Military Workout Plan

12 weeks·5 days / wk·general·intermediate

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Weeks: 12
Sessions: 60
Peak week: 4h 15; week 11
Longest session: 1h 05; week 11
Taper: 1 wk

BaseCutbackBuildPeakTest

Standards shown are typical targets; check your branch's or agency's current published test.

Focus

Volume

Base: aerobic + rep volumeRuck 1.5 mi @ 20 lb

2h 25

Mon
Oct 5
4 × 400 m at test pace
30 min
- 15 min easy
- 4 × 400 m @ 6:37/mi · equal time jog recovery
- 10 min easy
Tue
Oct 6
Push-up ladder to 35
30 min
- Goal this week: 35 push-ups in 2 min
Exercise Sets×Reps Load Rest
Push-ups 5 × 18 — 60 s
Bench press or weighted push-up 4 × 6 RPE 8 2 min
Dips 3 × 8–12 — 90 s
Plank 3 × 45 s — 60 s
Wed
Oct 7
Ruck 1.5 mi @ 20 lb
20 min
- Pace target 15:00/mi or faster · weight up by no more than 5 lb / 2.5 kg a week; stop on hot spots
Thu
Oct 8
Pull-up + posterior chain (6 target)
35 min
- Goal this week: 6 strict pull-ups
Exercise Sets×Reps Load Rest
Pull-ups 5 × 3 — 90 s
Trap-bar deadlift 4 × 5 RPE 8 2–3 min
Walking lunge 3 × 12 each — 90 s
Farmers carry 4 × 40 m 2 × 55 lb 90 s
Fri
Oct 9
Threshold run
30 min
- 15 min @ 7:53/mi

Base: aerobic + rep volumeRuck 1.5 mi @ 20 lb

2h 35

5 sessions

Mon
Oct 12
5 × 400 m at test pace
30 min
- 15 min easy
- 5 × 400 m @ 6:37/mi · equal time jog recovery
- 10 min easy
Tue
Oct 13
Push-up ladder to 38
30 min
- Goal this week: 38 push-ups in 2 min
Exercise Sets×Reps Load Rest
Push-ups 5 × 19 — 60 s
Bench press or weighted push-up 4 × 6 RPE 8 2 min
Dips 3 × 8–12 — 90 s
Plank 3 × 54 s — 60 s
Wed
Oct 14
Ruck 1.5 mi @ 20 lb
30 min
- Pace target 15:00/mi or faster · weight up by no more than 5 lb / 2.5 kg a week; stop on hot spots
Thu
Oct 15
Pull-up + posterior chain (7 target)
35 min
- Goal this week: 7 strict pull-ups
Exercise Sets×Reps Load Rest
Pull-ups 5 × 4 — 90 s
Trap-bar deadlift 4 × 5 RPE 8 2–3 min
Walking lunge 3 × 12 each — 90 s
Farmers carry 4 × 40 m 2 × 55 lb 90 s
Fri
Oct 16
Threshold run
30 min
- 17 min @ 7:53/mi

Base: aerobic + rep volumeRuck 2 mi @ 20 lb

2h 50

5 sessions

Mon
Oct 19
5 × 400 m at test pace
30 min
- 15 min easy
- 5 × 400 m @ 6:37/mi · equal time jog recovery
- 10 min easy
Tue
Oct 20
Push-up ladder to 41
35 min
- Goal this week: 41 push-ups in 2 min
Exercise Sets×Reps Load Rest
Push-ups 5 × 21 — 60 s
Bench press or weighted push-up 4 × 6 RPE 8 2 min
Dips 3 × 8–12 — 90 s
Plank 3 × 64 s — 60 s
Wed
Oct 21
Ruck 2 mi @ 20 lb
35 min
- Pace target 15:00/mi or faster · weight up by no more than 5 lb / 2.5 kg a week; stop on hot spots
Thu
Oct 22
Pull-up + posterior chain (7 target)
40 min
- Goal this week: 7 strict pull-ups
Exercise Sets×Reps Load Rest
Pull-ups 5 × 4 — 90 s
Trap-bar deadlift 4 × 5 RPE 8 2–3 min
Walking lunge 3 × 12 each — 90 s
Farmers carry 4 × 40 m 2 × 55 lb 90 s
Fri
Oct 23
Threshold run
30 min
- 19 min @ 7:53/mi

DeloadRuck 1.5 mi @ 20 lb

2h 15

5 sessions

Mon
Oct 26
Easy run + strides
25 min
- 30 min easy + 6 strides · 10:25/mi
Tue
Oct 27
Push-up ladder to 41
30 min
- Goal this week: 41 push-ups in 2 min
Exercise Sets×Reps Load Rest
Push-ups 5 × 21 — 60 s
Bench press or weighted push-up 4 × 6 RPE 8 2 min
Dips 3 × 8–12 — 90 s
Plank 3 × 64 s — 60 s
Wed
Oct 28
Ruck 1.5 mi @ 20 lb
25 min
- Pace target 15:00/mi or faster · weight up by no more than 5 lb / 2.5 kg a week; stop on hot spots
Thu
Oct 29
Pull-up + posterior chain (7 target)
30 min
- Goal this week: 7 strict pull-ups
Exercise Sets×Reps Load Rest
Pull-ups 5 × 4 — 90 s
Trap-bar deadlift 4 × 5 RPE 8 2–3 min
Walking lunge 3 × 12 each — 90 s
Farmers carry 4 × 40 m 2 × 55 lb 90 s
Fri
Oct 30
Threshold run
25 min
- 19 min @ 7:53/mi

Build: test-pace running + ruck loadRuck 2.5 mi @ 25 lb

3h 05

5 sessions

Mon
Nov 2
6 × 400 m at test pace
35 min
- 15 min easy
- 6 × 400 m @ 6:37/mi · equal time jog recovery
- 10 min easy
Tue
Nov 3
Push-up ladder to 44
35 min
- Goal this week: 44 push-ups in 2 min
Exercise Sets×Reps Load Rest
Push-ups 5 × 22 — 60 s
Bench press or weighted push-up 4 × 6 RPE 8 2 min
Dips 3 × 8–12 — 90 s
Plank 3 × 73 s — 60 s
Wed
Nov 4
Ruck 2.5 mi @ 25 lb
40 min
- Pace target 15:00/mi or faster · weight up by no more than 5 lb / 2.5 kg a week; stop on hot spots
Thu
Nov 5
Pull-up + posterior chain (8 target)
40 min
- Goal this week: 8 strict pull-ups
Exercise Sets×Reps Load Rest
Pull-ups 5 × 4 — 90 s
Trap-bar deadlift 4 × 5 RPE 8 2–3 min
Walking lunge 3 × 12 each — 90 s
Farmers carry 4 × 40 m 2 × 55 lb 90 s
Fri
Nov 6
Threshold run
35 min
- 21 min @ 7:53/mi

Build: test-pace running + ruck loadRuck 2.5 mi @ 25 lb

3h 20

5 sessions

Mon
Nov 9
6 × 400 m at test pace
35 min
- 15 min easy
- 6 × 400 m @ 6:37/mi · equal time jog recovery
- 10 min easy
Tue
Nov 10
Push-up ladder to 48
40 min
- Goal this week: 48 push-ups in 2 min
Exercise Sets×Reps Load Rest
Push-ups 5 × 24 — 60 s
Bench press or weighted push-up 4 × 6 RPE 8 2 min
Dips 3 × 8–12 — 90 s
Plank 3 × 83 s — 60 s
Wed
Nov 11
Ruck 2.5 mi @ 25 lb
45 min
- Pace target 15:00/mi or faster · weight up by no more than 5 lb / 2.5 kg a week; stop on hot spots
Thu
Nov 12
Pull-up + posterior chain (8 target)
45 min
- Goal this week: 8 strict pull-ups
Exercise Sets×Reps Load Rest
Pull-ups 5 × 4 — 90 s
Trap-bar deadlift 4 × 5 RPE 8 2–3 min
Walking lunge 3 × 12 each — 90 s
Farmers carry 4 × 40 m 2 × 55 lb 90 s
Fri
Nov 13
Threshold run
35 min
- 23 min @ 7:53/mi

Build: test-pace running + ruck loadRuck 3 mi @ 30 lb

3h 35

5 sessions

Mon
Nov 16
7 × 400 m at test pace
40 min
- 15 min easy
- 7 × 400 m @ 6:37/mi · equal time jog recovery
- 10 min easy
Tue
Nov 17
Push-up ladder to 51
40 min
- Goal this week: 51 push-ups in 2 min
Exercise Sets×Reps Load Rest
Push-ups 5 × 26 — 60 s
Bench press or weighted push-up 4 × 6 RPE 8 2 min
Dips 3 × 8–12 — 90 s
Plank 3 × 92 s — 60 s
Wed
Nov 18
Ruck 3 mi @ 30 lb
50 min
- Pace target 15:00/mi or faster · weight up by no more than 5 lb / 2.5 kg a week; stop on hot spots
Thu
Nov 19
Pull-up + posterior chain (9 target)
45 min
- Goal this week: 9 strict pull-ups
Exercise Sets×Reps Load Rest
Pull-ups 5 × 5 — 90 s
Trap-bar deadlift 4 × 5 RPE 8 2–3 min
Walking lunge 3 × 12 each — 90 s
Farmers carry 4 × 40 m 2 × 55 lb 90 s
Fri
Nov 20
Threshold run
40 min
- 24 min @ 7:53/mi

DeloadRuck 1.5 mi @ 30 lb

2h 20

5 sessions

Mon
Nov 23
Easy run + strides
25 min
- 30 min easy + 6 strides · 10:25/mi
Tue
Nov 24
Push-up ladder to 51
30 min
- Goal this week: 51 push-ups in 2 min
Exercise Sets×Reps Load Rest
Push-ups 5 × 26 — 60 s
Bench press or weighted push-up 4 × 6 RPE 8 2 min
Dips 3 × 8–12 — 90 s
Plank 3 × 92 s — 60 s
Wed
Nov 25
Ruck 1.5 mi @ 30 lb
25 min
- Pace target 15:00/mi or faster · weight up by no more than 5 lb / 2.5 kg a week; stop on hot spots
Thu
Nov 26
Pull-up + posterior chain (9 target)
35 min
- Goal this week: 9 strict pull-ups
Exercise Sets×Reps Load Rest
Pull-ups 5 × 5 — 90 s
Trap-bar deadlift 4 × 5 RPE 8 2–3 min
Walking lunge 3 × 12 each — 90 s
Farmers carry 4 × 40 m 2 × 55 lb 90 s
Fri
Nov 27
Threshold run
25 min
- 24 min @ 7:53/mi

Peak: test-specificRuck 3.5 mi @ 30 lb

3h 50

5 sessions

Mon
Nov 30
7 × 400 m at test pace
40 min
- 15 min easy
- 7 × 400 m @ 6:37/mi · equal time jog recovery
- 10 min easy
Tue
Dec 1
Push-up ladder to 54
45 min
- Goal this week: 54 push-ups in 2 min
Exercise Sets×Reps Load Rest
Push-ups 5 × 27 — 60 s
Bench press or weighted push-up 4 × 6 RPE 8 2 min
Dips 3 × 8–12 — 90 s
Plank 3 × 101 s — 60 s
Wed
Dec 2
Ruck 3.5 mi @ 30 lb
55 min
- Pace target 15:00/mi or faster · weight up by no more than 5 lb / 2.5 kg a week; stop on hot spots
Thu
Dec 3
Pull-up + posterior chain (9 target)
50 min
- Goal this week: 9 strict pull-ups
Exercise Sets×Reps Load Rest
Pull-ups 5 × 5 — 90 s
Trap-bar deadlift 4 × 5 RPE 8 2–3 min
Walking lunge 3 × 12 each — 90 s
Farmers carry 4 × 40 m 2 × 55 lb 90 s
Fri
Dec 4
Threshold run
40 min
- 26 min @ 7:53/mi

Peak: test-specificRuck 3.5 mi @ 35 lb

3h 55

5 sessions

Mon
Dec 7
8 × 400 m at test pace
40 min
- 15 min easy
- 8 × 400 m @ 6:37/mi · equal time jog recovery
- 10 min easy
Tue
Dec 8
Push-up ladder to 57
45 min
- Goal this week: 57 push-ups in 2 min
Exercise Sets×Reps Load Rest
Push-ups 5 × 29 — 60 s
Bench press or weighted push-up 4 × 6 RPE 8 2 min
Dips 3 × 8–12 — 90 s
Plank 3 × 111 s — 60 s
Wed
Dec 9
Ruck 3.5 mi @ 35 lb
60 min
- Pace target 15:00/mi or faster · weight up by no more than 5 lb / 2.5 kg a week; stop on hot spots
Thu
Dec 10
Pull-up + posterior chain (10 target)
50 min
- Goal this week: 10 strict pull-ups
Exercise Sets×Reps Load Rest
Pull-ups 5 × 6 — 90 s
Trap-bar deadlift 4 × 5 RPE 8 2–3 min
Walking lunge 3 × 12 each — 90 s
Farmers carry 4 × 40 m 2 × 55 lb 90 s
Fri
Dec 11
Threshold run
40 min
- 28 min @ 7:53/mi

Peak: test-specificRuck 4 mi @ 35 lb

4h 15

5 sessions

Mon
Dec 14
8 × 400 m at test pace
45 min
- 15 min easy
- 8 × 400 m @ 6:37/mi · equal time jog recovery
- 10 min easy
Tue
Dec 15
Push-up ladder to 60
50 min
- Goal this week: 60 push-ups in 2 min
Exercise Sets×Reps Load Rest
Push-ups 5 × 30 — 60 s
Bench press or weighted push-up 4 × 6 RPE 8 2 min
Dips 3 × 8–12 — 90 s
Plank 3 × 120 s — 60 s
Wed
Dec 16
Ruck 4 mi @ 35 lb
60 min
- Pace target 15:00/mi or faster · weight up by no more than 5 lb / 2.5 kg a week; stop on hot spots
Thu
Dec 17
Pull-up + posterior chain (10 target)
55 min
- Goal this week: 10 strict pull-ups
Exercise Sets×Reps Load Rest
Pull-ups 5 × 6 — 90 s
Trap-bar deadlift 4 × 5 RPE 8 2–3 min
Walking lunge 3 × 12 each — 90 s
Farmers carry 4 × 40 m 2 × 55 lb 90 s
Fri
Dec 18
Threshold run
45 min
- 30 min @ 7:53/mi

Test weekRuck 1.5 mi @ 35 lb

1h 55

5 sessions

Mon
Dec 21
8 × 400 m at test pace
25 min
- 15 min easy
- 8 × 400 m @ 6:37/mi · equal time jog recovery
- 10 min easy
Tue
Dec 22
Push-up ladder to 60
30 min
- Goal this week: 60 push-ups in 2 min
Exercise Sets×Reps Load Rest
Push-ups 5 × 30 — 60 s
Bench press or weighted push-up 4 × 6 RPE 8 2 min
Dips 3 × 8–12 — 90 s
Plank 3 × 120 s — 60 s
Wed
Dec 23
Ruck 1.5 mi @ 35 lb
25 min
- Pace target 15:00/mi or faster · weight up by no more than 5 lb / 2.5 kg a week; stop on hot spots
Thu
Dec 24
Pull-up + posterior chain (10 target)
35 min
- Goal this week: 10 strict pull-ups
Exercise Sets×Reps Load Rest
Pull-ups 5 × 6 — 90 s
Trap-bar deadlift 4 × 5 RPE 8 2–3 min
Walking lunge 3 × 12 each — 90 s
Farmers carry 4 × 40 m 2 × 55 lb 90 s
Fri
Dec 25
Mock test: military fitness test
- Push-ups in 2 min · target 60
- Pull-ups, strict · target 10
- plank 2:30
- sprint-drag-carry (5 × 50 m: sprint, drag, lateral, carry, sprint)
- 2-mile run · target 13:38

Your paces

2-mile run target: 13:386:49/mi average
Current predicted: 14:30
Threshold: 7:53/mi
Easy: 10:25/mi

The numbers

About this plan

This military workout plan is 12 weeks of 5 sessions for a military fitness test, rising to 4.3 hours in week 11. It starts from a 14:30 2-mile run, 35 push-ups and 6 pull-ups, and moves each toward the military fitness test target every week.

Week 12 targets for the military fitness test: 60 push-ups in 2 min, 10 pull-ups, plank 2:30, and 13:38 for the 2-mile run. Rucks progress to 4 mi with 35 lb for the military fitness test, adding no more than 5 lb a week.

Deloads for the military fitness test: week 4 (2.3 h) and week 8 (2.3 h); week 12 is a full mock 2-mile run-and-strength test, 36 hours in total.

Week 1, shown in full above, is 2.4 hours: Monday — 4 × 400 m at test pace, 30 min; Tuesday — push-up ladder to 35, 30 min, led by Push-ups; Wednesday — ruck 1.5 mi @ 20 lb, 20 min; Thursday — pull-up + posterior chain (6 target), 35 min, led by Pull-ups; Friday — threshold run, 30 min.

The phases run base weeks 1–3 (2.4–2.8 h), build weeks 5–7 (3.1–3.6 h), peak weeks 9–11 (3.8–4.3 h) and test week 12 (1.9 h).

Questions

FAQ

What standards does the military workout plan train for?

60 push-ups in 2 min, 10 pull-ups, plank 2:30 and a 13:38 2-mile run. Check your agency's current military fitness test.

How fast will my 2-mile run improve on the military workout plan?

The plan targets 13:38 from a predicted 14:30 over 12 weeks of 2-mile run work.

How heavy do the rucks get in the military workout plan?

35 lb over 4 mi at the peak of this military fitness test plan.

Can I start the military workout plan with zero pull-ups?

Yes. Enter 0 and the military fitness test plan uses bands and negatives toward 10 reps by week 12.

Keep exploring

All tactical plans

About this plan

FAQ

What standards does the military workout plan train for?

How fast will my 2-mile run improve on the military workout plan?

How heavy do the rucks get in the military workout plan?

Can I start the military workout plan with zero pull-ups?

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