SBI Fitness Test

[Christopher Anderson]

I've been invited to take the fitness test for the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation on August 8th. The test is based on the Cooper Fitness test and is graded on it's standards for sex and age. The test is in the following format:

Do as many push-ups as possible in 1 minute

-Rest 2 minutes

Do as many sit-ups as possible in 1 minute

-Rest 2 minutes
Run 300 meters as fast as possible (stop watch/timed)

-Rest 5 minutes

Run 1.5 mile as fast as possible (stop watch/timed)

I've been running the past month to prepare as my endurance is not that great to be honest with my fastest mile time being 8:37 on a treadmill, I have been doing a mix of LSD and sprint work. I was wondering what some of you would recommend to your client if they were faced with having to take this test?

[Tom Campitelli]

Here is an article that is related to this:

Why Does The Army Want Me Weak? | Ryan Long

What are the numbers you need to hit on those tests? I suspect that getting good at 400 m repeats will be helpful. If you can run 4 or 5 400 meter intervals at a good clip with about two minutes rest between, you will probably have the 1.5 mile and the 300 m runs taken care of. Sifting in a few pushups after your barbell training probably wouldn't hurt, either. Fuck situps.

[CJ Gotcher]

I've been invited to take the fitness test for the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation on August 8th...

Not a staff coach, but I'll chime in.

This is very similar to the Navy PRT I take twice a year. You've only got a little over a week left- this is not enough time for effective training. At this point, the best (and probably only) thing you can do to improve your time on the test... is to practice the test.

Between now and the 8th, complete the test, start to finish, at least 5 times. Match your conditions (clothes, running location, etc.) to the test conditions as closely as you can. If it's going to be run on a track, don't do it on a treadmill.

While you're still far out from test day, between now and Thursday, you might stand to benefit from a few rounds of the SBI 1.5 (complete the whole thing, then do the pushups, situps, and 300 M run again, without repeating the 1.5 mile run) for a little extra volume and to get a feeling for how you might do on a 'bad-day run-through.' You'll be surprised how much your performance at the test will improve from just a few repetitions as you get used to the experience, and it drops the anxiety factor dramatically to have completed the test so many times.

Chill on August 7th so that you're rested going in, then crush it on the 8th. Good luck!

[Tom Campitelli]

I missed the part about August 8th.

[Christopher Anderson]

Here is an article that is related to this:

Why Does The Army Want Me Weak? | Ryan Long

What are the numbers you need to hit on those tests? I suspect that getting good at 400 m repeats will be helpful. If you can run 4 or 5 400 meter intervals at a good clip with about two minutes rest between, you will probably have the 1.5 mile and the 300 m runs taken care of. Sifting in a few pushups after your barbell training probably wouldn't hurt, either. Fuck situps.

I'm aiming at 62 push ups as a minimum, 46 situps, :50 sec 300m, and 11:50 1.5 (I need to be under 12min.)

Not a staff coach, but I'll chime in.

This is very similar to the Navy PRT I take twice a year. You've only got a little over a week left- this is not enough time for effective training. At this point, the best (and probably only) thing you can do to improve your time on the test... is to practice the test.

Between now and the 8th, complete the test, start to finish, at least 5 times. Match your conditions (clothes, running location, etc.) to the test conditions as closely as you can. If it's going to be run on a track, don't do it on a treadmill.

While you're still far out from test day, between now and Thursday, you might stand to benefit from a few rounds of the SBI 1.5 (complete the whole thing, then do the pushups, situps, and 300 M run again, without repeating the 1.5 mile run) for a little extra volume and to get a feeling for how you might do on a 'bad-day run-through.' You'll be surprised how much your performance at the test will improve from just a few repetitions as you get used to the experience, and it drops the anxiety factor dramatically to have completed the test so many times.

Chill on August 7th so that you're rested going in, then crush it on the 8th. Good luck!

I've been doing mile runs, but haven't hit a 1.5 timed yet which i plan on doing this week. I've also been doing 16-20 100m sprints with :30sec rest in between on the track. I was going to to a mock test either today or Wednesday, but I guess I'll get it done today then. Thanks for the response guys!

[Tom Campitelli]

An eight minute per mile pace is not particularly fast, especially over 1.5 miles. It will feel like you are running, but a 6:00 minute mile is a lot harder to do. An 8:00 mile is pretty easily within reach for all casual runners with a bit of training. From the sounds of it you probably have this in hand.

[Christopher Anderson]

An eight minute per mile pace is not particularly fast, especially over 1.5 miles. It will feel like you are running, but a 6:00 minute mile is a lot harder to do. An 8:00 mile is pretty easily within reach for all casual runners with a bit of training. From the sounds of it you probably have this in hand.

Ha, yeah the sad part is that I am in no way a casual runner. best time is 8:37 on the mile, 53 sec on the 300m and got 70 push ups and stopped with :17 left. Didn't finish the 1.5 last night or the situps. I am just going to keep going at the situps and doing the 1.5. Test day, I'm just going to go out and give it all I have.