Army endurance training prepares you for The Army's Basic Training Physical Fitness Test. You must pass this test to graduate from boot camp and continue on to advanced infantry training. The Army PFT includes three testing events. Your age and gender determine the minimum performance standards required to pass the test. According to Military.com, minimum requirements are considered below average, so your endurance training should help you surpass these benchmarks.
Cardiorespiratory Endurance
Cardiorespiratory endurance is the prolonged ability of your heart and lungs to supply oxygen and nutrients to working muscles in your body. This type of fitness lowers your risk of heart disease, stoke and pulmonary problems. Cardiorespiratory endurance helps ensure that you can perform prolonged physical activities during drills and military exercises. The Army's Basic Training Physical Fitness Test assesses your cardiorespiratory endurance by tracking the amount of time it takes to run two miles. Army endurance training may include aerobic exercises like running, biking and swimming to enhance your cardiorespiratory endurance.
Muscular Endurance
Muscular endurance refers to the ability of your muscles to perform contractions for extended periods of time. Continuous tension activities like mountain climbing and tug of war require muscular endurance. Repetitive dynamic contraction activities, like rowing and running, depend on muscular endurance. The Army Basic Training PFT assesses your muscular endurance by the number of push-ups and sit-ups that you can complete in two minutes. Your Army endurance training regimen may include these exercises in addition to pull-up exercise or high-repetition weight lifting exercises, like the bench press to prepare you for the test.
Minimum Requirements
You must complete 35 push-ups, 47 sit-ups and run two miles in 16 minutes and 36 seconds if you are a male between ages 17 and 21. Women in the same age group must complete 13 push-ups, 47 sit-ups and run two miles in 19 minutes and 42 seconds. You must complete 31 push-ups, 43 sit-ups and run two miles in 17 minutes and 30 seconds if you are a male between ages 22 and 26. Women in the same age group must complete 11 push-ups, 43 sit-ups and run two miles in 20 minutes and 36 seconds.
Training Workouts
Your Army endurance training may include super-sets and interval training to help you prepare for your PFT. Miltary.com recommends performing a total of 70 exercise repetitions per super set. Include 10 push-ups, crunches, wide push-ups, reverse crunches, tricep push-ups, left and right crunches in each super-set. Start your training by completing five supersets and progress to 10 as you improve. Interval training helps you prepare for the running portion of the Army PFT. Training to run a mile in six minutes ensures that you can meet the minimum PFT requirements. Divide your training into 1/2, 1/4 or 1/8 mile segments. Try to run the segment in the amount of time required to complete that distance during the exam. For example, try to run a half-mile in three minutes. Rest between intervals by walking or jogging for a distance half or equal to the segment you ran, then follow-up with another interval. Include three to six intervals depending on the distance that you run for each segment. Shorter distances require more intervals.
Member Comments