I recently ran across this great article on the New York Times’ website, explaining the new army PT test and how it differs from the tried-and-true trinity of two-mile runs, push ups, and sit ups.
First, a Disclaimer
Before I get going, I just wanted to note that I am not and have never been a member of the military. I am writing this as an “outsider.” Nevertheless, I see a strong military as a crucial element to any successful society, and therefore have nothing but the highest respect for those who choose to defend our country.
The Bad?
Now, if you read that article, you’ll notice that the author really seems to be pushing one point. Namely, that the result of the changes to the Army’s fitness standards is due to the increasing problem of new recruits being out of shape and having more and more difficulty meeting the current standards.
Well, two-thirds of Americans are now overweight, with half of those obese. People are also reaching these milestones and much younger ages. So it’s unsurprising that new recruits are becoming more and more out of shape. A lot of people may be pooh-poohing the new fitness requirements, but let’s take a closer look at them…
The Good
Here’s a quick look at what the new test looks like:
In short, here’s what’s getting the axe in the new program:
- Sit ups
- Long runs
And here’s what getting a bigger emphasis:
- Stretching
- Isometrics
- Agility and balance training
- Sprinting
Looking at those changes, I can’t help but notice that, no matter what the reasons behind the changes, the Army has wound up with a more efficient fitness program that will reduce injuries while emphasizing more the functional movements that soldiers will actually need to utilize in the field.
Crunches are an unnatural way of strengthening your core, straining your back and neck, when compound movements and isometrics are much more appropriate. And long runs, while they may not be terrible, don’t offer a whole lot of benefits that you don’t get from emphasizing sprints instead.
My Take
Some people may look at the loss of sit ups and de-emphasis on long runs as indicative of a military that is getting more and more out of shape. I, on the other hand, think that the new Army PT test shows an increased interest in the kinds of movements that our bodies are designed to do, helping recruits to become stronger and healthier much more efficiently.
What do you think of the change in the Army’s fitness standards? Let us know in the comments.
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{ 13 comments }
Very interesting adjustments. If we can get PE classes to “fall in line” as well, maybe we can finally revolutionize the fitness work and start working out more efficiently. Down with situps and marathon cardio!
I think the military is now reflecting on how modern warfare is being conducted compared to old ways on foot soldiers.
I can lose the situps but long runs I’d prefer they’d keep cause imagine stamina conditioning is more important than sprinting.
raymond
They’ve needed to change their standards for a long time now. They missed the boat in a few ways still though:
1. All of their stretching is static. A better measure of flexability would be overhead squats with a broom stick. It isn’t an effective exercise for most people, but it is a fantastic testing tool.
2. Their sprinting should be loaded. Weighted vests, ruck sacks, something. This is closer to the conditions they face in real life.
3. No measure of total body coordination and overall strength. Teaching troops something like the Olympic snatch would be incredibly beneficial to overall strength, speed, coordination, and flexability.
They have a good start here, but, it’s just a start.
My 12-year-old son has challenged me to start doing daily crunches or sit-ups with him, partly to get some 6-pack abs.
Guess I better think again.
I went in to the US Navy back in 86′, right after graduating high school. I was on a submarine with a lot of out of shape and overweight guys. I used to have to make stuff up and bring my own dumbells just to try and workout while out at sea. People used to make fun of me like I was the weird one for wanting to stay in shape!
I can remember so many people failing the fitness test and asking me how I was able to pass it. I was amazed because before boot camp, I had visions of everybody being in great shape and super athletic. It wasn’t like that at all. I can only imagine that it is worse now than ever!
The one exception were the Navy Seals. These guys were machines and didn’t play around. I lived next to one down in Virginia and he used to tell me some crazy stories of how they trained.
I think it is good that they are changing things, but I think the reason is because the latest one was too hard, which is kind of crazy.
Darrin,
I have also never served in the military, but I think the new program is beneficial in that it has placed more emphasis on functionality. I think programs like TACFIT which emphasize similar exercises are highly underrated.
Alykhan
Very interesting. More focus on functional training does sounds like an excellent idea to me, but as Raymond said the long runs would probably be beneficial for endurance and stamina. I guess a combination of long runs and sprints might be of even more benefit (think soccer players explosive speed + endurance).
Kelly mentioned the Navy Seals, I actually spent some time doing Navy Seals training (I didn’t sign up, I bought the Official Navy Seals Handbook a few years back).
It is pretty damn tough, but again I think some of it might be in need of some updating, obviously the running and swimming would need to stay but the heavy focus on sit ups for abdominal strength could be replaced with plank type movements instead. Just my opinion.
I think that the fact that theya re readjusting the PT standards to accommodate the fatter new recruits is stupid and dangerous. The enemy won’t care about their “relative fitness” – i.e. in comparison to other out of shape Americans.
What matters is the “absolute fitness” – how fit they are to do the tasks required…
@Dave:
Good point. Maybe we’re on our way towards creating better fitness programs in schools as well.
@Raymond:
Long runs can definitely still be useful. I think the worst way to go about is the non-stop steady state cardio that most people are doing.
@Josh:
They definitely haven’t achieved anything I would deem “the ultimate physical conditioning program,” but any step in the right direction is a positive change in my book.
@Steve:
You could always see who could do planks the longest! And don’t forget, 90% of getting six-pack abs comes from losing abdominal fat, which is best achieved by eating a diet rich in whole, unprocessed foods and low in refined food products, so maybe you can learn how to cook simple, healthy meals together as well.
@Kelly,
Thanks, man! Good to get some input from someone who’s been there. I guess I didn’t realize it was that bad, haha. The friends I have that are / were in the military are all in great shape, so I just assumed they were the norm. And the Navy Seals definitely earned their titles the hard way.
@Alykhan:
Definitely. I love how we as a culture are moving away from the bodybuilding paradigm and more towards the functional fitness one.
@David:
Soccer (or football) definitely is awesome due to the combination of walking, jogging, and sprinting that is necessary. A great sport for anyone to get into.
@Yavor:
Yeah, it’s too bad to know that recruits are getting more out of shape. Absolute fitness is more important than relative fitness. But I think this re-jiggering is going to maximize their results while minimizing injury and investment of time and energy.
I’m in the army and I never agreed with the 2 mile run. It is a totally unnatural form of exercise and I’ve seen so many people’s knees get destroyed because of it. Let’s face it nobody is gonna have to run for 2 straight miles for any reason so it’s about time they got rid of it. Sprints are better for you and it burns way more calories. I wonder when they are going to start doing this new PT test because I have to take one next month lol!
FINALLY! Ive always said, if i ever have to run 2 miles, do situps, or pushups in combat, something has gone horrible wrong. You know what PT test i love? The RANGER PT test (RPAT). Uniform is ACU pants, tshirt, body armor, helmet. Run 1.5 miles, followed immediately by a rope climb, cathing ladder climb, go through a weaving wooden obstacle, drag a 180lb skedco 200 meters, then jump a wall. You have an hour to do it, and each time you take it you must remain on your time or shorter than your previous time.
First off, the APFT isn’t being changed because it is too difficult, its being changed because it is causing to many injuries; which causes soldiers to not be able to perform in the long run. and we all are training for the PT test, because thats what goes on paper, even though the Pt test doesn’t reflect anything that we will have to do in combat. those are the reasons the Pt test is being changed! so get it right people! we don’t need anymore stupid civilians, giving their innate and ignorant opinions on an Army matter. but can anyone give a release date for this new standard? i heard in January 2011 leaders will begin to acquire it.
if anyone knows what the new pt test will consist of please let me know. No civilians. people who actually know what they are talking about. who have heard it from their chain of command.
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