An infantryman pumps out pushups during a ranger physical fitness test Dec. 2, 2010. The ranger physical fitness test was a part of an emergency deployment readiness exercise, which tests a unit’s ability to conduct a variety of tasks at short notice. (Army photo by Staff Sgt. Joshua Ford)
Soldiers began taking the new Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT) on April 1, which will take into account age and gender. The test will include a host of changes. The plank will replace the leg tuck for core-strength assessment, and the 2.5-mile walk will be included as an alternate aerobic event.
The test itself will consist of six events:
· The three repetition maximum deadlift.
· The standing power throw.
· Hand-release push-up.
· The sprint drag carry.
· The plank.
· The two-mile run.
Alternate aerobic events include the stationary bike, roll, swim, and two-and-a-half-mile walk. Testing for the record will begin for regular Army and active reserve-component soldiers on Oct 1. These soldiers must have an ACFT recorded by next April 1. Reserve component soldiers will begin taking the ACFT April 1, 2024, and must have a record of having taken the test by the following April 1.
The Army decided to implement the new fitness test after considering results of independent studies, feedback from soldiers, and examination of almost 630,000 test scores. The service will continue to monitor how it measures physical fitness and, if necessary, update the testing process.
