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So your goal is a 300 PFT, and OCS success on the way to becoming an officer. You know you should be doing a few hundred pullups a week, and get up to that 20 pullup set with confidence–but you’re not. Are you. Mhmm. Well, with an indoor pullup bar, you’ll have no excuse since a set of pullups will be closer than your TV, … Continue reading What’s the Best Piece of Gear for Becoming an Officer?
Candidates, if you need to mix up your cardio circuits or need some ideas for a no-frills bodyweight workout, you will love the 1-2-3 Bodyweight Workout. Since there’s no running or lower body involved, you could combine it with some or else use it on your alternate days. Either way, it requires no gym or weights, so you could do the whole thing at home … Continue reading Pushups, Pullups, Crunches: The 1-2-3 Bodyweight Workout
Candidates, we are beginning a new series of small posts which answer specific candidate’s questions. Feel free to submit questions as blog comments. If the information could help others, the question may be answered as a blog post under the Q&A category. Candidate Question: I have a question about the PFT and the CFT. Are the events (like pull-up, 3 mile run and crunches) back … Continue reading Candidate Question: PFT and CFT Rest
Note: It has recently come to the attention of the blog that the near-mythical Major Armstrong, of the famous Armstrong Pull-up Program, was a real historical figure, and of course, a Marine, as the legend claims. He died this summer in Texas from cancer. His career spanned from 1966 all the way until 1991, and the pull-up record was his at one time. The following … Continue reading RIP Major Charles Lewis Armstrong
Anyone who has ever attempted to complete the Marine Corps PFT will tell you that it is no easy task. Completing the test is challenging enough by itself, let alone attempting to earn a perfect 300 PFT score.
To earn a perfect score, a Marine must execute 20 dead hang pull-ups/chin-ups, 100 crunches in 2 minutes or less, and a 3-mile run in 18 minutes or less. Anyone that could achieve 300 points on this test is a true warrior-athlete. It is a balance between upper body strength and cardiovascular strength.
The Army PFT is different and challenging as well. The APFT consists of push-ups, sit-ups, and a 2-mile run. A Soldier maxes it by executing 75 push-ups in 2 minutes or less, 80 sit-ups in 2 minutes or less, and a 2-mile run in 13:00 minutes or less.
These standards are relative to the age group they belong in, in this case 21-26 year olds.
Now that we have a basic overview of each PFT, let’s take a look at how well they stack up against each other. As you read on I want to pose the following questions. Which PFT is more challenging? If you earn a 300 on one, would you able to earn the same score on the other? Which one produces the better warrior-athlete?
If you’ve wondered that, then you’re not alone. In my graduating class, less than 20% of females were remaining. Most of these went immediately to a delay at TBS due to injury. Scary figures, right?
If you are intimidated or discouraged by these facts, STOP! The odds are tough but just let that be motivation. The 1 female in 5 who graduated with us was probably the best prepared and most dedicated. Just determine to be that one and you will become an officer in the Marines. Do not let doubt creep into your mind. You can be the best prepared, and you can do it. Thousands have before you.
I will use this post to answer questions that females have asked before. Â I did not have females in my company, but the “neighboring” company did, and obviously I’ve had plenty of female friends successfully complete OCS. I will only answer questions that I think I can do justice to.
A: Overall, it’s no different from my advice for men. Know the most knowledge you can, memorizing all the general orders perfectly and studying all the pubs I have on the site. Study! Work out hard! If you can keep up with the sample workout on this site, you will be in good shape. Get all the sleep you can before OCS. You’ll lose a ton there.
A: I recommend working on upper body and core especially, as your loads will be similar to the heavy loads carried by the males. Working in heavy squats and lunges will help develop core and lower body strength ahead of time. I said heavy, no 5 lb Jillian Michaels dumbbells here. For running, aim for 15% increase in mileage per week. If you develop shin splints, run on a softer surface, ease back a little, and do stretching and mobility work. Try foam rollers
We didn’t even have a female platoon in our company.  But one of the things I can straighten out is that all pull-ups in my PFT discussions now apply to males and females. Women now do Pullups, not the flexed arm hang.
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
How are you doing in preparation for the PFT? This site has a great, simple calculator to give you a PFT score: USMC.PFTcalculator.com. Â I know it helped motivate me to work out to see how much one extra pullup or a few seconds off my run would help my score. Â Set some goals to help you work out! It also includes a link to the … Continue reading PFT Calculator
Courtesy of Armstrong Pullup Program.com:
I received this awesome workout from my recruiter. Many of the former candidates, current officers, I know use this, so hopefully some of you will see success with it. I know it’s a long read, but well worth it. Enjoy.
First…do you have a pullup bar? If you want to succeed at OCS–get yourself that piece of gear! If your pullups have plateaued, try the Advanced workout here.
This program was used by Major Charles Lewis Armstrong, USMC to prepare himself to attempt to set a world record in number of pull-ups completed in a single exercise session. The program provides the necessities for successful physical improvement namely, VARIETY, OVERLOAD, and REGULARITY. Users have achieved remarkable results in only 6 to 8 weeks. This means that most, if not all, have been able to meet the performance level they have set out to achieve, a single set of twenty repetitions. Armstrong Pull Up ProgramIt can not be overemphasized that his program depends upon regularity. Daily performance of the exercises listed in the following paragraphs holds the true key to reaching and to maintaining the twenty repetition level.
