Stew Smith Fitness News

After doing research and writing about physical fitness tests for military and law enforcement agencies for the past ten years, I recognized a common appearance of the 1.5 mile run, pushups, and sit-ups test as a near universal basis for testing fitness levels. The groups who use the Common PFT are the Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, and more than 50% of federal, state, and local police agencies as a minimum standard for physical testing. In the military units, they also have alternate testing exercises such as bike or swim for the run if injury prevents a member from running...

One should realize that the standard fitness test most groups take is NOT a perfect marker of one's skills as a military member, police officer, SWAT Team or other Special Operator. Many people ask why do I need to do these fitness tests as it has nothing to do with my job. However, statistically speaking, it has been proven in many programs that the higher you score on the "entrance exam" fitness test the better you will do at basic training programs. But, it is also true that it does not matter how high you score on a pushup, pullup,...

Today, with the threat of terrorist attacks on American soil, the Coast Guard stands as our first line of defense against any maritime threat. The Coast Guard performs thousands of life saving missions every year and seizes tons of illegal drugs and contraband, the men and women of the Coast Guard are our Homeland Defense force. To perform these dangerous missions requires a high level of fitness from the average Coast Guard member. Physical fitness requirements in the Coast Guard are directly linked to “On the Job” requirements. Coast Guard men and women who are rescue swimmers, small boat crew...

Every week, there are several young people seeking advice about how to prepare for the country’s Service Academies fitness assessments. The CFA – or Candidate Fitness Assessment is a test that not only evaluates strength and endurance, but a measures potential for athleticism. The history behind the CFA is decades old, it but used to be called the PAE – which stands for Physical Aptitude Exam. The major difference between this fitness test and other PRTs in the military is the use of the shuttle run and the kneeling basketball throw. This article will assist Naval Academy, Air Force Academy...

Even though you may be working out several times per week, many get into a rut of doing the same old routine. It is true that this “rut” is better than the alternative of not exercising at all, but it can lead to plateaus in progress whether your ultimate goal is performance or aesthetics based. This can be somewhat de-motivating. A recent email prompted me to create a method for people to develop goals by using a standard PFT style program for testing.Do you have any previous research on making physical fitness tests to give my workout group some goals...