The military requires its men and women to be in top physical condition. Army training workouts provide physical fitness benefits for enlisted men, new recruits and weekend warriors alike. There is much to learn from their training regimen, which relies primarily on resistance exercises using your own body. This makes the workout routines ideal for people who don't own or who dislike exercise equipment. Check with your doctor before trying a new exercise regimen, especially one as difficult as this.
Army PFT Test
The Army has a physical fitness test that all soldiers are required to pass at the end of basic training. Men between 17 and 21 must do 35 pushups and 47 situps in two minutes, as well as complete a two-mile run in under 16 minutes and 36 seconds. Women in this age group must do 13 pushups and 47 situps, completing their run in under 19 minutes and 42 seconds. Men between 22 and 26 must do 31 pushups and 36 situps, completing a run in 17 minutes and 30 seconds. Older women are required to do 11 pushups and 43 situps, completing the run in under 20 minutes and 36 seconds.
Special Forces
The Army's Special Forces, popularly known as"Green Berets, represent a pinnacle of human strength and endurance. Green Beret training has three components: swimming, running and simple exercises. To train like a Green Beret, swim between 1/2 and 1 1/2 miles three or four times per week. One of those days, swim in fatigues and boots. Run 3 to 5 miles four or five times a week in as short a time as possible. Briskly walk between 5 and 15 miles with 30 to 50 lbs. of gear. Every other day, do between 75 and 100 pullups, 200 to 300 pushups and 200 to 300 situps.
Weights
You generally do not use weights when doing workouts like Army basic training. Soldiers may have access to a gym after boot camp. Others may wish to prepare for boot camp using weights or get an Army-style exercise routine with weights. Don't skip the core army calisthenics like situps, pushups, pullups and dips. However, you can add in bench presses, military presses, triceps extensions and pulldowns into your routine. Bench presses and pulldowns should be done at 50 percent of your maximum weight until you can do no more. Military presses, bicep curls and triceps extensions should be done for the maximum number of reps on dumbbells weighing between 10 and 30 lbs.
Brief Circuit Training
If you have just 20 minutes, do an Army-style circuit training workout, which is focused on maximum reps. Perform pushups, squats, pullups, crunches, cardio, lunges, biceps curls, tricep extensions, leg extensions, leg curls, lunges and military presses in under 20 minutes. The name of the game here is intensity, doing as much as you can in short, predetermined periods.
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