pushup question

[SingleJ]

For pushups, how far down do they want you to go? I've heard that you lower yourself until your upper arms are parallel to the floor. I've also heard you should go down until your chest touches the floor. In particular I'm wondering about FBI, but I wouldn't mind finding out for other agencies as well.

[krellum]

Not sure about the FBI, but when I took the USMS test in 1994, the woman who administered the test lay on the floor in front of me and, reached underneath my chest, and put her fist between my chest and the floor (high tech!). I had to touch her fist each time I went down. I had also heard of agencies using a styrofoam coffee cup the same way.

In that "high-tech" vein, they also had me do the run by running around the block 3 and 2/5 times (?) - I guess I should have done my training while dodging DC traffic, delivery trucks and pedestrians, because that's how I did the test!

In fairness to the USMS, their fitness facility was being renovated at the time - that's why I did pushups in a hallway, with people in suits walking by me, no doubt wondering why I was sweating all over their floor.

k

[ThomasAckerman]

Originally posted by krellum
...when I took the USMS test in 1994, the woman who administered the test lay on the floor in front of me and, reached underneath my chest, and put her fist between my chest and the floor...
When I went through defensive tactics instructor training in 1996, our pushup technique was the same as you described -- the fist on the floor method. Similarly, some agencies use a rubber ball that is mounted on a plaque to accomplish the same thing. The bottom line is that bringing your chest to within about three inches of the floor appears to be a common standard.

TOM

[csa]

Originally posted by SingleJ
In particular I'm wondering about FBI, but I wouldn't mind finding out for other agencies as well.

SingleJ,

Go to https://fbijobs.com/jobdesc.asp?requisitionid=368 and download the Pre-Quantico kit for physical training requirements at the FBI Academy. This will tell you what they're looking for in all of the testing requirements.

Basically, lower yourself until upper arms are parallel to floor. I'm working on this myself.

Good luck

CSA

[SingleJ]

Thanks all for the replies. Arms parallel to the floor it is. I'm just glad the gym has mirrors on the walls so I can see where that is.

[dmclark]

When I was preparing for Quantico, I got my wife to check when my arms were parallel to the floor and then had her measure sternum to floor. I got a block of wood and cut it to that height, glued some foam to the top and it was my "pushup block".

Down till I connected with the blcok and up again. Never lost a pushup due to form. Strength yes, form no.