Can You Pass the Army’s New Fitness Test?

On June 1, the Army will adopt new fitness standards for soldiers in combat roles. Many of the updates to the test are relatively minor, though the minimum requirement in some events, like the two-mile run, will change more substantially. The most significant shift is that the new standards will be the same for men and women.

Even if you have no ambitions to join the military, the test can be an excellent gauge of overall fitness, experts said, because it balances strength, speed, endurance and core stability.

“There’s a lot of people that do it just for general fitness,” said Josh Bryant, a private consultant who designed a course used by the International Sports Sciences Association to train soldiers, police officers and firefighters. “Whoever designed it did a good job of it,” he said.

Here’s what’s in the test, and what it takes to pass each event.

What is the Army Fitness Test?

The test has existed in some form for more than a century. The latest version has five events: deadlifts, push-ups, planks, a two-mile run and the sprint-drag-carry, a shuttle run involving sleds and kettle bells. These exercises represent a well-rounded mix of functional exercises — for both soldiers and civilians, fitness experts said.

The minimum performances listed below reflect the new standards for a passing score for 30-year-old combat soldiers. They could also be good targets for someone just trying to get in better shape, Mr. Bryant said. For more of a challenge, try to beat the Army’s overall average scores, based on a report by Military.com. (In order to pass the actual test, which is graded based on age, soldiers must score above the minimum in each event and excel in at least one. They also perform all five exercises in a row with minimal rest.)

Deadlifts

How to do it: Perform three deadlifts using a hexagonal bar.

Benefit: Deadlifts are extremely effective exercises for strengthening your quads, hamstrings and lower back. Using a hexagonal bar makes the move safer and more effective than using a barbell, Mr. Bryant said.

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