On June 1, the Army will adopt new fitness standards for soldiers in combat roles. Many of the updates to the test are relatively minor, though the minimum requirement in some events, like the two-mile run, will change more substantially. The most significant shift is that the new standards will be the same for men and women.
Even if you have no ambitions to join the military, the test can be an excellent gauge of overall fitness, experts said, because it balances strength, speed, endurance and core stability.
“There’s a lot of people that do it just for general fitness,” said Josh Bryant, a private consultant who designed a course used by the International Sports Sciences Association to train soldiers, police officers and firefighters. “Whoever designed it did a good job of it,” he said.
Here’s what’s in the test, and what it takes to pass each event.
What is the Army Fitness Test?
The test has existed in some form for more than a century. The latest version has five events: deadlifts, push-ups, planks, a two-mile run and the sprint-drag-carry, a shuttle run involving sleds and kettle bells. These exercises represent a well-rounded mix of functional exercises — for both soldiers and civilians, fitness experts said.
The minimum performances listed below reflect the new standards for a passing score for 30-year-old combat soldiers. They could also be good targets for someone just trying to get in better shape, Mr. Bryant said. For more of a challenge, try to beat the Army’s overall average scores, based on a report by Military.com. (In order to pass the actual test, which is graded based on age, soldiers must score above the minimum in each event and excel in at least one. They also perform all five exercises in a row with minimal rest.)
Deadlifts
How to do it: Perform three deadlifts using a hexagonal bar.
Benefit: Deadlifts are extremely effective exercises for strengthening your quads, hamstrings and lower back. Using a hexagonal bar makes the move safer and more effective than using a barbell, Mr. Bryant said.
“It’s almost a hybrid between the squat and the deadlift,” he said. “If you had to pick one exercise, we can make a damn good case this would be the one.”
Minimum for soldiers in combat roles: 150 pounds
Average for the current test: Men, 275 pounds; Women, 160 pounds
How to improve: As with any strength training, Mr. Bryant recommended beginners use progressive overload to get stronger and start slowly as they perfect their technique. To focus more on building power in your legs and trunk, you can try doing the move faster with slightly lower weight, he said.
Hand-release push-ups
How to do it: Perform as many push-ups as you can in two minutes. Start with your chest on the ground and your arms in position to start the push-up. After each rep, lower your chest back to the ground, lift your hands off the ground and spread them out to your sides before pushing back up again.
Benefit: Push-ups test your chest and arm strength and your endurance. They have been a boot-camp staple for generations — the only part of the fitness test that has endured since 1944.
Minimum for soldiers in combat roles: 14 push-ups
Average for the current test: Men, 41; Women, 23
How to improve: There’s no better way to improve at push-ups than by just doing push-ups, said Rob Shaul, founder of Mountain Tactical Institute, a private company that trains soldiers and alpine athletes.
If regular push-ups are too difficult, try them on your knees or even standing against a wall. Once you can do 10, progress to the regular push-up, he said.
Meg Tucker, the founder of the Valkyrie Project, an organization that trains women for the armed services, takes a different tack. She advises beginners to start with a light bench press first, perhaps using dumbbells, to strengthen their shoulders and triceps before progressing to body weight push-ups.
The sprint-drag-carry
How to do it: This is a five-part sprinting event done between two lines, 25 meters apart. It’s best to try this routine in a larger gym, because it requires a fair amount of space and equipment. (If you want, you can build your own sled with an old tire.) Begin by sprinting from one side to the other and back. Next, drag a 90-pound sled backward down the length and back. Then side shuffle both lengths, run both while carrying two 40-pound weights and sprint both again.
Benefit: This exercise is designed to test your speed and power. The sled pull part of the event, in particular, is one of the most effective exercises for all-around fitness, Mr. Bryant said. It tests your lower body strength and can be safer than other sprinting workouts because you aren’t moving as fast, he added.
Minimum for soldiers in combat roles: 2:32
Average for the current test: Men, 1:50; Women, 2:27
How to improve: The sled pull will probably be the most unfamiliar exercise for most people. Practice with less weight and go just below full speed until you are comfortable with the sled, Mr. Bryant said.
Planks
How to do it: Hold a plank for as long as you can, with your elbows and forearms on the ground.
Benefit: The plank tests your whole core and is a more functional exercise than sit-ups, which the military once relied on to test core strength.
Minimum for soldiers in combat roles: 1:20
Average for the current test: Men, 2:31; Women, 2:12
How to improve: Ms. Tucker recommended doing the exercise three times a week, mixing up planks, side planks and sit-ups. “Variety is your friend, so long as some progression is built in,” she wrote in an email.
Mr. Bryant recommended trying a plank while wearing a weighted vest or backpack. Try holding it as long as you can for five repetitions, with one minute of rest after each attempt.
Two-mile run
How to do it: Run two miles on a flat surface. Make sure you’re wearing appropriate running shoes.
Benefit: Running is still one of the best ways to build your cardiovascular endurance. In the military, endurance tests tend to start at two miles and go up from there, Mr. Shaul said.
Minimum for soldiers in combat roles: 19:45
Average for the current test: Men, 17:31; Women, 20:25
How to improve: Run two miles to get a sense of your typical pace. A few times a week, try running at a faster pace for shorter intervals, like one mile, to improve your speed, Mr. Shaul said. To build your endurance, try a longer, slower run once a week.
Erik Vance is a staff editor for The Times’s Well desk, where he focuses on coverage of fitness and a healthy lifestyle.
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