“Army Strong” is more than just a catchphrase. For soldiers, it is a requirement of duty.
US military All active soldiers need to prove their physical abilities by passing a rigorous fitness test. There have been multiple versions of tests over the years, and the Army recently announced that a new version has been adopted.
On June 1, 2025, the Military Branch unveils its new one Army Fitness Test (ACFT) as an alternative to the current Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT).
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According to an Army press release, the new test, based on “18 months of data analysis and feedback from thousands of test iterations,” will introduce updated scoring criteria that highlight “preparation and combat effectiveness.”
Soldiers must meet the new AFT requirements until January 1, 2026, without facing “adverse behavior.”
The US Army requires that all active duty soldiers prove their physical ability by passing strict fitness tests. (istock)
The rear score is recorded inside Basic training for soldiers First training for officers, the Army states on its website.
Active duty soldiers must complete tests twice a year, while Army Reserve and Army National Guard soldiers must score once a year.
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“The rear is designed to improve and ensure the preparation of the soldiers Physical standards [and] Prepare your soldiers for the demands of modern warfare,” said Major General Christopher Marinax, a senior enlisted leader who is deputy chief of staff at the Army headquarters during its release.
“It emphasizes overall fitness for event-specific training and is based on performance.”
The recruits are undergoing physical training at the training centre of the third separate attack brigade in Dnipro, Ukraine on September 14, 2024. (Getty Images)
Scoring requirements are more demanding in new tests, with soldiers in combat roles being held to the highest standards.
“The combat standards are sexually centred on the role of 21 direct combat and are designed to ensure fairness and operational readiness,” the release states.
Five components of testing
The AFT consists of five events, as stated on the Army website:
1. Maximum deadlift 3 repetitions
In this task, soldiers will need to lift their maximum weight three times using a 60-pound hex bar and plate.
This movement assesses muscle strength, balance and flexibility.
“It’s viable, but only with smart, progressive training.”
“Deadlifts require someone to employ the strength of the groot and hamstring to lift the barbell from the ground to waist height,” said the certified personal trainer. Boxing instructor At the Rumble in New York City. “This is the most effective technique for picking up heavy weights from the ground.”
Deadlifts can also be dangerous if civilians use inappropriate shapes, warned Dr. Furuman Melamed, an orthopedic spine surgeon at Beverly Hills and sports medicine expert.
Army soldiers must complete a timing 2-mile run on flat outdoor courses in aerobic durability test. (istock)
“If your posture or form is off, you have a higher risk to your hips and hips. That can be a career-ending injury for some people,” he told Fox News Digital.
2. Hand release push-ups
Soldiers should complete as many hand release pushups as possible in two minutes using the appropriate techniques.
“In hand-release pushups, a person has to drop them all the way onto the ground, lift their hands into the air for a second, then return them to High Plank,” said Hill, who is Taekwondo’s second black belt.
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Melamed noted that hand-release push-ups are great for building upper body strength, but sudden force can damage the shoulder if the person is not yet strong.
Hand Release Push-Up Test Muscle endurance And flexibility.
3. Sprint-Drag-Carry
Using Sprint-Drag-Carry (SDC), soldiers complete a 50-meter shuttle (sprint, drag, lateral, carry, sprint) as quickly as possible, using two 40-pound kettlebells and a 90-pound thread.
“Sprint drug carry is probably explosive strength, muscle endurance, and Cardiovascular enduranceHill said.
“The combat standards are sexually centred on the role of 21 direct combat and were designed to ensure fairness and operational readiness,” the Army release states. (cecilie_arcurs)
Melamed calls SDC a “brutal test of speed and explosive power.”
“If you’re not conditioned, you could tear the hamstrings or a central run could happen,” he said.
4. Plank
Soldiers should test muscle endurance and balance and maintain the plank position as appropriate as possible.
“The board is the ultimate test of the core Strength and enduranceone can try because one needs to hold as much weight as possible, but it is time requirements to decide on the challenge. ”
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Melamed noted that while this movement appears simple, it is extremely challenging to hold the right board for time. “It reveals weaknesses in the girdles on the back, core and shoulders.”
5. Running 2 miles
Soldiers must complete the time limit Running 2 miles On a flat outdoor course with aerobic endurance test.
“Two-mile runs are relatively easy for healthy human people, but time constraints are challenging,” Hill said.
Using Sprint-Drag-Carry (SDC), soldiers complete a 50-meter shuttle (sprint, drag, lateral, carry, sprint) as quickly as possible, using two 40-pound kettlebells and a 90-pound thread. (istock)
Standing Power Slow Events, which are part of previous versions of the test, are no longer included as requirements.
“We eliminated standing power throws because we didn’t effectively promote fitness and preparation.
“In addition, it presented an increased risk of overuse injuries and encouraged soldiers to focus on techniques rather than show real power.”
How difficult is that?
Primary Care Dr. Jason Perry said toughness in training or fitness tests is related to an individual’s overall fitness Sports doctor We offer Baptist Health Orthopedic Care in Deerfield Beach, Florida.
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“Generally speaking, the back is challenging, but not impossible for the average person with a basic fitness foundation,” Perry, who is not in the Army, told Fox News Digital.
“It is designed to test whole body strength, muscle endurance, speed, agility and cardiovascular stamina. Functional fitness For civilians. ”
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Compared to typical gym workouts, AFT is more demanding as it combines different psHysical Domain To one test, he said.
“Compared to elite athletic training, it’s medium, but not easy,” Perry added.
For the max deadlift of three repetitions of this task, the soldier must lift the maximum weight three times using a 60-pound hex bar and plate. (istock)
For civilians who regularly train, perform, or intensify functional training (such as CrossFit or HIIT), the test is within reach, he said.
For civilians who exercise three or four times a week, AFT is “realistically achievable” with intensive training over 8-12 weeks.
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“It’s likely that about 30-50% of healthy, recreational active adults can pass it on with mitigation to moderate training,” he predicted. “A sedentary adult or Chronic condition There may be difficult times and you may need an 8-12 week (or perhaps a long) conditioning plan to pass. ”
Melamed is not that optimistic, estimated that under 5% of civilians can pass the backwards.
“If you try to do something you haven’t prepared this, you could end up seriously injured.”
“These are not weekend strategies. It’s a military-level conditioning,” he told Fox News Digital. “We need to move towards this level of intensity training.”
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“If you try something you haven’t prepared this, you can get seriously injured,” he warned. “It’s viable, but only in smart, progressive training. You need to gradually tackle it.”
“And this test is about strategy and recovery as well as raw strength.”
