New Army Fitness Tests.....

[WoodyTX]

If you did "Iron Mikes", or ran on pavement in boots, it wasn't the road marches. Both of those are destructive to knees.

(Former personal trainer, married to a physical therapist.)

 

[Deltaboy1984]

I went through the 1980's Army PT and it was a piece of cake compared to my HS Football Coach's 2 a days. He was the son of a Marine DI and he ran us like we were in the corps. We puked daily and by the time I got ROTC Camp I was in great shape thanks to the private PT my HS Coach gave me. Now days what I am seeing will work better for our boys in the sandbox.

 

[griff383]

So if the Air Force changed their PT program does that mean that they decided set the TV remote next to the TV instead of on the coffee table?

I remember the quarterly ruck marches. I loved them, it was the only time you had to yourself. For three hours everyone shut up and marched. Now though, my knees tell me when the weather is about to change

 

[HorseSoldier]

So if the Air Force changed their PT program does that mean that they decided set the TV remote next to the TV instead of on the coffee table?

There's actually a lot of dissent in the USAF about their current PT program. Some of the high points -- USAF adopts new PT test, but then decides they don't trust USAF NCOs and officers to administer it, so hire outside civilians to give the PT tests to military personnel. Also, they adopt a height/weight "program" that simply measures waists of personnel with no norming for height or age -- meaning a 6'6" 48 year old has to have the same waist measurement as a 5'0" 18 year old. Pure, unscientific clown shoe time from the people running the Air Force . . .

 

[LkWinnipesaukee]

As a cadet hoping to commission in 2 years, I hope this test will be more beneficial to me than the current APFT.

I also wonder how much fun everyone will have setting the course up...

 

[xcgates]

Being built like a runner, and being able to get a decent score on a mock AF PT test (my squadron runs one once a month to keep people honest) while drastically hung over, I am the first to say that it really messes up those who aren't built with stick waists. And lets face it, I'd rather have the 200lb guy pulling me than the other way around.

That said, I have been pondering starting a routine of running to the range to shoot, it should only be ~3 miles round trip cutting through some of the brush and fields.

 

[mljdeckard]

I have already talked to my guys about this, we can see problems for the national guard guys. We usually go to the local high school track to administer a PT test, now we will have to have a bit of gear and a course set up. Like Jeff and some of the others have said, a big reason for the old test was that almost no special equipment was needed. Now we will need cones, balance boards, ammo cans, sled dummies, weapons (dummy or otherwise) and field gear. This will limit how and when some soldiers can take the tests. If you are going to a school, you have to have a recent PT test. I could see them stretching that standard to say; "If the soldier is current and in good standing with their unit for PT", then can go to the school.

I have a permanent profile for lower leg pain, I wonder how this will affect my events?

But yes, for decades now, army PT has been a game of stretching what you need to to pass the test, with little rooted in reality. I don't know if this is the solution, but it's a step in the right direction. Ht/wt needs to be gone over too.

 

[JShirley]

This is NOT the new Army physical readiness test. But these are element of the proposed combat readiness test.

I believe staying fit is important~ but believe this thread is completely OT.

J

 

[vita]

Hey guys, Im new. Im not going to claim Im part of the Army, nor am I going to claim that I disagree with anything...


Im a senior in an ROTC program in North Dakota... I score a 270-290 on the current PT test. Im fit, Im required to get no less then a 270 or I lose grade points in my Military Science classes. I work out, monday thru friday at 0600, rain, snow or sunshine.

I can say, Im glad their changing it up. I understand that many of the NG guys might have a problem with this change, due to equipment and time (as mentioned), but being able to do 80+ pushups to max doesnt mean jack ****.


• 60-yard shuttle run

• 1-minute rower

• Standing long jump

• 1-minute push-up

• 1½-mile run


those are some of the events for the PT test, non combat. the rest, cane be read here:
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2011/03/army-first-look-at-new-pt-030411w/

 

[Zombiphobia]

I think our PT should be more combat focused. Just makes sense to me.

 

[Zoogster]

Being built like a runner, and being able to get a decent score on a mock AF PT test (my squadron runs one once a month to keep people honest) while drastically hung over, I am the first to say that it really messes up those who aren't built with stick waists. And lets face it, I'd rather have the 200lb guy pulling me than the other way around.

If you did "Iron Mikes", or ran on pavement in boots, it wasn't the road marches. Both of those are destructive to knees.

Well it really is the smaller frame guys that do great on some of those strength to weight tests like typical calisthenics that can be in more trouble out in the field.
Especially the guys in the infantry.
The PT tests often benefit those with better strength to weight ratios.
The equipment people carry is not based on their weight so strength to weight is not what matters, everyone carries certain equipment and certain loadouts are of similar weight.
Bigger guys as a result are carrying a much lower percent of their body weight than small guys. So it is the small guys that are often going to have it harder in the field carrying a standard loadout. They are also more likely to be doing long lasting damage to their bodies, carrying a percent of body weight beyond what their frame was designed for and getting things like knee problems.

So they may have it the easiest in some forms of PT, but that is just PT.

 

[SSN Vet]

Running on paved roads with "old fashioned" black leather hard sole boots certainly did a number on my knees. I never really realized it at the time, as I was NOT going to be the one to cry about it.

The human body wares out, and some jobs ware it out faster than others. But adding stupidity to the training/PFT process doesn't help any.

 

[wannasupra]

what's probably going to happen is they'll implement this combat fitness test as an ADDITIONAL event, once a year, and keep the twice a year 3 event pt test. since that would suck more for us, the soldiers, and would make no sense at all. yea, that's probably what will happen.