Sit-Up Progression: 60 to 80 Reps
The 60-to-80 sit-up bracket is the middle tier of the NSW progression, for candidates whose max set is between 60 and 80 reps. It sits above the 50-rep PST minimum and below the 80-100 competitive range. The prescription is 4-5 sets of 20-25 reps, for 80-125 total reps per session.
What This Bracket Means
A candidate maxing 60-to-80 sit-ups passes the PST with a cushion but is not yet competitive. The improvement curve flattens here compared with the lower brackets, and the guide answers with more reps per set rather than more sets. Twenty to twenty-five reps per set is enough to make the last few reps of each set feel like the last thirty seconds of a PST. That is the intended effect. Core endurance at this level also pays off elsewhere in the program, since the guide counts sit-ups as a core exercise that supports running posture and swimming body position.
The Daily Workout
Perform 4-5 sets of 20-25 sit-ups on 4-5 days per week, with 1-2 minutes of rest between sets, for 80 to 125 total reps. Run the low end early in the bracket and the high end as the max approaches 80. Keep the shoulder blades touching the floor and the elbows touching the thighs on every rep; partial reps do not count on the PST and should not count in training. Lower slowly. The core exercise block of bridges, planks, side planks, and wipers should continue on its own schedule, since the guide pairs core work with strength sessions on most days of the week.
Testing and Moving Up
Perform a weekly max set under PST conditions and move to the 80-to-100 bracket when it reaches 80. Plateaus are common in this range. Before adding sets, check whether the weekly test is honest and whether the slow-tempo training reps have quietly become fast, bouncy reps. Slow, full-range training reps are what the guide prescribes, and they are what produce the endurance to break 80. If the lower back tightens as volume rises, the pelvis is probably tilting; reset it to neutral and press the lower back toward the floor as the guide instructs.
Daily prescription for this bracket
| Sets | Reps per set | Total reps |
|---|---|---|
| 4-5 | 20-25 | 80-125 |
The hip flexors take over when the abs get tired, and the lower back pays for it. If your back is sore after sit-ups, slow the descent and shorten the set.
Related Terms
The 80-to-100 sit-up bracket is where a candidate's max set reaches the competitive PST range, since competitive sit-up scores run 80-100 reps in two minutes. The NSW guide prescribes 3-4 sets of 30-40 reps, for 90-160 total reps per session, matching the push-up progression at the same level.
The 40-to-60 sit-up bracket covers candidates whose max set lands between 40 and 60 reps, a range that contains the PST minimum of 50. The NSW guide prescribes 4-5 sets of 15-20 reps, for 60-100 total reps per session, the same numbers used for push-ups at this level.
Sit-ups are a core calisthenics exercise and one of the five scored events in the Physical Screening Test (PST). In the NSW preparation program, sit-up training follows the same progressive volume model as push-ups — daily targets scale based on the candidate's most recent PST max to maintain consistent overload.
Core exercises in the NSW preparation program target the trunk stabilizers — abdominals, obliques, lower back, and hip muscles — through a progressive rotation of planks, bridges, bird dogs, supermans, and side planks. These exercises build the trunk stability that supports every movement in BUD/S, from running to swimming to log PT.
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