A military workout is the training soldiers do to pass their fitness tests and do the job: push-ups, pull-ups, sit-ups or planks, running, and carrying weight. You don’t need a gym for most of it, and you don’t need to be joining up to use it.
This page is our hub for all of it: a workout you can do today, the real test standards from the Australian, US Army and US Navy sources, and where to go next for your goal.
- New to it: start with our free 28-day military calisthenics plan. No gym, no app
- Over 40 or 50: military calisthenics for men over 40: same plan, different dose
- Got a test coming: see the standards below, then the guide to your test
- Want to carry weight: rucking: how heavy, how far and how often
What is a military workout?
Look at what the armed forces actually test and you get the shape of the training. Australia’s Pre-entry Fitness Assessment is push-ups, sit-ups and the beep test. The US Army Fitness Test is a deadlift, hand-release push-ups, a sprint-drag-carry, a plank and a two-mile run. The US Navy’s test for SEALs and divers adds a swim and pull-ups.
So a military workout trains five things:
- Push: push-ups, lots of them, with strict form
- Pull: pull-ups or chin-ups, from a dead hang
- Trunk: sit-ups, curl-ups or planks
- Run: intervals for the beep test or a timed run, plus easy distance
- Carry: a loaded pack, or a ruck, once the base is there
Gym exercises help, but they’re not the point. The point is moving your own body well, for a long time, when you’re tired.
A military workout you can do today
This is our read on a simple session that covers the five. It takes about 40 minutes and works in a park.
| Part | What to do |
|---|---|
| Warm-up, 8 min | Easy jog, then 10 squats, 10 lunges a side, 10 arm circles each way |
| Circuit, 4 rounds | 10 push-ups, 15 squats, 5 pull-ups (or 3 slow negatives), 20 sit-ups, 30 s plank. Rest 90 s between rounds |
| Run, 10 min | 5 x 1 min hard, 1 min walk |
| Cool-down, 5 min | Walk, then stretch calves, hips and chest |
Do it two or three times a week with a rest day between, and an easy run on another day. When it feels easy, move on to the 28-day plan, which builds week by week and ends with a test.
Military fitness test standards compared
These are the minimums to get in, from the official sources. They’re the floor, not the target: the Navy’s own rules tell candidates to aim well above them.
| Test | Push-ups | Pull-ups | Sit-ups | Run |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Army, combat (men) | 15 | – | 45 | Beep 7.5 |
| Australian Special Forces | 40 | 6 | 60 | Beep 10.1 |
| Navy Diver (RAN) | 30 | – | 25 | Beep 10.1 |
| US Navy SEAL | 50 | 10 | 50 | 1.5 mi, 10:30 |
The US Army works differently. Its Army Fitness Test scores five events from 0 to 100. You need at least 60 in each and 300 in total, and soldiers in 21 combat jobs need 350 (US Army). It isn’t an entry test: it starts at Basic Training. Soldiers in 24 combat jobs also take the new Combat Field Test, seven events in boots in 30 minutes or less, which counts for record from April 2027.
Where to go for your test: the beep test (Australia’s PFA uses it), the army fitness test (US AFT and Australia’s PFA), the Navy SEAL fitness test (the PST), Kapooka, Australian Army basic training. Check your own numbers with our push-up standards and pull-up standards.
How to train for it
MFO’s publisher Todd Cole is an ex-Navy clearance diver who passed SAS selection. His advice for anyone enlisting: act as if you’re already in boot camp. Run early, stop for push-ups along the way, favour bodyweight work over heavy gym sessions, and carry a loaded pack up hills. His full take is in our military calisthenics workout.
- Build the base first. Four weeks of the 28-day plan before you add load or long runs
- Practise the test exactly. Same push-up depth, same pull-up rules, same run distance. The beep test is a skill as much as fitness
- Add intervals. One hard run a week; the Norwegian 4×4 is a good one
- Hang and carry. Dead hangs build grip for pull-ups and carries
- Over 40? Same work, more recovery: here is how
Free plans
Start with the free 28-day plan. It’s free, it’s a printable PDF, and it ends with a test so you know where you stand. Our 12-week military program is coming soon.
Military workout FAQ
What is a military workout?
Training built around what soldiers are tested on: push-ups, pull-ups, sit-ups or planks, running and carrying weight. Most of it needs no equipment.
Can I do a military workout at home?
Yes. Push-ups, squats, sit-ups and planks need only floor space. For pull-ups, use a doorway bar or a park, and run outside.
How many push-ups do you need to join the army?
In Australia, 15 for men in Army combat roles and 40 for Special Forces. The US Navy SEAL test needs at least 50 in two minutes.
How often should I do a military workout?
Our read: three strength sessions and two or three runs a week, with at least one full rest day.
Sources: ADF Careers, fitness requirements (archived 28 October 2026); US Army, Army Fitness Test; US Navy, MILPERSMAN 1220-410. Checked 12 November 2026. Standards change, so check with your recruiter before you test.
