Commander's perspective on PT success

  • Published
  • By Col. Martin Chapin
  • 621st Contingency Response Wing commander
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif., --  As a wing commander, I've seen a lot of Air Force Physical Fitness Assessment program results in the past few years.

Unfortunately, I've also seen my share of Airmen who did not meet our standards and were separated from the Air Force. After analyzing so many results, I've formed a couple strongly held beliefs about the AF physical fitness test.

First, anyone who meets the physical requirements for entry into the United States Air Force can pass the test with a reasonable amount of dedication to do so.

Second, for those who don't pass, the problem is almost always a failure to be dedicated to a consistent, long-term and productive personal fitness program.

Fortunately, the majority of our fellow Airmen have dedicated themselves to physical self-improvement and have become better Airmen, reduced their stress levels and become happier people as a result.

How did it work for them?

Let me share my views based on my observations as a commander and my own personal experience.

First, accept that we are not all created equal when it comes to passing the test, get over it. Some of us have to work harder to pass the test than others, but as I said at the beginning, I firmly believe everyone can pass with a reasonable degree of effort.

Second, find some workouts that you like to do or at least don't hate. You can't get around the fact that the PFT is running, push-ups and sit-ups and you need to be able to do well at all three, but that doesn't mean you have to run all the time if you really don't like it. I promise that if you dread your workouts, you aren't going to keep the up. Fear of failing the test can only motivate someone so far and those Airmen who really "turn the corner" on fitness are those who find a way to make it fun, challenging or interesting.

Two great tips that can help avoid hating physical training are to find someone to workout with, preferably someone who already has a solid PT regimen, and to vary what you do each week.

So, why would you listen to me and the advice I offer above? Because I'm one of those Airmen who "turned a corner" and went from being a marginal PT performer to someone who values what physical fitness does for me and understanding why it's important. My first official Air Force PFT score was a 71.7, barely passing and with a marginal.

Not long after that, I was lucky enough to have someone who motivated me to do better and challenged me to enter a short triathlon. I was someone who had not run more than 1.5 miles, swam even a single length of a pool or ridden more than a couple of miles in many years. He signed us both up, worked out with me when he could and kept tabs on my progress every day. When the race came, I finished -- barely, but I finished. My time didn't matter, but the sense of accomplishment did. I didn't think of myself as a triathlete, but I did know that I was in much better shape than I was four months ago. I felt better and I actually had fun. Not long after that, I signed up for another triathlon and not long after that, I'd run a marathon and actively enjoyed getting out and doing PT.

I went from worrying about passing the PFT to trying to score 100, which I'm still trying today. I'm not suggesting that everyone is going to become a marathon runner or start to love PT overnight, but I am suggesting that with some personal dedication and, even better, some outside motivation, it's possible to go from fearing your PFT to being able to write it off as just something else to do today.

If you're one of those people who still fears your semi-annual PFT, try a couple of the tips above, try new activities, vary your routine and include something fun and find someone to workout with who will motivate you. If you're one of those people who already understands and enjoys the benefits that being fit provides, find someone in your unit who can motivate you to move beyond just passing score. You might be surprised at what lifelong change you might make in someone's life.