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How do I get faster in my running for my Marine Corps PFT? I am an OCS Applicant. I did a PFT Saturday which did not go well. I did 20 Pull Ups, 99 Crunches (I can hit all 100 easily, but not sure what happened) and I ran a 23:39 3 Mile (cut off for OCS candidates is 23:59). A score 265. Captain said … Continue reading PFT: Run. Your Most Pressing Questions, Answers
Fartlek is a word that translates into “speed play”. The basic concept of this system is to train the body using different intervals of rest and speed. Normal Fartlek sessions tend to consist of about 3 to 4 miles, running about ¼ mile or more then resting before doing it again. The course you are going to familiarize yourself with at OCS is a twisted representation of this concept.
This is a great example of a Fartlek course you can do on your own time in preparation for OCS. Feel free to mix in other exercises found on this site.
The OCS course will consist of running to pre-marked exercise stations along Quantico trails. Each station is marked with a specific exercise and number of repetitions. The repetitions increase as you progress through training. Below is an example of exercises to include in your own Fartlek course, as well as, some recommended distances to space them out.
Each station should have approximately 400m to ½ mile between them. Each exercise should count between 10-20 repetitions.
Box Jumps
Pull -Ups
Crunches
Wide arm push-ups
Q: I have a question about the PFT and the CFT. Are the events (like pull-up, 3 mile run and crunches) back to back or is there a rest period in between? A: I have always gotten enough time to catch my breath, get some water and even do a little quick stretching in between. At OCS, you will have so much time in between … Continue reading OCS Questions and Answers
Welcome to all you aspiring Marine Corps officers. We hope the blog and our social media content helps you achieve your goals. Check out the Washington Post’s story on OCS here Armstrong 360 Workout Routine playlist (full workout here) How to Become an Officer of Marines USMC Pull-ups: PFT Rules USMC Crunches: PFT Rules USMC Push-up Rules Motivating USMC Commercials PBS Marines Documentary “Semper Fidelis, always … Continue reading Videos
This is a popular training program for the crunches part of the PFT.
While it is a good program to help you get to and past 100 crunches, remember that it crunches are a one-dimensional component of fitness and are not a substitute for a full core workout. OCS is much more than just the PFT.
Do three maximum effort sets. Rest 60-90 seconds between each set. As soon as you stop (even for one second), that set is complete.
For me, the pull ups were the hardest part of the USMC PFT. If they are giving you trouble, or you need help training for the PFT as a whole, I hope this page will give you some helpful advice and motivation to train! Mastering the PFT will be an essential part of becoming an officer in the Marine Corps. PFT Composition The PFT consists of … Continue reading PFT: Physical Fitness Test
For physical preparation, much advice I got was wrong, or misleading before I got to OCS. The workouts and much of the training has evolved considerably since past CO’s. If I had to do it again, I would mimic OCS workouts as much as possible in my own program. So, to that end I’ll detail the current workouts at Officer Candidate School. Enjoy! PPPA: Push/Pull/Press/Abs … Continue reading Physical Fitness
