Fit Test advice page

[futuretrpr]

Hey everyone, I'm new to PBF and hoping for some advice. I have a Fit Test for employment coming up in 30 days where I have to do max pullups, pushups, situpps, 200 yard sprint and a timed 2 mile run. My current workout has basically consisted of 4 sets of pullups, 3 sets of lat pull downs, and 4 supersets of pushup/crunches/wide pushup/reverse crunches/diamond pushups/side crunches. I do this 2x a week and run 2-3 miles 3 times a week. I don't really feel like I'm getting the results I need for my test and am wondering if the PBF plan will get me where I need to be? I'm just worried because I'm actually doing more now than I would be on the PBF and logic makes me want to believe that "less is NOT more". Help?!

[BarbeyGirl]

Cool. I wish my work required a fit test. (Except that I'd be about the only one left in the office afterwards...)

Anyway, I'd switch things around and do more strength training and less running. My 8-day rotation would include:

1 "long" run day (3 miles, moderate pace) plus the bodyweight exercises to be tested
1 sprint day (8x 100-meter hill sprints)
2 bodyweight days (including variations on the exercises to be tested, but harder variations -- ie L-sits, not crunches, for abs)
1 heavy lifting day (bench press, military press, backsquat, deadlift)
3 rest days

I'd throw in one of those rest days after the heavy day, and 2 in a row after the long run day. Also, after the test, I'd back off a little.

Curious as to what you believe your weakest point to be...

[Coach Palfrey]

Cut out the lat pulldowns and start doing the pull ups ASAP. Same goes for your push up and crunch variations - they will be wasted at this stage. Stick to the actual exercises you will need to complete for the test.

Reduce the number of sets for these and stick to one all-out working set per exercise 1-2 x per week. Supplement this with regular (as in many times per day) micro sets of each exercise to "grease the groove".

As barbeygirl said - reduce the running too. One long session and a sprint session.

[futuretrpr]

In all honesty, I think I'm weak everywhere....lol. The minimums I need are as follows: Pullups - 8; Sit-ups - 60; Pushups - 51; 120 yard Shuttle run (slalom-like) - 24 secs; and a 2 mile run - 16 mins. The pullups of course and situps have always been rediculously hard for me. Pushups aren't an issue nor is the shuttle run. I can do the 2 miler in about 19 mins right now but of course that's not with the expected sprint towards the finish line. I know i'm not necessarily pushing myself as hard as I probably could but I am definately around 80-90% of my max heartrate when I'm running.

[futuretrpr]

Cool. I wish my work required a fit test. (Except that I'd be about the only one left in the office afterwards...)

Anyway, I'd switch things around and do more strength training and less running. My 8-day rotation would include:

1 "long" run day (3 miles, moderate pace) plus the bodyweight exercises to be tested
1 sprint day (8x 100-meter hill sprints)
2 bodyweight days (including variations on the exercises to be tested, but harder variations -- ie L-sits, not crunches, for abs)
1 heavy lifting day (bench press, military press, backsquat, deadlift)
3 rest days

I'd throw in one of those rest days after the heavy day, and 2 in a row after the long run day. Also, after the test, I'd back off a little.

Curious as to what you believe your weakest point to be...

Is that the order you would do them in? I've been doing a schedule of Sunday thru Saturday of: Sunday - Rest; Monday - Long Run (3-4 miles), Tuesday - Strength Training (as detailed); Wednesday - Rest; Thursday - 2 miler with 5 minutes of hills at the conclusion; Friday - Strength Training, and Saturday - Sprint intervals. I only do the lat pulldowns and low cable rows/dumbell rows because I haven't been able to do unassisted pullups since my first workout. My first workout I did 8 unassisted pullups but for some reason, I haven't been able to get another one unassisted since then.

[BarbeyGirl]

No, I didn't put the workouts in the order in which I'd do them. I would space them out in such a way as to maximize recovery; this will be different for you than for me, which is why I didn't order them. (Maybe you're cool doing pushups the day after bench presses, but I'm not so I should sprint instead, stuff like that.)

Whoa -- 0 to 8 pullups in a month could be tough. It's positive that you did them once, though; are you injured, or could the "hitch" be mental?? Are you doing so much work in the attempt that you're not letting yourself recover? Either way, I'd train using real pulldowns (hanging from the bar, lowering slowly) instead of lat pulldowns. Gradually start trying to pull back up when you reach the bottom. I got my first pullup that way. It took me months to get to 8, though. But, I'm female and that makes quite a difference with upper body work.

What happens if you don't pass all parts of the test?

[futuretrpr]

I didn't think so but I thought I'd ask..lol. I planned my workouts for the next two weeks and will switch them up as necessary. Me not hitting the 8 mark isn't an injury so I know its either "mental" or over training. 4 sets of 15 reps of chair assist pullups, 4 sets of pulldowns, 3 of dumbbell rows twice a week are probably over stressing my back. I'm actually looking forward to the sprints on Monday but I'm just worried that the sprints and a long run being my only run-cardio during the week won't yield the same results as 3 long runs a week. I just need to break my traditional mindset. As to what happens if I don't pass the test, well, I won't get the job. Its part of the application process.

[BarbeyGirl]

You have good motivation, then! I'll bet you can do those pullups since you have to. I'd definitely train for them using the closest things to the real deal (chair assisted pull-up with slooooooow, unassisted pulldowns).

You have the runs in the bag. I wouldn't worry about them at all -- even if you weren't as good as you already are, I'd still cut back to 1 sprint day and 1 "distance" day per week -- and not over 3 miles on the distance day, either. No point spending your energy there.

[futuretrpr]

Ok. Thanks for all the advice. I'm starting a 12 week plan monday and am reading and researching everything possible. Now all I have to do is figure out what to eat. I'm one of those people that can eat the exact same thing every single day for months. I don't need variety on meals, I need specifics!! lol

[erica057]

Lat pulldowns are useless for working your way up to pull-ups. Explanation: Open Chain vs Closed Chain Exercises – Functional Performance Systems (FPS)