Stew Smith Fitness News

This week I received an email that brought back a few old memories of Army Airborne training in Fort Benning , GA. This young soldier wishes to become an Army Ranger and wants to know what he needs to do to prepare each step of the way.If anyone is preparing to become a member of any Special Operations Group (Army SF, Rangers, Navy SEALs, Marine RECON, Air Force PJs, EOD units, and others) they all must graduate from the Army Basic Airborne Course (BAC) in Fort Benning. Not only is it a prerequisite for Special Ops, but it has become...

New related article - AF Need for Speed WorkoutThe Air Force Fitness Program assesses your fitness in four areas: aerobic (running), body-composition, push-ups, and crunches. Your scores in each area are based on your age, gender, body measurements, amount of repetitions or elapsed time.Aerobic TestThe Aerobic Fitness test is a one and a-half mile timed run. For a 17 to 25 year old male the score ranges from zero for 21:30 elapsed time to 50 points for running it in less than 9:36. Click here to see the Air Force Aerobic Score charts.www.af.mil/news/USAF_Fitness_Charts.pdfBody Composition TestThe Body Composition score is determined...

The Air Force Basic Military Training Physical Fitness Test is a three-event physical performance test used to test your endurance. It measures your physical strength and abilities, and your cardio-respiratory fitness. You are required to pass the Basic Military Training PFT to graduate and continue on to your Technical School.The three PFT events are one minute of push-ups, one minute of sit-ups, and a timed 1.5 mile run. The PFT is normally performed in workout gear and the run is completed in running shoes.While at BMT you will perform physical conditioning six days a week with alternating days of muscular...

Several times a month, I get asked the question, “When is the StewSmith.com Fitness eBook Store going to have an Army Air Assault School Workout?” The eBooks I prepare for future military and military personnel are always thoroughly tested by at least three students of the school in question. Well, after three successful completions of Air Assault School, I feel I have a workout worthy of reproducing for people who want to wear the Air Assault badge. Air Assault School is a only ten day course of instruction that teaches Air Assault techniques, but also is one of the most...

For decades, the Army has assessed physical fitness through the standard fitness test that many branches of the military / law enforcement use: Pushups, sit-ups, 2 mile run (though most groups use the 1.5 mile run for cardio fitness test). Many have argued over the years that this test is not a good indicator of whether or not someone will be a good soldier. At best, the Army PFT is a Health and Fitness Test – not a job performance test. Now, after a decade of war, changes have been made to better equip today’s soldier with the skills that...