Tactical Fitness: The Elite Strength and Conditioning Program for Warrior Athletes and the Heroes of Tomorrow inluding Firefighters, Police, Military and Special Forces

When I first started the Heroes of Tomorrow program to train young men and women for tactical professions like military, police, firefighting, and more advanced SWAT and Special Operations programs, I focused on getting to the training. The goal was to pass the basic “entrance exam” or Physical Fitness Test (PFT) with above average standards. Despite the “minimum standards” definition discussed in the previous chapter, simply passing the PFT does not indicate a sufficient level of fitness to start training more intensely. Before we began training tactically, we had to train practically, which required results far beyond a “passing grade.” It was not until we had prepared people to the point where they could ace a general PFT, that we started putting together a program to prepare for them for their actual training.

There are many fitness tests in the Tactical Fitness communities, which vary in testing elements. Depending on your branch of service or level of police and fire- fighter training, you could be challenged tremendously in elements not closely related to the PFT. For instance, the Army tests in rucking during their training programs, while swimming with fins is essential for Navy Diver/SEAL/Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) training. Neither of these are tested in the regular PFT. After nearly 15 years of testing, evaluating, and researching, we developed a test that focuses on the 12 skills we feel best challenge tactical athletes, which we call the Tactical Fitness Dirty Dozen Test (see this page). In fact, several of these exercises are already used by many of the Military Special Operations and Tactical Teams in Law Enforcement today.

When beginning a physically demanding tactical profession, you will need to work through the three core stages of tactical training. The first encompasses all preliminary work; you need to work out in order to prepare your body for the training program of your profession; to get to the program, in other words. Second, once you have started your profession’s training program, you will then need to adjust your workouts to help you get through the training. Finally, after you have completed the training program, you will need to adjust your workout yet again to stay in shape, so that you can continue to perform your job at an optimal level.

So what is the difference between training to get to, through, and after your selection program?

The initial focus of your training should be to ace the general physical fitness test while building a foundation of fitness, prepping your body to handle the actual training of your profession (BUD/S, Special Forces, Pararescue, fire, police academies, etc.). You have to “train for the training.” This process can take 1–2 years, depending on your initial fitness level, or as little as 4–6 months depending on your athletic history. Regardless, you do not want to begin any selection program without having reached near the maximum standards for your basic fitness testing requirements. Otherwise, the likelihood of injury, failure, and other delays are greatly increased.

Specificity (specific training) is also required to get through the training after you have focused much of your exercise on making it to the training. This form of targeted training is what differentiates the mindset of those taking a PFT, as opposed to a tactical athlete. For example, if your training program requires graded 4-mile timed runs, 2-mile ocean swims, long runs and rucks, log PT, boat carries, obstacle courses, and hundreds of reps of calisthenics (push-ups, pull-ups, dips, squats, flutterkicks) several times a week, you will need to practice those events (or at least simulate them in the weight room or with other gear) and get your run/swim/ruck mile pace down to an acceptable level to ensure success.

After the shock of Advanced Training, Special Ops Selections, other boot camps, and academies, you now have to focus on the demands of the profession itself, both tactically and physically. This is where SEAL Teams, Ranger Battalions, and Special Forces groups advance their programming by hiring actual strength and conditioning coaches to create functional programs while testing criteria to help make a better operator. Regardless, after completing an intense and targeted physical fitness regimen, it is important to understand that maintenance is not only beneficial, it is required. You run the risk of both losing the progress you’ve made, in addition to being potentially unable to perform at a key moment on the job. Keep track of your gains, and work to maintain them.

There are many elements to consider when building and maintaining a tactical fitness program like the Heroes of Tomorrow Program:

Prepping for a training program often requires constant high repetition calisthenics, as well as long miles of run, ruck, or swimming (or all the above). Building general endurance and strength provides a crucial foundation for training moving forward. After the training program, these needs are decreased, as the focus shifts to building speed, agility, balance, flexibility, strength, power, endurance, and muscle stamina. This is the basis of the Tactical Fitness Dirty Dozen Test (see this page). A series of training cycles is required to progress in each of these elements, which together make up the tactical athlete.

Periodization is also critical to the health and longevity of any athlete. Sports athletes have the luxury of pre-season training, in-season maintenance, and post-season recovery programming. But there is no off-season for the tactical athlete; tactical athletes have to get more creative, adjusting their workouts so that they can actively pursue recovery even during times of interrupted sleeping patterns and ineffective nutrition options. Periodization is also key for those not entering into professions that require these levels of physical fitness. As schedules become more and more packed, knowing when you can train, and making the most of that time (never letting any one area lapse or regress) is crucial.

Recovery from stress is the key. There have to be down times in your training cycles, even if that recovery period is just moments of deep breathing and relaxing prior to sleep or catnaps. Likewise, there need to be periods of recovery built into your fitness schedule. Learn how to adjust your workouts to fit the seasonal demands of your profession; institute your own “off-season” by creating programs where the peaking and recovering are logical progressions for you. Learning how to “actively pursue recovery” is critical to the Tactical Athlete’s longevity.

Training hard for these programs is obviously crucial, but understanding the differences between the training required to ace the “entrance exam” (or PFT/ PST/PRTs, depending on your branch of service), and getting to the actual training, is fundamental to your success. The training required, as well as the fitness foundation needed, to make it through the training will build off of the PFT scores and should advance according to the specifics of the training required (PT, run, ruck, swim, logs, boats, etc.). In other words, you may well find yourself continuing to perform similar exercises in training as you did in preparing for the PFT; at this point, however, your standards for excellence should be set much higher. Finally, the training you will need in order to perform the actual job after the training will differ tremendously. This should be familiar to any who have undergone basic sports training; the key is to focus, whether on speed, agility, balance, flexibility, strength, power, endurance, and muscle stamina to help you perform a specific skill at your optimal level.

The Heroes of Tomorrow program is your complete program to learn how to train for all three of the challenges (to / through / operator) on your journey towards tactical fitness.

The Heroes of Tomorrow program was designed for those who have a solid foundation of training under their belts and are looking for new ideas to add to or replace their existing programs. The workouts in Part 3 are difficult, and will require some time investment. Involvement with weights, running or biking or swimming, as well as moderate repetitions of calisthenics are all mixed in such a way to ensure adequate recovery and optimal progress.

These workouts are tough, but they can also be scaled back if you are having issues with the intensity or time investment. For instance, when runs are prescribed and your knees are not up to it, skip the runs and replace them with some form of non-impact aerobic exercise like biking, swimming, rowing, or elliptical gliding to finish off the fat burning stage of your workouts.

Periodization is nothing more than a fancy word for scheduling. Instead of making up a random workout of the day or doing the same old routine every other day, periodization offers a way to focus on your weaknesses while also developing your strengths. Periodization is to training what a budget is to spending money. It helps you not only fit fitness into your schedule, but also to hold yourself accountable.

You will find that you can challenge yourself throughout the year with segments of the Dirty Dozen Tactical Fitness Test. To simply pass this test is very feasible. To max it out is not. However, if you can max out all of the Dirty Dozen elements over the course of a 6-week cycle, or even a full year, you will have accomplished MANY challenging goals over the course of a training regimen. This requires you to work on your weaknesses throughout the year.

But when you push your fitness to the extremes, the way many tactical athletes have throughout their lives, you need to create a break from all the elements of the above routine. Periodization is required to achieve that.

These workouts are based on a different type of exercise programming combination from my normal periodization cycle. This program mixes calisthenics, swimming, and running, as well as more heavy-weight exercises, rucking, speed, and agility which are specifically designed to ace the Dirty Dozen Tactical Fitness Test.

With regard to the programming structure, start in any phase you wish (focus on your weakness) or start with the calisthenics / cardio base and work your way through each 6-week cycle for a total of 35 challenging weeks of training. Here is how the workouts in this book are broken down:

These workouts will help you get fit and will arm you with the basic tactical thinking skills needed to save yourself and others in dangerous situations.

Workout #1 — Beginner 30-Day Program: You have to start training somewhere. This 30-day routine will help you build a foundation of basic fitness. Building your strength, muscle stamina, endurance, and flexibility is the goal of the first 30 days. This cycle is great for kids, those who are recovering from injury, or those who have not done anything physical in years and need to focus on weight loss as well.

Workout #2 — Build Muscle Stamina: Six weeks of calisthenics only with running and swimming/non-impact cardio base training: The goal of this cycle is to build a foundation of moderate to high reps of calisthenics or bodyweight exercises to improve fitness testing scores while also burning off some of the bulk you created during the winter weight lifting cycle. Progressing with the running each week is critical to this cycle and will help prevent over-use running injuries when starting back up again.

These workouts are ideal for someone with an average foundation of fitness who wants to build up to achieving passing grades on the Tactical Fitness Dirty Dozen Test. In these workouts, we build on your existing athletic skills and focus on your weaknesses to help you become a well-rounded tactical athlete.

Workout #1 — Increase Endurance and Muscle Stamina with Weights: Six weeks of calisthenics; running, rucking, and swimming with moderate weights: This phase takes the last cycle and builds upon it further with more maximum effort (high rep/high mileage cardio) workouts. Typically at the end of this cycle you will reach a peak in cardiovascular and bodyweight performance. At this point, you will be ready for a change.

Workout #2 — Maintain Cardio and Increase Strength, Speed, and Agility: Six weeks of advanced weight training, speed work, and limited long cardio for muscle gain: Decrease reps of calisthenics, but add weights incrementally each week to build up your strength for bodyweight lifts (Bench / Dead lift). Cardio options grow by adding more rucking to your running routine as you taper a bit to prepare for the weight cycle.

These workouts are geared towards producing optimal results to help tactical athletes achieve maximum testing scores on the Tactical Fitness Dirty Dozen Test. These workouts focus on all areas of fitness, including strength, endurance, agility, speed, muscle stamina, and flexibility.

Workout #1 — Increase Strength, Speed, Agility, and High Intensity Cardio: Six Weeks of heavyweights, speed, and agility: As a former football player and power lifter, I have always enjoyed this cycle, and found that within 4 to 8 weeks, I was back to my old max weight (1 rep max, RM) in several exercises, including the bench press, power clean, and dead lifts. Usually weight gain will accompany this cycle, and typical results are 10 to 15 pounds—especially if you eat! Your legs will feel good on occasional runs after a few weeks of tapering down to more non-impact / short distance cardio.

Workout #2 — Combine All Cycles for Full Test Prep: Six weeks of tactical fitness testing preparation: This cycle serves as a testing progression and tapering cycle, where you focus on the actual events of the Tactical Fitness Dirty Dozen and experiment with what arrangement works best for you. Practice testing speed events one day, followed by a longer distance the next, and strength training the following day. Eventually, you will build up to taking the test in one day, and then in one prolonged session.

This event will be a regular feature in the Tactical Fitness Workout as it contains three critical skills to master the Tactical Fitness Test: rucking, swimming, and running. Being able to get from point A to point B at speed and without exhausting oneself is essential to any tactical athlete. Often, the journey to conduct a mission, save a life, or rescue someone in distress requires running, rucking, or swimming. Master these skills and your cardiovascular base will be foundational to your performance in just about any situation where it is absolutely needed.

Throughout this workout you will see the term “ruck.” For many, this is a new word. As a noun, it is simply a backpack—usually a big, sturdy backpack built to hold 50-plus pounds easily. As a verb, it gets a bit more difficult to define. The definition can refer to something as simple as walking around with a backpack on a hike or as difficult as moving fast for many, many miles with all your military gear, loaded for bear, over rugged terrain, infiltrating to your objective. But the terms themselves (ruck, hump, or forced march) all really mean getting your gear from point A to point B wearing a backpack.

Mile One: Easy Pace: Walk easily for this first mile with a 45 to 50 pound (or 25 percent of your bodyweight) pack, carrying a phone, making calls, answering texts, completely distracted from any challenging pace. It takes me 18 minutes to walk a mile in this easy state. To put this in perspective, the Army minimum standard requirement is 15 minutes per mile, so a slow walk will still be a workout, but it will not challenge your cardiovascular system. I call this the easy, or conversational pace—too slow for a good workout, but comparable to walking your dog on a nature trail and enjoying the scenery.

Mile Two: Fast Pace: The second mile is at a faster walking pace, similar to power-walking. This pace requires some effort, but nothing overly challenging, and you can still hold conversations with minimal effort. This mile should take about 14 minutes to walk and can be maintained for many hours/miles. This pace is a good pace to master as it is typically a fallback pace when you need to take a breather from the faster pace of Mile Three (below). This makes for a decent workout if you have the time to do a few hours of fast walking.

Mile Three: Slow Jog/Rucking Pace: This is what I would call “rucking.” That is, moving at a pace that is only sustainable if you are conditioned for it. It looks like a combination of a fast walk and slow jog. This mile takes me under 11 minutes to complete. Personally, any faster for me hurts my knees and back more than my lungs, so I take it down just a notch. This allows me to remain faster than the minimum rucking standard, while staying slow enough to maintain the pace for longer distances without structural pain.

The Tactical Fitness Test will have you ruck for 4 miles. The goal of this is to test your pace for rucking, not your speed. Can you get 4 miles in one hour? Remember that you get no extra points for being faster than an hour. Part of this test is to figure out a strategy to complete the test that best suits your skill sets so you can arrange the events in any order you wish.

Visit GoRuck.com if you want to take rucking to the next level with some former Special Ops soldiers. The Go Ruck Challenges and other programs prove to be excellent mental toughness and tactical training for anyone going into the Special Ops selection programs. Go Ruck makes the rucks and the sandbags that we use for this program. You can get rucks anywhere and make you own sandbags, but these American made, 100 percent warranty-protected products have proven their value to me over the past years.

If you cannot swim, now is the time to learn. This is not just a critical skill for the tactical athlete; it is an essential survival skill for everyone. Think of it this way: If you cannot swim, you are ineffective on 75 percent of this planet.

The swimming standard for the Tactical Fitness Test is simple: Can you swim? You get 5 points just for knowing how to swim. The next step requires a 500-meter non-stop swim. If you can swim 500 meters without stopping, you pass with the minimum points. Swim faster and you get more points for your total score. Can you rescue someone by swimmer-towing them across a 25-meter pool? If your weakness is this skill, take a swimming course or challenge yourself with a lifeguard course. You will also learn a valuable tool that produces hundreds of heroes a day: CPR (Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation). With 1.5 million people in the United States each year having heart attacks, your best chances to save a life is to learn CPR.

Be a hero—learn CPR. According to the National Heart Association, more than 92 percent of people who have heart attacks die before arriving at the hospital, but that number could change if more people knew CPR. Currently over 70 percent of Americans do not know how to properly perform CPR. The National Heart Association has changed the conventional CPR protocol in hopes of improving its effectiveness. The current recommendation is to start with 30 chest compressions (at a rate of 100 per minute) followed by two 1-second breaths, repeating this sequence until help arrives. Studies show that by just doing hands-only chest compressions (no breaths) you can still save a life in certain situations. Do yourself and your family a favor and take a CPR course. Most heart attacks occur at home, so you could be saving a loved one by learning this skill. Remember: 30 fast compressions and 2 short breaths. See www.heart.org for more information on CPR training programs (which are usually free) in your community.

Another necessary skill for any tactical operator, as well as the everyday hero, is to learn how to stop bleeding. Most deaths occur from people receiving a wound and losing all of their blood while people wait for the ambulance to arrive. Check to see if a victim is bleeding profusely and stop the blood loss. Learning tactical combat casualty care is a more advanced study of saving lives, but it is simple to apply in any blood loss situation. See www.naemt.org for more information on advanced training programs. I also recommend www.t2training.com for military, police, and civilians in the corporate world and the household.

About Swimming Times: People of all shapes and sizes with varying backgrounds join the military each year. Many are great swimmers, most are average swimmers, and some cannot swim at all. So the question is: how good at swimming do you have to be to join the military or special operations communities? How important are such skills as diving, combat swimming, or rescue swimming? While the military (and especially the Special Ops world) does recommend having an above-average swimming ability, it by no means requires you to be a world class swimmer. These recommended standards are not that tough to reach, even for non-swimming athletes. The power-lifting, football player types will likely swim better with fins than without fins. Many big, strong-legged athletes can barely pass the 500-yard swim, but when they put on a pair of Scuba fins they jump to the top five swim pairs in the class.

It is true; you should be at least in the 8 to 9 minute time zone without fins on the 500-yard BUD/S PST swim to get to training, but when you get to BUD/S, you will be swimming with fins 99 percent of the time to get through training. These swims are in the form of 2- to 5-mile ocean swims each week progressing throughout the three phases of BUD/S. But to get better at the timed swim without fins, focus on your technique for the next several months. The key is staying used to the water and comfortable in the water.

Being Comfortable in Water: This is an absolute must. It is far more important for you to be comfortable in underwater and in dark, open ocean water (either swimming or in scuba) than swimming a sub-8 minute 500-yard swim. You will be tied (feet/ hands behind your back) during the drown-proofing test and required to perform a variety of skills in Special Ops water training. You will be required to learn how to scuba dive and perform dives at night, navigating underwater in Navy ports, under ships, and so on. Being able to handle this water confidence challenge is far more important than swimming fast prior to training. But if you can swim fast, it will not go to waste. As you will hear many times, “It pays to be a winner.” Being the fastest swimmer, runner, obstacle course participant, or best PTer is never a bad thing, and you will not be the best at all of them regardless. You will have weaknesses in something at your training; that is the beauty of it. Training exposes your weaknesses. Work on your swimming now, if you know it is a weakness.

Remember, swimming is a survival skill. Fearing that you could die every time you are near water, is no way to live. In fact, you will be completely ineffective in a rescue situation if a loved one has an accident in the water. At a minimum, learn basic swimming so that you can save your own life if necessary. Once you have accomplished that, progress to the next level and try more advanced swimming or even a lifeguard course. These are basic tools of the everyday hero.

We have several running tests in the Tactical Fitness Test that focus on 3-mile endurance and quarter mile speed, as well as two agility tests in the form of a shuttle run and a 15- to 20-second agility cone test. Some of us are built for speed; others are built for long running/rucking endurance. It pays to be good at all of them, though we all will always have our favorites.

As a former football player and track guy myself, I once thought that anything over 100 yards was long distance. But once you reach the sphere of professional tactical fitness, you realize just how short that distance really is. Military Special Ops training especially is a running-intensive program. You will run everywhere you go, accumulating several miles each day. Add in 2 to 5 mile timed runs and a few 5 to 6 mile beach or terrain runs each week and you will have about 40 to 45 miles of weekly running in your advanced training programs.

This requires you to have a very solid foundation of running under your belt prior to departing for any advanced tactical training like SEAL, PJ, RECON, Ranger, SF, and other SWAT and fire rescue professions. But once you are in your operational units, you will find more of a use for the speed and agility workouts versus the longer, slower distance runs. Having a foundation in both will help you in any situation that involves moving long distances as well as moving fast and quickly in urban terrain.

The Tactical Fitness Dirty Dozen Test covers the 12 events that have been pulled from various military, police, and firefighting fitness tests around the world to create an all-inclusive fitness challenge for those who want to be ready for anything. This test employs a grading system, which is quite generous with basic pass/fail standards, as well as a point system (with a maximum of 100 points).

Here is a list of the “dirty dozen” exercises that will be testing you during your workouts each week:

1. 25-Pound Pull-Up — Weighted pull-ups are required. As most gear that a tactical operator wears in the line of duty will weigh anywhere from 15 to 25 pounds (minus the weight of the backpack), testing one’s pulling power to get over walls and fences or up ladders is a critical skill in some professions. 1 point for each rep with a minimum of 2 points and a maximum of 10 points. Minimum 2 Pull-Ups/Maximum 10 Pull-Ups.

2. Body Weight Bench Press — Testing the pushing power of a tactical athlete requires a combination of upper body strength and moving your body weight for multiple repetitions. Minimum of 2 points for 5 reps and maximum of 10 points for 15 reps.

3. Dead Lift (1.5 × bodyweight) — Can you lift more than your own body weight? Practicing this event alone will help a tactical athlete learn proper lifting techniques and build a stronger foundation to move heavyweight when required. Pass/Fail criteria (2 points for passing with 1 rep and 2 points per additional rep up to a total of 5 reps). Minimum of 2 points for 1 rep and maximum of 10 points for 5 reps.

4. Fireman carry — Rescue your buddy and carry him for 100 yards without stopping. Pass/Fail criteria (5 points for passing) with no stopping to rest.

5. 40-meter sprint — Can you run fast (without gear)? Minimum of 1 point for 80 seconds and maximum of 10 points for 60 seconds. Additional point added for every 2 seconds under 80 seconds.

6. 300-yard shuttle run — Run back and forth quickly (6 × 50 meter shuttle) Minimum of 1 point for 80 seconds and maximum of 10 points for 60 seconds. Additional point added for every 2 seconds under 80 seconds.

7. Illinois Agility Test — Zig and zag while running at full speed, changing direction often. Maximum of 5 points if completed in under 15 seconds. Deduct 1 point for every second slower than 15 seconds until 19 seconds (minimum of 1 point). Slower than 19 seconds = fail.

8. Plank pose — Hold the plank pose for at least 1 minute. Get extra points for every additional minute and max out at 5 minutes. Minimum of 1 point for 1 minute. Maximum of 5 points for 5 minutes.

9. 3-mile timed run — Can you run 3 miles without stopping? Then you pass. You have the cardiovascular and structural ability to keep moving non-stop. Maximum of 10 points if completed in 18 minutes. Deduct 1 point for every additional 30 seconds, up to 23 minutes (minimum of 1 point).

10. 50-pound ruck — Rucking 4 miles with 50 pounds in under 1 hour is the minimum standard for Army rucking times. Can you pace yourself at a perfect 15-minute mile with a 50-pound backpack or weight vest? Note that there is no need to go too fast on this event; it is about finishing at a steady pace, and there are no extra points for finishing in under 1 hour. Pass/Fail criteria (10 points for passing).

11. Swim — Can you swim? Be an asset, not a liability to your team, yourself, and your family. This is a basic survival skill we should all know how to do. 5 points for just knowing how to swim.

500 meter swim — Any stroke. Swim 500 meters non-stop to pass. Complete 500 meters in 8 minutes or less for a maximum of 5 points. Deduct 1 point for every additional minute until the 12:00 mark. Pass with a minimum of 1 point for anything in the 11:01–12 minutes.

12. 25 meter Lifesaving buddy tow — Can you dive to the bottom of a pool (8–9 feet deep), grab an simulated unconscious buddy, and tow him 25 meters to the other end of the pool? Pass/fail criteria (5 points for passing).

When doing the Tactical Fitness Dirty Dozen Test, you can arrange the events in whichever order works best for your optimal performance. Below is an example of my own personal strategy for this test.

I have always been better at strength events and swimming, so I am using these events as my recovery periods from faster-paced runs and speed/agility events.

Remember to rest as needed in between the events. If you try this test in one session, make sure to record your total time.

Many of the exercises used in the Dirty Dozen Tactical Fitness Test are already utilized by military, police, and firefighter programs for entrance or maintenance programs. Some of these exercises are also incorporated in many of the highest level Special Operations programs in the world, as both selection process and team maintenance testing.

When it comes time for these programs to test operator skills, there are many methods available, including those used by a variety of military, police, SWAT Team, and Special Ops units. Some are actual fitness tests, selection evaluations, and general or advanced fitness events. Others mix high-intensity cardio training with a presented shoot/no-shoot situation in military and police training. Some tests, notably police assessments, require applicants to run an obstacle course while also looking for a person wearing specific identifiers; for instance, a black hat, a white shirt, and blue jeans. These types of skills engage the thinking part of the brain while the body is working hard physically. Learning to think and react with control while stressed is what sets great tactical athletes apart from others.

Many tactical programs use physically demanding entrance examinations to ensure that candidates have the foundation necessary to complete the specific training program. Some of the most challenging tactical fitness tests used today include the following:

500-yard swim, pull-ups, push-ups, sit-ups, 1.5-mile run. These tests, used by the Navy and Air Force Special Operations programs, all include the same challenges, but are arranged differently. The above average recommended requirements on these tests vary, but from personal experience, some of the best candidates and graduates have the following scores:

• 500 m or 500 yd swim: 8 minutes or less

• Push-ups 2 minutes: 80–100 reps

• Sit-ups 2 minutes: 80–100 reps

• Pull-ups: 20+

• 1.5-mile run: 9 minutes or less

This test is used by many Special Operations groups throughout military and law enforcement circles, primarily as a maintenance workout, but also as a selection test for candidates applying to these programs. See the chart below for grading for the UBRR. The exercises tested are: push-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups, dips, bench press, rope climb, kip-ups, shuttle run, and 5-mile run/ruck. As you can see, this test is a challenging upper body and cardiovascular test.

The images below illustrate three methods for performing rescue carries. This is a vital part of tactical training that teaches you the best way to pull someone from danger to safety.

This is one of the most professionally targeted and accurate fitness/skills tests available in any public service unit. These are highly specific skills that can be simulated in the weight room with weights, kettlebells, and a stair climber machine or bleacher runs to prepare the body for this test in full gear. Train the way you work! The Fire Department has this part figured out nicely.

• Stair Climb — in full gear (pace yourself at 60 steps per minute for 3:00)

• Hose Drag — Run with hose 100 ft / pull hose an additional 50 ft

• Equipment Carry — Carry tools (30+lb) 80 ft

• Ladder Raise and Extension — Lift 24 ft ladder to vertical position

• Forcible Entry — 10-lb sledgehammer to break down door

• Search — in dark tunnel with obstacles — crawl on hands and knees

• Rescue — remove a 165 lb man person 70 ft total distance

• Ceiling Breach and Pull — using a pike pole pull / push ceiling down

Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) Physical Examination Battery (PEB)

Flexibility (sit and reach test), Body fat assessment, Speed and agility (Illinois Agility test), Aerobic capacity (1.5-mile run), and Upper body strength (bench press).

Below is a list of other possible testing events that can be added into tactical workout programs, or instituted after the standard fitness tests. Adding many of these exercises into a fun circuit or a group of upper body and lower body supersets will create some variety for your PT programs, especially when a workout requires you to build your own circuit. Get creative with your running and cardio options; these additional exercises are related to the standard PFT in some way, and will actually help your team to continue to improve on the PFT while adding new life and energy to the same old PT exercises.

Longer Runs or Rucks: 2-mile run (Army), 3-mile run (USMC), 4-mile run (BUD/S), 5-mile run (Rangers), 4-, 6-, or 12-mile ruck — Used by Army Rangers and Special Forces

Beep Test — a version of the shuttle run done on “beeps” at decreasing intervals each lap — various police departments

Pull-ups / Flexed Army Hangs — Used by USMC, various Special Operations, and Police

Bench Press — Bodyweight percentage for max reps (Used by FLETC, Various Spec. Ops)

Step Test — Step up on a box (up and down) for 5 minutes for max reps (used by various Federal Police)

Vertical Jump — Jump as high as you can from stationary position (used by various police organizations)

40 yd sprint — from prone position carrying weapon — used by FBI and SWAT

Squats, Dead Lift, Bench Press — Standard power lifts used universally to test overall power and strength (max reps at bodyweight or 1 rep with maximum weight)

• Shooting (pistol / rifle)

• Spotting perpetrator items during obstacle course (shirt, colored hat, jeans, etc.)

• Weapons skills drills (loading, unloading, assembly, dry fire, etc.)

• Fire hose drills

• Equipment carry

• Obstacle course (walls, fences, stairs, other)

• Swimming with gear, etc.

The following exercises are additional testing elements that you can use to build your own tactical fitness test. These exercises are commonly used by many military, law enforcement, and firefighter programs as part of their job performance tests. It is a good idea to know which elements you will be tested on when applying for these professions. If the Tactical Fitness Dirty Dozen Test (see this page) is not specific enough for your training, add or replace any of the exercises with the following skills.

Perform kettlebell snatch for 5 or 10 minutes. This exercise is used by the U.S. Secret Service.

Step up and down on a box for 5 minutes and record your max reps in that time. This exercise is used by various Federal Police, Fire, and Forestry Departments.

Jump as high as you can from a stationary position. This exercise is used by various police departments.

Starting from a prone position while carrying a weapon, get up, and sprint 40 yards. This exercise is used by FBI SWAT teams and other law enforcement programs.

Many groups also challenge their operators with full gear rope climbs. Learn how to climb the rope with your legs and work hard on your grip exercises as you add this into a tactical fitness test of your own.


Weighted Pull-Ups: max reps	Crank this out and recover during the ruck.
Ruck 4 miles	Get it over with. Use this as a warm-up. Carb up during the fast 1 hour walk/jog.
Sprint 400 meters	While I still have some speed, I hit the sprint early.
Plank: 5 minutes	Take a recovery rest with plank pose.
300-yard shuttle run	Sip juice and carbs for energy during this transition.
Fireman Carry	100 yard run/walk non-stop.
Illinois Agility Test	Stretch a minute and then hit it.
Bench Press (bodyweight)	Test your pushing strength with a bodyweight bench press.
Dead Lift (1.5 × bodyweight)	Not too tough an event, but do this before pull-ups or spread them out if you may have issues with grip.
25 meters Buddy Tow	A good warm-up event.
Swim 500 meters	The swim is a great way to cool down and catch your second wind. Then it’s time to hit the run. Finish like most fitness tests … with the run!
Run 3 miles	Carb up and get it done!
Extra Credit: Toe Touch	Can you touch your toes?

Event	Min. Standard	Grading Scale for Min. Plus
1 Minute of Push-ups	40	+2 pts each rep above min
1 Minute of Sit-ups	40	+3 pts each rep above min
Pull-ups	6 — not timed	+3 pts each rep above min
Dips	6 — not timed	+2 pts each rep above min
Bench Press 80% Body Weight	6 — not timed	+3 pts each rep above min
20 ft Rope Climb in Body Armor or Weight Vest — 25#	1	pass / fail
1-Minute Kip-ups (Pull-up with a Kip)	6	+2 pts every rep above min
4 × 25 M Shuttle Run	Max 24 secs	2 pts every 1/10 of a sec under
5 Mile Run or 5 Mile Ruck March with 45# Dry Weight	Run - Max 40 mins, Ruck — 75 Min	+2 pts every full 15 sec from 35 to 30 min

TESTING OF

TACTICAL FITNESS