'Manly' Pete Hegseth Mocked Again After Experts Question Workout Form Against Military Standards

Pete Hegseth has once again found himself at the centre of online ridicule after fresh scrutiny of his workout videos raised questions over whether his exercise technique would meet the same military fitness standards he has repeatedly championed.

The criticism cuts deeper because the US defence secretary has built part of his public image around demanding stricter physical standards from America's armed forces.

Hegseth has become known for posting and appearing in highly publicised fitness videos since joining Donald Trump's administration.

Rather than reinforcing that image, several clips have fuelled criticism from military veterans, fitness enthusiasts and social media users, many of whom argue that Hegseth fails to demonstrate the standards he expects from others.

Fresh Questions Over High Profile Fitness Displays

The latest wave of criticism follows video released last month showing Hegseth bench pressing alongside US troops at the Guantánamo Bay naval base. The US Department of Defence promoted the footage on X, writing, 'America's @SECWAR CRUSHED 44 reps on the bench after a morning run.'

Critics pointed to what they described as incomplete repetitions, noting that Hegseth repeatedly failed to lock out his elbows at the top of each lift. At one stage in the recording, someone can be heard shouting, 'All the way down, all the way up!', yet Hegseth continues without following the instruction.

'A rep, is when the elbows lock out. That is not a full rep. Similar to his pull-ups, those are not full reps,' one X user wrote.

Another added, '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.'

A third commenter wrote, 'Horrible form. Barely gets the bar up. Needs to be slower too. None of those count. Also, low weight. This was purely performative.'

The bench press clip is only the latest in a series of heavily publicised workout appearances. Hegseth has previously been filmed running across Omaha Beach, performing kettlebell exercises on a university campus, doing jumping jacks aboard an amphibious assault ship in Singapore and completing a fitness challenge alongside Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Military Manuals Tell a Different Story

The criticism gained added weight after The Atlantic examined Hegseth's workouts against official US military fitness guidance rather than internet opinion alone.

In an article titled Pete Hegseth, You Call That a Pull-Up?, reporter Tom Bartlett compared the defence secretary's performances with training manuals used across different military branches.

According to the Army's Holistic Health and Fitness manual, 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.' Bartlett argues that Hegseth's June bench press footage shows visible back arching and body movement that would fall short of those requirements.

The analysis also examined Hegseth's push-up technique. While standards differ slightly between the Army, Marines and Air Force, each branch requires strict body positioning and full repetitions. Bartlett concluded that 'Hegseth's push-ups wouldn't pass muster in any branch.'

Critics note Hegseth's own emphasis on military discipline and physical readiness throughout his tenure.

Critics Point to a Double Standard

Fitness standards have become a recurring theme of Hegseth's leadership. Last year, he argued it was 'completely unacceptable to see fat generals and admirals in the halls of the Pentagon' and also criticised what he called 'fat troops.'

His comments extended beyond serving personnel. In his 2024 book The War on Warriors, Hegseth criticised female soldiers capable of only 'ten push-ups at a pop' and referred to a transgender woman as a 'ten-push-up kind of guy.'

Bartlett also revisited Hegseth's 'Pete & Bobby Challenge' with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., in which participants attempted to complete 50 pull-ups and 100 push-ups in under 10 minutes. Hegseth claimed to have finished the challenge in fewer than six minutes.

The review concluded that his push-ups frequently lacked full range of motion. During pull-ups, Hegseth was also seen driving his knees upwards to generate momentum, a technique commonly known as kipping.

Marine Corps guidance specifically prohibits that movement, warning that 'Poor quality work will prevent you from getting the most from your workout and can lead to injury.'

Bartlett also sought the opinion of Maureen LeBoeuf, a retired brigadier general and the first woman to lead West Point's physical education department.

Having overseen thousands of military fitness assessments, LeBoeuf offered a blunt verdict.

'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,"' she told The Atlantic. 'He just keeps kicking, and it's not a good look.'

LeBoeuf acknowledged that fatigue may have affected Hegseth during the challenge. Even so, she noted that military fitness tests are designed around objective standards rather than allowances for exhaustion.

For someone who has consistently argued that military standards should be enforced rigorously, that distinction is difficult to overlook.