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You can improve your APFT performance to match the new standards - all it takes is good planning, regular workouts and the willingness to go that extra mile.
AS sure as death and taxes, twice each year soldiers will take the Army Physical Fitness Test.
For many, the performance requirements will become more difficult this October when the Army's new APFT standards take effect [see "The New 1998 APFT Standards on page 5 and the 1998 APFT chart on page 24 of the February SOLDIERS].
Additionally, many units are setting high unit-average goals that require everyone to work just a bit harder.
Improving your performance on the APFT will require work, but here are some tips to help you work smarter and get more profit from your sweat.
Planning for Success
First, carefully analyze your strengths and weaknesses to ensure effort is applied in a way that provides the greatest payoff.
At least six to eight weeks before the record APFT, you should be fully focused on a training plan to maximize your performance. Keep written records as you train for each event, and mark your progress. Develop a contingency plan for TDYs or other interruptions of your program.
As you train, use specificity, overload and progression.
When doing specific training, run the actual two-mile course and time your half-mile segments. Then you can better pace yourself and know exactly how far you still have left to run from anywhere on the course. And, while weight lifting or doing crunches have their value, doing push-ups and sit-ups to standard and learning to pace yourself are the best ways to prepare for those events.
When working to overload, try to gradually increase the number of repetitions of sit-ups and push-ups...