United States Army Physical Fitness Test

Minnesota National Guardsman performing a push-up.

The Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT) is designed to test the muscular strength, endurance, and cardiovascular respiratory fitness of soldiers in the Army. Soldiers are scored based on their performance in three events consisting of the push-up, sit-up, and a two-mile run, ranging from 0 to 100 points in each event. A minimum score of 60 in each event is required to pass the test. The soldier's overall score is the sum of the points from the three events. If a soldier passes all three events, the total may range from 180 to 300.

Active component and reserve component soldiers on active duty are required to take a "record" (meaning for official records) APFT at least once each calendar year. Reservists not on active duty must take a "record" test once per calendar year.[1] FM 7-22 covers the administration of the APFT, as well as ways to conduct individual, squad and unit level physical training sessions

If, due to a diagnosed medical condition, a soldier is temporarily unable to conduct one or more of the events in the record APFT, the soldier can be granted an extension to allow him or her to overcome his or her injury and return to an acceptable level of physical fitness. If a soldier has a permanent medical condition that keeps him or her from conducting the two mile run, an alternative aerobic event consisting of either a 2.5 mile walk, an 800-yard swim, or 6.2 mile cycle ride is taken. There are no alternate events for the push-up or sit-up.

History

The physical fitness assessments for the U.S. Army were first developed in 1858 at the United States Military Academy. Over the years, the athletics for soldiers have been revised repeatedly. According to a US Army abstract, the calisthenics and events of "push-ups, sit-ups, and a 2-mile run was introduced in 1980."[2]

Events

The testing events are conducted in accordance with standards detailed in Army FM 7-22, Army Physical Readiness Training. Prior to the start of each event, the standard is read aloud, followed by a demonstration in which an individual demonstrates both the correct exercise and any disqualifying behaviors which would make the exercise incorrect.

Quoted from Army FM 7-22:

Scoring

In order to obtain the Physical Fitness Badge, soldiers must score 90 points or more in each event.

Scoring on the APFT is based on gender, age category, number of repetitions performed of the push-up and sit-up, and run time. Score tables are found in Army FM 7-22 and on Department of the Army Form 705, Army Physical Fitness Test Scorecard. The score for each event ranges from 0 to 100 points; a minimum score of 60 in each event is required to pass the test. The soldier's overall score is the sum of the points from the three events. If a soldier passes all three events, the total may range from 180 to 300. APFT standards may be more rigorous for some special purpose units, such as for special operations soldiers which are usually required to score 70 points or better in each event.

Soldiers who score 270 or above on the APFT, with a minimum score of 90 in each event, are awarded the Physical Fitness Badge, which can be worn on the physical training uniform of enlisted soldiers.[3] The APFT score also converts to promotion points which are used to in part to determine the eligibility of soldiers for promotion to a higher rank.

Prior to May 2013, the scoring algorithm also included an extended scale, by which soldiers could earn more than 100 points in an event by performing better than the 100-point standard. However, use of such a scale is specifically forbidden in the current Army Field Manual.[4]

Under previous versions, in order for a soldier to earn a score of over 300, he or she must have obtained 100 points in each event, meaning that a soldier could not begin to use the extended scale for any one event until 100 points were reached in all three events. Scores above maximum could only be used locally in an unofficial capacity; official record scores could never exceed 300 points. Beyond the 100-point level, each additional push-up was one additional point, each additional sit-up was one additional point, and each six-second reduction in the run time was one additional point.

For soldiers who have a medical or physical condition which prevents them from being able to successfully participate in the two mile run, alternate aerobic events are authorized. Scoring for alternate aerobic events is either GO or NO-GO (pass or fail) and is based on the gender and age of the individual. For the purposes of promotion, a soldier's score on an alternate event equals the average of their push-up and sit-up scores.[5] Restrictions applicable to the APFT for soldiers with medical conditions (including pregnancy) or on physical profiles are stipulated in Army Regulation 40-501.[6] For example, one stipulation is that "Once the [temporary] profile is lifted, the soldier must be given twice the time of the profile (but not more than 90 days) to train for the [next] APFT.[7]

Failure to pass two or more consecutive record APFTs can lead to separation from the Army, although this is not always the case. Soldiers who have failed an APFT are often put into a "remedial program" first, which includes additional physical training. An APFT failure also results in the soldier being "flagged" which make them ineligible for promotion and attendance to military training and/or schools. However, a soldier cannot be denied an award or decoration due to an APFT failure.[8]

Standards

PUSH-UPS
MALE
AGE GROUP 17–21 22–26 27–31 32–36 37–41 42–46 47–51 52–56 57–61 62+
MAXIMUM 100% 71 75 77 75 73 66 59 56 53 50
MINIMUM 60% 42 40 39 36 34 30 25 20 18 16
PUSH-UPS
FEMALE
AGE GROUP 17–21 22–26 27–31 32–36 37–41 42–46 47–51 52–56 57–61 62+
MAXIMUM 100% 42 46 50 45 40 37 34 31 28 25
MINIMUM 60% 19 17 17 15 13 12 10 9 8 7

SIT-UPS
MALE and FEMALE
AGE GROUP 17–21 22–26 27–31 32–36 37–41 42–46 47–51 52–56 57–61 62+
MAXIMUM 100% 78 80 82 76 76 72 66 66 64 63
MINIMUM 60% 53 50 45 42 38 32 30 28 27 26

2-MILE RUN
MALE
AGE GROUP 17–21 22–26 27–31 32–36 37–41 42–46 47–51 52–56 57–61 62+
MAXIMUM 100% 13:00 13:00 13:18 13:18 13:36 14:06 14:24 14:42 15:18 15:42
MINIMUM 60% 15:54 16:36 17:00 17:42 18:18 18:42 19:30 19:48 19:54 20:00
2-MILE RUN
FEMALE
AGE GROUP 17–21 22–26 27–31 32–36 37–41 42–46 47–51 52–56 57–61 62+
MAXIMUM 100% 15:36 15:36 15:48 15:54 17:00 17:24 17:36 19:00 19:42 20:00
MINIMUM 60% 18:54 19:36 20:30 21:42 22:42 23:42 24:00 24:24 24:48 25:00

source: APFT Standards source: APFT Standards

Walter E. Williams has criticized the sexism in this test. According to him, females "who receives the same pay" can pass the test with way fewer push-ups and run times.[9] The gap in the 2-mile run can be as much as 4 minutes.[10] Concerning the different standards for the two sexes, Martin Dempsey has said,

If we do decide that a particular standard is so high that a woman couldn’t make it, the burden is now on the service to come back and explain to the secretary: Why is it that high? Does it really have to be that high?”[11]

Deaths

Sometimes, soldiers die during or right after the physical fitness test[12][13] In 2009, a male soldier died during the 2-mile run.[14]

In 2016, a soldier collapsed right after the 2-mile run; afterwards, he was pronounced dead.[15] He was later identified as Clayton Z. Hughes.[16]

Ranger Physical Fitness Test

For soldiers attending the first phase of Ranger School, a special Ranger Physical Fitness Test is conducted for all age groups, which is separate from the Army Physical Fitness Test. The test is pass/fail and involves push-ups, sit-ups, chin-ups, and a five-mile run. Push-ups and sit-ups are to be performed within 2 minutes.[17][18]

RANGER
EVENTS PUSH-UPS SIT-UPS CHIN-UPS 5 MILE RUN
STANDARD 49+ 59+ 6+ ≤ 40:00

See also

References

  1. ↑ Army Regulation 350-1, Army Training and Leader Development, Washington, DC: Headquarters, Department of the Army, 18 December 2009; Section VI, “Army Training Programs”, 1–24. “Army physical fitness training”, pp 10-13.
  2. ↑ History of United States Army physical fitness and physical readiness training.
  3. ↑ The Institute of Heraldry: Physical Fitness Badge
  4. ↑ "The maximum score a Soldier can attain on the APFT is 300 points. The use of extended scale scoring IS NOT authorized.""FM 7-22 Army Physical Readiness Training" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016.
  5. ↑ AR 600-8-19, para. 3-16 c.(1)(b)
  6. ↑ Army Regulation 40-501 Standards of Medical Fitness, Washington, DC: Headquarters, Department of the Army, 14 December 2007
  7. ↑ FM 21-20; 14-20.
  8. ↑ Army Regulation 600-8-2, paragraph 1-15
  9. ↑ Army's Sexist Fitness Test
  10. ↑ https://fitandfeminist.com/2013/01/24/opening-combat-to-women-raises-questions-about-fitness-standards/
  11. ↑ Military is advised against lower standards for women
  12. ↑ Three Soldiers Die After Taking Army Physical Fitness Test
  13. ↑ http://www.military.com/daily-news/2016/07/26/fort-carson-soldier-collapses-fitness-training-dies.html
  14. ↑ http://clubindustry.com/military/Army-Soldier-Dies-Physical-Fitness-Test-20091012
  15. ↑ http://www.wltx.com/news/military/soldier-at-fort-jackson-dies-following-army-physical-fitness-test/283521385 Soldier At Fort Jackson Dies Following Army Physical Fitness Test
  16. ↑ http://www.thestate.com/news/local/military/article92419572.html
  17. ↑ ContentServer. "Army Ranger PFT". Retrieved 2016-09-21.
  18. ↑ "Ranger School Chin-Ups (Not Pull-Ups)". www.passranger.com. Retrieved 2016-09-21.

External links

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