Standby Soldiers!  The new Army Combat Fitness Test is being tested and evaluated and looks like it is on schedule to be a replacement for the current Army Physical Fitness Test by the end of 2019 or beginning of 2020. The need for age groups or male and female standards are no longer required as the battlefield does not care about age or gender. The new fitness test called the Army Combat Fitness Test are the following events: 

The New Army Combat Fitness Test

​1. Deadlift - This is a three-repetition maximum deadlift using a hex bar.  

​2. Standing Power Throw - Throw a 10-pound medicine ball as far as possible over the head and to the rear. 

​3. Hand-Raised Push-ups - Still have to do pushups, but now you have to add a lift of your hands off the floor when in the down (chest to ground) position each repetition. 

​4. A 250-Meter Sprint, Drag and Carry - This is five different tests within one event -- a 50-meter sprint; a backward 50-meter drag of a 90-pound sled; a 50-meter movement; a 50-meter carry of two 40-pound kettle bells; and a final 50-meter sprint.

​5. Leg Tuck - Is a hanging knee up from a pullup bar bringing the knees to the elbows multiple times. 

​6. Two-Mile Run - Some things never change.  Soldiers still have to run 2 miles for their cardio vascular endurance test. 

Occupational Physical Assessment Test

After Basic Combat Training, the soldiers will be tasked to take the Occupational Physical Assessment Test - which will determine how physically demanding of a job training (AIT) the new soldier will be able to attend.

  The OPAT are the following fitness events:

The OPAT measures muscular strength, muscular endurance, cardiorespiratory endurance, explosive power and speed. The tests used to measure these elements of tactical fitness include: (official Army Video of the OPAT)

1 - Standing Long Jump – This is the standard broad jump with no running to build momentum.

2 - Seated Power Throw is a forward throw with both arms while seated using a 4.4 pound (2kg) medicine ball the size of a basketball. 

3 - Strength Deadlift is the standard lift of weight (using a hex bar not a barbell) from the floor to a standing position. Start with 120lbs. and build up to 220lbs.

4 – Interval Run (Beep Test) is a short distance interval run designed to assess aerobic capacity. The intervals are only 20m apart and you start each 20m run on the sound of "beeps" that intervals decrease with time. 

The Current Army Physical Fitness Test

The below section is the current Army Physical Fitness Test and the male standard for ages 27-31. 

The U.S. Army measures physical aptitude through the Army Physical Fitness Test, or APFT, which requires soldiers to complete three events: two minutes of push-ups, two minutes of sit-ups, and a two-mile run.

Scoring on the APFT is based on  age category, gender, number of repetitions performed of the push-up and sit-up, and run time. The score for each event ranges from 0 to 100 points. Soldiers need to score at least a 60 to pass the test. APFT standards may be tougher for some special purpose units.

Scores of 270 or above on the APFT -- with a minimum score of 90 in each event -- earn soldiers the Physical Fitness badge.

However, this test has been widely criticized for not adequately measuring strength and endurance. For this reason, in 2011 the Army piloted the Army Physical Readiness Test (APRT) on more than 10,000 soldiers, but eventually decided to stick with the APFT test.

U.S. Physical Fitness Charts for Males Age 27-31

While the APFT test is still being used, the following charts show the number of repetitions and scores needed for men ages 27 to 31 to pass the test. Standards vary by age and gender, and the standards have been criticized  due to the differences in passing scores for men and women.

Push-ups

Reps	Score	Reps	Score	Reps	Score	Reps	Score
77	100	57	79	37	58	17	37
76	99	56	78	36	57	16	36
75	98	55	77	35	56	15	35
74	97	54	76	34	55	14	34
73	96	53	75	33	54	13	33
72	95	52	74	32	53	12	32
71	94	51	73	31	52	11	31
70	93	50	72	30	50	10	29
69	92	49	71	29	49	9	28
68	91	48	69	28	48	8	27
67	89	47	68	27	47	7	26
66	88	46	67	26	46	6	25
65	87	45	66	25	45	5	24
64	86	44	65	24	44	4	23
63	85	43	64	23	43	3	22
62	84	42	63	22	42	2	21
61	83	41	62	21	41	1	20
60	82	40	61	20	40
59	81	39	60	19	39
58	80	38	59	18	38

 

Sit-Ups

Reps	Score	Reps	Score	Reps	Score	Reps	Score
82	100	66	83	50	65	34	48
81	99	65	82	49	64	33	47
80	98	64	81	48	63	32	46
79	97	63	79	47	62	31	45
78	96	62	78	46	61	30	44
77	95	61	77	45	60	29	43
76	94	60	76	44	59	28	42
75	92	59	75	43	58	27	41
74	91	58	74	42	57	26	39
73	90	57	73	41	56	25	38
72	89	56	72	40	55	24	37
71	88	55	71	39	54	23	36
70	87	54	70	38	52	22	35
69	86	53	69	37	51	21	34
68	85	52	68	36	50
67	84	51	66	35	49

 

Running (2 Miles)

Time	Score	Time	Score	Time	Score	Time	Score
12:54		16:24	66	19:54	29	23:24
13:00		16:30	65	20:00	28	23:30
13:06		16:36	64	20:06	26	23:36
13:12		16:42	63	20:12	25	23:42
13:18	100	16:48	62	20:18	24	23:48
13:24	99	16:54	61	20:24	23	23:54
13:30	98	17:00	60	20:30	22	24:00
13:36	97	17:06	59	20:36	21	24:06
13:42	96	17:12	58	20:42	20	24:12
13:48	95	17:18	57	20:48	19	24:18
13:54	94	17:24	56	20:54	18	24:24
14:00	92	17:30	55	21:00	17	24:30
14:06	91	17:36	54	21:06	16	24:36
14:12	90	17:42	52	21:12	15	24:42
14:18	89	17:48	51	21:18	14	24:48
14:24	88	17:54	50	21:24	12	24:54
14:30	87	18:00	49	21:30	11	25:00
14:36	86	18:06	48	21:36	10	25:06
14:42	85	18:12	47	21:42	9	25:12
14:48	84	18:18	46	21:48	8	25:18
14:54	83	18:24	45	21:54	7	25:24
15:00	82	18:30	44	22:00	6	25:30
15:06	81	18:36	43	22:06	5	25:36
15:12	79	18:42	42	22:12	4	25:42
15:18	78	18:48	41	22:18	3	25:48
15:24	77	18:54	39	22:24	2	25:54
15:30	76	19:00	38	22:30	1	26:00
15:36	75	19:06	37	22:36	0	26:06
15:42	74	19:12	36	22:42		26:12
15:48	73	19:18	35	22:48		26:18
15:54	72	19:24	34	22:54		26:24
16:00	71	19:30	33	23:00		26:30
16:06	70	19:36	32	23:06
16:12	69	19:42	31	23:12
16:18	68	19:48	30	23:18

 

Gender Neutral Tests

According to the U.S. Army, the new tests being developed will likely incorporate exercises that soldiers need on the battlefield, that revolve around gender-neutral and standards-based skills.

The Occupational Physical Assessment Test (OPAT) is gender-neutral test that includes a standing long jump, a dead lift, an aerobic interval run and a “seated power throw,” which is "a gauge of upper-body strength that represents loading ammunition," according to US Army Times.

Other details about the test, which is still being developed, include the following:

• Scoring for each event has yet to  been determined, but unlike the APFT, plans call for one system for all ages and genders.
• MOSs will be ranked in a three-tier system. Recruits with scores that fall short of Tier 1 (high-demand) in a given event, won’t be eligible for specialties in that tier.
• Recruits must meet the Tier 3 standards to join the Army.
• Re-tests will be allowed with time frames and limits to the number of tests to be determined.
• Like the APFT, the OPAT can be administered individually or in a group setting. 

Related Articles:

• Army Field Manuals
• Basic Training is Smarter, Not Softer
• The Rules of the Army Field Manual About Physical Training
• Recruiting School