Alright figured I'd share some of my secrets of getting PFT/PRT fit. Previously I was working with the Marines Corps for about 5 years, so during that time I climbed to perfect 300 and repeated consecutively.
Running: 1.5 miles is considerably easy to max out, a very short distance. But here's how I would get there in all my experience training (20+ year soccer player as well). Start off doing a few days a week of just a mile or 2 miles if your body can handle it. Don't go in thinking you'll blow it away right away. Once you work up to being comfortable with the runs, start a 4-day running program. Give one day as your "recovery/distance" run (3 miles), gives you the chance to run at a leisurely pace, improve your endurance, and look at 1.5 like it's nothing. Next I would do a "splits" day, running 2 or maybe even 3 once you build up to it, of .75-1 mile trials, you will want to push very hard for these. 3rd Day is the "test day" where you should run a little over 1 mile (1.25) at 100%, I don't suggest 1.5 because that last bit missing adrenaline and hype will carry you through but it still gives you a good measure of your progress/pace. Lastly are INTERVALS! These help with pace tremendously, split it into 2 .5 mile sprint, 3 .25 mile sprints, and then 4 .13mile sprints. Rests are walking pace of 1/2 of what you sprinted.
Push Ups: I've used an awesome Pull Up program for the PFT when I was doing marines so I'm not as experienced or knowledge in this area. I'd recommend mirroring the Armstrong Pull Up Program, you do 3 max sets of push ups when you wake up, and rest at least 3 hours until you do the actual workout program. Go to work, do your day whatever, then do the actual program. Maybe you could even get away with doing 5 max sets at night if you don't feel like following a program, if you see progress then keep it up! Eventually you might "plateau" and I suggest adding weight on your back (vest/backpack filled with books will do). You will see your reps drop obviously, but when you take it off you WILL see gains.
Sit Ups (for now): I highly recommend following the Killer Crunch (Sit Ups in our case) plan. Abs should be most people's strongest point, so I usually give this training cycle the shortest amount of preparation before I know I will be taking a test.
Overall, consistency is key! Just take the 30 minutes everyday to knockout the body exercises, and the running program should also be quick as we are training for 1.5 miles, intervals being an exception. You WILL have shitty days, days you underperform and think wtf. Do not get flustered, I look at it as "if I didn't do this workout, I'd be even worse off so a minimal performance still goes into the bank of improvement as opposed to nothing." For all you gym buffs, who doesn't love to get big and lift heavy? Unfortunately that's not our game anymore, nothing wrong with keeping a heavy set in the mix, but you really should be looking at rep ranges at least 12+. Of course you will want to decrease set amounts as you're doing a much larger amount of reps. Also. REST is important! Listen to your body, if you are feeling tired or groggy carb load and make sure to get a solid 7. Every 8 weeks or so you should be taking the entire week off if you're following all my recommendations, overtraining is worse than not training. Can lead to injuries, sickness, loses in gains, etc.
I am not a fitness god nor do I know what exactly works for your body as everyone is different and variations of my program customized to your needs and bodily reactions is ok. But just my two cents, wanted to share as it got me from not even qualifying for minimal PFT standards to b2b2b2b 300 PFT scores.
If anyone would like to talk about programs further feel free to DM me!
nothing worse than doing all that in sweats, hat, and gloves.
