The U.S. Army requires soldiers to take the Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT) twice per year. Soldiers must score a minimum of 180 points with at least 60 points for each event. The three events are push-ups, sit-ups and a 2-mile run. Scores are determined by age and gender standards on a point system. The Army plans fitness around the APFT, but soldiers are also put under physical and mental stress to learn how to handle combat.
Overloading the Body
The Army trains soldiers by overloading the body, placing as much physical and mental stress on individuals as they can handle. Leaders use this technique to break down the soldier as an individual and rebuild him or her into a team member. The goal is for soldiers to achieve the highest potential physical fitness while under stress to prepare for possible combat.
Push-Ups
Push-ups are a very commonly used exercise in military training for three reasons. Push-ups are the first event of the APFT, are typically difficult and painful for most people and use large muscles of the upper body. The chest, shoulders and triceps are tested for muscular endurance to failure. To overload the muscles, the Army constantly changes the push-ups using many techniques. For example, trainees may have to increase the repetitions, slow the tempo, use partner resistance or hold a deep position.
Sit-Ups
Sit-ups, the second event of the APFT, test the endurance of the hip flexors and abdominal muscles. They are also normally a very tough exercise for most people. For the test, a partner holds the trainee's ankles so the heels do not come off of the ground. The Army uses many techniques to increase sit-ups and overload the muscles. Slow and controlled negatives are very painful on the down phase of the sit-up and will strengthen the abdominal muscles. Flutter kicks increase muscular endurance of the hip flexors. The Army also uses planks to increase stamina of the core muscles.
2-Mile Run
The 2-mile run is the third and final event of the APFT and is typically the most difficult. Cardiovascular endurance and speed are the two most important physical aspects for a soldier in combat. Leaders overload long endurance runs, rucksack marches, intervals, sprints, circuits and obstacle courses. It's this event that either makes or break soldiers because cardiovascular pain is like no other exercise pain when put to the max.
Obstacle Course and Circuits
Obstacle courses and circuits are workouts that test every muscle in the body, speed and cardiovascular endurance. Courses are designed for combat simulation and sometimes have live fire from weapons. All of the physical training is tested here, as well as the soldiers' stress capabilities. Push-ups, wall climbs, rope climbs and low crawls under barbed wire are very common. The Army trains everything from a crawl, walk and run phase system. It starts off the physical training by teaching proper form of push-ups and any exercise of physical training. The load constantly increases in hopes that soldiers will pass the APFT and complete physically challenging courses for combat.
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