La Sierra P.E. Program Standards

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Hristo Botev
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La Sierra P.E. Program Standards

Post by Hristo Botev »

I came across this post (https://www.artofmanliness.com/health-f ... e-program/) on the AoM blog, and I watched a couple of the time capsule videos about the P.E. program on YouTube (e.g., https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmNLwMJNak0&t=146s; quite a riot).

I'm overdue to insert some cardio training into what is currently mostly just a strength training program, with the exception of some haphazard and mostly unprogrammed walks and rucks. And I figure these fitness standards from the 1960s make as much since as any other as a measuring stick for overall fitness (though for high school age kids and not middle age dadbod types like myself). So me and the family are going to measure ourselves against a truncated version of these standards (e.g., we don't have the equipment for a rope climb or a peg board or for swimming, and the shuttle runs seem mostly duplicative), and aim to see if we can't earn ourselves a graduation from white to red silk gym shorts: https://www.amazon.com/Soffe-Ranger-Pan ... th=1&psc=1

The truncated version of the standards will be the following:
  • Pull-Ups: 10
  • Push-Ups: 32
  • Bar-Dips: 12
  • Sit-Ups: 60
  • Standing Broad Jump: 6'9"
  • .5 Mile Run: 3:00
  • Mile Run: 7:00
  • Man Lift and Carry: .5 Mile
I know I can do the push-ups and dips and likely the man lift and carry currently, and I can get there soon with the pull-ups and sit-ups, I just need to train them. But I doubt I my 44-year old self can get to a 7 minute mile or a 3 minute half mile, and I bet a 6'9" standing broad jump may have been out of reach for even 18-year-old me; but, it's worth striving for.

Who's with me?

chenda
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Re: La Sierra P.E. Program Standards

Post by chenda »

Was there a girls version ?

Hristo Botev
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Re: La Sierra P.E. Program Standards

Post by Hristo Botev »

chenda wrote:
Wed Mar 29, 2023 3:57 pm
Was there a girls version ?
Umm, sorta? https://youtu.be/gmNLwMJNak0?t=460 (time stamped)

chenda
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Re: La Sierra P.E. Program Standards

Post by chenda »

Hristo Botev wrote:
Wed Mar 29, 2023 4:01 pm
Umm, sorta? https://youtu.be/gmNLwMJNak0?t=460 (time stamped)
Cool, looks better than our PE lessons. We had to play rugby with the boys which was utterly absurd (due I think to teacher shortage rather than anything else)

I am a long way from these standards but it's a great idea, good luck!

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Lemur
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Re: La Sierra P.E. Program Standards

Post by Lemur »

@Hristo Botev

Bold is my numbers...

Pull-Ups: 10 Lemur: 14
Push-Ups: 32 Lemur: 53
Bar-Dips: 12 Lemur: 25
Sit-Ups: 60 Lemur: 60. I can do this just painful lol and gotta take it slow...I prefer planks.
Standing Broad Jump: 6'9" Lemur: 5'11": wack...I can't jump for much and its awkward when I attempt
.5 Mile Run: 3:00 Did not perform but this is basically a sprint at 90% speed...I'd estimate I can do this at 2:30 or so. I used to run the 800 meter.
Mile Run: 7:00 Lemur: 6:28. Did not push as hard as I could. Just knew I wanted to hit around 90 seconds a lap. A fairly fast pace then I'm used to but I've the cardio base to push it.
Man Lift and Carry: .5 Mile Lemur: Did not attempt. I know I'm fairly weak in this department

So my cardio has always been fantastic due to experience gained in the military...I was one of the best ;) in my squadron and I did track in high school. Cardio is all about putting in blue-collar effort. The more you put in the more you get out...and that goes even for short sprints like the 800 meter or even the mile. Counterintuitively, building a cardio base is not about speed but endurance and building up your mile time should be done with loads of low steady state cardio. So I highly recommend the "Miles Build Champions" approach: https://bodyrecomposition.com/training/ ... g-method-1

Pushups and Pull-ups have been my 1x bodyweight routine for almost 2 years now. I'm not really progressing because I don't push to gain in this department. Just maintenance. I just do 5 sets of failure for pushups and pullup-s 1x a week. This is not effective but keeps me slightly stronger than the average person I suppose.

Due to a history of lower back issues, I'm not a fan of sit-ups or any bending at the lumbar spine so I prefer planks. And I'm more built for endurance then strength so I take it that is why I don't have much power for jumping or lifting things (I don't lift weights but probably should).

theanimal
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Re: La Sierra P.E. Program Standards

Post by theanimal »

Wow, what a cool program. The school had different color trunk shorts depending on what level you were able to attain. The list posted above in the OP was the intermediate version and had red shorts. There was also a beginner version and those had white shorts.
Each color level had minimum, median, and “ceiling” sub-standards; the ceiling standard of one color level was the minimum standard of the next; hitting the ceiling standard within a color level advanced you the next color up. What is listed below is the minimum standard for each main color level:
Not sure what weight they are thinking for the man carry. I think 100% of bodyweight would be adequate.

Blue (Advanced)

Pull-Ups: 14
Push-Ups: 48
Bar-Dips: 18
Standing Broad Jump: 7’3″
Hanging Leg Lifts: 24
300-Yard Shuttle Run: 52 seconds
Rope Climb (18’, Stand Start): 15 seconds, hands only
Agility Run: 19 seconds
1320-Yard Run: 4:20
Man Lift and Carry: 1320 yards
Peg Board (Vertical): 1 trip
Extension Press-Up: 5
1.5-Mile Run: 10:30
50-Yard Swim (Freestyle): 32 seconds

Navy Blue (Ultimate Athlete)
Pull-Ups: 34
Bar-Dips: 52
Handstand Push-Ups: 50
Alt. 1 Arm Burpees (30 sec.): 26 :shock:
300-Yard Shuttle Run: 47.5 seconds
Rope Climb (20’, Hands Only, Sitting Start): 2 trips
Agility Run: 17 seconds
Extension Press-Up (8”): 100
Pegboard (Vertical): 5 trips
Handstand: 45 seconds
Man Lift and Carry: 5 miles
Mile Run: 5:15
5-Mile Jog: Finish
Obstacle Course: Complete
Swim (Front Prone Position): 1 mile
Swim (Underwater): 50 yards
Swim (Any Combination of Strokes): 2 miles
Execute Front Hanging Float With Arms and Ankles Tied (Deep Water): 6 minutes
Stay Afloat in Deep Water in Vertical Position (Use of Arms and Legs Permitted Within 8’ Circle): 2 hours

Only 21 students were able to get the navy blue shorts within the 25 years from when the program started to when the school closed in 1983. Hardcore!

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Slevin
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Re: La Sierra P.E. Program Standards

Post by Slevin »

theanimal wrote:
Fri Mar 31, 2023 12:07 pm

Navy Blue (Ultimate Athlete)
Pull-Ups: 34
Bar-Dips: 52
Handstand Push-Ups: 50
Alt. 1 Arm Burpees (30 sec.): 26 :shock:
Rope Climb (20’, Hands Only, Sitting Start): 2 trips
Handstand: 45 seconds


Only 21 students were able to get the navy blue shorts within the 25 years from when the program started to when the school closed in 1983. Hardcore!
Tbh I think I only know 5-10 professional athletes that could plausibly do this. 50 handstand pushups in one set is borderline absurd, If it was without a wall I would say maybe i know 2 people who could do this (out of dozens of professionals who literally train these specific skills daily).

mathiverse
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Re: La Sierra P.E. Program Standards

Post by mathiverse »

theanimal wrote:
Fri Mar 31, 2023 12:07 pm
Not sure what weight they are thinking for the man carry. I think 100% of bodyweight would be adequate.
Indeed, it was 100% of bodyweight according to one of the videos. I don't have a timestamp, but I watched it yesterday.

jacob
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Re: La Sierra P.E. Program Standards

Post by jacob »

There was a similar crossfit standard table back in 2005ish. Is this still a thing/around?

Hristo Botev
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Re: La Sierra P.E. Program Standards

Post by Hristo Botev »

mathiverse wrote:
Fri Mar 31, 2023 12:46 pm
Indeed, it was 100% of bodyweight according to one of the videos. I don't have a timestamp, but I watched it yesterday.
Yep, they’d pair you with a classmate roughly your size and you’d carry him piggyback for the distance
Lemur wrote:
Fri Mar 31, 2023 11:05 am
@Hristo Botev

Bold is my numbers...
Damn, you’re a beast; impressive

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