The Results of the Army PT Test

So yesterday wrote about my impending Army Physical Fitness Exam. Today, I post the results.

But first, a prelude.

A short while back, my Sergeant informed me that I would be taking a Physical Fitness exam as part of my pre-BCT (Basic Combat Training, A.K.A., "Boot Camp") requirements. If I were to complete all of my tasks before my ship-date, I would be promoted to E-2, which equates to some extra pay and the right to wear a cool stripe on my uniform sleeve. I am shipping out alot quicker than most, so I have less time than most new recruits do to complete all of the tasks. I flew through most of them pretty quickly. The only thing left was the dreaded PT Test.

My recruiter gave me some advice to get into tip-top shape: "Do a set of 50 sit-ups at least 3 times a day. Try to do them all in under 2 minutes," he told me. "Also, do sets of 39 pushups every other day. Do alot of sets. Do them when you wake up. Do them every time you eat. Do them every time you need to go to the bathroom. Do them again before you got to bed. And on the days when you're not doing push-ups, run 2 miles. Try to do it in under 17 minutes."

Now my Sergeant is a freakin' animal. This guy is in awesome shape and can run like water downhill. So of course I took his advice.

My first attempt at sit-ups resulted in me only managing to do 32. The next time I managed to do 50, but it took me 3:26 to complete them all. The last time I did them before my Test, I was able to do 50 in 2 minutes and 46 seconds. Still not fast enough, but a vast improvement over where I started.

My first attempt at push-ups went even worse. I only managed to do 9 push-ups like a man, and had to do the rest of them in the modified (girl) style, and it took me 2:03 to complete. The last set I did before my test, I manged to do 28 man push-ups, finished off the rest modified, and did it all in 1 minute and 11 seconds.

And now for the results.

Now keep in mind, for my particular gender and age group (31 year old male), I must perform at the following minimum standards to pass:

Push-ups: 39 push-ups in 2 minutes
Sit-ups: 45 sit-ups in 2 minutes
2-mile run: Run 2 miles in under 17 minutes.

So I'm pumped and ready to go, but knowing full well that the most push-ups have manage to push out at once up til this point has been 28. I push that thought out of my mind. I visualize success. In my mind, I watch myself on the ground, pushing myself up 39 times. Everyone disappears. The world goes silent. I all can see is the ground. All I can hear is the sound of my muscles screaming to PUSH! PUSH! PUSH!

"On your mark," the Sergeant says.

I drop to my hands and knees.

"Get set," he says.

I pop up into the push-up position.

"GO!"

1, 2, 3, I think.

I watch the ground rise and fall beneath me. I breathe in on the way down. I blow out on the way up.

10, 11, 12.

Don't watch the ground. Look at the wall, I remember. I lift my head and keep pushing.

27, 28, 29. I have broken past my barrier. My arms are getting weak but I keep pushing.

36, 37, 38. I'm struggling and shaking with each push.

I get stuck halfway up on 39. My entire body is trembling. My foot slips, and my knee hits the ground.

"You're done!" says the Sergeant.

I dropped the F-bomb... and it was loud.

Failure in any one event is failure of the entire test. Because of my quick ship-time, that was my one and only chance to pass. My chance at an early promotion when swirling right down the crapper.

Although, I didn't pass the Test, I did finish. I did my sit-ups and my 2-mile run, but at that point it was only training, and no longer a test.

When we returned to the office, my Sergeant told me that he would give me a private test at 0800 on September 17th. That gives me 2 more weeks to get it right. I really want to leave for Basic Training as an E-2. Over the course of the next 3 years of my Army career, passing this test and getting promoted early will equate to an extra $7,200 in base pay alone, not to mention the added benefits, and will bring me that much closer to the next rank of E-3, Private First Class.

Time to go train. HOOAH! I love my job!