Benchmarking is the lazy way to set goals. One, it’s not you setting the goal, it’s someone else. Two, hopefully you select a meaningful benchmark. And three, the benchmark is some generally accepted level. This takes the thinking out of setting a goal so you can focus on measuring yourself to a benchmark.
I recently challenged myself to a little fitness test after reading an article about the Navy PT test.
The PRT provides Commanding Officers (COs) with a means of assessing the general fitness of members of their command and provides a means to comply with DODI 1308.3 to develop and administer a physical fitness test that evaluates aerobic capacity, or cardio-respiratory endurance, and muscular strength, and muscular endurance.
Navy Physical Readiness Program – 2019
After reading the article and watching the video, I decided to give it a try to see where I measured up. The standards are very well laid out and are relatively simple. Everything is timed and counted:
2 minutes for sit-ups
2 minutes of push-ups
1.5 mile run
That’s it!!! Even with my short attention span I can manage to do this.
In my mid 40s now, I find it more important to maintain a good level of fitness. This helps to be more mentally alert, productive, and keeps the health costs down because I don’t have to go to the doctor. Also, because HEALTH is one of the 5 focuses of life, if you follow CHAMP. (You are following CHAMP, right? If not, you should.)
My current workout plan is nothing to shout about, but I have a plan. Three days a week I do a combination of 4 exercises: a pull, a push, a lower, and abs. All using just body-weight or a couple of 10lb weights for the lower. The other days of the week are for cardio work; 250 calories during the week and 500 calories on the weekends.
This fits well into what the exercises are for the Navy, so why not see how I stack up against this benchmark?
The Results
The day that I chose was my normal push, pull, lower day so I wouldn’t throw off my workout groove. I was able to do 39 push-ups, 43 sit-ups, and 1.5 miles in 18:47 minutes. Not bad for a mid forties nerd, but what does the Navy say?
Well, good news! The Navy won’t kick me out, but I am not as high on the list as the crossfitters. My average point score was 56.6 that puts me at Satisfactory High, which was 2 above the probationary level. My push up and sit up score were in the Good range, but the run killed my average. Now, I can start working on my run time.
Goal Setting Alternative
This little benchmark test shows you another way to set goals. Pick something to measure yourself against, find a good benchmark, and go after it. Simple. With the new year starting to roll around, it may be a good time to find some benchmarks for each of your CHAMPs for 2020.