Having analyzed videos of P. Hegseth performing push-ups, pull-ups, and other exercises, and after consulting with military leaders and fitness experts, The Atlantic magazine concluded that he “breaks the rules” and “sacrifices technique for speed”.
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Hegseth himself mocked others
As the publication noted, normally such “nitpicking” might seem unwarranted. But these are not videos of influential people from the gym; these are carefully prepared highlights published by the Pentagon itself, implicitly presented as an example. And P. Hegseth, a former Fox News host, himself never hesitated to criticize others. In one of his books, he mocked female soldiers who can only do “ten push-ups in a row,” and described a transgender woman as a “ten-push-up type of guy.”
During his tenure, P. Hegseth turned physical fitness into something akin to an ideological project, arguing that out-of-shape soldiers and commanders are fundamentally incompatible with disciplined fighting forces.
He moved to implement stricter standards for appearance and physical readiness, stating last year that it is “completely unacceptable to see obese generals and admirals in the Pentagon hallways.”
Under his latest initiative, he is making young officers undergo testosterone tests to ensure that “your testosterone levels are appropriate so you can perform at your absolute best.”
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Does half push-ups
Last year, P. Hegseth and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. participated in the so-called “Pete & Bobby Challenge,” where participants must complete 100 push-ups and 50 pull-ups in less than 10 minutes. R.F. Kennedy was seen training in jeans.
The Atlantic magazine was not impressed with the Secretary of Defense’s training technique. “P. Hegseth’s push-ups are more like half push-ups: in the push-ups captured on video, he does not perform the full range of motion,” the magazine wrote, adding that his push-ups “would not meet any military requirements.”
His pull-ups, by contrast, were described as “more or less by the book.” However, consistency, it seems, is a different matter entirely. In one Pentagon video, he is seen thrusting his knees forward as he ascends.
“This is called ‘kipping’ (pull-up with swinging) and is prohibited in the eight-page manual issued by the Marines,” the publication noted.
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