Weekly Workout: PT Challenge

Here is a workout that will start off as an easy warmup, but then pushes your max effort relatively quickly with many elements of military fitness tests. This is a great group training workout if you have a large field and access to pull-up bars and dips bars:

Push-up pyramid on a field (or large area) for 30 minutes of total time.
Run back and forth roughly half of a football field:

1 push-up, run 50 meters

2 push-ups, run 50m

3 push-ups, run 50m

4 push-ups, run 50m

5 push-ups, run 50m

Keep going up as high as you can, given the 30-minute time limit.  Strive for 20 sets or more.

Every fifth set, stop and do two-minute sit-ups, max pull-ups and dips, if available.

*You can use a basketball court-sized area as well if that is your option available.

Once you reach 20 sets or 30 minutes, stop and move to the next event.

Run 30 minutes. Stop every five minutes and do max pull-ups. How far do you get? Three or four miles?

Total time so far should be close to one hour. If you have time for a third 30-minute set, choose a non-impact cardio option and do the following interval:

Swim, bike or row five minutes (30 seconds fast/30 seconds easy for five minutes)

Rest with abs of choice or plank pose 1-2 minutes.

If you choose the swimming option, close with five minutes of treading, using arms only and five minutes using legs only. Finish pool time with five minutes of dynamic stretches in chest-deep water.

If you do not have a pool option, stop with 5-10 minutes of stretching and foam rolling to loosen up the upper and lower body.

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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