CFA Help

btosm14

5-Year Member
Joined
Apr 25, 2011
Messages
36
I know this is a little late in the game I have a month until my CFA and right now my scores are

BB throw: 40 ft.
Pull-Ups: 0
Sit- Ups: 65
Push Ups: 45
Shuttle Run: 10.2
Mile Run: 8:30

I know that these scores are not good. I am asking to see if anyone has any exercises or workouts that can help me boost up my scores. I'm running everyday and I'm using a machine to do assisted pull ups at the gym. Thank you very much for your input
 
I know this is a little late in the game I have a month until my CFA and right now my scores are

BB throw: 40 ft.
Pull-Ups: 0
Sit- Ups: 65
Push Ups: 45
Shuttle Run: 10.2
Mile Run: 8:30

I know that these scores are not good. I am asking to see if anyone has any exercises or workouts that can help me boost up my scores. I'm running everyday and I'm using a machine to do assisted pull ups at the gym. Thank you very much for your input

Are you a guy or a gal? Are you a football player? Do you run track or XC at all?

BB throw is more technique than strength IMO. I can't give you much input on this, but I can tell you that my scores on the actual CFA test varied from 51' to 69' because I threw the basketball differently each time to see which technique gave me the highest score.

I ask if you're a guy or gal, because women aren't required to do a pull-up, but instead do the arm hang. If you're a guy, that's something that you will need to work on a lot. When I started training for the CFA, I couldn't do any pull-ups, but I raised that to three in the two weeks I had before I actually took it. Not amazing, but certainly better than none.

Sit-ups were easy for me. I did roughly 60-80 sit-ups a day using various methods leading up to training. My score on the CFA was 82; I could have done more, but time ran out. Just work on sit-ups every day.

Push ups were another very difficult part for me. I could only do about 18 when I started training for the CFA. I knew it was unacceptable, so I started making myself do push ups all the time. When I took tests in school, I'd do 10 push ups for every question I got wrong on a test. I love running, so when I went for runs after every mile I would drop to the ground and do 15 quick push ups before continuing on to the next mile. I also set an alarm clock to go off every hour on the hour and I'd do 15 push ups. I also set a rule that any time something reminded me about the word "push-ups" I would have to get down and do 10 push ups. And lastly, I would do as many push ups as I possibly could every morning when I woke up, and every night before I went to bed. In two weeks, I went from being able to do 18 bad form push ups to being able to do 40 perfect form, nose touching the ground, push ups. Just don't give up on it, and work at it constantly. I don't know if you have any siblings, but I had my five year old brother sit on my back while I did push ups sometimes, just for the added challenge.

Shuttle run is really just agility and speed. I practiced the shuttle run only a few times before I took the CFA and I scored better than average on it, so I can't really give you any tips on that.

And lastly, the mile run. I love running, so this wasn't a huge challenge for me. I also ran XC in the fall, so one mile felt like nothing compared to the usual 5km. All I can say is run every day, six days a week leaving one day for rest. And, run AT LEAST a mile each time. Some days, run for 45 minutes rather than a set distance. Since I like "mixing" music tracks, I mixed myself a 45 minute music track that I run to. My run is over when the music is over. You could try making a 45 minute playlist of music on your ipod or mp3 player. (Assuming you have one.) My mile time before I took the CFA was 5:50, but my actual CFA time was 6:34, which I think is due to the conditions of the track. One last word of advice for running: run outside. Treadmills may raise your cardio, but running on a track is a different experience. You may not feel a difference, but you'll notice a difference in your time when your body isn't used to running on a track. I like to go for runs in the park or around the 4 mile city block. It's up to you really.

PM me if you have any questions. :rolleyes:
 
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Im a girl. Thank you all of that is really helpful! I'm a soccer goalkeeper
 
Im a girl. Thank you all of that is really helpful! I'm a soccer goalkeeper

Sure thing. And remember to start running right away. A 6:00-6:15 mile is what you should shoot for. I have some friends that run track/XC and play soccer just for the conditioning. Maybe you could look into track for spring. :thumb:
 
What is your flexed arm hang time?

Try to max out your sit-ups to help in the areas that are not your strengths.

Try to take 45 secs to a minute off of your mile.

Keep pushing, you can do this. My daughter's final CFA was taken in January last year, and after a lot of determination she reached her goal. Her weakness is the pull-up/flexed arm hang. (she played soccer as well)

She is now a C4C and has done very well in all of the fitness tests.
 
0 seconds for my flexed arm hang which is terrible Im working on getting better! Thanks, though
 
My daughter had a very hard time with the hang as well....she finally listened to my advice.... :) I told her to concentrate on her breathing...as soon as you start to hang, take a nice deep breath in and slowly let it out..then another deep breath in....and all the way out, etc if you can do a set of at least 5 in and out breaths, you should have enough time in the hang. I know it might sound weird, but if you practice breathing like that it will relax you and should get you through it. She went from only 8 seconds in the hang....to 23 seconds.
 
I would just stress doing pushups and building up your upper body strength. I'm also a girl and I know that we tend to perform better on situps rather than pushups. But when I tried to max out my pushups, somehow, it helped a LOT on my pull-ups.

I used to not be able to do ANY pull-ups, but after I kept working on pushups, my upper body strength has improved a lot and I was able to reach the average number of pull-ups (3).

Just keep working everyday, you'll get it in the end =]
 
What is your flexed arm hang time?

Keep pushing, you can do this. My daughter's final CFA was taken in January last year, and after a lot of determination she reached her goal. Her weakness is the pull-up/flexed arm hang. (she played soccer as well)

She is now a C4C and has done very well in all of the fitness tests.

If you dont mind sharing, what scored did your daughter get eventually of the CFA, that got her into the academy. :) Thanks!
P.S. I, too, am a girl who has found the CFA, specifically upper body strength, to be her one weakness.
 
If you dont mind sharing, what scored did your daughter get eventually of the CFA, that got her into the academy. :) Thanks!
P.S. I, too, am a girl who has found the CFA, specifically upper body strength, to be her one weakness.

Be careful comparing CFA scores. You have to remember that you are competing against others in your own state first and then on the National Waiting List. A score that gets in USAFA from a less competitive state will not get it done in a more competitive state.

It is important to do your best. Also, it is important to know that 1 pull-up is worth more than the max time on the flexed arm hang. Work hard to get 1 pull-up. Before you know it you'll be able to do 2-3. Good luck :thumb:
 
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