Push-Up Progression: 80 to 100 Reps
The 80-to-100 push-up bracket is where a candidate's max set enters the competitive PST range. Competitive push-up scores start around 80-100 reps in two minutes, so this bracket marks the transition from qualifying to standing out. The NSW guide prescribes 3-4 sets of 30-40 reps, for 90-160 total reps per session.
What This Bracket Means
Reaching an 80-rep max means a candidate can now post a competitive push-up score, and the training changes shape to match. The guide drops the set count to 3-4 and nearly doubles the reps per set to 30-40. Each set now resembles a large chunk of the actual PST effort. The point is no longer to accumulate reps but to practice producing long, unbroken strings of them. Candidates here should protect their elbows and shoulders carefully, because the total weekly rep count from 4-5 sessions of 90-160 reps is substantial.
The Daily Workout
Perform 3-4 sets of 30-40 push-ups, 4-5 days per week, with 1-2 minutes of rest between sets. Session totals range from 90 to 160 reps. Three sets of 30 is the entry point, and 4 sets of 40 is the ceiling to grow into. Every rep still meets PST form: chest lowers until the elbows form right angles, body stays rigid, and the lockout is complete. Use the slow training tempo the guide recommends on most sets, saving fast reps for the weekly max test. Variations like wide, narrow, or feet-elevated push-ups can rotate in for variety.
Testing and Moving Up
Keep the weekly max set as the progress check. When a strict max set passes 100, move to the over-100 bracket, the top tier of the progression. Not every candidate needs to get there. A consistent 80-100 on the PST is a strong score, and time may be better spent on a weaker event such as the swim or the run. The guide's own advice is to work on your weakest area. If push-ups are already competitive and the 1.5-mile run is near the minimum, the run deserves the attention.
Daily prescription for this bracket
| Sets | Reps per set | Total reps |
|---|---|---|
| 3-4 | 30-40 | 90-160 |
Once push-ups are competitive, stop adding volume there and audit your other four events. A weak swim costs more than ten extra push-ups gain.
Related Terms
The over-100 push-up bracket is the highest tier in the NSW progression, for candidates whose max set exceeds 100 reps. This is beyond the competitive PST range. The guide prescribes 3-4 sets of 40-50 reps, for 120-200 total reps per session, which is the maximum calisthenics volume the program assigns.
The 60-to-80 push-up bracket is the middle tier of the NSW progression, for candidates who max between 60 and 80 reps. This is comfortably above the 50-rep PST minimum but still short of the competitive range. The guide prescribes 4-5 sets of 20-25 reps, for 80-125 total reps per session.
PST standards define two thresholds for each of the five Physical Screening Test events: a minimum score that qualifies a candidate to enter the Naval Special Warfare pipeline, and a competitive score that reflects the level successful candidates actually arrive with. The gap between the two is the target of the 26-week preparation program.
The 500-yard swim is the first event of the Physical Screening Test (PST) and measures a candidate's aquatic endurance. Performed using either the combat sidestroke (CSS) or breaststroke, it tests the sustained swimming capacity required for BUD/S water-based evolutions.
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