Ask Stew: These Workouts May Help You Dominate Your PFT Push-Up Tests

Taking your push-ups to higher levels in two- or three-minute tests -- yes, there are three-minute, push-up tests -- requires a combination of strength training foundationally. Your first few push-ups (or bench presses) will be a strength exercise, but your 80^th to 100^th repetition will be purely muscle stamina.

Your aim is to turn a strength exercise into an endurance exercise. Here is an email from a young man focusing on performing better on push-ups for a future military test that could determine his ROTC scholarship.

Hey, Stew. All of my PST scores are competitive except for push-ups (65 in 2 min). My body-weight bench is 4-5 reps as well (170 lbs.). Should I focus on endurance for the push-ups or maybe more strength? JT

How important are push-ups and basic fitness tests? The running time and the number of push-ups, sit-ups and pull-ups you submit could be the difference between receiving a college scholarship, getting accepted into an advanced training program or even making a higher rank.

Here are some ways to address your push-ups and body-weight, bench-press issues. You can do this in many ways, but my recommendations limit it to two options. You can do both, depending on how much time you have available to train before your test.

If you are limited on time, the better option is to focus on your calisthenics and cardio and get into better condition to handle faster run paces and higher reps. This is done by adding a higher weekly volume; every other day, use PT pyramids, supersets and max-rep set workouts.

These three workouts in combination each week are the perfect calisthenics and cardio week of training to ace a fitness test quickly. See links with more details below:

Monday -- PT Pyramids: Do this workout every other day or with the following two options once a week. No workout is good to do daily for long periods. It is best to do this foundation workout every other day.

Wednesday -- Superset: This is another sub-max-effort foundation workout to increase the volume of your PT exercises without failing every set. Learn how to design a superset effectively.

Friday or Saturday -- Max-Rep Set Workout: If you need an extra day of recovery before this workout, take it and perform it two days after the last upper-body day workout. This weekly workout will increase your muscle stamina and endurance, which is the goal of mastering PT tests. Use this weekly routine to find out how to push your numbers even higher.

Another option, if you have more time, is the following body-weight, bench-press workout and push-ups combo. Build up to body-weight bench presses during your warm-up sets, then perform 3-4 working sets of the following:

Repeat 3-4 times:

• Body-weight bench press max
• Push-ups max (no rest after bench press)
• Row 10/arm or reverse push-ups 10-20

After maxing out on the body-weight bench press, immediately roll off the bench and into the push-up position. Try to get as many push-ups as you can.

If you do it right, you will barely get 5-10 push-ups. This mimics the last 30 seconds of a two-minute push-up test, and it is a creative way to work the top of your muscle stamina without all the repetitions on your joints.

The "rest exercises" after the bench press and push-ups -- in this case, dumbbell rows or reverse (or hand-release) push-ups -- are working the opposing muscle groups of the pushing exercises. Rest as needed before you start the next set. Do this workout 1-2 times a week, along with one of the other three options above.

It is recommended to have a level of strength where 10 or more reps of your body-weight bench press can be accomplished to help with various exercises, load-bearing activities and general posture/shoulder durability. Depending on your branch of service, you also may see the body-weight bench press for max reps as a future test, as in the Navy Human Performance Test or other Tactical Fitness Tests. These workouts will help you with both.

Finally, read about maxing your performance on any fitness test through improved recovery (eat, sleep, hydrate, etc.).

Stew Smith is a former Navy SEAL and fitness author certified as a Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) with the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Visit his Fitness eBook store if you're looking to start a workout program to create a healthy lifestyle. Send your fitness questions to stew@stewsmith.com.

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