I’ve gotten a perfect score on most of my recent Air Force PT tests. I slipped on ice and got injured before my 2020 test, had to get a waiver, but otherwise I have been rocking 100% since 2015. But it wasn’t always that way.
There were a few years where my scores were trending down. I’d pass, sure—but something about that 95 or 96 didn’t sit right. I knew I was capable of more. So I made a decision: there’s no reason I shouldn’t be scoring a 100. And once I committed to that idea, I started treating the test like something worth training for.
I didn’t just wing it. I studied the test. Not in a theoretical way, but like someone studying for a final they want to crush. I broke it down into components: pushups, core, and the run. Then I asked myself what each one actually demanded—and how I could build those into my life in a way that stuck.
Pushups were the first piece. I started working them in three to four times a week. Not marathon sessions, just consistent sets. Some mornings it was five sets of 15. Other days I focused on tempo and control. The goal wasn’t volume. The goal was command. I wanted to hit 60 reps like it was just another Tuesday.
For core strength, I added targeted movements for general core strength. Repeatedly doing situps would inflame my back so I built a rotation of planks, flutter kicks, leg raises, and added in sit-ups when my test was getting close. Two or three sessions a week. Enough to build real strength without burning out.
The run was the easiest part for me once I got into doing ultras. But I recognize that’s not everyone’s starting point. If you’re newer to running or rebuilding your base, start with three runs per week—short intervals, one longer effort, and one easy pace. It doesn’t take fancy programming, just consistency. Getting in miles are a normal part of my week. Maxing the 2-mile run isn’t something I train for directly. It’s just a side effect of the base I’ve built from years of high-volume, disciplined running.
But that doesn’t mean I take the run for granted. If I were advising someone else, I’d tell them to hit three sessions a week. One for speed, one for tempo, one for recovery. The PT test run is short, but it rewards pacing and mental toughness. If you know your body and you know your gear, you can empty the tank without blowing up.
There’s nothing fancy about this approach. That’s the point. I didn’t change my life. I just raised my standard. The Air Force PT test stopped being a hurdle and started being an opportunity. A chance to prove, to myself more than anyone else, that I’m still locked in.
That mindset is at the core of Class 5 Performance. We build for quiet professionals, and for anyone who refuses to settle once the bar has been set. We don’t build for hype. We build for the ones who quietly raise the bar and keep it there. The ones who decide that passing isn’t enough. The ones who keep standards for themselves, whether someone’s watching or not.
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