What are your tips on improving your APFT score?

2016-05-10T23:56:41-04:00

I'm currently passing every even with a 70% or better, but I really want to hit three hundred! Any tips on how to get there? And what's your personal record?

Response by 1stSgt Private RallyPoint Member made May 11 at 2016 12:03 AM

2016-05-11T00:03:30-04:00

Interval training worked well for me. 300 x 2

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 11 at 2016 12:06 AM

2016-05-11T00:06:07-04:00

Practice. A lot of the prt is designed to help with this as well as other things. But for your run doing 30/60's and 60/120's will help greatly. Be sure to run distance as well. Anything over 2 miles for long runs. For push ups and sit ups practice repetitions on the daily. I tell my soldiers to start with doing 40 push-ups without stopping to rest. Once that has become easy bump the reps up by 10. For sit-ups I would suggest practicing the number it takes for you max and add 10 to that and practice breathing that in 2 minutes

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made May 11 at 2016 12:09 AM

2016-05-11T00:09:01-04:00

Fast pace incline has helped some. How often do you do pushups. If you even runs with pushups and sitips. Increase each time you do them should get you to max on your next apft

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 11 at 2016 12:12 AM

2016-05-11T00:12:50-04:00

My current score is 294 and that is coming off of over 4 months of profile from some serious medical conditions I had. Me personally to improve push ups I do a lot of pull ups mostly 5 and 10 drills. 5 pull ups 10 push ups and usually do 5 sets of those to improve my sit-ups I always do 100 crunches after every run. And for my run I do a lot of long distance to build endurance and stamina and I alternate in sprints as well but that is what works for me.

Response by PFC Private RallyPoint Member made May 11 at 2016 12:24 AM

2016-05-11T00:24:52-04:00

Start hitting smaller muscle groups and train your hip flexors. My worst event on the PT test has always been the sit-ups, but I started training my hip flexors and finding something that worked for me and now I can max them with ease. Do 60/120's and 30/60's for your run. Then hit your push ups by doing close push ups to wide push ups. Hope this helps.

Response by MAJ Bill Darling made May 11 at 2016 1:04 AM

2016-05-11T01:04:57-04:00

As far as gamesmanship, for that little extra edge on top of your workout regimen, I would add a few little tricks:
1. Get in line first so you can maximize your rest between events.
2. Warm up before the events. Knock out 20 push ups just before they read the guidance. Run a little bit after the sit ups to loosen up those quads and hip flexors.
3. As someone noted, move your hands out further as your push up repetitions lessen as it uses slightly different muscles. If breaking the plane is still required, you can actually do so and meet the requirement by lowering your body very little. I used a goal like running intervals: 30, rest, 15, r, 10, r, 10, 5, r, 5, r, 5, f, 3, etc...
4. Rest during the pushups in the most efficient manner, if you need it.
5. Meet the minimal touch on the sit up, don't feel the need to fully elongate your body and end up doing a crunch to return to the upright position (again, assuming the standards are not drastically different than 2006)
6. Resist the desire to use more than the minimal energy to lower yourself on the sit-up. Let gravity do the majority of it.
7. Stop at the max for sit ups. Save those legs for the run.
8. If you're not an experienced runner and if running on a 400m track, know your splits for each lap to reach the max. This way you can pace yourself and not fall behind or start out too fast.
9. Don't run on anything but the inside lane unless to pass, and if you do, do it quickly and safely, preferably on a straight away. Running outside, especially on a curve, adds distance and will thus add time, even if it's just a little bit.

Response by SSG Jay OConnor made May 11 at 2016 4:54 AM

2016-05-11T04:54:49-04:00

I can tell you what I used to do with one my squads and it works wonders. Our squad had one of the highest average scores as a squad in the battalion.
Monday - PT test
Tuesday - Swim laps for 10 min, push-ups, sit-ups
Wednesday - Run
Thursday - Swim laps for 20 min, nothing else
Friday - PT test
Squad average - 294
My highest 308 (and I wasn't the highest in the squad)

Response by Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS made May 11 at 2016 6:37 AM

2016-05-11T06:37:50-04:00

There are multiple ways of "Training for the Test" (which isn't necessarily a good mindset, but that's another discussion).

My personal suggest is "go longer."

The APFT consists of Push-ups, Sit-ups, and Run. You know how many you must complete in each section (within a time-limit) to "maximize" the score.

Step 1: Condition yourself to be able to get past the QUANTITY (with correct form). Ignoring the time limit. Example (since I don't know the Army #s). USMC requires 100 Crunches in 2 minutes. Condition yourself to be able to do MORE than 100 (or whatever that number happens to be) Situps. Same applies to Pushups. For the Run, go LONG (like 3-4 miles).

You want to have MORE "fuel in the tank" at the end of the event.

Step 2. Start increasing speed bringing yourself closer to meeting the time limit of each event. Because you can now maximize the quantity (1), now it's about "beating the clock." You are trading Efficiency for Effectiveness. That's why you TRAINED BEYOND THE STANDARD.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 11 at 2016 7:58 AM

2016-05-11T07:58:25-04:00

I have scored over 300 on several occasions and easily maintain a 270. The simple truth is that I give myself diagnostics all the time. I do the pt test at least once a week to maintain. Getting to the 300 required me doing the pt test Monday Wednesday and Friday.

Response by CSM Private RallyPoint Member made May 11 at 2016 8:18 AM

2016-05-11T08:18:23-04:00

My personal record in the past was a 300. I was in my 20s and I was motivated by a woman over 40. I said to myself if she can do it I can, too.
For me on the pushups and sit ups I did three sets of the most I could do and then add one in increments. I would also use weights for toning my upper body. I do sit ups on a bosu ball now. For running I used to run 4 miles twice a week with sprinting and six miles once a week for endurance (run slower but steady).

Response by SSG Dennis Grossmann made May 11 at 2016 8:39 AM

2016-05-11T08:39:23-04:00

Running, work on stride, use the lines of a sidewalk to lengthen it.
Sit ups keep your muscles tense while working out, on the test use the squeeze and release. Meaning Throw yourself up and fall back. Push ups: breathe in on the down, out on the up. If your form is good, hyperventilate match your up and downs to your breathing. You should hit around 70 in your first minute.
P.U: 74
S.U: 91
2m: 12:30
Was back in 1990 scored 274 today's standards... Old 19 yr old m

Response by SPC(P) Private RallyPoint Member made May 11 at 2016 8:44 AM

2016-05-11T08:44:10-04:00

Thank you all for this information, I will be watching this post and using a lot of these myself.

Response by PV2 Private RallyPoint Member made May 11 at 2016 9:12 AM

2016-05-11T09:12:15-04:00

I do a lot of lifting and rucking also I run 60 120s with a ruck sack too it has helped me with stamina a lot

Response by SPC(P) Private RallyPoint Member made May 11 at 2016 9:13 AM

2016-05-11T09:13:47-04:00

So I'm not sure if you are into cross fit, horseman, or the navy seal workout but maybe give it a whirl.
As long as you do it correctly you won't hurt yourself. When I initially first started I had went to the gym everyday for 30 days conducting mainly workouts from the horsemen workout book, I had improved my overall score by 20 points.
Look it up if you have never heard of it. I wish you luck in your goal to the 300 club!

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 11 at 2016 9:23 AM

2016-05-11T09:23:15-04:00

The best advise I can give without knowing exactly what your weakness and strengths are would be to say focus on the run. The more cardio the better. That doesn't always mean running either. Cycling is good cardio and doesn't work all the same muscle groups as running so it can be done on "off" days. The next step is to work the hip flexors. These are used during the sit-up event and the run so getting those in shape is important too. As for push-ups, I have found that increasing reps daily and proper form are important.

Response by SGT Callen Pool made May 11 at 2016 11:28 AM

2016-05-11T11:28:56-04:00

Pt on your own time as well as give 110%

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made May 11 at 2016 1:44 PM

2016-05-11T13:44:36-04:00

I once got a 309 once upon a time. To get that we PT'd our asses off. It was always different and pretty hardcore. Interval training is great.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made May 11 at 2016 7:14 PM

2016-05-11T19:14:24-04:00

Don't just do push-ups, sit-ups, and running to prepare. Lift weights, do interval runs, bike; expanding your overall fitness level will make the PT test easy.

Response by WO1 Private RallyPoint Member made May 11 at 2016 9:06 PM

2016-05-11T21:06:24-04:00

crossfit

Response by MCPO Private RallyPoint Member made May 12 at 2016 1:04 AM

2016-05-12T01:04:00-04:00

For sit/push-ups, negative training. Start in the "Up" position, and VERY slowly go down - like taking 10 seconds to get there. Then use whatever you need to do to get back to the Up position (roll to your side, take knees, get spotters, whatever). Lather, rinse, repeat until muscle failure (best to do when you have 24+ hours to recover!!). You'd be AMAZED what it does for your stamina.

Oh - and planks are your best friends!!

For running, interval training - and DON'T shirk it! I use power poles - slow for XX-number (usually two), then fast for one - and when I say fast, I mean that I sprint so fast that you thought that clowns with knives were after me!! And when I do slow, no matter HOW bad I feel, I never WALK - oh, but I can jog a mean 120-minute/mile pace!! Also, NEVER slow down until two paces AFTER you cross your "finish" line.

At least once each week, I would take a distance run - SLOOOOOWWWWW - and try to cover some serious distance - 10-15 miles. Yes, I'm also talking like BARELY over EIB/EFMB road-march time - push for about 5-miles/hour or even a bit slower - but NEVER walk. It sounds stupid, but you build up endurance that way, and you'll be amazed how much it takes out of you.

Response by SSG Dennis Grossmann made May 12 at 2016 7:00 AM

2016-05-12T07:00:29-04:00

I got an example of what not to do, drink excessive amounts of alcohol, not work out, show up drunk for your pt test, try the sprint, puke, sprint method... It don't work.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 4 at 2016 2:06 AM

2016-06-04T02:06:48-04:00

Personally just pace your run and do 30 push ups every night starting out and for everyday add 5 after that and sit-ups too helps a lot and on record on record it's crap but that was before airborne and the run killed it but it's now a 285 was a 268

Response by PFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 8 at 2016 11:07 PM

2016-06-08T23:07:41-04:00

Scored the highest PT score in my BCT company. 322 on the extended scale.

I did push-ups and sit-ups throughout the day before BCT, without hitting failure at any time. Leave a couple reps in the tank any time you do push-ups. Hitting failure will drastically extend the time it takes for your arms to recover.

Focus on getting as many quality reps as possible throughout the day. When I was getting ready for basic, I would drop and do 25 quality pushups just about every hour I'd remember too. I was doing over 200 pushups a day, for over a week at a time, and was not too sore. Protein powder like whey can help with recovery, too.

Take it easy the last 3-4 days before your test. Drop it down to maybe 5 sets of 10 a day just to keep your body used to the movement. This is your time to heal and recover completely. You should see a drastic increase in your push-ups when you test.

Do the same thing for sit-ups. Also, focus on just falling on the sit-ups. Try to avoid using much muscular effort on the way down and let gravity do the work. Remember to breath. I like to exhale on way up, and inhale on way down.

For the running, 30-60's and 60-120's are great. There is no sense in going on long, slow runs. If you want to run a fast two mile, there is no sense in running 5 miles if you can't run it below your 100 point pace. For the two miles, try to start off slow and not push too hard too soon. Go for negative splits. It take extra energy to run when your legs are not loosened up, so do not push it until you are ready. I easily make up the time when I allow myself about a half mile to warm up rather than start off at full race pace.

Lastly, do not be afraid to experiment with a little caffeine. I am not saying pre-workout, but 100-150 mg of caffeine from coffee or green tea can go a long way towards helping you get those last few reps or seconds off that you need.

Hope that helps :)

Response by SSG (ret) William Martin made Aug 21 at 2016 8:41 PM

2016-08-21T20:41:19-04:00

I looked for this same question, and I will tell you what I did. First of all I was over weight but I passed my tape test at nearly 193lbs with a 38in waist and a big neck but was I happy with that? The answer is just, no. I have not been a PT stud for my entire career, but I am now at the age of 39 years old others around me know this, Soldiers and superiors alike. To make this shorter than short, I reduced my sugar, increased my complex carbs while reducing my simple carbs greatly, increase my protein and I ate ten times a day. I coupled a rigid work out regiment with my new eating habits. My weight dropped, my body fat also dropped, my lean body mass increased along with my APFT. I started doing 90 to 100 push ups and sit ups in the APFT. My run is in the 13s. Guess what, I don't do any of the three in my free time. I do run every now and then for fun and I do compete in races but that's eat. What I do is I replicate movement in a low impact setting which promotes a good APFT score. I work my upper, middle, and lower body. It took some time but I don't think you were looking for over night success.