Group Track Day to Train for Pushups, Planks and Running

Here is a quick workout my group did this week, with a focus on pushing running speed, goal-pace running for timed runs and higher reps on testing events. This is ideal for large groups, and all you need is a field, track or known distance for running.

If you are running short on time and want to work on your running pace and speed, but you also want to improve some of your calisthenics numbers for common military fitness tests, try the following workout. And if you need a break from running too many miles, you can do it as a hard-and-fast biking workout.

Warmup

Jog or bike for 10 minutes with light stretching, doing a squat-pushup-toe touch half-pyramid every minute. It is recommended to have a bike option in case someone is nursing a shin injury, tendon issues or other new-to-running issues. The warmup looks like this:

• Jog or bike 1 minute, 1 squat, 1 pushup, 1 toe touch
• Jog or bike 1 minute, 2 squats, 2 pushups, 2 toe touches
• Jog or bike 1 minute, 3 squats, 3 pushups, 3 toe touches
• … working your way up to 10/10/10

Workout, Part 1

The 100-100 with Pushups and Plank Poses (or Situps)

Run 100 meters fast, jog 100 meters, then, depending on the set number, do a set of pushups (odd sets) or a set of plank/situps (even sets).

Repeat 10 times:

• Run 100 meters fast
• Jog 100 meters easy
• Pushups, 10-20 (odd sets)
• Plank or situps, 30 seconds (even sets)

A bike option is to replace the 100-meter runs with 20 seconds as fast as you can on a bike, then 40 seconds easy.

Workout, Part 2

Run Goal Pace for 400 Meters (or 2 minutes on Bike)

Run 400 meters (1 lap) at goal mile pace. For instance, if your goal is to run a 6-minute-per-mile pace for your timed runs, that means learning that pace by running your 400 meters in 1:30. A 7-minute-per-mile pace would be 400 meters at 1:45. An 8-minute-per-mile pace would be a 2-minute 400 meters. Rest: Walk 100 meters or 1 minute. It is optional to add more sets of pushups, planks or situps to each set, depending on your abilities. The workout looks like this:

Repeat 6-8 times:

• Run 400 meters at goal mile pace (or bike 2 minutes fast)
• Rest by walking 100 meters

Cooldown

The cooldown is either an easy 1-mile jog or a 10-minute bike. Follow with stretching as needed.

Warming up, pushing yourself, and cooling down are important to any physical activity. Once you find a warmup and cooldown that work for you, never stop doing them.

Check out the Military.com Fitness Section for hundreds of workouts with a wide variety of warmups and ideas for cooldowns.