The Air Force fitness test consists of three components to test a member's fitness. One of those components involves regular pushups or hand release pushups. Airmen have the choice of performing a set number of pushups within 60 seconds or performing a set number of hand release pushups in 120 seconds.
The numbers Airmen have to achieve is based on gender and age. As a 31 year old male to trying to max out, I need to perform 57 regular pushups within 60 seconds or 40 hand release pushups within 120 seconds. To meet my minimums I would need to hit 24 regular pushups or 15 hand release pushups.
My goal every year is to max out pushups without having to spend time in the gym. I also choose to do traditional pushups over the hand release pushups. I like hand release pushups but I dislike the technique the Air Force requires so I just stick with the traditional pushups. Over the years I have developed a routine that works for me. One of my favorite parts of this routine is that I can fit it into my normal work day and without a significant time commitment.
For my routine, I do three to four pushup sessions a week with at least three sets per session. Each session is focused on an aspect of pushups necessary to complete my test. I do these sets throughout my work day, typically two sets before lunch and one or two sets after lunch. Since I spread these sets through my work day, I don't track the rest between sets.
Session 1
This session is targeted at quantity of pushups. Most of the year this is a 30 second session and about a month before I test I raise it to a 60 second session. For these pushups, I start my watch for 30 to 60 seconds and do as many pushups as I possibly can within that time frame. The idea is that this is a full sprint and I need to be honest with it being an all out effort. Form is important, I make sure I am using a form that is good enough to count on an AF fitness assessment.
The specific goal of doing these is to make sure I can do at least my max pushups on the big day. Even if I am having a bad day. With these pushups I am focusing on increasing muscular endurance and getting comfortable with pushing hard for one minute.
Session 2
Session 2 is focused more on power. For session 2, I do hand release pushups for a set number. At the bottom of the pushup, I focus on coming up with explosiveness. I also focus heavily on form when I do these. I like hand release pushups because it requires me to go through the full range of the pushup movement.
The specific goal of these is to ensure I am strong from the floor to the top of the pushup. The Air Force requires only that the elbow hits 90° at the low end and does not quite fully extend at the high end. By doing these hand release pushups I am confident that I can go all the way up as well as comfortably hit 90° at the bottom with even the strictest counter.
Session 3
This session is all about form. For session 3 I do regular pushups at a slow pace focusing on perfect form and control. I do these to a set quantity. I never do so many that I can't maintain perfect form.
The goal here is to keep building my strength and form foundations. I believe doing these translates to good form when I need to speed up and hit 57.
Recap:
Session 1: Pushup sprint for 30-60 seconds. 3+ sets.
Session 2: Hand release pushups to set quantity. 3+ sets.
Session 3: Regular pushups extra slow with perfect form to set quantity. 3+ sets.
Since adopting this routine I am able to hit 60 pushups every PT test with at least 15 seconds to spare. This is also pretty much the only thing I do to train for pushups. Having a strong core is also vital to nailing the pushup component of the fitness assessment but my core routine is for another time.
I hope you can adopt some of all of this routine to help you nail your next fitness assessment. Remember Class 5 Performance for your fitness needs!
