Whether you’re preparing for boot camp or are already serving, you’ve probably noticed that the military offers many opportunities for physical training. In preparation, training or daily fitness, you will want to add exercises that will prepare you for your military career. This could be passing a fitness test or being accepted into a particular job. It may even just be about preparing you for the tasks of your profession.

If you have a goal that requires lifting heavy to get stronger, but you also need to maintain your calisthenics scores and cardio times, consider the following training suggestions.

Warming up with calisthenics is a great way to help you maintain your calisthenics test scores while preparing you to lift heavier than average weights to build strength. This classic half pyramid of pull-ups and push-ups, followed by a 5×5 push-pull, is a combination of events to help you do both.

Push-up running pyramid 1-10 warm-up with 100-meter runs in between, plus 10 minutes of cycling or a one-mile run: If you have a place to run next to a pull-up bar (outdoors), this warm-up is excellent for preparing you to lift weights.

Do a pull-up/push-up and run 100 meters (or 20 jumping jacks or jump ropes). Then do two pull-ups/push-ups, and so on until you reach 10 pull-ups and 10 push-ups. That’s a total of 55 repetitions of each exercise and approximately 1,000 meters of warm-up jogging that can be used as dynamic stretches.

If you find 55 pull-ups or push-ups too difficult as a warm-up, simply stop on the pyramid when you feel warmed up. Then cycle for 10 minutes or jog for a mile to finish the warm-up. Stretch as needed.

Build strength with the 5×5 workout, mixed with opposing movements or bench presses and rows:

Repeat five times.

• Bench press: 5 repetitions
• Dumbbell Rows: 5 reps per arm (heavy, slow reps)
• Rest as needed between sets

The lifts above aim to increase as much weight as possible while doing five repetitions of each exercise.

Run a mile or ride a bike for 10 minutes; This is a bit of transitional cardio to get rid of the lift and prepare for weighted calisthenics and dumbbell reps to complement the push-pull workout.

Repeat three times.

• Pull-ups with weight vest: max
• Weighted vest dips: max
• Dumbbell bicep curl/military press: 10
• Dumbbell shrugs: 10

Run 400 meters or cycle for two minutes at an easy pace. This is an active rest to get rid of repetitions. Don’t run with a weighted vest. You can remove the weight vest once you have completed pull-ups and dips during each set.

Complete it all with an isometric flex with weights, plank pose with weight vest with push-ups:

• Get into plank pose with a 20-pound weighted vest. Build up to five minutes, but you need to do 10 push-ups every minute (EMOM).
• 5-minute plank with weight vest: 10 EMOM push-ups. Stay in a plank or high push-up position throughout.
• Finish the workout with a session of cardio cycling and running, followed by an easy cool-down of stretching and foam rolling.

Cardio/stretching:

• Bike 10 minutes + run 1.5 timed miles.
• Stretch/foam roller for 10 minutes.

This differs from your typical strength training because it requires other fitness elements besides strength. The primary goal is strength training, followed by the secondary goals of muscular endurance and endurance. Sometimes you only need to do an organized workout like this if you want to focus solely on your main goal.

However, if you have the time and know that you need to maintain other elements of your fitness besides strength, here is an effective way to do it: warm up with gymnastics/cardio, lift heavy weights, add additional heavy gymnastics exercises, then refresh yourself with cardio.

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