How to Turn Your Test into a Workout During Assessment Week

Fairly regularly, we all should assess ourselves to see where we are on our fitness goals and standards. This may mean a one-rep max (1RM) heavy lift test; a long-distance run, bike, row, ruck or swim; a shorter sprint; or a PT test. Whether it is a military, police, or special-ops fitness test or you just want to see how you compare, here are some ways to make a workout day out of the test.

Take a pick of just one or try more than one fitness test and see whether you can fit it into a 45- to 60-minute workout. Create a fun test by making it a workout with different arrangements and mix-and-match events.

Military PT tests

Army PFT

• Push-ups 2 minutes
• Sit-ups 2 minutes
• 2-mile run

*add 2-mile ruck for time

(This is the older fitness test, but it still is being used in some cases and in the recruitment phase of training.  The new test is more involved with the following exercises (Army CFT): deadlift (three-rep max); power throw; hand-release push-ups, two minutes; sprint-drag-carry; leg tucks; two-mile run.)

Navy PFT (The Air Force uses one-minute PT):

• Push-ups 2 minutes
• Plank pose 3-4 minutes
• 1.5-mile run

USMC

• Crunches 2 minutes or plank pose 4:30 (max)
• Pull-ups or push-ups 2 minutes
• 3-mile run

*Consider a swim, bike or elliptical if you prefer a non-impact option to use as a cooldown.

**or replace any sit-up/crunch exercise with a plank pose for two minutes.

Special Ops

BUD/S PST/AF PJ PAST

• 500-yard or -meter swim
• Push-ups 2 minutes
• Sit-ups 2 minutes
• Pull-ups max
• 1.5-mile run
• (add 2 x 25-meter underwater if you wish)

STO/CRO PAST test

• 1,500-meter swim with or without fins
• 3-mile run
• Push-ups 2 minutes
• Sit-ups 2 minutes
• Pull-ups max

Ranger

• Push-ups 2 minutes
• Sit-ups 2 minutes
• Pull-ups max
• 5-mile run

*add in a 300-yard shuttle run for speed test (6 x 50 yards)

**Adding a three- to four-mile ruck with 40-50 pounds is something to consider if you have time or save for a different day of the week.

Police

FBI

• Sit-ups 1 minute
• 300-meter sprint
• Push-ups 1 minute
• 1.5-mile run
• Pull-ups max

DEA

• Pull-ups max
• Push-ups 2 minutes
• Sit-ups 2 minutes
• Shuttle run 120 yards (4 x 30)
• 2-mile timed run

FLETC

• Toe touch
• Illinois Agility Test
• 1.5-mile run
• Bench press -- one-rep max weight

*variety of bench-press tests available:

• Max reps of body weight (or percentage of BW)
• Max reps of given weight

If you really want to challenge yourself, do your fitness test twice.

There are other comprehensive fitness tests available as well:

• Tactical Fitness Dirty Dozen
• Ranger Athlete -- Warrior Test (RAW)

The goal of this assessment day is to see where you are and how you may want to rearrange your workouts to help you hit your performance goals in the future.

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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