Assessment Week: Is It Time to Change Your Tactical Fitness Program?

Do you just work out or are you actually training? If you do not assess yourself regularly, you are only guessing about your condition. Many training athletes define specific goals, versus just working out to get good at working out.

Making workouts apply to one's tactical profession requires adjustments that are specific to the branch and daily requirements of the job, but that workout also needs to address all the elements of fitness.

Testing and evaluating yourself once per season is a logical way to see whether you are on the right track with your training. The tests should assess the elements of fitness: strength, power, speed, agility, muscle stamina, endurance (run, swim, ruck), flexibility, mobility and grip.

The most accurate assessment comes when you spread the tests throughout the week. You may determine that you need to continue on a lift cycle for another month, or depending on your scores, you may be ready to move forward into a different training cycle that focuses on other elements of fitness.

As a tactical athlete, the goal is to be good at all things fitness instead of focusing solely on your strengths and neglecting any activities you do not enjoy.

Here is a way to assess your overall abilities to drive your training decisions and focus on your needs for future cycles.

Day 1: Fitness Test Events

The first day of assessment week should be focused on the fitness test you must take every six months as a military member or on the one you are preparing for as you advance into special units and selection programs.

Here are several options: Navy PFA, Army CFT, USMC PFT & CFT, Air Force PFT, Air Force PAST

Navy SEAL, SWCC, EOD, Diver, SAR PST

500-yard or 500-meter swim: ______

Push-ups 2 minutes: ______

Situ-ps 2 minutes: ______

Pull-ups max: ______

1.5-mile run: ______

To complete this day, consider a follow-on workout of the day that focuses primarily on your weakness, either immediately after your test or later in the day. For instance, if you crush the calisthenics but need work on the run and swim, consider a goal pace interval run or swim workout after the test. Addressing your weaknesses should be a challenge, but seeing improvement in a new cycle is an exciting addition to any training routine.

Various branches of the military have new tactical fitness tests or operator fitness tests that will address more than just calisthenics and timed run or swim events. Many will require weighted lifts, power throws and farmer carries, and just about all of them will seriously challenge the grip. Having a strong grip is very important to the tactical athlete due to these new tests and not just because of the job requirements.

Several of the common tactical fitness or operator tests events are listed below and spread throughout the testing and assessment week.

Day 2: Endurance and Power Events

After your specific test, you will know exactly what you will see and perhaps must master to advance in your career. Here is a list of events that may also be required for you to graduate selection or training programs.

You can break the following jump and cardio events into different workouts done on different days or make them into what we call the Spec Ops Triathlon and do them all in one big challenge. Pick the ones that apply to your goals.

Long jump (leg power): _______

Overhead medicine ball power throw (ACFT): _____

3-4 mile timed run: _______

1,000-meter swim with fins: _______

3-4 mile timed ruck (40-50 pounds): _______

Unlike PT test timed events that are typically short and focus on faster paces, the ones above are common distances used during training programs. At SEAL training, students will see weekly four-mile timed runs and two-mile swims with fins, as well as rucks and obstacle courses.

Day 3: Speed, Agility, Power and Water Confidence Skills

Mix in a few events today that challenge your speed, agility and water skills.

5-10-5 Pro Agility Test: ______

Illinois Agility Test: _______

300-yard shuttle run (12 x 25 yards): ______

400-meter sprint: ______

Power medicine ball throw (ACFT): ______

Drownproofing (are you comfortable or need more practice?): _______

Day 4: Muscle Stamina and Work Capacity Test

Let's do the PT Pyramid, everyone's favorite workout, and see whether you can go up the pyramid without failing. At which set do you fail at pull-ups, push-ups or sit-ups? Or can you successfully do the full 1-10-1 pyramid?

Before you do the full pyramid, test a 20-pound weight vest pull-up for max reps: _______

Level of pyramid reached before failing: _______

Exercise failed: _________

Goal pace for 400 meters: ________

How many sets can you maintain at your goal pace in a workout? _______

Goal pace for 800 meters: _______

How many sets can you maintain at your goal pace in a workout? _______

Read more about goal mile pace workouts to learn how to run faster on timed runs.

Day 5: Strength, Grip and Core Exercises

If you feel that you need a day off before doing these events, consider taking it easy or at least add in a mobility day to loosen up on the day before doing this series of common military strength tests

Deadlift 3RM (max weight you can do for three repetitions, ACFT): _____

Leg tucks (hanging knee-ups: bring knees to elbows for max reps, ACFT): _____

Body-weight bench press (max reps): _______

Day 6: Muscle Stamina and Endurance Events

These are more muscle stamina and endurance events at an above-average volume. If you need a recovery day prior to these events, consider doing the running, rucking and swimming events only today and keep the calisthenics and weighted events as a Day 7 option.

How many sets does it take to complete the following total repetitions? The Murph option is a classic test of muscle stamina. Goal: Do in as few sets as possible.

Pull-ups: 100

Push-ups: 200

Squats: 300

Ammo can push press, 30 pounds (USMC CFT): 100

Make a circuit and after a max rep set of each of the four exercises, run 400 meters (or bike or row for two minutes).

After you learn how well you perform in these events, you can make a choice based on those numbers either to continue with your current training (if weaknesses are found) or make changes and start a new cycle of fitness training to address the newly found weaknesses from this long list of options.

These tests can be tailored to your liking and the needs of your profession. Think logically and assess truthfully to find out how to train in the future and whether your current plan is effective.

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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