If you're a first-time visitor or new to the Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT), the User Guide is a great place to start!
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LEARN.
TRAIN.
DOMINATE.
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"More Physically Demanding by design"
Unlike the old Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT), the new Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT) will assess more components of your physical fitness:
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Strength
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Muscular Endurance
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Aerobic Endurance
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Anaerobic Endurance
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Power, Agility, Speed, Coordination
How will you change your training in order to succeed on the new, more challenging Army Combat Fitness Test?
User Guide
This website is specifically designed with small unit Army leaders in mind. From initial "field testing" to implementing a comprehensive unit physical fitness training plan, armycombatfitnesstest.com has all the tools and resources you'll need to understand and train for the Army's new physical fitness test.
Step 1 - Get familiar with ACFT Events, ACFT Standards, and ACFT Scoring
The Army Combat Fitness Test is a 6 event test with a 600 point maximum. It is gender and age neutral. This means that a 22-year old male Soldier and a 40-year old female Soldier earn the same exact number of points for running 2 miles in 14 minutes. While the test is also MOS neutral -- Soldiers of all military occupational specialties operate on the same point scale -- the Army does anticipate enforcing some minimum requirements for heavy and moderate demand MOS.
What are the 6 events of the ACFT?
Soldiers will complete the following events in order, generally in less than 70 minutes:
Visit the links to each individual event for a training guide or click here for a roll-up of event standards. The full ACFT standards PDF is available here.
What are the minimum requirements per MOS (ACFT Standards by MOS)?
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Soldiers in heavy physical demand units or MOS must:
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deadlift 200 lbs for 3 repetitions
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throw the 10 pound medicine ball 8.0 meters
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do 30 hand-release push-ups
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run the sprint-drag-carry in less than 2 minutes and 10 seconds
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do 5 leg tucks
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run 2 miles in 18 minutes
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Soldiers in significant physical demand units or MOS must:
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deadlift 180 lbs for 3 repetitions
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throw the 10 pound medicine ball 6.5 meters
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do 20 hand-release push-ups
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run the sprint-drag-carry in less than 2 minutes and 30 seconds
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do 3 leg tucks
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run 2 miles in 19 minutes
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Can you pass the new US Army Combat Fitness Test?
The Army message is clear: meet the minimum physical fitness standard or prepare to terminate service. How difficult is it to pass the new test? It depends! How fit are you? We can measure physical fitness in a variety of different ways. Elite marathon runners have great aerobic fitness; elite power-lifters have great muscular strength. But if we measured their fitness using the ACFT, neither category of "athletes" would perform very well. This is because the ACFT measures a more comprehensive type of fitness that accounts for aerobic endurance, anaerobic endurance, muscular strength, and muscular endurance. This test punishes the specialist and rewards Soldiers that have strength and stamina. In order to pass the test with the minimum ACFT score, Soldiers must:
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deadlift 140lbs for 3 repetitions
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standing power throw a 10lbs ball 4.5 meters
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execute 10 hand-release push-ups
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complete the sprint-drag-carry in 3 minutes
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do 1 leg tuck (or temporarily substitute a 1 minute plank)
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run 2 miles in less than 21:00
If you start training with purpose NOW, the bare minimum is absolutely achievable!
Step 2 - Learn and Incorporate the Principles of Training
Exercising and training are not synonymous. Globo-gyms across the world are littered with unfit exercisers. So is the Army. Just getting out there and pounding the pavement enough to run 2 miles in 13 minutes does not mean you've executed the type of training required to perform well on the ACFT (nor does it represent comprehensive physical fitness). Real training is progressive in nature. Real training requires real efforts to recover. Real training results in the types of enhanced performance that recreational exercisers will never experience. Learn and incorporate the following principles in order to start real training:
Step 3 - Train Smarter, Not Harder
If you know where to look, high-quality training resources are readily available. In fact, many resources are available for free on the internet. The challenge is sifting through all the noise in order to find the good stuff. That's the goal of Better Everyday - the Blog and official home of Training For 600. We'll always keep you up-to-date with the Army's latest ACFT news and guidance, the most effective training techniques, and we'll keep you in touch with the larger Army fitness community.
Frequently Asked ACFT Questions
Does ACFT equipment have a NSN? Yes. NSN 7830-01-675-1851 NIIN 01675185. Find it here on GSA.
How much does 1 lane of ACFT equipment cost? About $2,524.00
How many sets of ACFT equipment does my battalion need? The U.S. Army Center for Initial Military Training recommends 16
What equipment do I need for 1 full lane of ACFT equipment?
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1 Hexagonal Barbell
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Bumper Plates: 4 x 10lb, 2 x 15lb, 2 x 25lb, 2 x 35lb, 8 x 45lb
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2 x Barbell Collars
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1 x Nylon Sled + Strap
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1 x 10lb Rubber Medicine Ball
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2 x 40lb Kettlebells
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1 x Measuring Tape
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1 x Pull-Up Bar