NSCA -National Strength - Preparing for the Army Combat Fitness Test

Preparing for the

ARMY COMBAT FITNESS TEST

Nate Palin, MS, CSCS

Rob Hartman, MAEd, CSCS

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Palin, Nate, 1980- author. | Hartman, Rob, 1980- author. | National Strength & Conditioning Association (U.S.), sponsoring body.

Title: Preparing for the Army Combat Fitness Test / Nate Palin, Rob Hartman.

Description: Champaign, IL : Human Kinetics, 2021. | Includes bibliographical references.

Identifiers: LCCN 2020016345 (print) | LCCN 2020016346 (ebook) | ISBN 9781492598688 (paperback) | ISBN 9781492598695 (epub) | ISBN 9781492598701 (pdf)

Subjects: LCSH: United States. Army--Physical training. | Physical fitness. | Exercise.

Classification: LCC U323 .P35 2021 (print) | LCC U323 (ebook) | DDC 613.7076--dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020016345

LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020016346

ISBN: 978-1-4925-9868-8 (print)

Copyright 2021 by the National Strength and Conditioning Association

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INTRODUCTION

SUMMARY OF HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

The arrival of the Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT) causes concern within Army leadership and subordinate soldiers alike because passing the new test requires a more advanced training approach than its Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT) predecessor. Commonly expressed concerns include passing rates (particularly for female soldiers), logistics of training and testing, and potential for injury. The FM 7-22: Army Physical Readiness Training field manual (see the web address in the Suggested Resources section of the book) provides leaders with guidance on how to train physically; however, FM 7-22 can be an overwhelming reference that does not effectively communicate a viable training plan to soldiers, particularly with the desired result of passing the ACFT. To bridge the divide left by FM 7-22, this book serves as a comprehensive training guide for both soldiers looking to individually improve their scores and leaders responsible for preparing their soldiers to pass the ACFT.

There is no substitute for direct engagement with a certified strength and conditioning coach. However, Preparing for the Army Combat Fitness Test provides a viable solution by describing the ACFT in detail, advising how to evaluate and interpret your results, and providing comprehensive training programs to improve your performance outcomes. An extensive section explains how to safely and effectively execute the exercises assigned within the training programs. Alternative exercises are identified in case you are training under conditions that are less than ideal. This book serves as a standalone resource to help you effectively increase your ACFT score by enhancing essential components of performance.

To best use this book, invest some time in reading ). Testing upon completion of your selected program serves as a guide for progressive training and allows you to determine which program fits your newly trained state.

Figure I.1How to navigatePreparing for the Army Combat Fitness Test

HISTORY OF MILITARY FITNESS TESTING

Before embarking on training for the Armys latest physical fitness test, it helps to understand and appreciate its origins. The Army has a long history of physical testing dating back to the 1850s. The Individual Efficiency Test of 1920 required sprinting, jumping, climbing, throwing, and navigating an obstacle course; furthermore, initial science-based test events in the 1940s consisted of pull-ups, burpees, squat jumps, push-ups, man carries, sit-ups, and a 300-yard (274 m) run.

Ironically, these earlier assessments reflected an appreciation for performing job-relevant activities, a concept aligned with the reemerging trend of functional fitness. Mandatory testing did not occur until the mid-1960s. Shortly thereafter, standardization of the APFT was attempted in an effort to reduce the Armys excessive variety of assessments. Considered less functional by experts in the field of human performance, the APFT was officially incorporated around 1980 as a result of popular American societys shift in fitness trends.