Will I get kicked out of the Army for being too heavy for my height?

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 23 Jun 2018 00:43:59 -0400

So I have my first pt test at my unit next Tuesday. I’m 5’7 and I weigh 180. I like lifting every day for muscle not stamina because that is what I like to do but will I get taped?

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 23 at 2018 12:45 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 23 Jun 2018 00:45:40 -0400

Too* my bad, autocorrect is horrible

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 23 at 2018 12:46 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 23 Jun 2018 00:46:27 -0400

Also I’m not really fat. I have a small waste and wide shoulders

Response by SPC John Waisman made Jun 23 at 2018 12:55 AM

SPC John Waisman — Sat, 23 Jun 2018 00:55:20 -0400

I remember Hollyfield was said to have too high a bmr. Turns out he was lifting a lot and muscles weighs more than fat. His body fat level was near zero. You might have the same issue, which is a non-issue, because Hollyfield was in amazing shape. Just saying.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 23 at 2018 12:56 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 23 Jun 2018 00:56:48 -0400

SGT Private RallyPoint Member looks like you’re going to be taped. See attached link. Your shoulders don’t mean anything. Abdomen (at navel, parallel to floor) and neck (just below Adam’s apple).

Please note, on abdomen measurements, it gets rounded down to nearest 1/2 inch. On neck measurements, it gets rounded up to nearest 1/2 inch.

http://www.apft-standards.com/maleheightandweight.html

US Army Male Height and Weight Standards

Physical Fitness Standards for the United States Army

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jun 23 at 2018 3:23 AM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Sat, 23 Jun 2018 03:23:53 -0400

http://www.usaikifed.com/

I'm gonna offer a suggestion I merely thought you might find useful...I've done this for a long while now, both because of the intellectual ual complexity of the movements, esp of the hands, as well as the aerobic value...also, aikido tends to run quite hand in hand a good deal with iaido, which is Japanese swordsmanship, you can see numerous examples of both on YouTube...I actually find the biomechanics and physics of the movements my principal interest, though I've found that those who do both seriously generally don't want to overanalyze both arts, the site here if you search for it, has a group on RallyPoint devoted to aikido, as well...now it is very possible to ding a joint, or get a fracture doind aikido, it's a blend of judo, jujitsu, and kendo, it does get pretty rough, however, I can also assure you the moves are extremely fluid, though you most definitely won't understand what you'd be watching for minimum six months before you'd start comprehending it, it:s also in my view the most fluid of the arts, plus, iaido, having don't it, as well as aikido, I can assure you, both are extremely fatiguing, doing three hours of serious aikido is most definitely the aerobic equivalent of running 10 miles, I could only at my !ax while I'd been in, do eight, I think you'd find this more intellectually motivating, I always found running boring, tough necessary, I also prefer swimming and cycling, however, trust me, if you do aikido for six months to a year, minimum, I can most definitely assure you, if you're careful, that it'd help you quite considerably, plus, you'd open yourself to a whole new world you'd never seen before, ifmyouve never heard of it, it:s not scorable, as judo or other arts are, certain things can be done on one's own, however, it's intended to be done in pairs, or in multiple engagements, it was founded by Morihei Ueshiba sevl decades ago in Japan, who, I can assure you, was very much the real deal, those I know twho taught and still teach !e trai ed under him or his son, plus, to my mind, he makes Bruce Lee positively look like a wimp, I've seen videos of him in his eighties, still full tilt, and I can assure you, the videos, or the art, is very real, the etiquette is very strict, they're real serious about it, the verbiage is all Japanese, so you'd have to get use to that as well, however, if you're up for a physical and intellectual challenge, trust !e, you most definitely, with iaido, would very definitely not be wasting your time I assure you, I'd be most eager to know your thoughts, if you'd care to chat further at all, I hope you find that all at least of some use and/or interest...and I know Burce Lee was quite real, I was only trying to point out that Morihei Ueshiba was just, to my mind, the more impressive of the two, that was all, many thanks....

United States Aikido Federation

The United States Aikido Federation (USAF) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to spreading and maintaining the Japanese martial art of Aikido. As the largest Aikido organization in America and the official U.S. representative to the International Aikido Federation, the USAF strives to promote goodwill and friendship among members of the USAF and other Aikido organizations around the world.

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jun 23 at 2018 3:25 AM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Sat, 23 Jun 2018 03:25:51 -0400

And I think you'd find it a quite considerably useful supplement and adjunct to weightlifting, I never did that, I had no interest in it, however, indulge me, if you will, and at least try aikido and iaido, or at least watch them in YouTube, I assure you, you won't be disappointed, honest....

Response by LTC Kevin B. made Jun 23 at 2018 3:31 AM

LTC Kevin B. — Sat, 23 Jun 2018 03:31:18 -0400

You don't get kicked out for being too heavy. You get kicked out for having too much body fat. The height/weight is just a screening mechanism to see who needs to have their body fat measured. With that being said, simply looking overweight can cause discrimination along the way throughout your career, so stay vigilant.

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jun 23 at 2018 3:45 AM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Sat, 23 Jun 2018 03:45:08 -0400

Watch "Aikido National Geographic" on YouTube - https://youtu.be/RCeOedrW-AM

Watch this video...I didn't necessarily find all of it to my taste, however, of all the documentaries I've ever seen on it, I'd found this among the most technically accurate...plus, I've actually been in classes with one of the instructors shown in it, he knows those who taught and still teach me, plus, he helped occiate at the one exam I did in it thus far, I'm not advanced in it, I've just been around it a fair while, I'm extremely low level, a nothing peon in their world, I merely have considerable admiration for them, honest, I think if you watch this, you'll begin to fathom the movements involved, it is, as I'd said, extreme ly accurate, the philosophic approach to the video, I'd have cha GED somewhat, I think, however, the technical accuracy is, I assure you, quite indisputable, honest....

Aikido National Geographic

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jun 23 at 2018 3:47 AM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Sat, 23 Jun 2018 03:47:33 -0400

http://www.birankai.org/

I've also been to one of their seminars for a whole week at a college near us, they're also equally good, plus, that was where that same instructor I'd seen in the video also taught one day, as well....

Birankai North America :: Home

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jun 23 at 2018 3:52 AM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Sat, 23 Jun 2018 03:52:30 -0400

Watch "IAIDO DOCUMENTARY: WHAT IS IAIDO?" on YouTube - https://youtu.be/gP0XeSrtgz0

This is a pretty decent and quite detailed video on iaido....

IAIDO DOCUMENTARY: WHAT IS IAIDO?

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jun 23 at 2018 3:54 AM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Sat, 23 Jun 2018 03:54:48 -0400

Watch "MCMAP & Army Combatives (documentary)" on YouTube - https://youtu.be/M_6_AO-lqNs

I didn't know if you'd known about this, I'd found it of interest, extremely rough, certainly, however, interesting, all the sa!e, I'd thought....

MCMAP & Army Combatives (documentary)

The Marine Corps Martial Arts Program (MCMAP, /ˈmɪkmæp/) is a combat system developed by the United States Marine Corps to combine existing and new hand-to-h...

Response by SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth made Jun 23 at 2018 5:27 AM

SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth — Sat, 23 Jun 2018 05:27:51 -0400

If you can't meet the weight to height requirements, quite possible.

Response by CSM Darieus ZaGara made Jun 23 at 2018 8:10 AM

CSM Darieus ZaGara — Sat, 23 Jun 2018 08:10:09 -0400

I personally am a weight lifter and I had enumerator heavy lifters assigned to my units. Generally they maxed the PT test and the tape was not an issue. So the weight should not be a problem if you meet tape and pass the PT test. Thank you for your service.

Response by MAJ Karen Wall made Jun 23 at 2018 1:27 PM

MAJ Karen Wall — Sat, 23 Jun 2018 13:27:26 -0400

I don't know the weight tables used these days, but from your numbers, my first guess is that you might get taped. On another note, I would suggest that you increase your stamina as well, because the run is historically difficult for those who are more muscle than cardio. I hope all goes well.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 23 at 2018 1:28 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 23 Jun 2018 13:28:37 -0400

A friend in basic and AIT (another female) constantly got taped because she was always over her max weight due to muscle. She was a PT beast. She never failed tape because she had no body fat - she was just all muscle and muscle weighs. I don't think there was ever a question if she would pass her tape test. It just sucked she had to do it. She was in better shape than most anyone else in basic or AIT.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 23 at 2018 10:09 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 23 Jun 2018 22:09:02 -0400

I am confidant that there is someone in your unit who also lifts, who is over table weight that can shed light on this to you. The tape has been used for decades, there are many in your unit that get taped, and pass I bet.

Response by SPC Billy Keenan made Jun 24 at 2018 12:19 AM

SPC Billy Keenan — Sun, 24 Jun 2018 00:19:16 -0400

Got taped once for being 10 lbs over but had very low body fat so it wasn’t a problem. I just liked the gym back then

Response by CAPT Kevin B. made Jun 24 at 2018 11:35 AM

CAPT Kevin B. — Sun, 24 Jun 2018 11:35:16 -0400

I think I was saved by having a thick neck. The other Kev is correct, tape is a pre screen. I had some Polynesian SELs who could walk on the bottom of the pool. No problem with the dunk test. After one of those, we didn't bother testing again. And, NOBODY looked at them sideways lest they be crushed.

Response by SFC Harry (Billy) Tison made Jun 24 at 2018 3:06 PM

SFC Harry (Billy) Tison — Sun, 24 Jun 2018 15:06:27 -0400

I personally think the weight standards are screwy. I'm talking mainly about the tape test for measuring body fat. I've had doctor's tell me that is the worse way to measure body fat

Response by 1SG Jeremy Evans made Jun 24 at 2018 11:00 PM

1SG Jeremy Evans — Sun, 24 Jun 2018 23:00:46 -0400

Work the system or it will work you. You’ll definitely get taped and your fate will fall on the numbers, not how fit you are. I’ve unfortunately had to see Soldiers with 300 APFT scores forced out of the army due to non compliance with body fat standards.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 10 at 2021 6:43 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 10 Aug 2021 18:43:16 -0400

Only if you fail your tape tests. In other words, you can be heavier than your max weight, but hopefully you are lifting weights to even out your build.

Response by SSG Edward Tilton made Aug 10 at 2021 7:45 PM

SSG Edward Tilton — Tue, 10 Aug 2021 19:45:52 -0400

Undertall?

Response by SFC Ralph E Kelley made Aug 10 at 2021 8:14 PM

SFC Ralph E Kelley — Tue, 10 Aug 2021 20:14:12 -0400

I'm with LTC Kevin B. the whole time I was in service I weigh-in at 230 bs, 6 feet tall. My body fat on the day I retired was 17.8. It did get old going down to a hospital to be measured every month. Finally a Navy Surgeon who was in charge of Gorgas Hospital, Republic of Panama put an order in my medical records telling everyone I could be weigh and measure at a hospital only every 180 to 210 days.

Response by CPT Lawrence Cable made Aug 11 at 2021 11:42 AM

CPT Lawrence Cable — Wed, 11 Aug 2021 11:42:17 -0400

If you lift and still maintain body fat standards, you are fine. I shot up to about 205 when I started lifting, never had an issue passing the tape test and I am 5'9". Still scored in the 280/290 range on the APFT. Probably did have an age advantage, but would have still taped under 20%