Physical Readiness Test Preparation & Training
Applicants should spend time specifically training for each event of the PRT: push-ups, sit-ups and running. Applicants should not train for each event in isolation. The following sample 6-week training plan focuses on the three events of the DSS PRT, and is intended to supplement your current training plan, not be the only piece of your overall physical fitness plan.
Disclaimer: It is recommended you consult a licensed medical provider before beginning any exercise program, dietary supplement regiment, or modifying your existing diet. The Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) assumes no responsibility or liability for injuries that may occur during exercise for or while completing the DSS Physical Readiness Test (PRT).
Warm Up and Cool Down
The warm-up and cool down are integral parts of any fitness routine. Each workout should begin with a dynamic warm-up which prepares your body to handle the workload to come. Avoid static stretching prior to training, as it will reduce the body’s ability to produce force and can increase risk of injury by attempting to lengthen fibers that are cold. Static stretching should only be done after the workout, as part of your cool down routine. Foam rolling can and should be done as part of both your warm-up and cool down, and will aid in relieving muscle soreness, increasing mobility, and improving circulation.
| Warm Up | Movement Prep Exercises | Cool Down | Static Stretches |
|---|---|
| Bird Dog | Triceps |
| Dead Bug | Hamstring Stretch |
| Adductor Rocking | Calf Stretch |
| Prone Arm Arc | Pecs |
| Quad Pull to Forward Lunge | |
| Knee Hug to Reverse Lunge | |
| Ankle Pull to Lateral Lunge | |
| Yoga Push-up | |
| Squat |
Training Program Tips
- Zone 2 Cardio in the sample training plan below means steady state, low intensity exercise, at approximately 60-70% of your max heart rate.
- Weeks 1-3 pushups and sit ups: Try to work the entire time. If you need to rest, then rest in the down position for sit ups and the front leaning rest position for pushups.
- Weeks 4-6 Monday’s pushups and sit ups: Move as fast as possible to get as many reps as possible. Thursday’s pushups and sit ups, do the same way as listed in weeks 1-3.
- If you struggle with pushups, doing more pushups is not always the best answer. Instead, do extra triceps work 2-3 times a week.
- If you struggle with sit-ups, doing more sit-ups is not always the answer. Instead, add in standing crunches, hanging leg raises, and plank variations 2-3 times a week.
- To improve your run time, slowly increase run volume to avoid overuse injuries. Use off-foot conditioning options (bikes, rowers, etc.) to front load the conditioning volume. Slowly shift 10% of the off-foot volume to running volume each week, over the course of 2-3 months.
Sample Training Plan
Week 1
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Warm up | Warm up | Warm up | Warm up | Warm up |
| Push-ups 4 sets of 30 seconds. 2 min rest | Zone 2 cardio 30 minutes | Push-ups 4 sets of 35 seconds. 2 min rest | Zone 2 cardio 30 minutes | Push-ups 4 sets of 40 seconds. 2 min rest |
| Sit ups 4 sets of 30 seconds. 2 min rest | Cool down | Sit ups 4 sets of 35 seconds. 2 min rest. | Cool down | Sit ups 4 sets of 40 seconds. 2 min rest |
| Temp run 5 sets of 3 min run/ 1 min walk | Cool down | Cardio 6 sets of 1 min on/ 1 min off | ||
| Cool down | Cool down |
Week 2
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Warm up | Warm up | Warm up | Warm up | Warm up |
| Push-ups 4 sets of 40 seconds. 2 min rest | Zone 2 cardio 35 minutes | Push-ups 4 sets of 45 seconds. 2 min rest | Zone 2 cardio 35 minutes | Push-ups 4 sets of 50 seconds. 2 min rest |
| Sit ups 4 sets of 40 seconds. 2 min rest | Cool down | Sit ups 4 sets of 45 seconds. 2 min rest. | Cool down | Sit ups 4 sets of 50 seconds. 2 min rest |
| Tempo run 6 sets of 3 min run/ 1 min walk | Cool down | Cardio 6 sets of 1 min on/ 1 min off | ||
| Cool down | Cool down |
Week 3
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Warm up | Warm up | Warm up | Warm up | Warm up |
| Push-ups 4 sets of 50 seconds. 2 min rest | Zone 2 cardio 40 minutes | Push-ups 4 sets of 55 seconds. 2 min rest | Zone 2 cardio 40 minutes | Push-ups 4 sets of 60 seconds. 2 min rest |
| Sit ups 4 sets of 50 seconds. 2 min rest | Cool down | Sit ups 4 sets of 55 seconds. 2 min rest. | Cool down | Sit ups 4 sets of 60 seconds. 2 min rest |
| Tempo run 4 sets of 3 min run/ 1 min walk. Rest 5 min. Tempo run 4 sets of 3 min run/ 1 min walk | Cool down | Cardio 6 sets of 1 min on/ 1 min off | ||
| Cool down | Cool down |
Week 4
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Warm up | Warm up | Off | Warm up | Warm up |
| Push-ups 5 sets of 10 seconds, 45 min rest | Zone 2 cardio 45 minutes | Push-ups 3 sets of 1 min, 2 min rest | Zone 2 cardio 45 min | |
| Sit ups 5 sets of 10 seconds, 45 min rest | Cool down | Sit ups 3 sets of 1 min, 2 min rest | Cool down | |
| Tempo run 5 sets of 3 min run/ 1 min walk | Cardio 6 sets of 45 second run/ 90 second walk | |||
| Cool down | Cool down |
Week 5
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Warm up | Warm up | Off | Warm up | Warm up |
| Push-ups 6 sets of 10 seconds, 45 second rest | Zone 2 cardio 50 minutes | Push-ups 2 sets of 90 seconds, 2 min rest | Zone 2 cardio 50 minutes | |
| Sit ups 6 sets of 10 seconds, 45 second rest | Cool down | Sit ups 2 sets of 90 seconds, 2 min rest | Cool down | |
| Tempo run 6 sets of 3 min run/ 1 min walk | Cardio 8 sets of 45 second run/ 90 second walk | |||
| Cool down | cool down |
Week 6
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Warm up | Warm up | Off | Warm up | Warm up |
| Push-ups 7 sets of 10 seconds, 45 second rest | Zone 2 cardio 55 minutes | Push-ups 1 set of 2 min | Zone 2 cardio 55 minutes | |
| Sit ups 7 sets of 10 seconds, 45 min rest | Sit ups 1 set of 2 min | |||
| Temp run 4 sets of 3 min run/ 1 min walk. Rest 5 min. Tempo run 4 x 3 min run/ 1 min walk | Cardio 10 sets of 45 second run/ 90 second walk | |||
| Cool down | Cool down | Cool down | Cool down |
Recovery and Injury Prevention
Recovery
Foam rolling can be done as part of both the warm-up and cool-down to increase mobility, improve circulation, decrease muscle soreness, and help prevent injury.
Foam Rolling Exercises (QR code here or clickable link to videos instead of photos)
- Calves
- Hamstrings
- IT Band
- Glutes
- Upper Back
- Lats/Latissimus dorsi
- Pectorals
Injury Prevention
- Rest is just as important as training. Build rest days into your training program.
- Sleep is imperative for your recovery, and you should aim for at least 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep per night. Avoid exercise within 3 hours of going to bed.
- Increasing training volume too quickly leads to overtraining and overuse injuries.
- Ensure you are wearing proper footwear. Replace your running shoes every 300-500 miles, or approximately every 6 months.
Nutrition & Hydration
Nutrition is a vital part of any fitness program. Below are general guidelines to keep in mind while training. If you have specific questions or concerns, please contact your personal physician or a registered dietician.
Caloric Needs
| Goal and activity level | Minimum calories per pound of bodyweight | Maximum calories per pound of bodyweight |
|---|---|---|
| Not active or want to lose weight | 11 | 13 |
| Moderate activity (60-90 minutes a day) or want to maintain weight | 14 | 16 |
| High Activity (90-150 minutes a day) or want to gain weight | 16 | 18 |
Macronutrient Make-up
Protein
- 20-35% of your total calories should come from protein.
Calories from protein / 4 = total grams of protein per day.
- Protein should always be prioritized to enable protein synthesis, which is a necessary part of muscle growth and maintenance.
Fats
- 20-35% of your total calories should come from fats.
Calories from fats / 9 = total grams of fats per day.
- Fats are necessary for hormone production, fat loss, muscle growth, vitamin absorption, balance and structure or integrity of cells, and are used as a secondary energy source. Try to limit fat intake 1 hour prior to exercise.
Carbohydrates
- 45-65% of your total calories should come from carbs.
Calories from carbs / 4 = total grams of carbs per day.
- Carbohydrates are the body’s primary fuel source for activity. Increase carbohydrate intake for high intensity training and/or for weight gain and decrease carbohydrate intake for lower intensity training and/or weight loss. Never take carbohydrates completely out of the diet.
Nutrition Tips:
- Eat every 2-3 hours
- Eat protein with every meal.
- Eat fruits and/or vegetables with every meal.
- Proper planning prevents poor performance – plan your meals and snacks in advance.
Hydration Recommendations
| Situation | Recommendation | Helpful Hits |
|---|---|---|
| 2-3 Hours before exercise | 16-24 oz | This allows time for fluid to be lost through urine before exercise. |
| 3o minutes before exercise | 5-10 oz | Avoid large amounts of fluid, this will cause GI distress |
| During exercise | 5-10 oz every 10-15 minutes | 1 glup = ~1 oz |
| After exercise | 20-24 oz for every pound lost during exercise | Weigh yourself before and after exercise to asses how much water was lost |
Hydration Tips:
- Aim to consume 0.5 – 1.0 ounces of water per pound of bodyweight, per day.
- A 2% drop in bodyweight due to dehydration will increase risk of injury, decrease physical performance, and decrease cognitive abilities.
- By the time you are thirsty you have already lost 1-2% of your bodyweight as sweat, and fluid intake should be prioritized.