PFT Tips Thread

[StayGrey]

TBers, in light of all the PFT threads asking the same things I thought it might be a good idea to collect all our best PFT, APFT, LEPFT tips in one place. This isn't a place to ask advice for your pet personal problem, rather a place to contribute a piece or two of hard earned knowledge; training related, diet, psychological, anything.

I'll start:

Do an occasional dry run of your entire PFT in preparation phase. Do all the events back to back and don't give yourself more than 5-10 minutes in between events. Doing the exercises back to back is more of an accurate predictor of how well you'll do on game day vs doing them at separate times throughout the week.

[TangoZero]

Awesome idea.

PFT isn't the time to experiment with new supplements. Don't try anything new, no different brands etc. Stick to what you use during training. It's a funny story (which I won't get into here), but I learned this one the hard way during an annual.

[Aelian]

When you start training specifically for PFT:

Keep a 50/50 mix of long aerobic (E) and speed-work (HIC) in your cluster.
If you're weak in the 1.5, 3mile, then skew the ratio in favor of the long aerobic and dial back on the speed work a touch.
If you're weak in a sprint component (not all PFTs have a sprint) skew the ratio the other way, more speed work, slightly less aerobic/distance.

[StayGrey]

Great stuff gents!! Thanks for contributing. Here's another that should be common sense, but I see people fucking up all the time...

Use specificity. When doing SE, make sure your SE clusters contain all your PFT exercises. When choosing HIC and E, stick to the running and sprinting sessions....don't cycle, swim or ruck! Unless your particular PFT contains it.

[Ten8]

Great stuff gents!! Thanks for contributing. Here's another that should be common sense, but I see people fucking up all the time...

Use specificity. When doing SE, make sure your SE clusters contain all your PFT exercises. When choosing HIC and E, stick to the running and sprinting sessions....don't cycle, swim or ruck! Unless your particular PFT contains it.

Fantastic thread idea. I'm patrol, not on a tac unit but I'm sure the principles apply across the board regardless of PF test.

I'll add to what you've written; take specificity further and do most (if not all!) of your runs on the ground. Stay away from the treadmill unless it's between doing a treadmill run or no run at all because of life-endangering weather or the threat of landmines on your running route.

[BlackPyjamas]

So maybe this works better for guys with a little more training experience, or maybe it'll work for anyone I don't know. Works well for me though.

Basically my Operator cluster always contains weighted pull-ups year-round, along with a press and legs. This easily keeps my PU numbers up, on any given day I can hit 15-18 dead hang body weight.

When I have a PFT coming up I just add an SE finisher consisting of push-ups and sit-ups (yes we still use sit-ups) after each Op session 6-8 weeks out. I use alpha and transition to bravo after 3 weeks.

I pretty much use Black pro for most of the year, and honestly I don't really change this come PFT. I get in my weekly LSS run, a mid distance tempo and a track workout or hill sprints every week. Occasionally we'll have a team fun-run or I'll do an extra LSS if I'm in the mood or have the time. Keep in mind I run Base faithfully at least once a year, and this year I might even do it a second time.

[spemma]

great thread!!

i'll give my tips, most of which i've "borrowed" from other sources. since i'm deep in prepping for a PFT, these are kind of specific.

• prep your muscles for the next PFT event. for example, if you just did a sprint and push-ups are next, do some push-ups to get the blood out of your legs and into your chest.
• explosive jumps x 3 help activate your fast twitch muscles. helpful to do a couple before a sprint.
• have a strategy for your PFT events. know how many reps you can do and how fast you can run, factoring in cumulative fatigue. there's no reason to max effort an event if it will be to the detriment of subsequent events.
• gravity is your friend on push-ups/pull-ups/sit-ups.

[Nomad]

I usually don't do special prep anymore, my regular training keeps me gtg. But if for whatever reason I want to tighten up on my times then I like to do a little extra in training so that the actual pft seems easier. Ex. We usually test our 1.5 on a track, 6 laps, so I'll do 7 in training.

[TangoZero]

Eat your carbs. You'll be tapping into the glycolytic system on test day, carbs fuel that process. Going low carb for an event like that makes as much sense as doing Formula 1 with only a quarter tank of gas.

[spemma]

anyone have week of PFT prep advice? i assume water, diet/nutrition, and sleep/rest have to be in check.

are there any last workouts you are getting in?