Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is facing renewed scrutiny over his highly publicized workout videos after military experts and fitness commentators questioned whether his exercise technique would satisfy the same physical standards he has advocated for members of the U.S. armed forces.
The criticism intensified after The Atlantic compared Hegseth's performances against official military training guidance rather than social media commentary alone. The analysis follows months of videos released by Hegseth and the Department of Defense highlighting his physical fitness while visiting military installations.
The latest debate centers on footage recorded last month at Naval Station Guantánamo Bay, where Hegseth performed bench presses alongside U.S. service members. The Department of Defense promoted the video on X, writing, "America's @SECWAR CRUSHED 44 reps on the bench after a morning run."
The video quickly drew criticism from online viewers who argued that many of the repetitions did not meet accepted lifting standards. One X user wrote, "A rep, is when the elbows lock out. That is not a full rep. Similar to his pull-ups, those are not full reps."
Other commenters reached similar conclusions. One wrote, "That's not even a single rep. Not even close to a lockout. If he's truly gonna do this performative stuff, he should actually try to do it remotely right." Another added, "Horrible form. Barely gets the bar up. Needs to be slower too. None of those count. Also, low weight. This was purely performative."
The debate expanded after The Atlantic published an analysis titled Pete Hegseth, You Call That a Pull-Up? Reporter Tom Bartlett reviewed Hegseth's workout videos alongside official fitness manuals used by different branches of the U.S. military. Citing the Army's Holistic Health and Fitness manual, Bartlett wrote that proper bench press technique requires participants not to "jerk or shrug the shoulders, arch the back, or allow the hips to rise off the bench," and argued Hegseth's June workout showed movement inconsistent with those standards.
Bartlett also examined Hegseth's push-ups and pull-ups, concluding that "Hegseth's push-ups wouldn't pass muster in any branch." The report further noted that Hegseth appeared to generate momentum during pull-ups by driving his knees upward, a technique commonly known as kipping. According to the report, Marine Corps guidance discourages that movement, stating, "Poor quality work will prevent you from getting the most from your workout and can lead to injury."
The renewed attention comes because Hegseth has repeatedly emphasized physical readiness during his tenure. According to the report, he previously said it was "completely unacceptable to see fat generals and admirals in the halls of the Pentagon" and also criticized what he described as "fat troops." His 2024 book The War on Warriors also argued for stricter physical standards across the military.
The Atlantic also interviewed retired Brig. Gen. Maureen LeBoeuf, the first woman to lead West Point's physical education department. After reviewing Hegseth's pull-up technique, she said, "His pull-ups or chin-ups and the kicking that he does you would never allow that. You'd stop somebody; you'd say, 'Okay, you're done.' He just keeps kicking, and it's not a good look."
