Contents
The new Army Combat Fitness Test will start on October 1, 2020. Get all the details here.
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Introduction
The Army’s new Physical Fitness Test (PFT) will start on October 1, 2020. The PFT will replace the Army Physical Readiness Test (APRT). The PFT is a gender and age neutral test that will assess Soldier’s physical readiness. The PFT has four events: sit-ups, push-ups, a 2-mile run, and a timed strength deadlift. Each event will be worth 100 points for a total possible score of 400 points. Soldiers must score a minimum of 60 points in each event to pass the test.
The Army’s New Physical Fitness Test
The Army’s new physical fitness test, the Army Combat Fitness Test, is scheduled to go into effect on October 1, 2020. The test is designed to better assess soldiers’ abilities to perform the essential tasks of combat. The test will replace the current Army Physical Fitness Test, which has been in place since 1980.
The new test consists of six events: deadlift, power throw, seated power throw, hand-release push-up, sprint-drag-carry, and a two-mile run. Soldiers will be scored on a scale of 0-100 points in each event, with 100 being the highest score. The total score for all six events will be used to determine whether a soldier is physically qualified for combat.
There are three levels of fitness required for combat: low (60-69%), moderate (70-79%), and high (80% and above). The Department of the Army has not yet released information on what scoring levels will be required for each fitness level.
All soldiers will be required to take the new test upon its implementation in October 2020. Soldiers who do not meet the required fitness level for their age and gender will have up to one year to improve their score and retest.
Why the Change?
The Army is changing its physical fitness test and the new test will start in October 2020. The goal of the new test is to better predict soldier performance in combat situations. The changes include more anaerobic activity, like sprinting and lifting weights, and less aerobic activity, like running long distances. The new test will also be gender- and age-neutral.
How the New Test is Different
The Army’s new fitness test, the Army Combat Fitness Test, will gradually be implemented starting in October 2020. The new test is gender- and age-neutral. It will better assess soldiers’ ability to complete the physically demanding tasks of combat.
The six events of the new test are as follows:
* deadlift: lifting a weighted barbell from the ground to hip level, with feet shoulder-width apart
* power throw: throwing a 10-pound medicine ball backward over the shoulder and trying to land it in a marked zone as far away as possible
* sprint-drag-carry: running for 25 meters, then pulling a sled loaded with two 90-pound sandbags for 50 meters, then carrying two 40-pound kettlebells for 25 meters
* leg tuck: hanging from a pull-up bar and bringing the knees up to the elbows as many times as possible in two minutes
* seated power throw: exploding out of a squatting position and throwing a four-pound medicine ball as far forward as possible
* two-mile run
What Soldiers Need to Know
The Army’s new physical fitness test (APFT) starts on October 1, 2020. All soldiers will be required to take the new test, which is designed to better reflect the types of activities soldiers are asked to do in combat. The new test has three parts:
-An aerobic capacity test, which measures how well soldiers can perform aerobic activity over a period of time. This can be done either by running or cycling on a stationary bike.
-A strength and power test, which measures how much force soldiers can generate in a single burst of activity. This can be done either by lifting weights or doing body-weight exercises like pull-ups or push-ups.
-An endurance test, which measures how long soldiers can maintain a moderate level of activity. This can be done by walking or running on a treadmill.
How to Prepare for the New Test
The Army will be administering a new physical fitness test, called the Army Combat Fitness Test or ACFT, to all soldiers starting in October 2019. The test is designed to better assess soldiers’ abilities to meet the demands of combat.
To prepare for the new test, soldiers should focus on improving their endurance, explosive power, strength, speed, and agility. The best way to do this is by engaging in a variety of activities that target all of these areas.
Some specific things that soldiers can do to prepare for the ACFT include:
-Running long distances
-Sprinting
-Doing plyometric exercises (jumping, bounding, etc.)
-Lifting weights
-Doing bodyweight exercises (push-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups, etc.)
-Training for and taking the obstacle course
Tips for Success
The Army’s new physical fitness test, the Army Combat Fitness Test, or ACFT, will start being used as the primary fitness test for all soldiers in October 2020. The ACFT is designed to better assesses a soldier’s ability to complete tasks that are common in combat situations. Sit-ups, push-ups, a 2-mile run, and a Deadlift are just some of the events that are included in the test.
Here are some tips to help you succeed on the new Army Combat Fitness Test:
* Be sure to warm up before starting the test. Warming up will help you avoid injuries and get your body ready for the physical challenges ahead.
* Pace yourself during the test. If you start out too fast, you’ll likely tire yourself out before finishing all of the events.
* Practice the individual events prior to taking the test. This will help you feel more comfortable on test day and enable you to see what areas need improvement.
* Stay focused throughout the entire test. It can be easy to get distracted, but staying focused will help you do your best.
FAQs
-What is the new Army Physical Fitness Test?
-When does the new test start?
-How often will I have to take the test?
-What are the differences between the old and new tests?
-Why is the Army changing its fitness test?
Resources
The U.S. Army is scheduled to begin administering its new physical fitness test, the Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT), in October 2019. The new test was developed to better assess soldier fitness and readiness for combat, and replaces the old Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT).
The ACFT will consist of six events: max deadlift, power throw, hand-release push-ups, sprint-drag-carry, leg tuck, and a two-mile run. Each event is designed to test different aspects of soldier fitness, including strength, power, endurance, agility, and speed.
The ACFT is a more demanding test than the APFT, and soldiers will need to put in some extra effort to prepare for it. The Army has released training guides and videos to help soldiers get ready for the new test.
If you’re interested in learning more about the Army’s new physical fitness test, or if you’re a soldier preparing for the test, check out the resources below.
-Army Combat Fitness Test website: https://www.army.mil/acft/
-Training guide: https://www.army.mil/e2/c/downloads/515413.pdf
-Training video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSYgeYF1tz0
Conclusion
The new Army Combat Fitness Test will replace the Army Physical Fitness Test as the main method of testing soldiers’ fitness. The new test is scheduled to start in October 2020.
