Army PGY-1 PT test

[DD214_DOC]

So what's the skinny on this PT test during PGY1? I know passing is a requirement to advance to PGY-2, but do they provide many opportunities to pass? Do we have to pass by a certain time or we're hosed? My assumption is that by the end of PGY-1 we need to have passed.

I've been trying to build my strength and endurance back up after sitting on my ass for 4 years.. It takes some work when you're 20 lbs heavier than you used to be. The run is the only thing I'm really concerned about.

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[Droopy Snoopy]

I personally know Army residents who have been denied fellowship and otherwise had their careers negatively impacted (one was shunted to the MSC as an IM R3 - yikes) due to fit rep troubles. Prepare to take and pass it during orientation; they'll give you all year and multiple attempts, but a failed test could still come back to hurt you bad.

 

[psychbender]

The way we did it here was PT test during inprocessing in June, which was technically a diagnostic, rather than record PT test. Then, there are the regular q6 month PT tests in October and April. The one in October went on your OER for the match (mostly important for those interns that had to reapply), while the one in April is the one you absolutely had to pass, or you were threatened with cancellation of your residency contract, and a mandatory GMO tour (not sure if they would really do that, but it is a good motivator).

 

[edmadison]

Let me put it precisely,

The single most important thing for you in the advancement of your career is passing the PT test and making weight.

Being a crappy doctor will not keep you from getting promoted, not making weight will.

Ed

 

[DD214_DOC]

So I watched a video to ensure I was doing them properly and noticed how the push-ups and sit-ups were being counted. It seemed two actual push-ups were counted as one (up-down-up-down). Was this just the cadence or will I actually have to be doing 78 pushups instead of the 39 I thought I had to do?

 

[dwb8p]

So I watched a video to ensure I was doing them properly and noticed how the push-ups and sit-ups were being counted. It seemed two actual push-ups were counted as one (up-down-up-down). Was this just the cadence or will I actually have to be doing 78 pushups instead of the 39 I thought I had to do?

No, there are no weird counting methods.

Have you not completed OBLC? You would have taken an APFT there...

 

[DD214_DOC]

No, there are no weird counting methods.

Have you not completed OBLC? You would have taken an APFT there...

Nope, never went.

Here's the video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nZBx00BMWo

He calls it a four-count movement. I count him actually pushing up twice for every one counted. I don't know, maybe i've been up for too many hours straight.

 

[notdeadyet]

No, you do single counts, regular push-ups on Army APFTs.

Keep in mind that most people will not count sloppy-***** push-ups. If you're arching your back and such, they may skip a count. As you work on it, worry about doing form properly, not just knocking out a bunch of sloppy ones quickly.

You don't have to pass APFTs on HPSP? I thought anyone in Army uniform had to pass APFTs twice a year, even Reservists....

 

[dwb8p]

No, you do single counts, regular push-ups on Army APFTs.

Keep in mind that most people will not count sloppy-***** push-ups. If you're arching your back and such, they may skip a count. As you work on it, worry about doing form properly, not just knocking out a bunch of sloppy ones quickly.

You don't have to pass APFTs on HPSP? I thought anyone in Army uniform had to pass APFTs twice a year, even Reservists....

Nope, not with HPSP until you go into PGY1. HPSP kids don't even have to pass the APFT at OBLC to graduate the course. I'd say about 30% or more of HPSP folks failed it last summer. Pretty pathetic.

 

[Perrotfish]

Nope, never went.

Here's the video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nZBx00BMWo

He calls it a four-count movement. I count him actually pushing up twice for every one counted. I don't know, maybe i've been up for too many hours straight.

They did the wierd 4 count thing all through ODS too. I guess the goal is psyche yourself into think you've done less than you've actually done so that you push yourself harder. They definitely don't do that for PFTs.

 

[bustbones26]

So what's the skinny on this PT test during PGY1? I know passing is a requirement to advance to PGY-2, but do they provide many opportunities to pass? Do we have to pass by a certain time or we're hosed? My assumption is that by the end of PGY-1 we need to have passed.

I've been trying to build my strength and endurance back up after sitting on my ass for 4 years.. It takes some work when you're 20 lbs heavier than you used to be. The run is the only thing I'm really concerned about.

LISTEN TO ME RIGHT NOW!!!

When I was an MS-IV, I was nearly 6'4" and weigh almost 260#. Yes, being a med student is unhealthy. I was religious about exercise in my clinical years when I had more time but I just couldn't seem to drop the pounds? I got tired of looking at my fat ***** in the mirror to I then got VERY religious about what I chose to put in my mouth.

By the time I started PGY-1, I weight 230# and taped up to pass the weight. By the end of my PGY-1 year, I weighed 212# and never had to tape up again!!!!

I have now maintained my diet and exercise regimen and have never weighed over 215# in the last 5 years and have not had to tape up in a long time!


I graduated from residency from a subspecialty program and immediately was deployed as a GMO with an infantry battalion with 11 days notice and no time off without any opportunity to take my board exam (thus, lost board pay). Why? Because the PROFIS that was suppose to go was too fat??

Hey, look around, there are a lot of fat people in the Army, so why was this guy so special. Well, he never passed an APFT throughout his entire residency, never passed one while an attending, etc. When he attended OBC, he passed everything but the physical part. They gave him time to remediate this but he never just could meet weight so eventually they gave him a fail. Thus, no OBC, no deployment. Instead of bowing his head in shame, he laughed about it and told a few NCOs that he didn't really care because it meant that he got out of his deployment and got to spend time with his wife/kids. Since then, he has done nothing but get fatter.

Apparently, there is another doctor at my hospital in a similar situation. Never went to OBC and never passed height/weight. The solution to the problem was simple. Get pregnant!! By the time her pregnancy is over, and they give her obligatory post-partum time off, she will have about four months left before she can ETS, what an ingenious plan.

Oh, also, listen to this cute little story. My ORB says that I am a doctor at my hospital on the current assignment line? You see, since I am PROFISed to this infantry battalion and not assigned to them permanently, my current assignement cannot say that I am serving as a 62B currently. That little box on your ORB that lists deployments is empty too, you see, they cannot list your deployment in that box until you have come home. In summary, when my ORB went to O4 promotion board this year and some line officer looked it, it appears as if I am sitting my ass at Fort Somewhere as a subspecialist, never deployed, and didn't even have the decency to take my boards (they probaby think I failed it as opposed to missing it). My career manager says who cares, 95% of people pass the board anyways and I will likely make O4? I care because some dumb fat idiot may get promoted ahead of me simply for having board certification.


Look, in essence, don't be one of those dumb fat idiots!! Please don't!! Do what you can NOW! Start dieting and exercising NOW!!! You have a whole year to do 40 push ups and 45 sit ups and meet height/weight. If you have any issues that would prevent you from performing well like knee pain, back pain, etc. then have the decency to see a doc when you arrive and get the proper profile. But don't, please don't be the *****hole who ruins another man's career just because you are fat and lazy.

 

[bustbones26]

Let me put it precisely,

The single most important thing for you in the advancement of your career is passing the PT test and making weight.

Being a crappy doctor will not keep you from getting promoted, not making weight will.

Ed

Funny!! I am a subspecialist who got to practice in my specialty and entire three weeks before deploying as a GMO with an infantry battalion (way out of my MOS I say) all because the guy they were gonna send was too fat. Thus I never had a chance to take my boards and am not even receiving board pay. (just read my last post, no point in repeating myself).

Bottom line, I'll get right to the point. While I have been away, that fat idiot is going to leadership courses, career development courses, faculty development courses, and they even made him the OIC of his clinic and he has done nothing but get fatter. Yet my skils and knowledge have atrophied working way outside my MOS for almost a year now.

So, let me ask you, whose career got ruined here? Mine, or that fat idiot's?

 

[DD214_DOC]

Funny!! I am a subspecialist who got to practice in my specialty and entire three weeks before deploying as a GMO with an infantry battalion (way out of my MOS I say) all because the guy they were gonna send was too fat. Thus I never had a chance to take my boards and am not even receiving board pay. (just read my last post, no point in repeating myself).

Bottom line, I'll get right to the point. While I have been away, that fat idiot is going to leadership courses, career development courses, faculty development courses, and they even made him the OIC of his clinic and he has done nothing but get fatter. Yet my skils and knowledge have atrophied working way outside my MOS for almost a year now.

So, let me ask you, whose career got ruined here? Mine, or that fat idiot's?

I can appreciate your frustration and definitely sympathize with you. However, I am 5'10" and 150#, so making weight isn't my concern. My concern is how out-of-shape I am regarding strength and endurance. I have no doubt I can get up to par with the push-ups and sit-ups before the APFT, but the runs always kill me. Even when I did MMA 4x a week for 10+ hours a week I always had seemingly random issues with cardio-type stuff. Some days I would be fine and could go all day, and some days I would get winded and light-headed after only a few minutes.

I've had a negative cardiac workup related to this and nobody has really ever given me an answer. I just chalked it up to not hydrating enough, not eating right, or some other situational-type of problem.

 

[DrMcKittrick]

I can appreciate your frustration and definitely sympathize with you. However, I am 5'10" and 150#, so making weight isn't my concern. My concern is how out-of-shape I am regarding strength and endurance. I have no doubt I can get up to par with the push-ups and sit-ups before the APFT, but the runs always kill me. Even when I did MMA 4x a week for 10+ hours a week I always had seemingly random issues with cardio-type stuff. Some days I would be fine and could go all day, and some days I would get winded and light-headed after only a few minutes.

I've had a negative cardiac workup related to this and nobody has really ever given me an answer. I just chalked it up to not hydrating enough, not eating right, or some other situational-type of problem.

I can run a 5k and I'm still worried about running the 2mile in the TIME it takes to do so.

 

[bustbones26]

I can appreciate your frustration and definitely sympathize with you. However, I am 5'10" and 150#, so making weight isn't my concern. My concern is how out-of-shape I am regarding strength and endurance. I have no doubt I can get up to par with the push-ups and sit-ups before the APFT, but the runs always kill me. Even when I did MMA 4x a week for 10+ hours a week I always had seemingly random issues with cardio-type stuff. Some days I would be fine and could go all day, and some days I would get winded and light-headed after only a few minutes.

I've had a negative cardiac workup related to this and nobody has really ever given me an answer. I just chalked it up to not hydrating enough, not eating right, or some other situational-type of problem.

Honestly, if there is an issue, a REAL medical issue that would prevent you from passing the run, have it checked out now. I know that nobody needs to tell you that, but I also know what its like being an MSIV in May, planning on moving, finishing up, studying for step III, etc. But make time to see a doc. If not now, then immediately when you are active duty. You never know, if you have exercise induced bronchospasms, asthma, etc, or whatever, just let them do a work up and see if there is a medical reason why you get winded. IF there is an issue, then you get the correct profile.

Ironically, if I run on a treadmilll or elliptical cross trainer, I have no issues making time. For some reason, outside I woud have bad chest pain. A few puffs of albuterol right before the run helped eliminate that.

 

[Gastrapathy]

There isn't a real disorder. There almost never is. This is just calories in/calories out and our favorite anxiety disordered medical student at it again.

Bustbones, you'll get promoted. Board certification is only looked at for O5 and O4 is really 100% of qualified folks. As for getting screwed by the fatties and well-timed pregnancies...no advice except that it isn't going to change.

 

[bustbones26]

There isn't a real disorder. There almost never is. This is just calories in/calories out and our favorite anxiety disordered medical student at it again.

Bustbones, you'll get promoted. Board certification is only looked at for O5 and O4 is really 100% of qualified folks. As for getting screwed by the fatties and well-timed pregnancies...no advice except that it isn't going to change.

I agree, let's face it, MS years are the unhealthiest years of your life, now its time to get in shape and meet army standards. That will provoke anxiety! I suppose what I would say to anybody is, don't be discouraged if you screw up in July, just get your act together and pass the APFT by the end of the year. Nobody is asking you to score a 300 either, they only ask that you pass, it can be done.

As far as getting screwed, well no, I am not in the boat alone and there are cases like that at EVERY single hospital. This new rule of passing APFT by PGY-1 year I suppose is one step toward preventing that from happening, hence, why I applaud that action.

 

[StarboardMD]

I feel ya, Hooah and DrMcKittrick. I can knock out the sit ups and push ups no problem, and I can easily run the 2 miles, but I'm ridiculously slow, and am not getting much faster, even though I've been working on it since Christmas. Guess I just needed a little something extra to stress about...

 

[GeoLeoX]

I feel ya, Hooah and DrMcKittrick. I can knock out the sit ups and push ups no problem, and I can easily run the 2 miles, but I'm ridiculously slow, and am not getting much faster, even though I've been working on it since Christmas. Guess I just needed a little something extra to stress about...

I have found that the only way for me to improve run times is interval training. Running long and running fast are two different things. Most people go out and just run. There is very little variation in the intensity of running and consequently there will be very little variation in run times. My baseline training program is running 3x a week - Tues is intervals, Thurs is just a short run, and Sunday is the long run (with M,W,F situp/pushup routines). For intervals I have tried a lot of different things - stairs, fixed intervals, dynamic or random intervals, etc. and for me fixed intervals work best.

 

[mberes]

I have found that the only way for me to improve run times is interval training. Running long and running fast are two different things. Most people go out and just run. There is very little variation in the intensity of running and consequently there will be very little variation in run times. My baseline training program is running 3x a week - Tues is intervals, Thurs is just a short run, and Sunday is the long run (with M,W,F situp/pushup routines). For intervals I have tried a lot of different things - stairs, fixed intervals, dynamic or random intervals, etc. and for me fixed intervals work best.

^^^^This^^^^
The single best way to improve your time on a 2 mile run is interval. The best thing to do is to find a track at the local high school or gym somewhere. Sprint, and I mean all-out sprint the straight aways, and walk the edges. If you are out of shape start by doing it 8 times (would be 1 mile) and work up to 16 (2 mi). If you live in a metro area or don't have access to a gym/high school, use city blocks. Spring 2 blocks and walk 1.

If you are not improving with intervals it's because you are not sprinting or pushing yourself hard enough.

You do have to do continuous runs as well, to get your body used to continuous jogging, but in order to improve time do interval.

 

[175961]

Hills. They work magic for me. I was training with a friend of mine who is a running machine and we ran lots of ups and downs and I was in great shape. I got third in my first half marathon (for my age group) at the end of the summer that I had been training with him. I didn't just run up huge hills and call it good, there was just a lot of ups and downs mixed into our running. I had never incorporated hills into my training before, but I liked it and it whipped me into shape.

 

[notdeadyet]

Sprint, and I mean all-out sprint the straight aways, and walk the edges. If you are out of shape start by doing it 8 times (would be 1 mile) and work up to 16 (2 mi).

To clarify, 4 laps around a normal track equals 1 mile. I think I see what you meant, but it might be confusing to folks. Do the walk/run thing 8 laps and check your watch to see your 2 mile time.

 

[mberes]

To clarify, 4 laps around a normal track equals 1 mile. I think I see what you meant, but it might be confusing to folks. Do the walk/run thing 8 laps and check your watch to see your 2 mile time.

Sorry to be confusing. What I meant by 8 times was 1 sprint + 1 walk = 1 time, so 2 times is 1 lap, thus 8 times is 4 laps or 1 mile. Kind of confusing, which is why I shouldn't post at midnight.

Put much more simply, start with 4 laps (1 mile) and work your way up to 8 laps (2 miles).

 

[GeoLeoX]

Hills. They work magic for me. I was training with a friend of mine who is a running machine and we ran lots of ups and downs and I was in great shape. I got third in my first half marathon (for my age group) at the end of the summer that I had been training with him. I didn't just run up huge hills and call it good, there was just a lot of ups and downs mixed into our running. I had never incorporated hills into my training before, but I liked it and it whipped me into shape.

Running hills is running intervals. Same thing - sustained increased effort for a determined interval followed by recovery. Stairs, too. I have found the secret to intervals is to do different kinds of them - run hills for a while, then run stairs, then run faster for a determined time (30sec. 1min, etc), then run faster for a determined distance (1/4 lap, 1/2 lap, 2 laps), "indian runs" (run with a group and make the person in the back run to the front), and my favorite - fartlek. Of course all not in the same workout (unless you want to). And it doesn't apply to running alone - interval training is the basis of CrossFit and P90X.

As my track coach in high school used to say, "You can't run faster if you don't run faster".

 

[chemist157]

Running hills is running intervals. Same thing - sustained increased effort for a determined interval followed by recovery. Stairs, too. I have found the secret to intervals is to do different kinds of them - run hills for a while, then run stairs, then run faster for a determined time (30sec. 1min, etc), then run faster for a determined distance (1/4 lap, 1/2 lap, 2 laps), "indian runs" (run with a group and make the person in the back run to the front), and my favorite - fartlek. Of course all not in the same workout (unless you want to). And it doesn't apply to running alone - interval training is the basis of CrossFit and P90X.

As my track coach in high school used to say, "You can't run faster if you don't run faster".

I've been doing P90X for a few months now but haven't been out running because I've been doing the doubles routine and didn't have any energy left. However, I really should start prepping for the run soon. I take it my 2 mi. time should be better than before since I've been through P90X and "brought it" even though I haven't run in a few months...should I expect this?

 

[Tailhook]

HooahDOc you are a giant cluster #!*!. You have no business being in the United States Army or any other branch of the Military. Good grief.

 

[DocArmy]

Started using the 100 pushups and 200 situps iphone apps. Very handy. There are also great free apps to map your runs.

 

[DoctaJMa]

HooahDOc you are a giant cluster #!*!. You have no business being in the United States Army or any other branch of the Military. Good grief.

damn trolls

 

[edmadison]

I have been a bit out of the loop for the past several weeks, I wanted to comment on a few things posted above.

Regarding the board certification pay. First, current policy is that all reasonable effort should be taken to permit docs to take their boards. That comes from the OTSG. I was permitted to deploy 3 weeks late and another one of our docs got a month back in conus (and still got mid-tour leave) to take the boards. Obviously, the commander can still hose you and whether you'd want to the get AMEDD involved is a whole 'nother issue. I respect anyone who doesn't want to be "that guy". Second, if you take your boards late due to deployment, you are entititled to back board-cert pay for this.

Regarding the fatso: you cannot get promoted if you are flagged for weight or PT. It's pretty much the only thing that will keep a doc getting promoted to O-4. I do agree that it sucks that your deployment doesn't show up on your ORB. One thing you could do is request an interrum OER from you Commander. I'd check with the S1 about this.

Regarding getting a running profile for asthma: I don't know about the other services, but in the army 40-501 specifically prohibits giving a limitted running profile for asthma.

Ed

 

[DD214_DOC]

HooahDOc you are a giant cluster #!*!. You have no business being in the United States Army or any other branch of the Military. Good grief.

Ok, that's nice.

 

[175961]

Running hills is running intervals. Same thing - sustained increased effort for a determined interval followed by recovery.

If thats the case then everything is intervals when it comes to working out, and obviously every workout is not created equal. I see running intervals as jogging along a (flat) track and then sprinting for a time and then jogging again. Jogging hills would be just that, running up hills without having to sprint. Definitely not the same thing. fwiw and imo I get a much better workout from running up a hill and trying to maintain a steady speed rather than sprinting all out and then slowing down to recover.

 

[bustbones26]

I have been a bit out of the loop for the past several weeks, I wanted to comment on a few things posted above.

Regarding the board certification pay. First, current policy is that all reasonable effort should be taken to permit docs to take their boards. That comes from the OTSG. I was permitted to deploy 3 weeks late and another one of our docs got a month back in conus (and still got mid-tour leave) to take the boards. Obviously, the commander can still hose you and whether you'd want to the get AMEDD involved is a whole 'nother issue. I respect anyone who doesn't want to be "that guy". Second, if you take your boards late due to deployment, you are entititled to back board-cert pay for this.

Regarding the fatso: you cannot get promoted if you are flagged for weight or PT. It's pretty much the only thing that will keep a doc getting promoted to O-4. I do agree that it sucks that your deployment doesn't show up on your ORB. One thing you could do is request an interrum OER from you Commander. I'd check with the S1 about this.

Regarding getting a running profile for asthma: I don't know about the other services, but in the army 40-501 specifically prohibits giving a limitted running profile for asthma.

Ed

Okay, I don't mean to be prick here, but can you show me in writing where it says I get board back pay? First, I will be taking my boards sept 2010. I don't get the results until Dec 2010. So yes, you are correct, they will back pay me to Sep 2010. I was suppose to take the boards Oct 2009 and missed it due to deployment. So from Oct 2009 until Sept 2010, according to my command, I will never see that board pay.

I did check with the S1. The deal is, because you are attached, and not assigned to the infantry battalion, your current assignment cannot be listed as serving as a 62B with said battalion. Period!!

Obviously its too late now, but if there was a policy from OTSG that I was to take boards, I didn't know it. My command literally gave me the "don't let the door slap you in the ass treatment" the day I got orders. They did NOTHING to help, wouldn't even allow me to take leave for the 11 days I had left before I was to go to CRC. But then again, what do I expect when my leaders have never deployed?

 

[Homunculus]

Okay, I don't mean to be prick here, but can you show me in writing where it says I get board back pay? First, I will be taking my boards sept 2010. I don't get the results until Dec 2010. So yes, you are correct, they will back pay me to Sep 2010. I was suppose to take the boards Oct 2009 and missed it due to deployment. So from Oct 2009 until Sept 2010, according to my command, I will never see that board pay.

I did check with the S1. The deal is, because you are attached, and not assigned to the infantry battalion, your current assignment cannot be listed as serving as a 62B with said battalion. Period!!

Obviously its too late now, but if there was a policy from OTSG that I was to take boards, I didn't know it. My command literally gave me the "don't let the door slap you in the ass treatment" the day I got orders. They did NOTHING to help, wouldn't even allow me to take leave for the 11 days I had left before I was to go to CRC. But then again, what do I expect when my leaders have never deployed?

true, you can only get the board certified pay from the date you took them, so you got screwed there. but you did get tax free money while deployed and the SDP . . . . if that helps any, lol.

i had the same issue while deployed (not having it say "this guy is deployed" on my packet)-- however, personnel guy said the board looks at your dwell time-- while deployed it shows "0"-- so they know you're deployed. they may not know where or what capacity, but they know you're there. even so, i've never known of anyone who wasn't flagged not getting promoted to O-4. i saw one person get pregnant (which took off the flag) then get O-4. so even the fatties have a chance to progress.

when you finish your deployment though make sure they adjust your ORB to show "forward deployed-- battalion surgeon" or something to that effect during the time period you were deployed. AND, be sure your end of deployment, overseas service, and campaign awards are under the awards section.

--your friendly still doesn't have a DA photo and made O4 anyway caveman

 

[Homunculus]

Running hills is running intervals. Same thing - sustained increased effort for a determined interval followed by recovery. Stairs, too. I have found the secret to intervals is to do different kinds of them - run hills for a while, then run stairs, then run faster for a determined time (30sec. 1min, etc), then run faster for a determined distance (1/4 lap, 1/2 lap, 2 laps), "indian runs" (run with a group and make the person in the back run to the front), and my favorite - fartlek. Of course all not in the same workout (unless you want to). And it doesn't apply to running alone - interval training is the basis of CrossFit and P90X.

As my track coach in high school used to say, "You can't run faster if you don't run faster".

If thats the case then everything is intervals when it comes to working out, and obviously every workout is not created equal. I see running intervals as jogging along a (flat) track and then sprinting for a time and then jogging again. Jogging hills would be just that, running up hills without having to sprint. Definitely not the same thing. fwiw and imo I get a much better workout from running up a hill and trying to maintain a steady speed rather than sprinting all out and then slowing down to recover.

i agree with both of you. hills vs intervals, they're both good, and i won't get into the weeds which is better debate. just do both! the "you can't run faster if you don't run faster" is definitely true in my experience.

crosstraining is definitely the key. distance runs, intervals, hills, even long distance hikes-- it's all the same principle as changing weights and getting out of the routines to keep our naturally entropy seeking bodies from adapting and finding the easiest way. plus, mixing it up makes it more interesting and more fun to continue-- or, to adapt to your schedule. when i'm on call i like to do interval work because i can get it done faster.

--your friendly neighborhood variety enjoying caveman

 

[bustbones26]

Hey Homunculus, if I can ask, (sorry to all because this is way off the topic), when you deployed through CRC, was it a 2 day or 5 day process?? They don't really make this clear on their website.

Okay, back on track. Let's wrap this post up. People look, its simple. Take PT seriously!! The Army is starting to less nice on the medical corps now regarding this. Don't screw over your career or the career of others.

You do not have to be a marathon runner or body builder, nobody even expects you to get a 300 (of course if you, then kudos to you). But you have to practice and there is no way around it.

As my medical platoon sergeant recenty told me, he took the starting linebacker (college scholarship bound) player off his sons football team and have him an APFT for fun and he failed. That says to me one thing, if you don't practice, you will fail!!

Do the sit ups and push up every single day!! Practice running two miles at least four days per week, more if you have time!! Just do it and you will have no troubles passing.

Now, I admit, if you are an MSIV and are currently a little out of shape, you may have a little problem when they make you do your first APFT in late June/July. Do not get upset if you fail. Just continue to practice, take it in the Fall, and pass!! That is all you have to do is pass it one time in your intern year and that is it. Don't get anxious, its not hard so long as your practice.

 

[GeoLeoX]

If thats the case then everything is intervals when it comes to working out, and obviously every workout is not created equal. I see running intervals as jogging along a (flat) track and then sprinting for a time and then jogging again. Jogging hills would be just that, running up hills without having to sprint. Definitely not the same thing. fwiw and imo I get a much better workout from running up a hill and trying to maintain a steady speed rather than sprinting all out and then slowing down to recover.

I think I'm missing something from your argument. Do you put the same effort into running uphill as you do down (or on a flat track)? I doubt it. You are essentially putting the increased effort into sustaining a pace uphill as you would increasing your pace on a flat track. This is followed by a recovery - either a downhill or flat, then another interval of sustained increased effort. That's all I am saying. I never advocated an all-out sprint. That's not how I train (or have ever trained).

I could easily step out the door run 2 flat miles at pace and stop. That's not an interval workout. I could drop and do 50 pushups. That's not an interval workout. I could even run straight uphill for 20 minutes and stop. That's not an interval workout, either. The cycle of sustained increased effort, recovery, and repeat is an interval workout. Perhaps it's just semantics and we can agree to classify it all under the rubric of "speed training".

I can't argue with your statement that you get a better workout from running hills than running on a track. I have tried both and found that intervals on a track work better for me. Not exactly a controlled study and I haven't tried to directly compare the two, but I'll bet if the effort (measured by some metric, such as heart rate x time) is the same so will be the benefit. Hill training does have the additional benefit of training you to run on hills, but that's a moot point when talking about training for the APFT, which is more often than not conducted on a flat surface.

 

[175961]

I think I'm missing something from your argument. Do you put the same effort into running uphill as you do down (or on a flat track)? I doubt it. You are essentially putting the increased effort into sustaining a pace uphill as you would increasing your pace on a flat track. This is followed by a recovery - either a downhill or flat, then another interval of sustained increased effort. That's all I am saying. I never advocated an all-out sprint. That's not how I train (or have ever trained).

I could easily step out the door run 2 flat miles at pace and stop. That's not an interval workout. I could drop and do 50 pushups. That's not an interval workout. I could even run straight uphill for 20 minutes and stop. That's not an interval workout, either. The cycle of sustained increased effort, recovery, and repeat is an interval workout. Perhaps it's just semantics and we can agree to classify it all under the rubric of "speed training".

I can't argue with your statement that you get a better workout from running hills than running on a track. I have tried both and found that intervals on a track work better for me. Not exactly a controlled study and I haven't tried to directly compare the two, but I'll bet if the effort (measured by some metric, such as heart rate x time) is the same so will be the benefit. Hill training does have the additional benefit of training you to run on hills, but that's a moot point when talking about training for the APFT, which is more often than not conducted on a flat surface.

Probably just semantics. As for the part in bold (and of course this is purely anecdotal) I did lots hills when training for my half marathon and I usually never ran even half of the 13.1 miles as I got nearer to the day of the run. The marathon course was (which made me happy) completely flat and I found it to be a breeze, after mile 7 or so I even felt a huge burst in energy and felt great. I wouldn't say running hills is completely moot for APFT training or any other flat course you might be training for.

 

[GeoLeoX]

I wouldn't say running hills is completely moot for APFT training or any other flat course you might be training for.

Again, that's not what I said. I didn't say running hills is a moot point for the APFT. I said an additional benefit (i.e., in addition to increasing the speed at which you run) is that running hills conditions one to run on hills. Running on hills is excellent speed training with several benefits - increase the capacity to function at anaerobic conditions, maximize the ability to utilize energy from several different systems (glucose, glycogen, etc.), conditioning knees/ankles/feet/etc for the different stresses of running up and down hills, the list goes on and on. It's the latter aspect that doesn't come into play often with running the APFT. All the other benefits of hill training obviously do come into play.

The last marathon that I ran I trained on hills because I knew there was a big one on the course. And I just plowed up that hill.

And with that I think this thread has been near totally derailed.

 

[StarboardMD]

Is there a set schedule for when the APFTs are done, or is it up to the program. I heard there was a "diagnostic" test during orientation in June, and I remember the interns taking one when I was there in August. Is this a standard schedule?

 

[StarboardMD]

While I'm on the subject of asking ignorant questions, can someone explain to me how to read the APFT standards chart? I found this by googling, http://www.armystudyguide.com/content/bm~doc/da-form-705-apft-card.pdf
but I can't tell if passing is 60 or 50 points. I'm going to be a little sad if I find out I've been reading it wrong all along and am going to need to run four minute miles...

 

[notdeadyet]

You need 60 for each category. Failing 1 category is failing the APFT. If you have to re-do it, you need to re-do (and pass) all three components.

 

[GeoLeoX]

Is there a set schedule for when the APFTs are done, or is it up to the program. I heard there was a "diagnostic" test during orientation in June, and I remember the interns taking one when I was there in August. Is this a standard schedule?

it depends on the program - if you are in a special program (such as internship or OBLC) it can be whenever it's convenient to administer it (most require passing a record APFT for meets standards). in most day-in/day-out places it's usually sometime in the spring and again in the fall. at Walter Reed for example it's April and October.