The New Army Combat Fitness Test: An Opportunity to Improve Recruitment and Retainment

Bigelman, Kevin A.; East, Whitfield B.; Thomas, Diana M.; Turner, Dusty; Hertling, Mark

doi:10.1002/oby.22619

Cited by 15 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…This is expected to replace the APFT as early as March 2022, although full implementation will likely take several more years (24,25,41). The ACFT has a strong emphasis on strength and power testing across 4 of its 6 events, starting with a 3 repetition maximum hex bar deadlift, followed by a standing power throw behind the head using a 10 lb medicine ball (SPT), 2 minutes of hand-release pushups, a sprint-drag-carry event using a 90 lb sled and two 40 lb kettlebells (SDC), a leg tuck event from a dead hang on a pull-up bar (LTK), or an alternate plank event, followed by a timed 2-mile run (2 MR) (12,43). Each event is scored on a scale ranging up to 100 points, with a gender-neutral minimum requirement of 60 points in each event and 600 points as the highest possible total score (14,43).…”

Section: Current Issues and Future Directionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Army physical fitness testing procedures were significantly updated in October 2020 and are expected to officially take effect as early as March 2022 (14). The increased focus on strength training described in the new Army Field Manual 7-22 (28) can be expected to produce downstream changes to favorable body composition parameters (e.g., increased lean mass) related to these refocused military performance outcomes (12,62). Other current challenges include refining appropriate nutritional, training, and body composition recommendations to support the integration and performance of an increasing number of women into combatcentric military occupations (83).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Military Body Composition Standards and Physical Performance: Historical Perspectives and Future Directions

Harty

Friedl

Nindl

et al. 2021

Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research

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Harty, PS, Friedl, KE, Nindl, BC, Harry, JR, Vellers, HL, and Tinsley, GM. Military body composition standards and physical performance: historical perspectives and future directions. J Strength Cond Res 36(12): 3551–3561, 2022—US military physique and body composition standards have been formally used for more than 100 years. These metrics promote appropriate physical fitness, trim appearance, and long-term health habits in soldiers, although many specific aspects of these standards have evolved as evidence-based changes have emerged. Body composition variables have been shown to be related to many physical performance outcomes including aerobic capacity, muscular endurance, strength and power production, and specialized occupational tasks involving heavy lifting and load carriage. Although all these attributes are relevant, individuals seeking to improve military performance should consider emphasizing strength, hypertrophy, and power production as primary training goals, as these traits appear vital to success in the new Army Combat Fitness Test introduced in 2020. This fundamental change in physical training may require an adjustment in body composition standards and methods of measurement as physique changes in modern male and female soldiers. Current research in the field of digital anthropometry (i.e., 3-D body scanning) has the potential to dramatically improve performance prediction algorithms and potentially could be used to inform training interventions. Similarly, height-adjusted body composition metrics such as fat-free mass index might serve to identify normal weight personnel with inadequate muscle mass, allowing for effective targeted nutritional and training interventions. This review provides an overview of the origin and evolution of current US military body composition standards in relation to military physical readiness, summarizes current evidence relating body composition parameters to aspects of physical performance, and discusses issues relevant to the emerging modern male and female warrior.

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Section: Current Issues and Future Directionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Military Body Composition Standards and Physical Performance: Historical Perspectives and Future Directions

Harty

Friedl

Nindl

et al. 2021

Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…The U.S. Army combat fitness test includes six events. A three-repetition maximum of the deadlift, a standing power throw, a hand-release push-up, a sprint-drag-carry using a weighted sled and kettlebells, a plank hold, and a two-mile run [ 82 ]. Even though this test battery covers diverse physical challenges including specific strength parameters, anthropometric measures are still not considered.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

CrossFit®: ‘Unknowable’ or Predictable?—A Systematic Review on Predictors of CrossFit® Performance

Meier

Schlie

Schmidt

2023

Sports

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The functional fitness training program CrossFit® is experiencing fast-growing and widespread popularity with day-to-day varying ‘Workouts of the Day’ (WOD). Even among tactical athletes, the training program is widely applied. Nevertheless, there is a lack of data on which parameters influence CrossFit® performance. For this reason, the purpose of this study is to conduct a systematic review of the existing literature to identify and summarize predictors of CrossFit® performance and performance enhancement. In accordance with the PRISMA guidelines, a systematic search of the following databases was conducted in April 2022: PubMed, SPORTDiscus, Scopus, and Web of Science. Using the keyword ‘CrossFit’, 1264 entries are found, and 21 articles are included based on the eligibility criteria. In summary, the studies show conflicting results, and no specific key parameter was found that predicts CrossFit® performance regardless of the type of WOD. In detail, the findings indicate that physiological parameters (in particular, body composition) and high-level competitive experience have a more consistent influence than specific performance variables. Nevertheless, in one-third of the studies, high total body strength (i.e., CrossFit® Total performance) and trunk strength (i.e., back squat performance) correlate with higher workout scores. For the first time, this review presents a summary of performance determinants in CrossFit®. From this, a guiding principle for training strategies may be derived, suggesting that a focus on body composition, body strength, and competition experience may be recommended for CrossFit® performance prediction and performance enhancement.

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“…The baseline fitness of military personnel is usually tested using the army physical fitness test (APFT; trunk raises, push-ups, and a two-mile run) [21]. With an extension of military occupational demands, the APFT is usually complemented by additional functional physical fitness tests (FPFT) [22]. An appropriate test for hamstring strength should have: (1) good ecological validity (simple to perform on large samples; good cost-benefit ratio; not time-consuming); (2) good reproducibility and reliability; and (3) an ability to discriminate between soldiers with different baseline fitness.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Predictive Validity of the Single Leg Hamstring Bridge Test in Military Settings

Pori

Kovčan²,

Vodičar

et al. 2021

Applied Sciences

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The hamstrings are an important biarticular muscle group that plays an important role in the occupational performance of military personnel. The single leg hamstring bridge test (SLHBT) could be a good test to screen military personnel performance. The aims of our study were to assess of the reproducibility of the SLHBT in the military population and to use receiver operating curve (ROC) analysis to examine the ability of the SLHBT to discriminate between soldiers with poor and good baseline fitness. A cross-sectional study was performed on 201 male members of the Slovenian Armed Forces (SAF). They undertook army physical fitness testing (APFT) and functional physical fitness testing (FPFT), which included the SLHBT. The SLHBT showed acceptable reproducibility in a military setting and had moderate predictive validity to discriminate between soldiers with poor and good overall physical fitness performance using a cut-off value of 20 repetitions. In conclusion, the SLHBT could be a good candidate test for the military population as the ROC analysis showed the ability of the SLHBT to discriminate between soldiers with poor and good baseline fitness. The SLHBT represents a simple and affordable test that can be used to evaluate performance and form preventive guidelines for military personnel.

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The New Army Combat Fitness Test: An Opportunity to Improve Recruitment and Retainment

Cited by 15 publications

References 7 publications

Military Body Composition Standards and Physical Performance: Historical Perspectives and Future Directions

Military Body Composition Standards and Physical Performance: Historical Perspectives and Future Directions

CrossFit®: ‘Unknowable’ or Predictable?—A Systematic Review on Predictors of CrossFit® Performance

Predictive Validity of the Single Leg Hamstring Bridge Test in Military Settings

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