Should a soldier be correctively trained before a PT test?

SPC(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 05 Jun 2016 11:09:06 -0400

Response by SP5 Mark Kuzinski made Jun 5 at 2016 11:10 AM

SP5 Mark Kuzinski — Sun, 05 Jun 2016 11:10:58 -0400

Yes - any pre-training should be welcomed.

Response by CW2 Stephen Pate made Jun 5 at 2016 11:24 AM

CW2 Stephen Pate — Sun, 05 Jun 2016 11:24:14 -0400

No that's just a power trip. Gotta be smarter than that. If you wear that Soldier out of course he/she will have a reason for not doing well. Take care of it a different way.

Response by SMSgt Thor Merich made Jun 5 at 2016 11:44 AM

SMSgt Thor Merich — Sun, 05 Jun 2016 11:44:08 -0400

Some folks stress out at the PT test. Any correction should be done afterward. No reason to add stress.

Response by SGT Frank Pritchett made Jun 5 at 2016 11:45 AM

SGT Frank Pritchett — Sun, 05 Jun 2016 11:45:41 -0400

Training for a PT Test is done everyday during PT; the 2 mile run, sit-up's and pushups are individual events. Everyone struggles differently with each one, but you practice it each day if possible.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 5 at 2016 11:52 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 05 Jun 2016 11:52:18 -0400

Yah maybe someone should show them how to do the events before they take off. Verry important they know the route before the run too, wouldn't want anyone to get lost.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 5 at 2016 1:30 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 05 Jun 2016 13:30:49 -0400

I don't see anything wrong with helping another Soldier out, but I don't believe it should be done in a manner that is discouraging or diminishing to the Soldier. A good NCO would sit down with the Soldier and come up with a plan that both individuals can agree upon to reach the desired goal. We all need a little bit of help sometimes, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. In these situations, we should constantly aim to build each other up.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 5 at 2016 1:31 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 05 Jun 2016 13:31:28 -0400

As a leader you are responsible than more than taking care of a small situation. You are responsible for that Soldiers career. You might make an impact and have them remember what the corrective training was for what they did at the time, but by doing it and having them possibly fail a PT test you are setting them up for failure and that is going to be their lasting memory of the type of leader you are.

Response by CW4 Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 5 at 2016 1:40 PM

CW4 Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 05 Jun 2016 13:40:54 -0400

Sure, if you're trying to impair their performance on a PT test! If performance on the test is not important, then it doesn't make a difference. If it is, then what kind of 'leader' is this?

Response by SFC(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 5 at 2016 3:31 PM

SFC(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 05 Jun 2016 15:31:17 -0400

Bottom line up front NO. Whatever the issue is can be handle after the Physical Fitness Test is complete. If that soldier fails the test that failure will affect his career and that will be on you as a leader. The issue is separate for the test deal with that after.

Response by LCpl Chad Parson made Jun 5 at 2016 4:55 PM

LCpl Chad Parson — Sun, 05 Jun 2016 16:55:10 -0400

Outside of boot camp and school environments is it even normal practice to conduct physical corrective training, or IT (Incentive Training) as we called it in the Corps? I can't recall "getting bent" at any point after hitting the fleet and joining my unit. We PT'd all the time, every day, sometimes several times a day, but there were no pits, and you didn't see Marines dropping to "knock 30 out" anywhere. I can't say that in my condition as a junior Marine at 18-21 years old that any amount of IT would have hampered me on a PFT though, but then again we were pretty PT crazy to begin with. Lol

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 5 at 2016 6:43 PM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 05 Jun 2016 18:43:06 -0400

Absolutely not. When the soldier fails his PT test over the NCOs ego issue then it becomes a larger issue. Wait until after, wait until 0930 when the soldiers back from Hygiene & Chow, or even make him come back before that to get it out of the way on their time. The PT test is so the company commander can measure the readiness of troops. Altering his performance in any way is showing a false standing.

Response by SPC(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 5 at 2016 6:43 PM

SPC(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 05 Jun 2016 18:43:30 -0400

And the description didn't show up... Let's say a soldier shows up to PT formation and forgot to shave, wrong uniform, etc etc. This soldier has a PT test following the formation and the NCO decides to PT this soldier, is this appropriate or should it wait til the soldier takes his/her test?

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 5 at 2016 7:37 PM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 05 Jun 2016 19:37:54 -0400

If on the day before the APFT, soldiers are expected to stretch, why would corrective training be ok on the day of? Some soldiers need every chance they can to meet the standards, some are trying to get that 300 for points. Whatever the infraction is, give a verbal counseling let that soldier conduct the APFT, and when they're tired and sore, administer corrective training

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 6 at 2016 7:50 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 06 Jun 2016 07:50:44 -0400

Corrective Training does not necessarily have to be physical, those days are long gone. Today's Leader must posses the ability to educate, rehabilitate and or correct a Soldier without having to resort to "smoking sessions". We should understand the intent of the APFT and realize that any PT conducted prior to the test would prevent the accurate assessment of the Soldier's muscular strength, endurance, and cardiovascular respiratory fitness.

Response by PO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 6 at 2016 9:22 AM

PO1 Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 06 Jun 2016 09:22:46 -0400

What type of correction training? Like a FEP program for the ones who can't do a single push-up/sit-up/run? It's the SM's responsibility to maintain adequate exercise and proper diet. Having Chinese every night and drinking Pepsi, isn't considered a "diet". It should be a command priority to provide opportunities for the SM to maintain BCT and weight, like Mock Weigh-Ins, Mock PRTs, Command lead PT, etc.

If the SM is still not within regulation (due to a 50+ weight gain post-pregnancy, or healing from an extensive surgery) but shows improvement and dedication to get themselves in a better condition, it should be up to Command (CO/XO/CMC/CFL (Command Fitness Leader). With a record of weigh-ins, body taping, exercise routines, diet, personal trainer information, etc.