8-Week PT Test Training Plan for Any Branch

Every branch's test now has the same three pieces at its core: an upper-body endurance event (push-ups, hand-release push-ups or pull-ups), a core hold or core event (almost always a plank), and a timed run. The Army adds a deadlift and the sprint-drag-carry, and the Marine Corps adds the CFT later in the year. This plan covers the shared pieces and tells you where to slot the branch extras.

It assumes you can already run 20 minutes without stopping and do a few correct push-ups. If not, spend two to four weeks building to that first, with walk-run intervals and incline push-ups.

Upper body

Push-up or pull-up progressions.

Core

Plank progressions.

Running

Intervals, steady and easy runs.

Strength

Carries and lifts for the strength events.

Before you start: test yourself

In the first session, do a practice test under real conditions: your branch's events in order, with the official time limits and rest. Enter the results in your branch's calculator (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines) and write down which event is closest to failing and which is furthest from its maximum. Those two events get extra attention.

The weekly schedule

Day	Session	Time
Monday	Strength: upper-body event sets + plank + Army deadlift or Marine pull-ups	35-45 min
Tuesday	Run: intervals at slightly faster than goal pace	30-40 min
Wednesday	Rest or easy walk	-
Thursday	Strength: timed test of your upper-body event + plank holds + branch extra	30-40 min
Friday	Run: easy, conversational pace	25-40 min
Saturday	Run: steady stretch at goal pace	25-35 min
Sunday	Rest	-

If you can only train three days, keep Monday, Tuesday and Saturday and add a few sets of push-ups and a plank to the end of Saturday's run.

Upper-body event progression

Use your practice-test number as your max.

Weeks	Monday	Thursday
1-2	5 sets of 50% of max, 60 s rest	Timed set at test length
3-4	5 sets of 60% of max, 60 s rest	Timed set at test length
5-6	6 sets of 65% of max, 45 s rest	Timed set, aim to beat week 4 by 2-3 reps
7	4 sets of 60% of max, 60 s rest	Full practice test
8 (test week)	3 easy sets of 40%	Test

For pull-ups, use the same percentages but spread the sets across four or five days a week instead of two, and never take a set to failure.

Plank progression

Weeks	Monday and Thursday
1-2	3 holds at 60% of your best time, 60 s rest
3-4	3 holds at 70%, 60 s rest, plus 2 side planks of 30 s each side
5-6	2 holds at 80%, 60 s rest, plus side planks; one max hold on Thursday
7	One max hold during the practice test
8 (test week)	One easy hold at 50%

Run progression

Use the run pace chart to turn your goal time into a lap split.

Weeks	Tuesday intervals	Saturday goal-pace run
1-2	6 x 400 m at goal pace, 90 s rest	One-third of test distance at goal pace
3-4	6 x 400 m a few seconds faster than goal, 90 s rest	Half of test distance at goal pace
5-6	4 x 800 m at goal pace, 2 min rest	Two-thirds of test distance at goal pace
7	4 x 400 m at goal pace	Practice test
8 (test week)	3 x 400 m relaxed	Test

Keep Friday's run truly easy. If your legs are sore going into an interval day, swap it with Friday's easy run.

Branch extras

Army: deadlift on Monday (3 to 5 sets of 3 to 5 reps, adding 5 to 10 pounds a week while every rep stays clean) and sled drags, carries and shuttle sprints on Thursday. See the AFT guide.
Navy: if your command allows alternate cardio and you plan to row or swim, do Tuesday's intervals on that equipment from week 3 on. See the PRT guide.
Air Force: train only the strength and core options you'll test with, and if your waist-to-height ratio is above 0.54, treat the waist as its own goal. See the PFRA guide.
Marine Corps: pull-ups four or five days a week, and for the 3-mile, lengthen Friday's easy run to 40 to 45 minutes. For the CFT, add ammo can lifts and carries on Thursday. See the PFT and CFT guide.

The last week

Cut the amount of work roughly in half, keep a little intensity so you stay sharp, and skip max attempts in the last four days. Sleep normally, eat the way you usually eat before training, and on test day warm up for 10 minutes before the first event.

When to stop

Sharp pain, pain that changes how you move, or pain that's worse the next morning is a reason to stop that exercise and get it looked at by your unit's medical or fitness staff. A few days off now is cheaper than a profile in test week.

8-week PT test training plan