At 0530am, Stew Smith, a 1991 USNA graduate and former Navy SEAL, exercised with over 800 motivated High School seniors. Many will likely become Midshipmen at the Naval Academy after they graduate High School. Good luck men and women in your last year of High School. See you around Annapolis in a year or so! Here is the workout we did on Farragut Field Tuesday morning:
Warmup - 5:00 with slow run
Repeat 10 times
Jumping jacks 10
Pushups - 10-20 (rotate thru each type)
- Regular Pushups
- Wide Pushups
- Close Tricep Pushups
- Dive Bomber Pushups
- 8 Count Body Builder Pushups
- Burpees, etc
(Total pushups = 200)
Repeat three times:
Squats - 20
1/2 Squats - 20
Lunges - 10 / leg
Situps - 1:00
(Rest one minute while you hold your partners feet)
Stretch 5:00
Run 2 miles
We also learned how to pace ourselves during timed sit-up tests - just as you do the 1.5 mile timed run: See link on Proper Situps
The Physical Training at USNA
Why show up at the Naval Academy unprepared for the physical fitness test? You would be surprised but many freshman are physically unprepared for life at the Naval Academy when they arrive. Why make life here at the Naval Academy more stressful on yourself? You have to take a running test - so run! You have to take a swimming test - so swim! And you have to do pushups and situps - so practice those calisthenics.
This training program is designed to help prepare you to achieve above average scores (not the minimum standard) when you arrive as freshmen (Plebes). For most of you, it will be a great workout. For some, you will realize that you need to work a little harder prior to arriving next year.
Here is the exact workout that you followed on Tuesday morning at Summer Seminar.
Jumping jack / pushups - do non-stop for 5:00
This is a great warmup exercise.
Leg PT - will strengthen your legs and help with your running as well. Though the best way to get better at running is to practice running!
Squats / situps superset
The object is to complete ALL of the 4 exercises in a 3:00 period. So if you are going to do 3 sets of this workout it would take you 10 minutes.
Pushups: Wide and close pushups refer to the distance of your hands on the ground. Dive bombers mix the up and down dog pose of yoga with a pushup and the 8 count pushups mixes squat thrusts with pushups
Running on your own
If you REALLY need help on running, it is recommended to use the 2 mile option for 2 months before picking up the mileage to 3 miles track workout as seen on Stewsmith.com articles about running. Check out this FREE Running Program download: www.stewsmith.com/6weekrunningplan.pdf
Also - see The Running Faster, Running Properly, and all the PFT articles at www.stewsmith.com/sitemap.htm
Any questions??
You can e-mail Stew Smith at Stew@stewsmith.com. Your questions will be answered either by email or as a feature in his fitness column.
Another FREE beginner plan for weight loss and basic fitness: http://www.stewsmithptclub.com/45dayplan.pdf
Download workouts
There is also a free 6 week program online at www.stewsmith.com for you to download titled, "USNA Workout." Do this workout as many times as you have to in order to get above average scores on the PFT.
Above average scores: MEN WOMEN
Pushups 80-90 50-60
Situps 80-90 80-90
1.5 mile run 9:00-9:30 11:00-11:30
