Sample Training Program for John Doe
Training Program
Training Programs will vary as fitness levels do for each participant. I suggest an 8 week program with 5 days per week of exercise and 2 day of rest separate from each other.
Day 1 - Begin with whichever exercise is first for the test. In most cases the sit-ups are number one. Complete the total number of required sit-ups plus 20 percent. You are trying to teach your body to exceed its limits to allow you to succeed on the test. Allow 5 minutes rest.
Complete the push-ups plus 20 percent. If you are unable to reach each goal without stopping allow 1 minute to rest and continue until muscle failure. Each time you are unable to reach the goal allow a maximum of 1 minute rest and continue.
Your run for today is long and slow. Add one-half a mile to the required distance of the test. Example: One and one-half mile PFT requires a slow, easy 2 mile run with no time requirement. If walking is required, only allow a 1 minute rest before continuing.
Day 2 - Same as Day one for sit-ups and push-ups.
Your run is speed work. This consists of 400 meter sprints, allowing for a 400 meter walk between sprint.
Day 3 - Rest Day
Day 4 - Same as Day one for sit-ups and push-ups.
Your run is step-ups. This will be a 20 minute total program today. These consist of a 5 minute warm-up run to start. Next begin by counting each time your left foot strikes the ground until you reach the count of 10 for a slow easy jog. Now pick up the pace and run counting to 10 again. Increase the count to 20 slow, 20 fast, 30 slow, 30 fast, and so on until you have ran 5 minutes of step-ups. Next begin to decrease the count from whatever number you reached until you hit zero. End your training with a 5 minute cool down jog.
Day 5 - Same as Day one for sit-ups and push-ups.
Your run is race pace. This will consist of reviewing the 400 meter Lap Chart below and picking a pace that is 8 weeks from your PFT goal and slowly reducing the goal each week until you can complete the total mileage distance to pass the test.
400 Meter Lap Chart
| Laps |
|
||||||||||
| 1 | 1:30 | 1:34 | 1:36 | 1:.38 | 1:40 | 1:42 | 1:44 | 1:48 | 1:52 | 1:55 | 400 meters |
| 2 | 3:00 | 3:08 | 3:12 | 3:16 | 3:20 | 3:24 | 3:28 | 3:36 | 3:44 | 3:50 | 800 meters |
| 3 | 4:30 | 4:42 | 4:48 | 4:54 | 5:00 | 5:06 | 5:12 | 5:24 | 5:36 | 5:45 | 1200 meters |
4 |
6:00 | 6:16 | 6:24 | 6:32 | 6:40 | 6:48 | 6:56 | 7:12 | 7:28 | 7:40 | 1 mile |
| 5 | 7:30 | 7:50 | 8:00 | 8:10 | 8:20 | 8:30 | 8:40 | 9:00 | 9:20 | 9:35 | 1 1/4 mile |
| 6 | 9:00 | 9:24 | 9:36 | 9:48 | 10:00 | 10:12 | 10:24 | 10:48 | 11:12 | 11:30 | 1 1/2 miles |
| 7 | 10:30 | 10:58 | 11:12 | 11:26 | 11:40 | 11:54 | 12:08 | 12:36 | 13:04 | 13:25 | 1 3/4 miles |
| 8 | 12:00 | 12:32 | 12:48 | 13:04 | 13:20 | 13:36 | 13:52 | 14:24 | 14:56 | 15:20 | 2 miles |
| Laps | |||||||||||
| 1 | 1:58 | 2:05 | 2:08 | 2:10 | 2:12 | 2:15 | 2:20 | 2:25 | 2:30 | 2:35 | 400 meters |
| 2 | 3:56 | 4:10 | 4:16 | 4:20 | 4:24 | 4:30 | 4:40 | 4:50 | 5:00 | 5:10 | 800 meters |
| 3 | 5:54 | 6:15 | 6:24 | 6:30 | 6:36 | 6:45 | 7:00 | 7:15 | 7:30 | 7:45 | 1200 meters |
| 4 | 7:52 | 8:20 | 8:32 | 8:40 | 8:48 | 9:00 | 9:20 | 9:40 | 10:00 | 10:20 | 1 mile |
| 5 | 9:50 | 10:25 | 10:40 | 10:50 | 11:00 | 11:15 | 11:40 | 12:05 | 12:30 | 12:55 | 1 1/4 mile |
| 6 | 11:48 | 12:30 | 12:48 | 13:00 | 13:12 | 13:30 | 14:00 | 14:30 | 15:00 | 15:30 | 1 1/2 miles |
| 7 | 13:46 | 14:35 | 14:56 | 15:10 | 15:24 | 15:45 | 16:20 | 16:55 | 17:30 | 18:05 | 1 3/4 miles |
| 8 | 15:44 | 16:40 | 17:04 | 17:20 | 17:36 | 18:00 | 18:40 | 19:20 | 20:00 | 20:40 | 2 miles |
| Laps | |||||||||||
| 1 | 2:40 | 2:45 | 2:50 | 2:55 | 3:00 | 3:05 | 3:10 | 3:15 | 3:20 | 3:25 | 400 meters |
| 2 | 5:20 | 5:30 | 5:40 | 5:50 | 6:00 | 6:10 | 6:20 | 6:30 | 6:40 | 6:50 | 800 meters |
| 3 | 8:00 | 8:15 | 8:30 | 8:45 | 9:00 | 9:15 | 9:30 | 9:45 | 10:00 | 10:15 | 1200 meters |
| 4 | 10:40 | 11:00 | 11:20 | 11:40 | 12:00 | 12:20 | 12:40 | 13:00 | 13:20 | 13:40 | 1 mile |
| 5 | 13:20 | 13:45 | 14:10 | 14:35 | 15:00 | 15:25 | 15:50 | 16:15 | 16:40 | 17:05 | 1 1/4 mile |
| 6 | 16:00 | 16:30 | 17:00 | 17:30 | 18:00 | 18:30 | 19:00 | 19:30 | 20:00 | 20:30 | 1 1/2 miles |
| 7 | 18:40 | 19:15 | 19:50 | 20:25 | 21:00 | 21:35 | 22:10 | 22:45 | 23:20 | 23:55 | 1 3/4 miles |
| 8 | 21:20 | 22:00 | 22:40 | 23:20 | 24:00 | 24:40 | 25:20 | 26:00 | 26:40 | 27:20 | 2 miles |
Find a local track to train on. Tracks are exact measured distances with half distance markings and safe from traffic to allow you total concentration. Begin with stretching and a 5 minute warm-up jog. Begin your watch and attempt to jog each lap in the exact lap time on the above chart for the goal time for the week. Do not attempt to run any faster than each total lap time. If you are ahead of your goal time at the 400 meter mark, reduce your speed. We are trying to teach the body to run a constant pace and grow stronger each week with confidence.
Day 6 - Rest Day
Day 7 - Same as Day one for sit-ups and push-ups.
Your run exercise for this day is combinations. First we need to review our goals for each section of the PFT. Push-ups: 29, Sit-ups: 36, and 1 1/2 mile run. Take the total laps (6) divide by 2 to get 3. Divide 29 by 3 and round to 10. Divide 36 by 3 and get 12. Now that we have our goals the fun begins. Jog lap one, then complete 10 push-ups. Jog lap 2 and complete 12 sit-ups. Continue this process alternating exercises until you complete all 6 laps and push-ups and sit-ups. Finish with a 5 minute cool down walk or slow jog.