Physical Prep

If you have a year to get physically and mentally prepared, speak to your OSO and track your workouts in your Officer Training Guide. The sooner you start your preparation, the better off you will be. Your year should progress as follows:

Start slowly

- Do not overestimate your ability when starting out. Work on performing correct sets. Do not worry about trying to time yourself. Just work on exercise technique.

Progress evenly

- Gradually progress by following the prescribed workout schedule. Try to do a little more over time, but do not overdo it.

Taper your last week

- Use the last week to get yourself mentally prepared, and do not do anything that might cause an injury.

Train at least 3 days a week.

Always complete your training for the day in the following order:

1. Warm-up and flexibility training
2. Pull-up/flexed-arm hang
3. Supplemental work (for pull-up and flexed-arm hang)
4. Crunches (core work)
5. Aerobic conditioning (running)
6. Cool down

Supplemental exercises include:

1. Bench press/incline bench press
2. Assisted pull-up - using a friend or a machine
3. Squats
4. Sit-ups
5. Lunge
6. Dips
7. Shoulder press
8. Step up
9. Back extension
10. Lat pull-down
11. Leg lifts
12. Dumbbell row
13. Heel raise
14. Bicep curl

MINIMUM PFT REQUIREMENTS:

Male candidates and Marines must complete at least three pull-ups. Female candidates must complete a flexed arm hang for 15 seconds, while female Marines must complete a flexed arm hang for 15 seconds or complete at least 3 pull-ups. Female Marines may do pull-ups or the flexed arm hang. However, female candidates are required to do the flexed arm hang during the PFT at Officer Candidates School. Beginning in 2014, female candidates will be required to do three pull-ups as a graduation requirement.

PREPARATION

These workouts were specifically designed to improve performance in the overhand pull-up (palms facing away). The overhand method is the preferred method, but for now do what you need to in order to complete the most repetitions for your PFT. Mix up your training between underhand and overhand until you can do 20 both ways. The program depends upon quality exercises—the number of repetitions is secondary.

1. Train five days on; two days off. Rest is a crucial component of performance.
2. Complete five maximum effort sets per day. Rest 90 seconds between each set.
3. Concentrate on doing perfect executions instead of the number of repetitions you complete.

MINIMUM PFT REQUIREMENTS:

Both male and female candidates and Marines must complete at least 50 crunches in two minutes.

PREPARATION

Here are a few workouts that can help you prepare for the crunches portion of the PFT. If you will do this program consistently with the pull-up workout, you will see fast and effective improvement in your PFT score. The key is consistency.

1. Try doing three maximum effort sets. Rest 60-90 seconds between each set. As soon as you stop, that set is complete.
2. Do six 20-second sets. Do as many as you can in 20 seconds as if you were taking the PFT. Rest 25 seconds between each set.
3. Do 50 repetitions as fast as possible. Rest for 60 seconds. Then do 30 repetitions as fast as possible. Rest for 45 seconds and then do 20 more as fast as possible.

MINIMUM PFT REQUIREMENTS:

Males candidates and Marines must complete the three-mile run in 28 minutes or less. Female candidates and Marines must complete the three-mile run in 31 minutes or less.

PREPARATION

There are many ways to improve your run time. The key to a good run workout is not overall mileage or speed work but consistency. Here are a few things you can do to prepare:

1. Try running with a partner who will help motivate you to continue.
2. Start at a pace and distance you are comfortable with and build steadily.
3. Look in the direction of where you are going-not down at the pavement.
4. Run at least three times per week.

The purpose of the Combat Fitness Test is to evaluate each Marine's strength, stamina, agility and coordination as it pertains to operational demands. A complement to the PFT, the CFT measures the functional elements of combat fitness through execution of a series of events that represents real combat scenarios. Passing the CFT is an annual requirement for all Marines. Performance on the test directly impacts every Marine's career, as CFT scores are used to tabulate Composite Scores used for promotions.

MOVEMENT TO CONTACT

A timed, 880-yard course that tests each Marine's endurance.

• Males must complete the course in 4:13 or less
• A perfect score for males is 2:45
• Females must complete it in 5:27 or less
• A perfect score for females is 3:23

AMMUNITION LIFT

Marines must lift a 30-pound ammo can over their heads (elbows locked) as many times as possible.

• Males must complete at least 33 lifts in two minutes
• A perfect score for males is 91 lifts
• Females must complete at least 17 lifts in two minutes
• A perfect score for females is 61 lifts

MANEUVER UNDER FIRE

This event is a 300-yard shuttle run that includes a variety of combat-related tasks, including crawls, carries, ammunition resupply, grenade throwing and agility running

• Males must complete course in 3:58 or less
• A perfect score for males is 2:14
• Females must complete it in 5:59 or less
• A perfect score for females is 3:01

Marines must achieve the minimum performance requirement for all three events to successfully pass the Combat Fitness Test. Failure to meet the minimum requirement in any one event constitutes a failure of the entire test. CFT classifications for all age groups are as follows:

• 1^st Class – 270 to 300 score
• 2^nd Class – 225 to 269 score
• 3^rd Class – 190 – 224 score
• Fail – a score of 189 or below