U.S. ARMY PHYSICAL FITNESS TEST

General: The Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT) consist of three equally-weighted events designed to measure soldiers’ cardiovascular and muscular endurance. The events are a 2-mile run, push-ups and sit-ups.

Testing: All events must be completed within 2 hours with a maximum rest period of 20 minutes between events. The events must be completed in the following order; push-ups, sit-ups, 2-mile run. Push-ups and sit-ups have a two minute time limit.

Event	Minimum	Maximum
	Male/Female	Male/Female
2 mile run	16:36/19:42	13:00/15:36
Push-ups	35/13	77/50
Sit-ups	47/47	82/82

ALL U.S. ARMED FORCES PHYSICAL FITNESS EVALUATIONS

IMPROVED PERFORMANCE

Enhancing physical performance through the combination of endurance and strength training coupled with nutrition. Exercises and workouts used throughout the U.S. Armed Forces will help prepare anyone improve the physical fitness aspect of their well-being. An elevated level of fitness relies on many factors, including:

Workout Preparation. Following a well-designed plan accounting for accepted physical fitness components and principles.

Warm-up. Preparing your body for strenuous exercises and training. The warm-up increases your heart rate and blood flow to muscles, promotes flexibility, elevates your body temperature, and helps reduce the risk of injury.

Workout. Exercises and training designed to develop muscle tone and promote wellness. Physical training throughout the military services relies heavily on body weight drills with minimal equipment requirements.

Cool-down. Activities that help the body recover from workouts in order to maximize gains and assists in the long-term sustainment of flexibility and performance.

Nutrition. It's a "garbage in, garbage out" relationship. Optimum physical output relies on balanced, healthy nutritional input.

PERFORMANCE FITNESS

DO WHAT YOU CAN...

WORKOUTS AND TRAINING PROGRAMS REQUIRING MINIMAL EQUIPMENT

PERFORMANCE FITNESS: 17-23 July Workout Plan (Preview)

Exercises and workouts designed to improve muscle tone, elevate overall fitness and enhance physical performance. Designed using proven armed forces conditioning components and principles.

Built around the core components of physical fitness; body composition, cardiovascular endurance, flexibility, muscular endurance and muscular strength, PERFORMANCE FITNESS: 17-23 July Workout Plan features a training regime that helps you gain and maintain a healthy body composition and overall fitness. Using military-based exercises and techniques you will build strength and endurance, eliminate excess body fat, improve athleticism and flexibility.

Full article: PERFORMANCE FITNESS: 17-23 July Workout plan

TRAINING JOURNAL

This week’s physical conditioning plan and daily workout sessions were designed and developed by myself to accomplish my fitness goal of maintaining a solid base of overall physical fitness. To sustain a solid base of overall physical conditioning I consider all components of physical fitness while conducting exercise planning.

Daily emphasis of physical fitness components

Day	Emphasis
Sunday	Cardiovascular endurance
Monday	Cardiovascular endurance & Muscular strength
Tuesday	Muscular endurance & Muscular strength
Wednesday	Stamina
Thursday	Active rest
Friday	Passive rest
Saturday	Speed

MY TRAINING JOURNAL

FITNESS FOR LIFE

The standing glute stretch adds a balance factor to a flexibility exercise.

Exercising on a regular basis improves coordination, endurance and strength in addition to enhancing one’s overall health and physical appearance. I have made the decision to workout daily and believe that physical training benefits my physical and mental performance. Studies have shown that consistent exercise programs reduce stress, greatly assist in weight management and add efficiency in handling of daily physical tasks.

WEEKLY WORKOUT PLAN

U.S. COAST GUARD PHYSICAL FITNESS TEST

General: Currently, the Coast Guard does not have a force-wide standardized physical fitness evaluation. They do have minimum physical fitness basic training graduation requirements which are designed to measure cardiovascular and muscular endurance, and the ability to swim. In addition to the swim requirements, the basic physical fitness events include a 1.5 mile run, push-ups and sit-ups.

Testing: The ability to swim is measured by an untimed 100 meter swim and being able to tread water for five minutes. Push-ups and sit-ups have a one minute time limit.

Event	Male	Female
1.5 mile run	12:51	15:26
Push-ups	29	15
Sit-ups	38	32

ALL U.S. ARMED FORCES PHYSICAL FITNESS EVALUATIONS

LOOK TO THE MOUNTAINTOP

Raising the American flag over Mount Suribachi during the Battle for Iwo Jima. Joe Rosenthal/The Associated Press

PHYSICAL CONDITIONING WORKOUTS TO GET YOU TO THE MOUNTAINTO

STRENGTH & STAMINA TRAINING

Swimming coupled with body weight exercises were on the stamina maintenance plan.

1. General warm-up

2. Specific warm-up

• 3 rounds of air squats, crunches, flutter kicks and push-ups.

3. Muscular strength

• 6 sets of chin-ups and pull-ups

4. Stamina

• 100m swim
• 6 minutes of treading water
• 5 rounds of swimming plus squats

5. Cool-down

MY TRAINING JOURNAL

LAWS TO A FIT LIFE

7 Laws to a Fit Life http://bit.ly/7FitLaws  thanks to @JenniferDawnPro --- @dymatize #fitness #fitnessmotivation

https://twitter.com/FittestGirl/status/756158933409132544

EXERCISE & FITNESS ARTICLES

CORE & UPPER BODY DEVELOPMENT ROUTINE

This workout is designed to develop core stability and upper body strength.

EXERCISE(S)	SETS	REPETITIONS
Arm circles-Horizontal arm swings-Jumping jacks	2	10
Alternate chin- pull-up pyramid	7	2-3-4-5-4-3-2
Crunch pyramid	7	10-10-15-20-15-10-10
Vertical jumps	2	10
Alternate weighted chin- pull-ups	2	5
Front leaning rest-front plank-side planks-bridge	1	15 seconds each
Streching: Quad-Hamstring-Calf -Upper back-Delts-Biceps	1	15 seconds each

DAILY WORKOUTS

CARDIOVASCULAR & MUSCULAR ENDURANCE WORKOUT

This session includes 10 minutes of completing as many reps as possible (AMRAP) of alternating pull-ups and chin-ups combined with crunches. You will have to manage fatigue in order to complete the highest number. Completing sets to failure is not an efficient strategy.

EXERCISE(S)	SETS	REPETTIONS
High knee walk-Skipping-Arm circles-High knee run in place-Butt kick run in place-Horizontal arm swings	1	5
Alternate chin- pull-ups + crunches	1	AMRAP 10 minutes
Jog	1	3 miles
High knee walk-Skipping-Arm circles-High knee run in place-Butt kick run in place-Horizontal arm swings	1	5
Stretch: Calf-Hamstring-Groin-Quad-Biceps-Triceps-Upper back	2	10 seconds each

DAILY WORKOUTS & TRAINING PLAN

COMPONENTS OF PHYSICAL FITNESS

Health-related	Performance-related
Body composition	Agility
Cardiovascular endurance	Coordination
Flexibility	Power
Muscular endurance	Speed
Muscular strength	Stamina

The average person who maintains a “workout routine” usually focuses on the health-related components. Athletes, who are continually trying to “better their game”, generally focus on the performance-related components.

General Physical Training Plan

TOTAL BODY WORKOUT

A warm-up should be conducted as the first portion of each training session. The warm-up prepares your body for movement, training and enhanced performance. It lifts your heart rate, increases blood flow to muscles, and elevates your body's core temperature. Additionally, it improves flexibility by warming connective tissue (ligaments and tendons) and reduces the risk of injury.

The training session was designed as total body workout. The calisthenics portion featured air squats, pull-ups and push-ups. The calisthenics session was followed by loaded sprints and a 3-mile jog.

EXERCISE(S)	SETS	REPETITIONS
Partial lunge with twist/Hip thrust/Partial squat/High-knee walk/Standing quadriceps stretch/High-knee walk/Standing glutes stretch/Donkey kicks/Butt kicks	1	5
Front plank	1	30 seconds
Side plank	1	15 seconds each
Air squat	1	30 seconds
Pull-up*	3	1
Push-ups	3	3
Air squats	3	3
Pull-ups	10	2
Push-ups	10	4
Air squats	10	6
Loaded sprints**	5	10m
Jog	1	3 miles
Stretching: Calf/Hamstring/Groin/ Quadriceps/Lower back/Triceps/Hip flexor/Deltoids	1	15 seconds each

* Chin-ups or Pull-ups ** Wearing a weighted back pack

DAILY WORKOUTS & WEEKLY TRAINING PLAN

ENDURANCE & SPEED WORKOUT

A Single Session Including Cardiovascular Endurance, Muscular Endurance and Speed

This daily training session was a potpourri of activities.

Following a warm-up period, core and leg work was conducted with 2 sets of air squats and planks. A calisthenics circuit including broad jumps, mountain climbers, sit-ups and twisting lunges followed.

Five sets of alternating chin- and pull-ups plus crunches preceded the day’s speed work. Following a sprint warm-up; sets of strides, loaded and unloaded starts as well as walking lunges was completed. Sunday’s workout was concluded with a 2-mile forced march with a 30 pound ruck. Ten minutes of stretching wrapped up the training session.

FULL WEEK WORKOUT PLAN

ACTIVE REST DAY

Active rest days include a minimum amount of physical activity with flexibility being the primary component. These active rest days provide for an active recovery for the physical training that had taken place the previous days and serves to regenerate the body for upcoming activities.

EXERCISE(S)	SETS	REPETITIONS
Heel raise-Butt kicks-Side lunge-Trunk circle-Horizontal arm swings-Curl & press-Wrist curls-Jumping jacks	1	5
Squat jump-Squat thrusts-Squat stretch-Mountain climber-Flutter kick-Scissor kick-8 count bodybuilder	1	5
Heel raise-Butt kicks-Side lunge-Trunk circle-Horizontal arm swings-Curl & press-Wrist curls-Jumping jacks	1	5
Stretching:Hurdler-Quad-Cobra-Lower back-Delt-Chest-Triceps	1	20 seconds

MORE FITNESS TIPS & WORKOUTS