Monthly Archives: February 2013

“Good job, maggot!”

I took the Army Physical Fitness Test last week, and passed.  I’m only working out for 35 minutes twice a week, with a combination of weight training and high intensity interval training on a stationary bicycle.  (The weight training is much like this program.)

U.S. soldiers, at least those in the Army, have to pass a physical fitness test twice a year.  I wondered how I, at 58-years-old, stacked up so I self-administered the three fitness components.  I didn’t run in army boots, nor carry a rifle or backpack!  Soldiers need to score a minimum of 60 points on each exercise.

The Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT) performance requirements are adjusted for age and sex.

My Results

• two-mile run: 19 minutes, 20 seconds (65 points)
• consecutive military sit-ups: 41 (75 points)
• consecutive push-ups: 32 (76 points)

Compared to my performance in August 2012, my run took 102 seconds longer, I increased my sit-ups by 9, and my push-ups held steady.

I purposefully “held back” on running because I remembered how bad I felt after the run last August.  Even this time I had a little hamstring strain.  Nevertheless, I suspect my aerobic endurance is truly less now since I’m riding the stationary bike instead of running the treadmill.  The bike exercise is more enjoyable.  My knees will thank me over the long-run.

I’m satisfied with this level of fitness.  It’s a good base for some strenuous hiking I’ll be doing over the next few months.  With a little luck, I’ll be hiking the Grand Canyon rim-to-rim with my son’s Boy Scout troop in May.

—Steve