Are You Fit to Serve?

Not everyone has ambitions of enlisting in the military.

However, it’s worth making sure your body can cope with the demands should the unlikely need ever arise.

So, what does it take to be eligible?

The military knows what it needs: strength, endurance, and stamina.

To this end, it has created an Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT) that you must pass to be considered.

This is what the three events look like.

Two minutes of push-ups.

Two minutes of sit-ups.

A timed two-minute run.

Sounds easy, right?

Not really. Your results give you a score based on your age, gender, and reps you can do.

The bare minimum?

For people aged 17-21 you need to do 35 push-ups (13 for women), 47 sit-ups (47 for women) and finish the 2-mile run in 16:36 minutes (19:42 for women).

For people aged 22-26 you need to do 31 push-ups (11 for women), 43 sit-ups (43 for women) and finish the 2-mile run in 17:30 minutes (20:36 for women).

Why a 22-year-old must do fewer reps than a 21-year-old is rather inexplicable to us, but there’s no hiding from these numbers.

Bank 77 push-ups and you get 100 points.

Bank 82 sit-ups and you get 100 points.

Reach 180 points and you’re in.

Regardless of whether you want to enlist or not, you should always set standards for yourself and if these markers are good enough for the military, they’re good enough for you.

If you are in the military or are thinking about signing up, a solid diet, recovery and supplement plan are essential for getting the best out of your body.

The military takes things seriously so make sure that everything you do is above board, your supplements included.

All branches of the armed forces and first responders are drug tested for not only their safety for the safety of the public.

Even if you’re not taking any banned substances your supplements can pose a risk for failing this test.

To make sure you always choose dietary supplements that have been certified by a third-party to be free of banned substances. This includes things such as your protein shakes.

This kind of purchasing takes all the risk out of a positive drug test from using supplements.

To keep yourself safe, only choose products with the BSCG Drug Free Seal.

They’ve been tested against 505 drugs or harmful agents – the world’s most comprehensive testing menu. This offers maximum protection against hidden risks of dietary supplement contamination and means you’ll never fail a drug test leaving you to train with confidence.

So, what’s the defining rule of upping your game with respect to the APFT tests so you post a good score?

One word: practice.

These are things you can at home by yourself, just do 2-3 max rep sets on push-ups and sit-ups at different points throughout your day and you’ll soon see the progression to post a good score.

It really is that simple.