Overcoming PFT Anxiety

Everyone entering the Marine Corps or any other branch of service will experience PFT anxiety at some point if not every time they have to perform a PFT. It's no different than the anxiety we feel before taking a test in school. It's natural to be a little nervous but if your anxiety is so bad that it interferes with your performance, it becomes a major problem.

So what can you do about it?

Here are a few tips to help you get rid of the anxiety and excel at your PFT.

1. Practice - this is probably the most important tip I can offer you. If you will practice taking your PFT on a regular basis, you will always know where you stand. When you go to take your PFT, it will be just another workout.
2. Get used to a stopwatch - stopwatches can be intimidating if you aren't used to them. Especially when drill instructors are screaming your times out to you. You should own a stopwatch and use it often. This is the only way to overcome the fear of having to do something in a certain time limit. It is also the only way you will be able to learn your pace.
3. Relax and think positive - focus on what you want to achieve during your PFT instead of worrying about what you might not achieve. You become what you think about so if you are thinking about what you want to achieve, you will likely achieve it.
4. Eat healthy - this should be common sense. If you know you have a PFT coming up, you should be sure to eat as healthy as possible. Stay away from fried foods.
5. Drink plenty of water - stay away from carbonated drinks and load up on water instead. Also stay away from alcohol before a PFT.

I've seen a lot of Marines with anxiety before a PFT. Many of them had it so bad that they could not focus on what they needed to do. I would say that 99% of them had such anxiety because they did not prepare, were a bit out of shape, or spent the night before at the club drinking too much beer. Of course, if you are in boot camp you won't have these problems. Just make sure you are very comfortable with a stop watch before going to boot camp.