The traditional US Army APFT (Physical Aptitude Test) involved a lot of both.

The soldiers did sit-ups for two minutes, push-ups for two minutes, then run for three kilometers. An exceptional score typically includes a combination of over 100 sit-ups, over 100 push-ups, then two miles in under 12 minutes. Intensive strength training and a long distance time trial – that’s a rather disproportionate addiction to endurance. But for years the practice has gone unchallenged.

Not anymore. For the first time in four decades, after three years of tinkering, the US military is about to unveil a new test. It will debut in the spring of next year, according to Bloomberg, and this will shift the focus away from endurance alone, towards “strength, coordination and agility”.

The new test asks:

• A three-rep max deadlift
• Standing medicine ball
• Manual release pumps
• Sprint, drag, drill holder
• Folded legs or planks
• And a two mile run

it’s called Combat Fitness test, as opposed to fitness test, and this distinction is important. Since 2019, military officials have wanted an assessment that truly prepares soldiers for the different body movements they will need to perform in training or in the field.

Crunches, conventional push-ups, and running in a straight line are a great way to fitness for the average Joe, but a GI Joe has to carry heavy loads on his back, knock down doors, lift injured people, throw supplies at helicopters. , jump sideways to avoid enemy fire or shrapnel, jump over obstacles and climb the rope.

All of these movements require functional strength from the whole body. While it seems surprising that the wave of enduring bodybuilding that has long swept through professional sports leagues, mixed martial arts and even the realm of professional musicians is only get to the standardized level in our armed forces, well, keep in mind that more than half of American soldiers were injured in 2019. This despite the fact that only one in 10 the soldiers actually see the fight.

Conclusion: American soldiers must be better prepared for the rigors of their profession, whether or not they are dispatched overseas. Earlier this year, a sign that the armed forces are starting to take the health of their military personnel more seriously, the United States military signed a contract with the biometric performance company WHOOP.

Considering that the US military spends around $ 2 billion a day on researching and purchasing technological weapons (some of which you literally know are heavier for soldiers to carry into combat), it’s gratifying that military officials have started spending a little more money (and time), thinking about the human side of the operation. It’s not just injuries, after all. Two major issues afflicting American civilians at an alarming rate – obesity and depression – have also swept through the military. Attention to holistic health is a step in the right direction.

When it comes to the test, some initially fear that it will put women at a disadvantage: so far women have failed it at a rate of 90%. So don’t be surprised if it’s changed to include gender-specific percentile groups in the near future. But for now, the marching orders are pretty clear. Check out the minimum requirements for each part of the test here, along with helpful tutorials that explain A) how to perform the movement and B) exactly what it does for the body.

Below, see retired US Olympian middle distance Nick Symmonds taking the full test with a group of servicemen.