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STEW SMITH CONCEPTS

PT Progression Series: #1 — The Pyramid• STEW SMITH

•  JULY 23, 2013

• AIR FORCE FITNESS

• 0

Everyday someone asks about improving in fitness tests. Many people have issues ith

not !ust performing on an entry level fitness test "!oin military poli$e fire% but also

progressing in a manner that ill enable them to perform ell at &oot 'amp or Poli$e and

(ire )$ademies. *ere is an email from a $on$erned student ho is preparing to !oin the

military in the ne+t year:

Stew, How do I get better at pullups, pushups, and situps? I know I should do more

of them but how do I arrange workouts so I am going to see progress frequently

(weekly / every other week)? 

This is a great ,uestion be$ause e all have to start somehere and then e progress into

being PT animals eventually. The good nes is that you have a year to train but you need

to start no. - am going to make my ne+t several arti$les fo$us on the PT Progression

Method. -t all starts ith building a foundation and then advan$es in the folloing orkout

arrangements.

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The PT Pyramid:  &uild a foundation ith this orkout that has a armup ma+out

$ooldon all rolled into a single orkout program. -t is a great ay to $he$k progress as

ell. To get better at your spe$ifi$ PT test. &uild a PT Pyramid like this:

Set#1: 1 Pullup / Pushups 0 situps"2o rest — your rest is the mus$le group rest you get by doing other e+er$ises%

Set#/: / pullups 3 pushups 14 situps

Set#5: 5 pullups 6 pushups 10 situpsand so on.

'ontinue up the pyramid until you fail. -f you find that you $annot do )27 pullups then

resort to negatives or fle+ed arm hangs for the number of se$onds instead of repetitions. -f

you fail at pushups resort to knee pushups and keep moving ith the orkout.

8hen you fail try to repeat in reverse order ba$k to hat you did at Set #1.

9ne ay to balan$e out your $ore is to repla$e situps ith plank pose on the ay don the

pyramid or alternate ea$h set and do even sets plank and odd sets situps.

The PT Pyramid is hat - $all a oundation !orkout . -t helps the user build a solid

foundation of $alistheni$s and in$reases volume so you ill improve your previous limits.

 9n$e you get to level 14 and ba$k don to 1 again you ill have done 144 pullups /44

pushups and 044 situps $ore e+er$ises. "/04 situps /04 se$onds in plank pose%. -f you

$an get to this level you are no in a position to progress to PT Progression #/ and #5.

PT Progression Series #1: PT Pyramids:  ;9 this orkout E<E=7 9T*E= ;)7. 2o

orkout is good to do daily for long periods of time. -t is best to do this foundation orkoutonly three days a eek.

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The Super Set is also $onsidered a (oundation 8orkout similar to the PT Pyramid here

the goal is to in$rease the eekly total volume of your repetitions in pullups pushups

situps in order to get better at taking $alistheni$ fitness tests. *aving a solid foundation by

using both the PT Pyramid and the Super Set ill enable you to build your mus$ular

enduran$e by in$reasing your daily volume in smaller subma+ rep sets. Eventually youmay fail at these predetermined number of these sets but that is fine. Deep pushing and

resort to knee pushups for pushups $run$hes for situps or fle+ed arm hang for pullups for

the last fe remaining sets of the program.

 ) super set is nothing more than a $ir$uit but made ith a set number of repetitions and a

range of sets for you to shoot for in the orkout. (or instan$e to a$e the pullups pushups

situps test you $an make a super set like this:

Repeat &'(&) time$

Pullups — 04 of your ma+ reps "so if you $an do 14 pullups — only do 0 per set%

Pushups 14F10 "if your $urrent ma+ is at least 34 do roughly /0 of ma+ per set%

Situps 14 — but fo$us on your goal pa$e. ;o 14 situps in 10 se$onds if you ant a total

s$ore of G4 situps in / minutes.

29 =EST — 7our rest is resting mus$le groups by doing other e+er$ises

 )nother option:

Repeat )(&' time$

pushups 14

situps 14

ide pushups 14$run$hes 14

tri$ep pushups 14

plank pose 54 se$onds

Pullups — 04 of your $urrent ma+ reps test s$ore

 )dd a ne progressionH )dd running in ea$h set by running anyhere from 144 yards or a

13 mile. 'onsider it ?resting ith running@. This ay you $an ork on the ability to

transition from the PT to running portions of the test hi$h is a big issue for many P(T

takers and makes running more $hallenging if all the blood is trapped in the upper body

before you start the run the 1.0 / or 5 mile timed runs.

9nly do the Super Set every other day at the most. 7ou $an do the PT Pyramid Super Set

and the Ma+ =ep 8orkout PT Progressions all on$e a eek if you ish. &>T you only

ant to ork ith this higher level of volume in the upperbody e+er$ises of pullups

pushups situps every 9T*E= day. ;o not do them on ba$k to ba$k to ba$k days like

many people mistakenly do. Eventually you ill see negative results if you do daily PT

orkouts of the same mus$le group.

 )nytime you are doing 144 pullups /44 pushups 544 reps of abdominal e+er$ises —

$onsider that an >PPE= &9;7 day that you need 3G hours to fully re$over before yourepeat that orkout.

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=ead more: http:militaryfitness.military.$om/4154Aptprogressionseries/super

sets.html#i+BB/aoC=em6 

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PT Progression Series #5: Ma+ =ep Sets8orkouts

• STEW SMITH

•  JULY 24, 2013

• AIR FORCE FITNESS

•

0

Part three of the PT Progression Series is to build upon a foundation that you have $reated

over the past fe months. 9n$e you have mastered the PT Pyramid and the Super Set

and $an handle orkouts ith volume of 144 pullups and /44 pushups then it is time to

test your ne found strength. This orkout ill in$rease your mus$le stamina and

enduran$e hi$h is really the goal of mastering PT tests. The Ma+ =ep PT is ideal for

those ho are stu$k in the 14F10 pullup A4FG4 pushups situp range. -n a 0F6 eek

period of doing this orkout !ust on$e a eek as shon belo most people ere in the

/4I 144I 144I range on the pullup pushups situps tests. &ut like - said earlier you

need a foundation of fitness before trying this orkout.

The ne goal to a$hieving the volume of PT reps that you are used to is no to get those

numbers in as fe sets as possible. (or instan$e for our standard 144 pullups /44

pushups 544 situps orkout then plan is to get these numbers in ma+ rep sets. -t is

re$ommended to only do this orkout on$e a eek but you $an $ombine like this during

your eek:

Mon * PT Pyramid — &uild your ay up to your ma+ effort on pullups and pushups

return in reverse order. Ea$h eek or so you should see your progress moving up the

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pyramid in$rease. Eventually 1F141 pyramid ill be easy to do. -t maybe time to push

that to ne levels and go for a 1/F10 high pyramid.

Wed * PT Super Set — Deep orking the volume so you get your goal reps for the day

 !ust as you have been doing for the past several eeks. Start adding harder ?rest@

elements into the super set $ir$uit. Jet some ideas from 'ir$uit Training arti$le.Saturday * Max Rep PT — - re$ommend taking a PT day off before trying this 144/44

544 rep orkout in as fe sets as possible for best results. This is very similar to the

Murph done by 'rossfit gyms but instead of doing 544 s,uats repla$e ith an e+er$ise you

ill be tested on like situps. (o$us on ma+ing out the pullups moving straight to the / min

pushups and situp sets ithout rest other than a sip of ater if you need to hydrate.

+ptiona, Pro#re$$ion$ to thi$ Max Rep PT:

#ry doing the workout with a weight vest

 .dd in running a /- mile ea0h set  at your goal mile pa$e you ant for the timed run. (or 

e+ample if you ant a K minute 1.0 mile run you need to run a K4 se$ond ,uarter mile.

-oa,: See ho fe sets you $an do this 144/44544 orkout. The best - have ever seen

is three sets. Most advan$ed PTers $an do this in the 3F0 range. -f it takes more that 14

sets stop at ten and live to fight another day.

U,timate pro#re$$ion:  -f you are ki$king everybodyLs butt in this orkout and $omplete it

in three sets keep doing and see ho many reps you $an get in (-<E sets. The re$ord in

our Spe$ 9ps training group as 1G0 pullups 344 pushups 344 situps in (-<E sets. -n

more than 10 years of doing this orkout - have only seen three guys do this many reps in

five sets hi$h as the time most of the other guys did 144/44 544 reps respe$tively.

"&y the 8ay — these are 292D-PP-2J P>>PS — Military grade pullups 927.%

=ead more: http:militaryfitness.military.$om/4154Aptprogressionseries5ma+rep

setsorkouts.html#i+BB/aoCNyo' 

Military(itness.Military.$om

PT Progression Series #3: =unning and PTMi+

• STEW SMITH

•  JULY 25, 2013

• AIR FORCE FITNESS

• 2

?

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Part "our o" the PT Pro#re$$ion Serie$ is about adding the final segment of most fitness

tests into the $alistheni$s orkouts — =>22-2J. earning to run at your goal pa$e is

$riti$al for optimal performan$e and you must pra$ti$e it so often that it a$tually be$omes

?mus$le memory@ hen you run. 7ou should be able to transition from the the PT se$tion

into the running test easily and kno by the ay you are breathing singing your arms

striding ho fast you are going. This takes pra$ti$e though.

7ou $an make a pyramid out of this one or make it one tough super set but ea$h ?rest@

period in beteen sets is a run of a variety of distan$es. These type of orkouts not only

help your body learn ho to transition from PT e+er$ises to running but $an also help you

in simulating other e+er$ise events like obsta$le $ourses $ombat $onditioning $ourses and

other !ob related $hallenges.

*ere is an alltime favorite that $an progress into a orkout even the toughest people

$annot finish. - $all this the 9bsta$le 'ourse Simulation 8orkout Progression but itLs goalis to help you ith the P(T e+er$ises. This is best if using an outdoor pullup bar and an

area to run a short distan$e. *ere is ho it orks: "29 =EST 8orkout%

Set:#1: ;o 1 pullup — run 5434m —do / pushups 5 situps — run ba$k to pullup bars

Set #/: / pullups —run 5434m—3 pushups 6 situps — run ba$k to pullup bars

Deep moving forard up the pyramid to set #14: 14 pullups run 5434m — /4 pushups 54

situps

2o here is here it is up to you and your fitness level. 7ou $an return and go ba$k don

the pyramid $ompleting the 144/44544 total repetition $hallenge 9= try a ne

progression.

+ne Way Pyramid to !':  Deep going up and see here you fail. -f you $ontinue moving

up the pyramid there is no need to return don the pyramid. The goal if you keep going

past level 14 is to see if you $an keep moving and go to level /4. This is a total repetition

orkout of /14 pullups 3/4 pushups 634 situps. - ould re$ommend turning some of

these situp sets into plank pose here ea$h se$ond at plank pose "up pushup position after 

pushups% $ounts as 1 rep of situps.

Super Set .ith Runnin#:  )nother option is to do a sub ma+ Super Set ith running longer distan$es at your goal pa$e. (or instan$e if you are fairly advan$ed try:

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Repeat &' time$

Pullups 14F10

Pushups /0F34

Situps or plank posese$ond — /0F34

=un 13 mile at goal pa$e=unning goal pa$e means if you are doing a 13 mile run and you are striving for a K min

mile and a half or a 1/ min / mile run you have to run ea$h ,uarter mile at K4 se$onds

"1:54%.

-t is re$ommended to only do these high volume orkouts on$e a eek and make your

other to upper body orkouts loer in volume but still fo$us on pa$e and transition from

running and PT. See hy transition from PT to running is so important. =elated arti$le on

P(T Transition.

=ead more: http:militaryfitness.military.$om/4154Aptprogressionseries3runningand

ptmi+.html#i+BB/aoCbSb(N 

Military(itness.Military.$om

PT Progression Series #0: *ard$ore (ull

&ody Movements ith PT =un• STEW SMITH

•  JULY 26, 2013

• AIR FORCE FITNESS

• 0

"# "rogression $1 is the "# and .dvan0ed +ovements !orkout2

7ou no are ready to advan$e to full body movements in beteen sets of pullups and

pushups and even repla$e pushups ith more dynami$ e+er$ises like burpees push

presses and G $ount pushups. Traveling to and from the pullup bar and the PT area ill

no re,uire you to bear $ral lo $ral fireman $arry a partner do a farmer alk ith

heavy eight or any other $reative method you $an think of adding that ill assist in your

preparation for military poli$e or fire fighting training.

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PT Pyramid .ith More Mi,ea#e:

Every 0th set run a mile fast pa$e:

Set 1: 1 pullups / pushup 5 situp

Set /: / pullups 3 pushups 6 situps

Set 5: 5 pullups 6 pushups K situpsSet 3: 3 pullups G pushups 1/ situps

Set 0: 0 pullups 14 pushups 10 situps

=>2 1 M-EStart pyramid on Set 6 — $ontinue to Set 14.

=un 1 mile

'ontinue pyramid on set 11 F10

=un 1 mile

9ptional to finish pyramid at 16F/4 or return in reverse order.

arder Pro#re$$ion$:  2o add more diffi$ult e+er$ises to the PT Pyramid. 8ork your

ay up a pullup pyramid to /4 but add a short run of 3404m "meters% and make this pla$e

the lo$ation for your burpees G $ount pushups push presses kettlebell sings et$. Make

them a 1:1 ratio of ho many pullups you do. =emember if you go from 1 to /4 sets in a

pyramid that is /14 reps of pullups and any other e+er$ises you sele$t. ;onLt forget your

situps and plank poses as they make great ?rest@ e+er$ises hen needing an a$tive rest.

ere i$ .here it #et$ harder . >se the first 0 sets as a armup run. )fter set#0 you $an

no longer run from pullup bar to PT area. 7ou no have to pi$k another method to travel.

 Some great ideas are: fireman $arry farmer alk lunges bear $rals lo $ralsoverhead $arry of eight heel barro ra$e $rab alk or tire flips. This is your time to

get $reative but make sure it is something you ill see again in your training future.

=ead more: http:militaryfitness.military.$om/4154Aptprogressionseries0hard$ore

fullbodymovementsithptrun.html#i+BB/aoCp=uDK 

Military(itness.Military.$om