Posted on Jul 6, 2016
Here’s how the US Army's fitness standards have changed with the times
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RP Members and Connections how about a little walk or "Run" down memory lane when it comes to the US Army's fitness standards and how they have changed with the times!
Do we need to make another change in 2016 or 2017?
Enjoy the pictures they are great!
Do we need to make another change in 2016 or 2017?
Enjoy the pictures they are great!
Here’s how the US Army's fitness standards have changed with the times
Posted from businessinsider.com
Fitness
APFT
Exercising
Standards
Soldiers
Edited >1 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 12
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I believe that one thing that plagues the Army at this stage is upper body strength. We have focused for so many years on the ability to run that we constantly run Soldiers until they are injured. I run the Air Assault program for my Battalion and one thing that I see is that Soldiers struggle on obstacles that require upper body conditioning. I feel that putting the pull up event back in and possibly a road march could be beneficial. The Army will ultimately make a decision at some point on whether to update the current APFT, but I don't believe it will be soon.
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SSG Jason Wetenkamp
The best physical training for the body is experience! In order to train to do many push ups is to do many push-ups! Same is true for pulling your body up is to practice pulling your body up multiple times! Adding a pull up event will improve their upper body strength only if they practice that exact exercise. When I noticed myself not understanding something or not proficient I studied or applied to a place where I could improve it! Train the soldier harder and or change the training to where the soldier improves their body? Do not wait for the army to change, readiness never waits!
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SFC (Join to see)
FM 7-22 incorporated the climbing drills into our activities for MSE. With that in mind if we as units do that drill correctly upper body strength week improve, that's why there are spotters to assist until form is correct. The odd saying of do more push ups to get better at push ups isn't all that accurate because if your form is poor you won't improve. Dips funny enough will improve push ups. And toy are absolutely right "readiness never waits!"
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LTC Paul Labrador
the problem is that the APFT, as is, was adopted because it's quick and easy to conduct and doesn't require any additional equipment. However, we tend to train to the events.
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SFC (Join to see)
LTC Labrador,
I can understand that the APFT is easy to conduct and doesn't require any additional coordinations or equipment, however one of the things that I have noticed is that Soldiers who are capable of scoring a 300 on an APFT may not necessarily be in the top physical conditioning that their score shows. For example during our deployment to Afghanistan we had Soldiers who scored 300s on the APFT and as soon as we had to carry our full kit plus additional gear and equipment through the Arghandab rivers, in grape fields and pomegranate orchards those Soldiers were not able to keep up. Some of which became casualties due to fatigue and heat exhaustion, where some Soldiers who were gym goers who scored in the 250-280 range excelled because they had gotten their bodies accustomed to working under resistance. So although the current process is somewhat effective, ultimately it's like you stated. "We tend to train to the events" we should train ourselves for combat, and I believe that training for combat situations would ultimately pay dividends for the standard APFT as well.
I can understand that the APFT is easy to conduct and doesn't require any additional coordinations or equipment, however one of the things that I have noticed is that Soldiers who are capable of scoring a 300 on an APFT may not necessarily be in the top physical conditioning that their score shows. For example during our deployment to Afghanistan we had Soldiers who scored 300s on the APFT and as soon as we had to carry our full kit plus additional gear and equipment through the Arghandab rivers, in grape fields and pomegranate orchards those Soldiers were not able to keep up. Some of which became casualties due to fatigue and heat exhaustion, where some Soldiers who were gym goers who scored in the 250-280 range excelled because they had gotten their bodies accustomed to working under resistance. So although the current process is somewhat effective, ultimately it's like you stated. "We tend to train to the events" we should train ourselves for combat, and I believe that training for combat situations would ultimately pay dividends for the standard APFT as well.
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COL Mikel J. Burroughs I like the part of the article that hits home to me:
Since then, there has been much debate with the current scoring system in the Army's physical fitness test - many scorn the "corporate fitness" model and it's detraction from its more combat-oriented roots. It remains to be seen if the Army implements a more functional assessment to meet the demands of today, such as the Marine Corps' Combat Fitness Test.
Since then, there has been much debate with the current scoring system in the Army's physical fitness test - many scorn the "corporate fitness" model and it's detraction from its more combat-oriented roots. It remains to be seen if the Army implements a more functional assessment to meet the demands of today, such as the Marine Corps' Combat Fitness Test.
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Interesting article...
The Navy has always went with a PRT (Physical Readiness Test) based on 1.5 mile run, X amount of push-ups and sit-ups within 2 mins. It's graded on a scale based on age groups; 18-24, 24-29, 30-35, etc. and graded from Satisfactory to Maximum (based on gender). For my age group,( I'll be going to a new one)......For a grade of Excellent, I would need to do 35 push-ups, 81 sit-ups and do a run in 13:30 (at the minimum). We have alternate cardio options as well (swimming 500m, caloric burn on elliptical and bike). The alternate cardio for Elliptical and Bike is based on caloric burn and your weight.
Navy just went through a change in their BCT rules and added the waist circumference measure which starts at the crest of the illiac bone (top of your hip). If you are not in regulations, based on weight to height, Men have to be under 39.5 in and women have to be under 35 in for waist. If that is not passable, then the older taping technique is applied (3 point body fat measurement).
I think the Navy has a very decent PRT. It's just that there are some who either do not want to get into regs and just become complacent in their work, or they just want that paycheck and that's it. Idk about other branches but from what I hear (Marines and Army have pull-ups, and a longer run), but it's not the PRT that is the issue. The issue starts with the Sailor/Marine/Soldier (overweight, poor muscle tone, etc.)
I wouldn't make any changes to the PRT, just include more PT time (own-time or group), better food selections (both on and off the ship and base), and a better understanding/training on nutrition and physical readiness.
The Navy has always went with a PRT (Physical Readiness Test) based on 1.5 mile run, X amount of push-ups and sit-ups within 2 mins. It's graded on a scale based on age groups; 18-24, 24-29, 30-35, etc. and graded from Satisfactory to Maximum (based on gender). For my age group,( I'll be going to a new one)......For a grade of Excellent, I would need to do 35 push-ups, 81 sit-ups and do a run in 13:30 (at the minimum). We have alternate cardio options as well (swimming 500m, caloric burn on elliptical and bike). The alternate cardio for Elliptical and Bike is based on caloric burn and your weight.
Navy just went through a change in their BCT rules and added the waist circumference measure which starts at the crest of the illiac bone (top of your hip). If you are not in regulations, based on weight to height, Men have to be under 39.5 in and women have to be under 35 in for waist. If that is not passable, then the older taping technique is applied (3 point body fat measurement).
I think the Navy has a very decent PRT. It's just that there are some who either do not want to get into regs and just become complacent in their work, or they just want that paycheck and that's it. Idk about other branches but from what I hear (Marines and Army have pull-ups, and a longer run), but it's not the PRT that is the issue. The issue starts with the Sailor/Marine/Soldier (overweight, poor muscle tone, etc.)
I wouldn't make any changes to the PRT, just include more PT time (own-time or group), better food selections (both on and off the ship and base), and a better understanding/training on nutrition and physical readiness.
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