This 16-week fitness programme has been developed by the Army Physical Training Corps, and is based on the one that it issues to potential recruits to enable them to pass basic training. Make it to the end of level 4 (see below) and you’ll have achieved the basic level of fitness required of a trained soldier …
Before you start, assess your current fitness level
Warning: Please check with your doctor before beginning this or any other strenuous exercise regime
Week 1
Day 1
• Walk-jog for 20 minutes (jog for 2min, walk for 2min, etc)
• 1 x press-up max score
• 2 x 5 dorsal raises
• 2 x 5 tricep dips
• 1 x sit-up max score
• Rest 30-90sec between sets
Day 2
• Rest day
Day 3
• 10-minute warm-up
• Run fast for 30sec, rest for 2 minutes, repeat 5 times
• 10-minute cool-down
Day 4
• Rest day
Day 5
• Walk-jog for 20 minutes (walk for 1min, jog for 3min, repeat 5 times)
• 1 x press-up max
• 1 x 5 dorsal raises
• 1 x 5 tricep dips
• 1 x sit-up max
Day 6
• Rest day
Day 7
• Brisk walk for 20-30 minutes or go swimming, cycling or rowing for 15-20min
Week 2
Day 1
• Walk-jog for 20 minutes (walk for 1min, jog for 3min, etc)
• 2 x press-up max
• 2 x 6 dorsal raises
• 2 x 6 tricep dips
• 2 x sit-up max
• Rest 30-90sec between sets
Day 2
• Rest day
Day 3
• 10-minute warm-up
• Run fast for 40 sec, rest for 2 minutes, repeat 5 times
• 10-minute cool-down
Day 4
• Rest day
Day 5
• Walk-jog for 20 minutes (jog for 4min, walk for 1min, repeat 4 times)
• 2 x press-up max
• 2 x 6 dorsal raises
• 2 x 6 tricep dips
• 2 x sit-up max
Day 6
• Rest day
Day 7
• Brisk walk for 20-30 minutes or go swimming, cycling or rowing for 15-20min
Week 3
Day 1
• Jog for 20 minutes (jog for 5min, rest for 1min, etc)
• 3 x 1/4 press-up max
• 2 x 7 dorsal raises
• 2 x 7 tricep dips
• 3 x 1/2 sit-up max
• Rest 30-90sec between sets
Day 2
• Rest day
Day 3
• 10-minute warm-up
• Run fast for 1 minute, run slowly for 2min, repeat 5 times
• 10-minute cool-down
Day 4
• Rest day
Day 5
• Walk-jog for 15 minutes
• 3 x press-up max
• 2 x 7 dorsal raises
• 2 x 7 tricep dips
• 3 x sit-up max
Day 6
• Rest day
Day 7
• Brisk walk for 25-35 minutes or go swimming, cycling or rowing for 15-25min
Week 4
Day 1
• Jog for 15 minutes
• 3 x 1/3 press-up max
• 2 x 8 dorsal raises
• 2 x 8 tricep dips
• 3 x 1/3 sit-up max
• Rest 30-90sec between sets
Day 2
• Rest day
Day 3
• 10-minute warm-up
• Run fast for 1 minutes, run slowly for 1min, repeat 5 times
• 10-minute cool-down
Day 4
• Rest day
Day 5
• Brisk walk for 25-35 minutes or go swimming, cycling or rowing for 15-25min
Day 6
• Rest day
Day 7: fitness assessment
• Press-ups for 2 minutes to establish new max score
• Sit-ups for 2min to establish new max score
• 1.5-mile timed run
Level 2
Week 5
Day 1
• Steady run for 18 minutes
• 3 x press-up max
• 3 x 8 squats
• 3 x sit-up max
• 3 x 8 dorsal raises
• Rest 30-90sec between sets
Day 2
• Rest day
Day 3
• 10-15 minute warm-up
• Run hard for 1 minute, recover for 1 min, repeat for 10min
• 10-minute cool-down
Day 4
• Rest day
Day 5
• 10-minute warm-up
• Circuit training: 2 x 12 of each exercise (see below for list)
• 10-minute cool-down
Day 6
• Rest day
Day 7
• Brisk walk for 30-40 minutes or go swimming, cycling or rowing for 15-20min
Week 6
Day 1
• Steady run for 20 minutes
• 3 x press-up max
• 3 x 10 lunges
• 3 x sit-up max
• 3 x 8 dorsal raises
• Rest 30-90sec between sets
Day 2
• Rest day
Day 3
• 10-15 minute warm-up
• Run hard for 1 minute, recover for 1 min, continue for 10min
• 10-minute cool-down
Day 4
• Rest day
Day 5
• 10-minute warm-up
• Circuit training: 2 x 12 of each exercise (see below for list)
• 10-minute cool-down
Day 6
• Rest day
Day 7
• Brisk walk for 30-40 minutes or go swimming, cycling or rowing for 20-25min
Week 7
Day 1
• Steady run for 20 minutes
• 3 x press-up max
• 3 x 12 squats
• 3 x sit-up max
• 3 x 12 dorsal raises
• Rest 30-90sec between sets
Day 2
• Rest day
Day 3
• 10-15 minute warm-up
• Run hard for 1 minute, recover for 1 min, continue for 12min
• 10-minute cool-down
Day 4
• Rest day
Day 5
• 10-minute warm-up
• Circuit training: 3 x 12 of each exercise (see below for list)
• 10-minute cool-down
Day 6
• Rest day
Day 7
• Brisk walk for 30-40 minutes or go swimming, cycling or rowing for 20-25min
Week 8
Day 1
• Steady run for 25-30 minutes
• 3 x press-up max
• 3 x14 lunges
• 3 x sit-up max
• 3 x 14 dorsal raises
• Rest 30-90sec between sets
Day 2
• Rest day
Day 3
• 10-15 minute warm-up
• Run hard for 1 minute, recover for 1 min, continue for 12min
• 10-minute cool-down
Day 4
• Rest day
Day 5
• 10-minute warm-up
• Brisk walk-run for 30-40 minutes or go swimming, cycling or rowing for 30-40min
• 10-minute cool-down
Day 6
• Rest day
Day 7: fitness assessment
• Press-ups for 2 minutes to establish new max score
• Sit-ups for 2min to establish new max score
• 1.5-mile timed run
Level 3
Week 9
Day 1
• Steady run for 25-30 minutes
• 4 x press-up max
• 4 x 12 squats
• 4 x sit-up max
• 4 x 12 dorsal raises
• Rest 30-90sec between sets
Day 2
• Rest day
Day 3
• 10-15 minute warm-up
• Run hard for 1 minute, recover for 1 min, continue for 14min
• 10-minute cool-down
Day 4
• Rest day
Day 5
• 10-minute warm-up
• Circuit training: 3 x 15 of each exercise (see below for list)
• 10-minute cool-down
Day 6
• Rest day
Day 7
• Brisk walk for 30-40 minutes or go swimming, cycling or rowing for 20-25min
Week 10
Day 1
• Steady run for 25-30 minutes
• 4 x press-up max
• 4 x 14 lunges
• 4 x sit-up max
• 4 x 14 dorsal raises
• Rest 30-90sec between sets
Day 2
• Rest day
Day 3
• 10-15 minute warm-up
• Run hard for 1 minute, recover for 1 min, continue for 14min
• 10-minute cool-down
Day 4
• Rest day
Day 5
• 10-minute warm-up
• Circuit training: 3 x 15 of each exercise (see below for list)
• 10-minute cool-down
Day 6
• Rest day
Day 7
• Brisk walk for 30-40 minutes or go swimming, cycling or rowing for 25-30min
Week 11
Day 1
• Steady run for 25-30 minutes
• 4 x 20 chin-ups
• 4 x 16 squats
• 4 x sit-up max
• 4 x 16 dorsal raises
• Rest 30-90sec between sets
Day 2
• Rest day
Day 3
• 10-15 minute warm-up
• Run hard for 1 minute, recover for 1 min, continue for 16min
• 10-minute cool-down
Day 4
• Rest day
Day 5
• 10-minute warm-up
• Circuit training: 3 x 20 of each exercise (see below for list)
• 10-minute cool-down
Day 6
• Rest day
Day 7
• Brisk walk for 30-40 minutes or go swimming, cycling or rowing for 20-25min
Week 12
Day 1
• Steady run for 25-30 minutes
• 4 x press-up max
• 4 x 18 lunges
• 4 x sit-up max
• 4 x 18 dorsal raises
• 4 x 12 triceps dips
• Rest 30-90sec between sets
Day 2
• Rest day
Day 3
• 10-15 minute warm-up
• Run hard for 1 minute, recover for 1 min, continue for 16min
• 10-minute cool-down
Day 4
• Rest day
Day 5
• 10-minute warm-up
• Brisk walk/run for 30-40 minutes or go swimming, cycling or rowing for 30-40min
• 10-minute cool-down
Day 6
• Rest day
Day 7: fitness assessment
• Press-ups for 2 minutes to establish new max score
• Sit-ups for 2 minutes to establish new max score
• 1.5-mile timed run
Level 4
Week 13
Day 1
• Steady run for 30-40 minutes
• 2 x press-ups for 45sec
• 4 x 15 squats
• 2 x sit-ups for 45sec
• 4 x 15 dorsal raises
• Rest 30-90sec between sets
Day 2
•Rest day
Day 3
• 10-15 minute warm-up
• Alternate runing hard, then recovering, for intervals of 1,2 and 3 minutes (12min in total)
• 10-minute cool-down
Day 4
• Rest day
Day 5
• 10-minute warm-up
• Circuit training: 4 x 15-20 of each exercise (see below for list)
• 10-minute cool-down
Day 6
• Rest day
Day 7
• Brisk walk for 30-40 minutes or go swimming, cycling or rowing for 25-35min
Week 14
Day 1
• Steady run for 30-40 minutes
• 2 x press-ups for 45sec
• 4 x 15 lunges
• 2 x sit-ups for 45sec
• 4 x 15 dorsal raises
• Rest 30-90sec between sets
Day 2
• Rest day
Day 3
• 10-15 minute warm-up
• Alternate running hard, then recovering, for intervals of 1,2 and 3 minutes
• 10-minute cool-down
Day 4
• Rest day
Day 5
• 10-minute warm-up
• Circuit training: 4 x 15-20 of each exercise (see below for list)
• 10-minute cool-down
Day 6
• Rest day
Day 7
• Brisk walk for 30-40 minutes or go swimming, cycling or rowing for 30-35min
Week 15
Day 1
• Steady run for 30-40 minutes
• 2 x press-ups for 1min
• 4 x 20 squats
• 2 x sit-ups for 1min
• 4 x 20 dorsal raises
• 4 x 12 triceps dips
• Rest 30-90sec between sets
Day 2
• Rest day
Day 3
• 10-15 minute warm-up
• Alternate running hard, then recovering, for intervals of 1,2,3,2 and 1 minute (18min in total)
• 10-minute cool-down
Day 4
• Rest day
Day 5
• 10-minute warm-up
• Circuit training: 4 x 15-20 of each exercise (see below for list)
• 10-minute cool-down
Day 6
• Rest day
Day 7
• Brisk walk for 30-40 minutes or go swimming, cycling or rowing for 30-40min
Week 16
Day 1
• Steady run for 30-40 minutes
• 2 x press-ups for 1min
• 4 x 20 squats
• 2 x sit-ups for 1min
• 4 x 20 dorsal raises
• 4 x 12 chin-ups
• Rest 30-90sec between sets
Day 2
• Rest day
Day 3
• 10-15 minute warm-up
• Alternate running hard, then recovering, for intervals of 1,2,3,2 and 1 minute
• 10-minute cool-down
Day 4
• Rest day
Day 5
• 10-minute warm-up
• Brisk walk/run for 30-40 minutes or go swimming, cycling or rowing for 30-40min
• 10-minute cool-down
Day 6
• Rest day
Day 7: fitness assessment
• Press-ups for 2 minutes to establish new max score
• Sit-ups for 2min to establish new max score
• 1.5-mile timed run
Circuit training exercises
Do the number of repetitions of each exercise advised by the 16-week planner, without a break and in order. Once you’ve completed one circuit, rest for 2-3 minutes before starting the next. Each exercise is explained in the relevant booklet (all booklets will be available to download here by the end of the week).
1 Press-up
2 Twist sit-up
3 Step-up with knee raise
4 Triceps dip
5 Walking lunge
6 Sit-up
7 One-legged squat
8 Dorsal raise
Note: If “level 1, week 1” of the programme seems too easy for you, feel free to skip a week or even a level. Equally, if a week ever feels too challenging, simply do what you can and repeat the week, rather than moving on to the next one.
To order the Official British Army Fitness Guide for £10.99 including UK mainland p&p, call 0330 333 6846 or visit <
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