How I'd Use 12 Weeks to Pass the CPAT

If your CPAT prep starts with throwing on a 75-pound vest and seeing how long you can last on the StairMaster, you're starting at the wrong end.

Yes, the standard CPAT starts with a three-minute stair climb under 75 pounds. Then you still have seven events to get through, and the clock is already running. You have 10 minutes and 20 seconds to finish the whole course.

That's the part people miss.

How much work can you still do after you step off the stairs?

You still have to drag a hose, carry equipment, and move a dummy. If the stairs take everything out of you, the rest of the course is going to feel a lot longer than it looks.

Here's how I'd train if I had 12 weeks.

Build your engine with Zone 2

Get consistent with steady cardio. Walk on an incline, bike, row, or jog at a pace where you can still talk in full sentences. It should feel like you're working and could keep going. If you're gasping after a few minutes, slow down.

Get on the stairs at least twice a week

Work toward 20-30 minutes at a steady pace with a 15-20-pound vest. If you can't hold that pace yet, start with less weight or no vest and build up. Give yourself the full three months to get those sessions in. As your conditioning improves, start working in shorter efforts closer to the test load so you know what the real pace and weight feel like.

Get good at the basics

Push-ups. Pull-ups. Air squats. Lunges. Burpees. Mountain climbers.

That's where I'd start for strength and muscular endurance. Use assisted pull-ups if you need them. Build up to more clean reps and get comfortable doing another set when your arms and legs are already tired. When you get a chance to practice on the actual course, take it. Learn how to handle the equipment and move from one event to the next.

If you're starting this week, put two stair sessions on your calendar. Pick a pace you can hold, track what you did, and show up again next week. That's how you build the stamina you'll wish you had when you step off the stairs and see the hose waiting for you.

Frequently asked questions

How long is the CPAT, and what's the first event?

Ten minutes and 20 seconds for the whole course. It starts with a three-minute stair climb under 75 pounds, and there are still seven events after it, with the clock already running.

Where do candidates go wrong in their prep?

Starting at the wrong end: throwing on the 75-pound vest and seeing how long they can last on the stairs. If the stairs take everything out of you, the hose drag, the equipment carry, and the dummy drag that follow feel far longer than they look.

How heavy a vest should I train with?

Build toward 20 to 30 minutes at a steady pace with a 15 to 20 pound vest. If you can't hold the pace, start with less weight or no vest and build up. As your conditioning improves, work in shorter efforts closer to the test load so you know what the real weight feels like.

What if I can't do pull-ups yet?

Use assisted pull-ups. The basics, push-ups, pull-ups, air squats, lunges, burpees, mountain climbers, are where strength and muscular endurance start. Build up to more clean reps.

What should I do this week?

Put two stair sessions on your calendar. Pick a pace you can hold, track what you did, and show up again next week. And when you get a chance to practice on the actual course, take it.

Read next: Want the full event-by-event breakdown? Read CPAT Prep: How to Train for the Test, and Be Ready for the Academy After It.