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Bodyweight GtG placement in a mesocycle. Where is best?

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Redwolfmars

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Hi all, this is my first post and I hope I put it in the right place.

First off, I am a soldier and am required to pass a fitness test of high rep push ups and sit ups. I am using Grease the groove to up my number of reps for this event. I had read that GtG only works for 2-3 weeks until maximum reps is reached then strength training must be resumed.

So my question is where in the mesocycle is it best to place GtG for these excercises? Two weeks out before the test in question? Part of a deload period? Or in an endurance phase? And is it more optimal to grease the groove closer to the test or further away from it?

I am a fit 28 year old male with no injuries and a full range of motion.

Thanks
 
Good questions. For the best answers please provide more information. What is the style of the push ups? For example to the deck without touching while in the position of attention, half way down with elbows parallel to the shoulders with feet together or spread, or to the ground then hands off the ground – the latest US Army standard. How many reps to pass and to max? How much time? For the sit ups the same questions on style, reps, and time.

How many push ups and sit ups can you do now? When is your next test? Are you tested on running or any other tasks the same day? Are you required to participate in unit PT while doing the extra training for the pending test?
 
Of course. Currently I am still being graded according to the old army standard. That is push ups can be done with the hands in any position, with elbows against the side or at a 90 degree angle to the body and feet no more then six inchs apart. Personally, I keep my feet together, put my hands below my shoulders and flare my elbows to 45 degrees.

The sit ups are more strict. With fingers interlaced on the back of your head, raise your torso until your elbow passes your knee.

Each event is timed for Max reps in two minutes then the testee runs two miles for time.

My current best is 56,70,13:52 in push ups situps and timed two miler. My next event is in two and a half weeks to Max out I need 77,82,13:06.

Next year the test will change and I will be required to do 70 hand release push ups.
 
Thanks for the details. I am retired US Army and very familiar with the PT test. Your PT score is 78 / 87 / 94 = 259 which is very good. In your age range the push ups and set up score increases by one point per rep. Running in 13:42, a 10 second improvement, only gives you two more points so maintain your running and work on the other two events the next two weeks.

I am tall and the most sit ups I could do was 68-70 because I couldn't move any faster in two minutes. I think you also run out time before getting tired. You could gain several reps with improved techniques. Try breathing on every rep. Take a small breath through your nose at the top and at the bottom when you start your next up, forcibly blow it out through your pinched lips. Also try pushing your shoulder blades, the scapula, together on the way down to protect your spine when you hit the ground. Your hands already protect your head. This way you can go down faster and not injure yourself. The bonus is this takes no extra effort. Try this on soft grass first.

Use the same breathing technique with your push ups. That will help. Try small changes in you hand positions. You already have a set position so start with that and rotate one or both hands in or out one finger width. It might make a difference. On the physical side do 20 four count push ups three times a day for your GtG, Every third day make one set 25. Do them at PT test speed and maintain good form.

I was in a school one Summer and PT was on our own. I ran slow 10K one day and a slow two miles the next day. A classmate ran with me and he was a marathon runner. We talked the entire time which helped with breathing. After the PT test you can try the LSD, long slow distance for your next PT test. A good tip he gave me was to keep my elbows close to my body so the arms went straight forward and backwards. It helped.
 
GTG lasts far longer than 2-3 weeks. I’m not sure where that tidbit came from, but there are entire programs built off of GTG (for example, Naked Warrior).

For your short term goal, probably @Boosh32 advice is pretty good.

For the long term....

I think multiple high rep sets throughout the day is an excellent way to go. Just do a max rep test, cut your max in half, and start there for the length of your sets. Each week add 5 to 10 reps, and do this as long as it works for you.

Perhaps every 4 or 6 weeks you could “deload” by reducing the number of reps for a few days, then start back over at 20 reps (4 week deload) or 30 reps (6 week deload) above where you started originally.
 
I did some research and the current three event US Army physical fitness test dates from 1980, FM 22-20. None of the training manuals from then until 2012, the latest revision is FM 7-22, have information on tension or breathing other than for running where one is to “breath rhythmically”.

There is a major revision to the testing being phased in over the next two years. More body weight tasks will be tested as well as a barbell dead lift. I hope StrongFirst is working on this.

Kettlebells were added to physical fitness training in 2010, TC 3-22.20, and there are issues I will post in the kettlebell forum in a thread titled US Army Kettlebell Training.
 
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