Marine PFT Training

Dominance

Dominance

New member
I will soon be taking the Marine PFT, on Monday I began training. I am curious to see how each of you beleives it is best to approach these goals. The PFT tests specifically on Crunches, a 3 mile run, and Pull ups. Pull ups can be performed with palms facing either away, or in.

So far my training schedule looks like:

Monday, Friday

Morning: 3 sets of Push ups, each almost to failure leaving energy for 1-2 reps each set

Night: 5 sets each Maximum Effort on Pull ups, Palms face in. Next, over to the lat pull down machine for palms face out grip low weight 10 reps or so for several sets. After lat pulls I go over to the flat mats and do 100 full crunches as quickly as possible.

Weds

Morning: 3 sets of Push ups, each almost to failure leaving energy for 1-2 reps each set.

night: 10 sets of 3 Pull ups, palms face in. (theres no way in hell i can complete all 10 sets as of now). Next over to Lat pulls for 10 sets of 3 pulls palms face out. ( i can do all 10 of these due to the lighter weight). Than I go do Bench for 8 sets of 2 similar to the Dynamic day of WestSide bench. These are quick reps done after a short warm up. Once Bench is complete Standing Military is performed for a fast 3 sets of 5 after a warm up is completed. Last but not least comes 100 crunches at a slight decline.


Tuesday, Thursday

Morning: 3 sets of Push ups, each almost to failure leaving energy for 1-2 reps each set.

Night: I am currently running to prepare myself for the 3 miles. Honestly, since highschool I have not done any running so I have started out with 1 mile + an extra 1/10th mile lap at the end sprinted. Each session I will add 1/2 mile to the run untill 3.5 miles is reached.

A perfect 300 point score would consist of:
100 points = 100 full crunches in 2 minutes
100 points = 20 full pull ups (palms in or out)
100 points = 3 Miles in 18 minutes

As of right now, each area needs improvement since untill recently I have been focusing on powerlifting. As you can see this is not a powerlifters routine, and hence I am struggling with it. Any advice or comments are appreciated I need to get these numbers up asap
 
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O boy..i have the answers for you. Just FYG...I was training to get accepted to BUD/S...took the test a couple times too but life choices steered me a different way. Regardless, I was able to swim the 500 in combat sidestoke in under 7 minutes, could bang out 90+ push-ups in the 2 mnutes (to their standards), 100+ situps, and 17 pull-ups, and the 1.5mile run in combat boots in 9:30. This was four years ago, and it would probably take me an 2 years of training to even get close to these numbers again but I'm here to help you.

Best way to get better at pull-ups is to do Pull-ups. Simple as that. Actually, all these tests are exactly that. how I did pull-ups was I'd get on the bar, with hand little wider than shoulder width and crank out as many as i could, rest two minutes, and repeat. I'd do this and work to get up 50 pull-ups in the workout. Another way i'd work the pull-ups is with weight, adding 10 lbs and doing as many as i could, then adding another 10lbs...this was the best way I found to really incease my reps.

push-ups is a matter of banging them out in sets of 20-30...varying the width of the hands for the best development. start out at 2 minutes rest.

Ways to increase the rep range work by starting with 2 minute rests and decreasing that rest time on the next workout.

My starting splits were pull-ups, push-ups, sit-ups everyother day with running and swimming on the other days. Once I got going, I did it all everyday.

I wish you luck man, good luck training. If you've got any questions, feel free to ask. My shit above might all be jumbled up, I'm a mess this morning.
 
Thanks for the advice Aczech. It is a complete 180 working towards PR's and big weight than all of a sudden over night switching to the high volume training and massive number of body weight workouts that are required.
 
Yeh, def. I did it far before i ever weight trained. Weighing 165 made the running pretty easy as well as the pull-ups. My current 195...yeh, it would be a lot tougher now.

With that kinda of training, it really helps to have a training partner. I had one and we'd do jog through the forest carrying a 75lbs log on our shoulders...that shit was killer on the joints. In the end, after well over a full year of training, i ended up with stress fractures in legs from doing sprints on the beach. That shit sucked. Try and avoid that injury.
 
Weighted pull-ups are the way to go. if you dont have a lifting belt with a chain, throw on your flak or assault pack. Take three days off before the PFT so your muscles are fresh. I always hit a sticking point at 18-19, before I tried this. Now I can hit 20 easily.
 
Sounds like you're going to nail the push ups, pull ups and crunches.

As for the run, I reckon you've got to up your mileage a bit. If you can't even run the 3 mile distance yet, then you're probably going to have to knuckle down on the running. All infantry training is based around endurance. You should get up to running 5 miles and be doing that 3 times per week. Also, instead of just throwing a sprint in at the end, put surges of between 30 to 60 seconds in during the run. Finally, once you've got the 5 miles happening, do a session of half mile runs. Try to really push yourself and then rest on a 1:1 ratio before doing the next set. 4 of those should get you huffing and puffing.

Good luck.
 
Thanks for all the replies guy. I haven't been able to reply recently because things have been quite busy lately. Heres the updated story so far

My pull ups are comming along but they are lagging at around 10 or so

My Crunches like everything else are comming along adequately considering the time frame I am working with

The running is definitely my biggest concern, (Although all 3 events will be tough) I am currently running 2 miles with a weighted vest on (20 lbs), followed by stretching, several more laps, and 10 minutes on the Bike machines.

Aczech - sorry to hear about your injuries. I was thinking about possible joint problems coming from such training. Definitely a big concern

Seek - I agree with your weighted pull ups idea, I might play around with that my next time at the gym. unfortunately, my PFT date has been bumped up due to circumstances so I will be taking this fitness test in 4-5 days. I think since its coming up so quickly I can only afford a 1 or 2 day rest period. Think this will be enough rest still?

Brat - thanks for the link, I will definitely be checking it out

Eat it - My current runtime I am not sure about, just jogging around I did 2 miles in about 19 minutes with a 20 lb weighted vest on, which isn't fast enough by any means. A perfect score is 3 miles in 18:00. So I am hoping through one or two more training sessions i can cut off several minutes. I am also planning on the "boost" you get from running with a partner. i will be taking the running portion of the test with another candidate so I am hoping his presence will cause me to be faster.

Melbourne - thank you for all the running advice, I will have to put it to good use soon

My main plan is to do the best I can on this PFT coming up in 4-5 days, with perseverance, and a little bit of luck I believe I can qualify for their minimum standards on the test. BUT no one wants to solely pass by on the "minimums" so I plan on setting up a consistent workout schedule focusing on these three main PFT events (Crunches, pull ups, Running).
 
Can I ask what you're taking the test for?? I mean, obviously the Marines, but are you trying to get in or what??
 
Brat said:
Can I ask what you're taking the test for?? I mean, obviously the Marines, but are you trying to get in or what??
Click to expand...

yea no problem, I am currently applying to an Officer training program where after I complete my college education I would be offered a 2nd Lieutenant commission. Part of applying for this program is a PFT. This program also involves 2 6 week sessions of training in Virginia.
 
You won't be accepted in the Corps with the bare minimum. Push for a first class every chance you get. You will hate your life if your at the bottom. Are you taking the test with for a recruiter, or are you in the fleet looking to improve?
 
Dominance said:
yea no problem, I am currently applying to an Officer training program where after I complete my college education I would be offered a 2nd Lieutenant commission. Part of applying for this program is a PFT. This program also involves 2 6 week sessions of training in Virginia.
Click to expand...
That was gonna be other guess...I'm considering doing ROTC for the Army and get another bachelor's degree...

Good luck with that...let us know how it goes...remember one thing - just put your all into it, and push harder.
 
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