WORKOUT RULES

PUSH-UPS: HOW THEY DIFFER

Common Elements (Almost Universal)

• Body must stay straight (no sagging or piking)

• Arms must reach some defined depth

• Reps stop if form breaks

⸻

Key Variations by Organization

Police Academies / SWAT

• Standard push-up

• Elbows must reach 90°

• Hands generally under shoulders

• Often continuous, sometimes timed (1–2 min)

• Rest usually allowed only in up position

Focus: functional pressing endurance

⸻

Army (ACFT – Hand-Release Push-Ups)

• Chest and thighs on ground

• Hands lift fully off the ground

• No resting on the ground

• Extremely strict on reps

This is one of the hardest push-up standards

⸻

Marines

• Traditional push-up (for those not doing pull-ups)

• Chest to fist/ground

• No sagging or knee contact

• Strict cadence enforcement

⸻

Navy / Air Force

• Traditional push-up

• Chest must break 90° elbow angle

• Continuous reps

• Rest allowed in up position

⸻

Push-Up Strictness Ranking (Easiest → Hardest)

1. Police / Air Force / Navy

2. Marine Corps

3. Army Hand-Release Push-Up

⸻

PULL-UPS: HOW THEY DIFFER

Common Ground (Mostly Universal)

• Dead hang start

• Chin over bar at top

• No kipping

• No excessive swinging

⸻

Differences That Matter

Grip

• Overhand most common

• Some allow underhand

• Some allow mixed grip

Dead Hang Definition

• Arms fully straight

• Some allow slight elbow bend (older standards)

• Modern standards = full lockout

⸻

By Organization

⸻

Marines

• Very strict

• Dead hang

• Chin clearly over bar

• No leg kick or swing

• Brief pause at bottom

Army Rangers

• Dead hang

• Chin over bar

• Controlled movement

• No kip or bounce

SWAT / Police

• Often similar to Marines

• Sometimes allow slight rhythm

⸻

Pull-Up Strictness Ranking

1. Police (varies)

2. Army

3. Marines / Rangers

⸻

REST RULES (VERY IMPORTANT)

Police

Often limited

Air Force / Navy

Yes, top position

Marines

No rest at bottom

Rangers

Minimal / controlled

• Row your boat
  At night the body of clouds advancing higher up the sky smothers the whole quiet gulf below with an impenetrable darkness, in which the sound of the falling showers can… Read more: Row your boat
• Gently down the stream
  The dawn breaks high behind the towering and serrated wall of the Cordillera, a clear-cut vision of dark peaks rearing their steep slopes on a lofty pedestal of forest rising… Read more: Gently down the stream