Posted on Jul 20, 2016
For those who score a 270 and above, what was your workout plan that got you there?
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Responses: 12
You are going to hate this answer yet is it is factual.
Most days, I woke up and went to work doing stuff....occasionally I slept in till 6am and then woke up and did stuff at home.(this was that elusive thing known as "weekends")
Every few months (seemed like once a week sometimes but was more like 6 months or so) I was told this morning there was an APFT...and I did less stuff that morning with less physical stress then most any other day.
end result was APFT scores that were "Max"
Im not a gym rat, not a runner, dont do pilates or yoga.
I went to work and did PT, then lots of physical activity from the time I got back from chow till I went home. I ran, walked, lifted, squatted, carried, pushed all manner of things all day, changed tires, broke track, carried water cans and ammo crates here and there, was tasked to the supply room to "move stuff", tasked to the BN to "Move stuff", later, as rank was earned, I led those men in doing the same.. I was never a arms crossed watcher..I was, am a do it like this...leader
Did combat focused training, for , well training, but also as sport, play, competition. Machine crew that could move, set up, place into action, fire, take down and move to alt position the fastest got bragging rights and a early day off. At home I walked , ran, lifted, played...pressed transmission up into place, held water pumps with fingertips as they were bolted in place, lifted motorcycl wheels to align axles, pushed a lawnmower, chased kids and dogs...
The only time I worked at creating a PT plan was to do so for others, as a MFT for the unit, as a leader for my Soldiers, as an SME for other leaders.
For myself, I just work up, went to work and went home, did stuff then went to sleep. Worked well for 28 years.
Most days, I woke up and went to work doing stuff....occasionally I slept in till 6am and then woke up and did stuff at home.(this was that elusive thing known as "weekends")
Every few months (seemed like once a week sometimes but was more like 6 months or so) I was told this morning there was an APFT...and I did less stuff that morning with less physical stress then most any other day.
end result was APFT scores that were "Max"
Im not a gym rat, not a runner, dont do pilates or yoga.
I went to work and did PT, then lots of physical activity from the time I got back from chow till I went home. I ran, walked, lifted, squatted, carried, pushed all manner of things all day, changed tires, broke track, carried water cans and ammo crates here and there, was tasked to the supply room to "move stuff", tasked to the BN to "Move stuff", later, as rank was earned, I led those men in doing the same.. I was never a arms crossed watcher..I was, am a do it like this...leader
Did combat focused training, for , well training, but also as sport, play, competition. Machine crew that could move, set up, place into action, fire, take down and move to alt position the fastest got bragging rights and a early day off. At home I walked , ran, lifted, played...pressed transmission up into place, held water pumps with fingertips as they were bolted in place, lifted motorcycl wheels to align axles, pushed a lawnmower, chased kids and dogs...
The only time I worked at creating a PT plan was to do so for others, as a MFT for the unit, as a leader for my Soldiers, as an SME for other leaders.
For myself, I just work up, went to work and went home, did stuff then went to sleep. Worked well for 28 years.
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Muscle confusion. I do 150 push ups, sit ups and 50 pull ups a day and run, but I do variations of each. Sometimes wide grip push ups, sometimes incline push ups, sometimes I run up hill sometimes I do 60/120s. That and I hit the gym for a little bit every day. And don't eat awful
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The real question is this, are you conducting physical training for a PT score, or are you trying to build up a functional base that focuses on your combat chassis? I would say you really need to think about the difference between the two.
On one hand you could have a guy around 260/270 that has the ability to do excel at explosive movements and your core lifts I.E squad, deadlift, bench, power clean; then a guy that max's a PT test and can't deadlift his own bodyweight. In terms of the combat Soldier, the ability to move across the battlefield is more important than "maxing" a PT test. Off my soap box, and on to your question!
In trying to build up your APFT score, the most important part is knowing exactly where your baseline in, utilizing a no nonsense assessment and not BSing yourself. From there you can build a comprehensive program that focuses on building on those baselines by maximizing your abilities. This is usually done over a 5 week period, and from what I've implemented at the squad and platoon level I 've seen an improvement of 20 reps per event and around a minute to a minute and a half shaved off the run.
Everything is a day off day on approach, you can fit this in easily with other programs to specifically hit your APFT events:
P/U
5 rounds every 60 sec:
35% of your max reps scored on APFT
Once complete with all 5, 1 round P/U max reps/to failure
S/U
Same formula
Run: Focus on 200m and 800m intervals for two days of the week. The focus here is to far exceed your 2 mile pace. I.E if you are averaging a 7 minute mile you need to be shooting for a 5 min mile pace or better on your interval split.
Alternate run day:
4 rounds of 1 mile interval at designated pace with a 3 minute rest between miles. We usually shoot for about 30 seconds faster than average than our recorded time. I.E if you are running a 7 minute mile on average, we want to shoot for a 6:30 on these splits.
Each week you need to add 5-10% of your percentages to increase your workload. Everything on this is based on effort, if you put in the work you will see improvement, and it all conforms with PRT regs, so if you need to use it at the unit level for remedial PT you should receive no gruff.
I have this all spelled out in a powerpoint so if any of the team needs the 5 week workup with the interval tables, hit me up on .MIL and I will work to get it to you. Forward right now, so it may take 24 hours.
On one hand you could have a guy around 260/270 that has the ability to do excel at explosive movements and your core lifts I.E squad, deadlift, bench, power clean; then a guy that max's a PT test and can't deadlift his own bodyweight. In terms of the combat Soldier, the ability to move across the battlefield is more important than "maxing" a PT test. Off my soap box, and on to your question!
In trying to build up your APFT score, the most important part is knowing exactly where your baseline in, utilizing a no nonsense assessment and not BSing yourself. From there you can build a comprehensive program that focuses on building on those baselines by maximizing your abilities. This is usually done over a 5 week period, and from what I've implemented at the squad and platoon level I 've seen an improvement of 20 reps per event and around a minute to a minute and a half shaved off the run.
Everything is a day off day on approach, you can fit this in easily with other programs to specifically hit your APFT events:
P/U
5 rounds every 60 sec:
35% of your max reps scored on APFT
Once complete with all 5, 1 round P/U max reps/to failure
S/U
Same formula
Run: Focus on 200m and 800m intervals for two days of the week. The focus here is to far exceed your 2 mile pace. I.E if you are averaging a 7 minute mile you need to be shooting for a 5 min mile pace or better on your interval split.
Alternate run day:
4 rounds of 1 mile interval at designated pace with a 3 minute rest between miles. We usually shoot for about 30 seconds faster than average than our recorded time. I.E if you are running a 7 minute mile on average, we want to shoot for a 6:30 on these splits.
Each week you need to add 5-10% of your percentages to increase your workload. Everything on this is based on effort, if you put in the work you will see improvement, and it all conforms with PRT regs, so if you need to use it at the unit level for remedial PT you should receive no gruff.
I have this all spelled out in a powerpoint so if any of the team needs the 5 week workup with the interval tables, hit me up on .MIL and I will work to get it to you. Forward right now, so it may take 24 hours.
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Just different stuff in the gym. Seriously. I made it so the gym was an exciting thing to do. As I watched my physical progress, my scores also got better. Most leaders hate when I say I don't like organized PT, but it never worked for ME. I did a small amount of mixed cardio (rowing or running), but nothing too ridiculous.
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Start on the Kitchen... one burger bi weekly wont kill you, but your output will be parallel with what you put in, which basically goes everything else.
I followed the program, bellow, every other day
http://www.armyparatrooper.org/dropzone/showthread.php/6938-APFT-Improvement
Then push yourself at the gym, pull ups, dips, and weights.
Run every other day, (i.e. sprints, one mile fast tempo run, fart leks are great) Variation. When you do this things give it 101% with gradual periodic increases in numbers and time.
During your rest days stretch and yoga help, the more flexible the less injuries and the more strength you can gather. But again, it all starts on the kitchen.
I followed the program, bellow, every other day
http://www.armyparatrooper.org/dropzone/showthread.php/6938-APFT-Improvement
Then push yourself at the gym, pull ups, dips, and weights.
Run every other day, (i.e. sprints, one mile fast tempo run, fart leks are great) Variation. When you do this things give it 101% with gradual periodic increases in numbers and time.
During your rest days stretch and yoga help, the more flexible the less injuries and the more strength you can gather. But again, it all starts on the kitchen.
The premier Airborne community Dropzone for all Paratroopers and like minded individuals.
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I'm an Army Reservist on active duty the last 5 months. In addition to the required PT/PRT, once a week I alternate doing 70lbs @ 3 sets of 100 reps on a chest and ABs resistance workout machines, or 5 sets of 60 push ups and sit ups. Three days a week I do 30 minutes of cardio on either the rower, elliptical, or treadmill. Last month I scored 280 on the APFT with only 16 solid days before the test ( I was on profile for a while for sprained & fractured right ankle, then as soon as came off of profile went on Emergency leave for 8 days). My previous APFT was 6 months prior and I scored a 215. That was as an Army Reservist barely working out one, sometimes two days a week. I recently upped my cardio to 60 minute sessions split into 20 minutes on rower, treadmill, and elliptical three days a week. I do other stuff at the gym, but the workouts I just stated are directed at improving my APFT. This is all in addition to the required organized PT/PRT, which I don't like, but still put forth maximum effort. I anticipate scoring between 290 and 300 on my next APFT. Whatever you decide to do make sure to try and make it fun or interesting. That way you won't get bored or burnt out mentally.
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Bench press, decline bench press, roman chair (bring legs up parallel to the ground)and hanging knee lifts for the abs and run. Do distance runs and sprints
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Before I even joined the Army, I used to run all the time. At least 5 miles pretty much every day. I just liked the "Runners High". Never really gave a shit about time. I was just having fun.
290 was always my goal. If I could get 90 points on the Push-up event, the rest was an easy Max 100. I was always "challenged" at Push-ups being a lanky 6'4". After being in for a while, my habit of running with a 50lb ruck 4x a week helped a LOT. My usual routine was to run in one direction until I got tired. Then I was forced to turn around and embrace the suck to get back home. As an Instructor I got LOT's of PT flutter-kicking the FUCK out of people while I smoked a 7 minute cigarette. I called it break time, they all thought I was an asshole.
I guess it all boils down to habits. If you do something often enough, you are bound to get good at it.
290 was always my goal. If I could get 90 points on the Push-up event, the rest was an easy Max 100. I was always "challenged" at Push-ups being a lanky 6'4". After being in for a while, my habit of running with a 50lb ruck 4x a week helped a LOT. My usual routine was to run in one direction until I got tired. Then I was forced to turn around and embrace the suck to get back home. As an Instructor I got LOT's of PT flutter-kicking the FUCK out of people while I smoked a 7 minute cigarette. I called it break time, they all thought I was an asshole.
I guess it all boils down to habits. If you do something often enough, you are bound to get good at it.
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Didn't have one, just relaxed for a few days before the test and busted it out. Determination is the greatest key.
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First thing in the morning I would do two minutes of push-ups and two minutes of sit-ups then I would go do whatever stupid PT/PRT was planned, but I would give it my all. If we were doing the stupid power skip I would skip to the best of my ability. Every other day I would run on the treadmill at my max pace which was 9 MPH. Fist week I could only do it for 5 minutes. Every week I would add time. Usually 30 seconds or 1 minute until I could finally keep that 9 mph pace for 2 miles.
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