Try Out the Army Fitness Program

When you are thinking about measuring your fitness level, one of the more interesting programs you can try is the Army Physical Fitness Program (APFT) and there are more and more people using the program to gauge their fitness level.  There are two parts to the program including a physical fitness test and a weigh-in.

The fitness test has three parts that are designed to gauge your cardio-respiratory fitness, your physical abilities, and your physical strengths.  The overall results of the test will show what your endurance level is.  The test is meant to be taken twice a year and is supposed to give an honest assessment of military personnel no matter what field of the military they are in.  The soldiers need to reach minimum standards for the test to be able to go to Army schools, transfer, or to get a promotion.

The  three parts of the test include a timed two-mile run, two minutes of sit-ups, and two minutes of push-ups.  The participant must score at least 60 points in each event for a total minimum score of 180 points.  For soldiers to pass Army Basic Training, they only need to score 50 points in each event.  Your score is determined by the number of repetitions for the two minutes in the sit-ups and push-ups, and the time it takes you to run two miles.  Also factored in your score is your gender and age.  Military personnel taking the test can wear running shoes and workout attire.

The toughest minimum requirements are for men and women in the 17-21 age group with the requirements becoming easier as the age goes up.  Soldiers who fail the fitness test are required to retake the test within three months.  Many school are using some or all of the APFT to test the fitness level of their students.  It is a great program for anyone to try and then see what their fitness level is for their age group.  Give it a shot.