What is a FREE proven resource any PT Test Taker can use right now to crush fitness tests?
Since the mid-1990's, I have on certain occasions recommended someone try the Pullup Push and the Pushup Push Protocols to help increase their pullups and pushups respectively. Depending on your current progress in these two calisthenics exercises, you could see an increase in 1-2 minute fitness tests by anywhere between 25 to 100% in 14 days! Obviously, an improvement from 20 pushups to 40 pushups will be easier than 40 pushups to 80 pushups, so the range in improvement depends on your current max.
This is one of many ways to utilize the Overload Principle:
With calisthenics, you can use this overload principle by doing more sets and repetitions supplemented into your current workout daily. We will be increasing the volume with a system of repetitions and will help build muscle stamina (strength-endurance). The only difference with this routine is you will be asked to do pullups / pushups daily for 10 days straight - THEN take a 3 day rest from pulling or pushing exercises and then test on day 14. Try it out - you simply add the reps to your current workout. Check out the details below:
PULLUP PUSH PROTOCOL
Take your current pullup max effort score and multiply by 5. That is your daily number of pullups. So if you can do 10 pullups in one max rep set and fail at 11, then you need to do 50 pullups a day in a total repetition count of your workouts. See chart below as to how to manage ODD / EVEN days:
ODD DAYS: Supersets OR pyramids:
These are your normal pullup workouts and your goal pullup number is to be completed in a single workout period. Shoot for several max rep sets in this workout to push your maximum efforts. I like to take my goal number and try to achieve that number in as few sets as possible. 5-8 sets is a good goal. The fewer sets you have to do shows that you are building muscle stamina and endurance. To get better at pullups, you have to turn a traditional strength exercise into an endurance exercise - especially if you want 20+ reps.
EVEN DAYS:
Do your total maximum pullups x 5 anyway you can throughout the day and NOT in a single workout. Do small repetition sets until you reach your goal pull-up number in non-failure sets.
Rotate for the next ten days from odd day workout options and even day pull-up supplement, then take three-four days off from doing ANY pull-ups. Test on day 14-15 and let me know your results. Remember, this is a supplemental program, so if you are doing pullups and pushups in your regular workouts, these totals count toward the daily amounts. Mainly just add pullups
| Sample Routine if Current Max is 10 reps | Pullups per Day |
| Day 1 - Regular Upper Body Workout = total pullups should be 50 reps | 50 reps |
| Day 2 - Do 50 reps spread throughout the day (Sub-Max rep sets) | 50 reps |
| Day 3 - Regular Upper Body Workout = total pullups should be 50 reps | 50 reps |
| Day 4 - Do 50 reps spread throughout the day (Sub-Max rep sets) | 50 reps |
| Day 5 - Regular Upper Body Workout = total pullups should be 50 reps | 50 reps |
| Day 6 - Do 50 reps spread throughout the day (Sub-Max rep sets) | 50 reps |
| Day 7 - Regular Upper Body Workout = total pullups should be 50 reps | 50 reps |
| Day 8 - Do 50 reps spread throughout the day (Sub-Max rep sets) | 50 reps |
| Day 9 - Regular Upper Body Workout = total pullups should be 50 reps | 50 reps |
| Day 10 - Do 50 reps spread throughout the day (Sub-Max rep sets) | 50 reps |
| Day 11,12,13 | Rest Days |
| Day 14 | Test Day |
Push yourself and you can quickly perform better on your pull-up test. You can fit this type of program into your present workout plan by just adding 25-50 pullups on your rest days so you do a ten-day routine of pull-ups.
PUSHUP PUSH PROTOCOL
Take your current pushup max effort score and multiply by 4. That is your daily number of pushups. So, if you can do 50 pushups in one max rep set and fail at 51, then you need to do 200 pushups a day in a total repetition count of your workouts. See chart below as to how to manage ODD / EVEN days:
On ODD days:
Do pushups (or your max X4) in as few sets as possible (max rep sets) completed during a workout session. You can still do upper body workouts on these days if you are on a program already. This is a supplemental program that simply adds pushups to your regular workout program using maximum repetition sets
On EVEN days:
Do pushups (or your max x 4) throughout the day. This can be little sets of ten done every half hour or 40-50+pushups done four times throughout the day.
RULE: If your maximum is under 50 pushups (do no more than 200 pushups a day). If your maximum is 60-75, 250-300 pushups a day is fine. BUT I would not attempt this workout if you are in the 80 pushups zone currently. Your answer is to do a normal split routine of upper body exercises every OTHER day with maybe a pyramid, super set, and a max rep set workout once a week.
Repeat the ODD / EVEN routine for a total of 10 days. Then take 3-4 days off and do NO upper body pushing exercises that work the chest, triceps, and shoulders. Then on day 14, give yourself the pushup test (1 or 2 minutes depending on your PFT).
Sample: Take your current max, say 50, multiply by 4 to equal 200. That is your daily total.
| Sample Routine if Current Max is 50 reps on 1-2 min test | Pushups per Day |
| Day 1 - Regular Upper Body Workout = total pushups should be 200 reps | at least 200 reps |
| Day 2 - Do 200 reps spread throughout the day (Max rep sets) | 200 reps |
| Day 3 - Regular Upper Body Workout = total pushups should be 200 reps | at least 200 reps |
| Day 4 - Do 200 reps spread throughout the day (Max rep sets) | 200 reps |
| Day 5 - Regular Upper Body Workout = total pushups should be 200 reps | at least 200 reps |
| Day 6 - Do 200 reps spread throughout the day (Max rep sets) | 200 reps |
| Day 7 - Regular Upper Body Workout = total pushups should be 200 reps | at least 200 reps |
| Day 8 - Do 200 reps spread throughout the day (Max rep sets) | 200 reps |
| Day 9 - Regular Upper Body Workout = total pushups should be 200 reps | at least 200 reps |
| Day 10 - Do 200 reps spread throughout the day (Max rep sets) | 200 reps |
| Day 11,12,13 | Rest Days |
| Day 14 or 15 | Test Day |
Some Rules:
After this 2 week supplemental plan, I would not try it again. Go back to an every OTHER day approach to high volume calisthenics and make them an upper body and lower body split similar to these free workout weeks:
Three Favorite Workouts to Crush the PT Test
Classic Military PT Test Week of Training / Article and Video
I would not attempt this workout if you are in the high teens of pullups or 80+ pushups. That is too much daily volume in my opinion and will see minimal gains.
Can you do both at once? Some have seen progress with that option, but these were not made or tested when doing both at the same time. My advice is to do pullups for 2 weeks and pushups for 2 weeks and see how you do in one month's time on both.
The best response are those under 40 pushups and those under 10 pullups. We have seen many 50-100% increases coming from this level in 14 days using this supplemental workout.
This is a supplemental workout - that means you need to be running, swimming, lifting, doing leg days, etc. Do not just do pushups / pullups ONLY for 2 weeks - that is a waste of 2 weeks of training.
I would not recommend this workout more than once every six months, since it is rather challenging on the same muscle groups repeatedly.
When it comes to pullup and pushups, what is an innovative phone app every PT Test Taker needs to know about if they want to crush fitness tests in the very near future? Yes there is an APP for that too and helps you keep track of your daily totals!
The Pullup Push - Pullups APP
The Pushup Push - Pushups APP
Situps - Here is how you do this 14-day improvement challenge with Situps
The Key to Situps is PACE - Read more
– Mark your current maximum score for your test (ie. 50 in 2 minutes). Do the type of exercise you will be tested: Situps — hands behind head with elbows touching knees, curl ups — hands crossed on chest with elbows touching knees, or crunches — hands crossed on chest with elbow toughing lower thighs.
NOTE – If your situp test is only 1 minute, the process is the same BUT your pace can be faster than in the 2 minutes test.
– Take your max score and multiply by three (50x 3 = 150) and do this number (or rounded up to nearest 10) for 10 straight days.
– Day 1–4: Do 150 situps in thirty-second sets BUT shoot for 20 situps in 30 seconds so for days 1–4 you will do 150 situps in timed sets of 30 seconds for four days straight. Your goal is to get 20 situps in that time so for this workout, you will do roughly 8–9 sets of 20 situps in 30 seconds. Spread these 30 seconds sets throughout your existing workout however you desire. I personally like to “rest with abs” in between sets of pullups or weighted exercises or even running / swimming intervals. This pace will set you up for 80 situps in 2 min. Go to 25 in 30 seconds if you want to strive for 100 situps in 2 minutes. But start with 80 first if you are stuck at 50 or below for your current max.
* Note if you are having trouble keeping the goal pace for 30 seconds, try it for 15 seconds and shoot for quick timed sets of 10–12 repetitions for 15 seconds. The first 15–20 seconds of a 2 minute situp test is where people start off too fast, so it is a good idea to practice the start of the test regularly..
– Day 5–8: You change the timed sets and shoot for 40–50 situps in 1 minute sets. Do 150 situps in 1 minute sets with a goal of 40–50 situps per minute. This should take you 4–5 sets done through your workout for four days straight.
– Days 9–10: You change the timed sets to 2 minutes focused on the same pace as above.150 situps should be completed in 2–3 sets for two days straight.
– Daily BACK Balance – Just working the front side of the body is where many go wrong. For every situp repetition you do in your daily workout, you have to get in the plank pose for the same number of seconds (150 seconds or roughly three minutes). Somewhere in your daily workouts for Day 1–10 you have to get a total of three minutes in the plank pose or mix in the PT RESET as well. Mix in the following back-side core exercises as well.
PT RESET:
Rev Pushups -20
Birds -20
Arm haulers-20
Swimmers 1 min
Side plank 1 min (right)
Plank 1 min
Side plank 1 min (left)
– Stretch the hip flexors, thighs, lower back, and stomach after each day of the 10 day situps program.
— Days 11–13: Time to recover – Rest your core - the entire system.
Take 3 days off from any core exercises. You can still run, swim, and PT but skip the ab exercises and lifting free weights for this period of 3 days.
– Day 14: TEST Day – Give yourself a 1–2 minute test (whichever your test requires) and focus on the goal pace you mastered.
As you start to fatigue and think you cannot do any more situps, slide your butt about 4-6 inches away from your feet. This will create a different angle between your stomach muscles and hips and you should be able to crank out 5-10 more situps in your last 20 seconds.
Let Gravity Do Half the Work
To conserve abdominal stamina in the situps test, only exert yourself on the “up” portion of the exercise and let gravity take you down so your shoulder blades touch the floor. Many times people keep their abs flexed while descending and waste too much energy. This error and lack of pace are the two biggest culprits for performing well on the curl-ups or sit-ups test. Of course, a lack of specific and consistent training will prevent you from doing better in the physical fitness test as well.
For more information on programs that will help you pass any physical fitness test, check out the StewSmithfitness.com Store and of course email Stew Smith at stew@stewsmith.com for more info or answers to any questions.
There is More to StewSmithFitness.com Than You May Know
Who is Stew Smith? Coach, Trainer, Author, Podcaster
I'm the former Navy SEAL that special ops candidates go to for books, ebooks and online coaching to prepare themselves to get to and through intense tactical assessment and selection programs and qualify for service in their chosen tactical profession. See More at StewSmithFitness.com
Quick Summary:
- FREE Fitness (all topics) / Mindset Articles and Workouts - Latest info on training for any goal! (over 1000)
- eBooks, Books and eBooks in PRINT (over 40 options)
- Spec Ops Swim Critiques on social media - YouTube, TikTok, Instagram
- Live QA / CSS Critiques Mon / Tues 9am (YouTube, TikTok, Instagram)
- Podcasts (over 200)
- Stew Smith Fitness APPs - Triad version, Pushup Push APP, Pullup Push APP, FBI workout APP
- FREE Navy SEAL Exercises Apps - iPhone, Android
- Membership Site - Get access to 100s of week of training programs and unpublished workouts we are currently doing each week. Constantly updated weekly with new articles, videos, and workouts of the week.
- Tactical Fitness Course - 80 minutes to learn how to get both TO and THROUGH spec ops selection programs.
- Online Coaching - Get personalized programming designed for your goals, abilities, time per day, days per week, equipment/facilities...etc.
Dive deeper into the world of Tactical Athlete training and mental toughness by exploring Stew Smith Fitness Programming for the Tactical Athlete online store. Uncover the strategies and techniques used by elite forces to push past physical and mental barriers. Visit https://www.stewsmithfitness.com now and equip yourself with the tools for success for many special ops level selection programs in the military and police world.
Books and eBooks Available (All Levels of Fitness)
The Specific Military / Special Ops Physical Fitness Workouts
Navy SEAL Workout Phase 1
Navy SEAL Workout Phase 2 - 3
Navy SEAL Workout Phase 4 Grinder PT
Navy SWCC Workout
Army PFT Workout (Prep For Rucking, OPAT, ACFT)
Army Special Forces / Ranger Workout
Army Air Assault School Workout
Army Airborne Workout
Advanced Running Program - Special Ops Supplement Plan
USMC RECON / MarSOC Workout
USMC OCS / TBS Workout
USMC IST and PFT
The Combat Conditioning Workout
Air Force PJ / CCT Workout Battlefield Airman Prep Course
The UBRR Upper Body Round Robin Workout / Spec Ops version
The Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer / Navy SAR Workout
The Service Academy Workout (West Point, Navy, Air Force Academy)
The Navy, Air Force, Marine Corp Boot Camp Workout
-
The Law Enforcement Physical Fitness Workouts
The FBI Academy Workout | FBI Workout Vol 2
The DEA Workout
The FLETC Workout - Ace the PEB
The PFT Bible: Pushups, Sit-ups, 1.5 Mile Run
The Fire Fighter Workout - Ace the CPAT
Calisthenics and Cardio
Online Coaching Options
Online PT CLUB - Premium Coaching -
Do you need a program that actually works for you? We can build it personally for you and your personal goals and help you fit it into your day with the equipment you have available. Let us be your training partner and coach.
Many people ask me what the difference is between the Premium Program and the Online PT CLUB Coaching. The people in either program receive personalized training from me - Stew Smith - tailored to fit your abilities, goals, available time per day, days per week, facilities, and equipment. We communicate regularly about your progress, and your feedback helps me create the plan for the next week. There is no standard workout template and then "see you later." These programs are designed week by week with ongoing communication between us to determine the best approach for the upcoming week.
Tactical Fitness Course - Getting TO the training does not guarantee you get THROUGH the training. Learn about the two phases of tactical fitness you need to develop thoroughly before getting to BUDS. Check out the Online Course - Getting TO and THROUGH Special Ops Selection.
Member's Only Content / Services Program!
If you want access to years worth of workouts, favorite workouts of the week, free fitness APP, closed Facebook Group, video / picture library of exercises, and more access to LIVE Q/A sessions check out the Stew Smith Fitness Members Section.
The dashboard below has the links to all the information, archives, videos, and links to workouts, podcasts, live Q and A lessons.
