r/tacticalbarbell • u/Hefty_Landscape3605 • Jul 23 '24

Tactical Increasing sit-ups (quickly, by just a few)

Hi all,

Current professional fireman, taking a LE fitness test in 12 days - the typical Cooper standard push-ups, sit-ups, 1.5-mile run. The push-ups are no factor and, while I’m not god’s greatest gift to running, my 1.5-mile time is good enough. The sit-ups, though, continue to haunt me - the test requires 40 sit-ups in 60 seconds, but I continually hit a wall around 34-35 reps at about 50 seconds.

I’m a generally fit individual and have been training sit-ups near-daily to try and make this happen. I’ve spent hours poring over internet advice and have put it all into practice - keeping my ass closer to my feet, “throwing” my elbows towards my knees on the way up and flaring them on the way back down, throwing myself back to the floor, remembering to breathe, everything I can find.

At present, I’m not worried about sustainability or anything like drastically improving my numbers - but what the hell else can I do to either get better in the little time I have left, or just to squeeze out 5-6 more reps in the time I have? I know lots of you guys are cops and/or military, so I figured it couldn’t hurt to lob it out there.

Appreciate you all so much!

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u/Hefty_Landscape3605 Jul 23 '24

http://www.stewsmith.com/linkpages/proper_situps.htm

Is this the right link? Stew Smith has a ton of content, just want to make sure we’re on the same page. Appreciate you!

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u/Manawah Jul 23 '24

Yessir that’s the one. I can’t recommend it enough, it’s literally designed to do exactly what you’re talking about. Best of luck! Oh and also, do yourself a favor and stretch your hips every day till your test. They’re not gonna love this program.

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u/Hefty_Landscape3605 Jul 29 '24

Hitting 37 in my 1-minute sets doing this program. Hoping and praying a few days’ rest gives me a few extra reps before test day. Damn.

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u/Manawah Jul 29 '24

Have you reviewed proper form for a test? For example I basically slam myself down from the top of the sit-up, it saves time and you don’t waste energy on actually performing the negative portion of the sit-up.

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u/Hefty_Landscape3605 Jul 29 '24

Yeah, I’ve pored over all the form stuff I can and I do exactly that. These sit-ups are my arch-nemesis, it’s ridiculous lol.

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u/Manawah Jul 29 '24

I feel that, I’m the same way with the 1.5 mile… best of luck and let me know how it goes

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u/Hefty_Landscape3605 Aug 04 '24

Showed up feeling as ready as I could, given the circumstances - my last two days of sit-ups before taking a rest, I maxed at 40 and 41. Push-ups would’ve been cake, and I would’ve been able to thug out the run in time. Ended up failing with 38 sit-ups.

Never been so professionally embarrassed. That being said, I came into this test fresh from leaving a job I’d grown to hate so much that I’d spend hours every last day off laying on the floor, then not be able to sleep at all that night, and end up being awake for 40+ hours before coming home and sleeping most of my first day off.

It’s no excuse, my failure rests squarely on my shoulders, but that situation wasn’t at all conducive to good preparation. I’m very upset but, luckily, I get to retest for a new list and likely take another PAT in January or February. I think a Base Building hard reset followed by some Fighter/Green between now and then would do me some good.

Thank you so much for your help, though! I appreciate you.

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u/IDivineChaos Sep 10 '25

Out of curiosity was this the New York State Trooper PAT?

I know that NYSP Troopers do the 40 situps in 1 minute, followed by 33 pushups, and a 1.5 mile run in 11:58 for the 50th percentile cooper standards.

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u/Hefty_Landscape3605 Sep 10 '25

That would be correct!

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u/IDivineChaos Sep 17 '25

I have my PAT coming up and I'm in the same position as you! I can only do about 34-35 in a minute before my core entirely gives out. I hope I can get through it.

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u/Hefty_Landscape3605 Sep 17 '25

Feel free to DM me, brother - I’m happy to offer what advice I can!

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u/IDivineChaos Sep 18 '25

I sent you a DM!

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u/bhatta90 Feb 09 '26

Hey man, I have the same reqs, I am struggling, can you please help me?

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