Measuring your fitness shouldn’t stop in grade school. Staying physically active becomes increasingly important as we age, yet it can be a struggle to keep up. Focusing on key components like grip strength, core tension, and real-world power builds year-round readiness and sharpens your ability to make better decisions under stress. Consistent, functional fitness ensures you’re performing at your best, no matter the challenge.
On a recent episode of the Huberman Lab podcast, DJ Shipley, a retired Tier 1 Navy SEAL, shared a fitness test built to test true physical readiness. Based on the Navy SEAL Physical Screening Test, it can be done anytime and requires minimal equipment. It includes broad jumps, bench presses, pullups, trap bar deadlifts, farmer’s carries, 800-meter sprints, and planks. Each exercise has tiered standards, allowing anyone to gauge and build to elite physical performance year-round.
“Most people can meet the standard in a few areas, but not all, so you work on those sticking points,” Huberman wrote on X. “You test everything on the same day.”
DJ Shipley’s Performance Standards
Broad Jump
Standard: Jump your own height
Elite: 1 foot past your height
Pro: 2 to 4 feet past your height
Bodyweight Bench Press
Standard: 10 reps with bodyweight
Elite: 15 reps
Pro: 20+ reps
Pullups
Standard: 10 reps
Elite: 15 reps
Pro: 20+ reps
Farmer’s Carry
Weight: 50 percent of your bodyweight in each hand
Standard: 175 feet
Elite: 225 feet
Pro: 250 feet
Trap Bar Deadlift
Standard: 1.5× bodyweight for 5 reps
Elite: 1.75x bodyweight
Pro: 2× bodyweight
Plank
Standard: 2:00
Elite: 2.30
Pro: 3:00+
800-Meter Run
Standard: 3:15
Elite: 3:00
Pro: 2:45
Train Like a Navy SEAL With This Functional Fitness Test
