Marine Corps PFT Preparation

Are you dreading an upcoming PFT?  Do you get anxiety the days before your PFT?  Of course, we all have experienced this anxiety.  We all want to score as high as possible and the anxiety is really your fear talking, telling you that you probably won’t score that high.  I’ve experienced this many times in my life and I’ve certainly experienced it before a PFT.  It took me a while to realize that if I was prepared for the test, I had no anxiety.  In fact, I would actually look forward to it.  Here’s a few tips on preparing for a PFT.

Start Training Now
Don’t wait until a few days before your PFT to begin training.  You should always be training for your PFT.  This doesn’t mean that you have to make running, pull-ups and sit-ups your only exercises, but you should definitely know where you stand on these 3 important exercises.

Take Your Own PFT
You should take your own PFT once a week.  This is a good way to know where you stand at all times and also how you need to improve.  By doing the PFT every week on your own, the real thing will feel like just another day.

Get Used To The Stopwatch
A stopwatch can cause a lot of anxiety if you are unsure of what you can do.  However, if you are doing your weekly PFT and using a stopwatch when you do it, you should have no problems with this.

Believe in Yourself
Your mental attitude is one of the most important indications of how well you will do on your PFT.  If you think you’ll do bad then you probably will.  You have to believe that you will do great and then go out with the attitude that you are going to be the best.

Don’t go to your PFT just trying to survive, go knowing that you will have the best PFT of your life and you probably will!