sure your shoulder blades go down as far as your elbows.) Remember your neck spine and legs must be a straight line all the way down and up.

Keep working on your situps, maybe work on crunches instead for some of the sets.

At 15, you have a good start and two years to even sign on the line. It'll come. Plan on at least 6-8 hrs sleep.

Breakfast: the tradionals still work quite well (eggs, pancakes, hot or cold cereals).

Keep up the good work! A good PT program will help you with school and everywhere else in life as well.

By: A.Spen

A.Spen — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 20:59:09 +0000

Bill's basically right. Drink only water. No fast food. Eat foods high in protein. Do at least two two minute sets of push ups and sit ups before each run on run days. Do a day of sprints (60 second sprint, 120 seconds walking), a day of medium distance running 2.5-3.0 miles and a day of long distance running 4.0-5.0 miles each week. On your off run days, do LOTS of push ups (different types, diamonds, wide arm, etc) and do various ab exercises (crunches, flutter kicks, etc). Take one day off a week. You'll improve dramatically, but if you're way off, you won't make it.

By: NEAnimalLover

NE*AnimalLover* — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 16:00:34 +0000

My brother took that and he trained for months ahead of time and was relatively active before that too. I would say you are cutting it close!

Good luck!

By: shango007007

shango007007 — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 12:35:28 +0000

yeah, pt can be rough, but i fuckin love the army. hooah!!! lol

By: MrMatthew1180

MrMatthew1180 — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 07:49:17 +0000

AHHH this brings back memories !

By: Oliver A

Oliver A — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 23:54:22 +0000

You have 2 minutes to do as many push-ups as you can. Then you have 2 minutes to do as many sit-ups as you can. Than you run 2 miles as fast as you can. Depending on your age group and how many push-ups and sit-ups you do in addition to your 2 mile run time they add the scores up for your total.

example: 22 year old male
push-ups – 65 = 89 pts
sit-ups – 70 = 87 pts
2 mile run – 13:40 = 92 pts
Total = 278 pts

By: Charles

Charles — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 20:22:56 +0000

Others here gave great responses…

I'll just through in a point-of-view from the Navy.

When I left in 1999 as a Lieutenant Commander, I took a HELL of a lot of pride that at 35 years of age, I could not only max-out on the PFT for MY age group… but still compete at ALL levels with those ten years younger than myself.

I could even compete with my former enlisted brethren in the SAR Swimmer PT Tests… the 25 year olds. I typically TROMPED the 35 year old CPO's.

It certainly gave ME a firm footing when I had to chew out and / or motivate junior officers or MY enlisted troops. "The OLD Man can still finish in the first 10 people on the run (out of a command of 250)… he's got the right to push."

By: dasielady

dasielady — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 07:57:06 +0000

Your profile begins the day that you get it, and ends when the doctor says it ends. You then have up to three months to prepare for the APFT.

You, and your Readiness NCO, need to read FM 21-20 and verify the profile information with the doctor.

By: RamenOps

RamenOps — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 20:16:20 +0000

I find it really hard to believe that a conscripted, reserve force has that much higher standards than a professional army.

By: Jose F

Jose F — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 16:53:36 +0000

books have nothing to do with the PT test… ask an Army recruiter for a print out of the PT and weight guidelines for your age and height. keep in mind that the Army will train you to pass the PT test.