T Nation

Physical Test

Bodybuilding
#1

I have in school a physical test (here it is called NATO test) that consists of max situps, pushups in 2 minutes for both and 2 mile run.

I haven’t tried pushups for max, but I think I can only do like 35-40 then the pecs are toasted and I wait for a minute until time is up.

I tried situps, I could do 50 in 1 minute. I’d like to get max points (100), but my abs are burning after that and I guess I can only do like 25 more.

I suck at running, but I don’t care about that. How should I work on the other 2 exercises?

I have tried situps to do 1s per rep and I could do about 35. At 40 reps it takes me 43 seconds and the time doesn’t get better. I do them at the end of my leg workout, maybe it takes some more seconds, but the abs shouldn’t be that fatigued.

I have heard that when training muscle endurance the strength suffers and goes down. That means I shouldn’t do 120 second sets of pushups?

#2

make sure you stretch the Abs out, and try doing more than just crunches to build up the abdominals overall (obliques, leg lifts, etc). as for pushups, try mixing up sets of the 3 variations until failure (wide, shoulder-width and diamond).

When is this test by the way? that determines what kind of training and the makeup of your training program. I’d go with stuff like this 4 days a week, that will build endurance, strength, and give you some adequate recovery time. Again make sure you stretch well before each workout. Good luck.

#3

I have whole summer to prepare for it. So enough time, but enough work to do as well.

Maybe if I can’t get to work I’ll have time for running, but abs and push-ups are more important.

Has anyone heard of this test? Because I would like to know how are the sit-ups performed. I read it was just abs on the ground, nothing more specific, but where can I hold my arms, straight legs or bent etc… This 40x in 43s I had hands behind my head and I could help by pulling, but when hands on chest it is much harder. Also some tips would be useful.

#4

this sounds like a high school gym class test…in which case, im not sure why you are so concerned with it. how old are you?

read the articles on this site, go through the physique and performance forum, focus on the people that have made real progress…and then sit back and think about everything youve seen on this site. find a real reason to train and youll do fine on the test.

#5

Try one-arm pushups. They work your core in a different way and after you can do 15-20 of them, your regular pushup numbers will definately go up. This will help you from straying too much into endurance over strength. Other than that, the best way to do more situps and pushups is to do more situps and pushups. Ladders and pyramid type rep schemes are good for this.

#6

[quote]dez6485 wrote:
this sounds like a high school gym class test…in which case, im not sure why you are so concerned with it. how old are you?

read the articles on this site, go through the physique and performance forum, focus on the people that have made real progress…and then sit back and think about everything youve seen on this site. find a real reason to train and youll do fine on the test.[/quote]

While I agree, at the same time, he’s probably just got a competitive nature and wants to excel at the test(even though it is meaningless in the long run), that is a healthy attitude and while it might not be the be-all, end-all of goals or reasons to train, it is a start(especially for a kid)

A whole summer is more than enough time to improve the amount of push-ups and sit-ups you can do. I have found, time and time again though, the best way to improve the amount of sit-ups and push-ups you can do… is to do a lot of sit-ups and push-ups.

I used to do a lot of sit-ups and push-ups, before I really knew anything about training. The amount of push-ups I could do went up nearly every week, just from maxing out consistently. Don’t quote me on this, but it always felt like more of an endurance test past the 20 mark, maybe even sooner.

Similar with sit-ups, except I’d wager more like 40 is baseline there.

#7

[quote]
This 40x in 43s I had hands behind my head and I could help by pulling, but when hands on chest it is much harder. Also some tips would be useful.[/quote]

Do whichever is hardest, then if you were doing the right one, you are trained for it, and if you were doing the ‘wrong’ one, you will be better at it.

#8

[quote]dez6485 wrote:
this sounds like a high school gym class test…in which case, im not sure why you are so concerned with it. how old are you?
[/quote]

It is used in military I heard, but we do it in high school once. I am not concerned much, because I am sure I could do this for a passable/satisfying result, one of the best in my class, because only a few do any sports, but (maybe I am competitive like someone told) I’d like to do it for maximum results (it is attainable as well).

I have read every article since I joined here, but I think it is not the same. This requires speed+endurance, so it should be trained a little bit different than max. strength+hypherthophy. I did regular reps at max speed, but time didn’t get better and I posted this.

#9

Like others said - high reps. Don’t worry about speed yet, just keep knocking off the reps. Try doing 5 sets of 20 with 60 seconds pause in between each set.

When you can do that, shorted then rest between sets.

Also work on pyramids with short rests:
5, rest, 6, rest, 7, rest, 8, rest, 9, rest, 10, rest, 9, rest, 8, rest, 7, rest, 6, rest, 5.

Each rest might be 30 seconds. That would be 80 reps total.

Whatever method you use, the goal is to improve your muscle endurance first. Once you can do 100 reps, work on speed.

Also check out conditioning programs like Waterbury’s Outlaw Conditioning program. It wont specifically make you better at those two exercises but it will drive up your overall conditioning and also improve your 2 mile run.

Last suggestion - join Muay Thai for two months. Guaranteed you will push you max reps of pushups and situps VERY quickly.

#10

I finally found in Google this test.

And for 100 points I have to do not 100, but 71 pushups and 78 situps. I guess it is international and done here same way as in US. Situps will be with a little bit harder technique than I was using. I am going to work up to 100 repetitions still I think… depends on how tough they are, maybe I’ll stick with 80. After that I work on speed, maybe add low weights or do on incline until I reach my time goal.

I haven’t found a good time to do push-ups. I still want badly increase my bench press. When I do them at the end of the workout it is no use I think. But I don’t want to fry my pecs before benching. Also, if this endurance training diminishes my strength, I am not going to do it. Anyone know about that?

#11

Don’t take this the wrong way but

… shut up and do pushups already. You are over thinking it. Do them before you go to bed. Do them when you get up. Do them before bench press for a warm-up. Do them after.

There is no exact science. Do push-ups to develop the capacity to do more. Do bench press as you normally do. You’ll be fine.

:slight_smile:

#12

Find references for grease the groove (GTG) on the Internet and stick with it.
Basically, do pushups and situps every day, rest for weekend and do it again.
Change reps, do it at morning, lunch time, evening etc.

It’s just great for such tests… I started with 4 pull-ups (really…) and after one week I was able to do 6. Next week 8. Now I could do 20 without problems.

Good luck