Efficient Administration of the Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT)

1. ADMINISTRATIONOF THE APFT

2. The APFT is a three- event physical performance test used to assess muscular endurance and cardiorespiratory fitness

3. REQUIRED AT TEST SITE • FM 21-20: PHYSICAL FITNESS TRAINING. • AR 350-41, CH 9: TRAINING IN UNITS. • AR 600-9: THE ARMY WEIGHT CONTROL PROGRAM. • DA FORM 705: APFT SCORECARD. • UNIT STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE

4. REQUIRED AT TEST SITE (CONT.) • TWO STOP WATCHES ( MEASURES MINS & SEC) • RUNNER VEST (FOR 2 MILE RUN WITH NUMBER) • ALL SCORERS (MUST HAVE CLIPBOARD & PEN) • STATION SIGNS • WARM-UP/COOL DOWN STATIONS • WATER, CUPS, AND TRASH CONTAINERS

5. SUPERVISION THE APFT MUST BE PROPERLY SUPERVISE TO ENSURE THAT ITS OBJECTIVES ARE MET. PROPER SUPERVISION ENSURE UNIFORMITY IN THE FOLLOWING: • SAFETY IS THE FIRST CONSIDERATION • SCORING THE TEST • TRAINING SUPERVISORS AND SCORERS • PREPARING THE TEST AND CONTROLLING PERFORMANCE FACTORS • SOLDIERS ARE NOT TESTED WHEN FATIGUED OR ILL

6. DUTIES OF TEST PERSONNEL TESTERS MUST KNOW THE INSTRUCTIONS FOR EACH EVENT AND TRAINED TO ADMINISTER THE TESTS. CORRECTLY SUPERVISING TESTEES AND LAYING OUT TEST AREA ARE ESSENTIAL DUTIES.

7. OIC OR NCOIC • ADMINISTERS APFT (READ PAGE 14-10 FM 21-20) • PROCURES ALL NECESSARY EQUIPMENT • TRAINS TEST PERSONNEL • ENSURES DA FORM 705 IS COMPLETED (SIGNED, DATED, & BODY FAT STATEMENT)* • TRAINS THE EVENT SUPERVISORS, SCORERS, AND DEMONSTRATORS • REPORTS THE RESULTS AFTER THE TEST

8. EVENT SUPERVISORS • READ THE TEST INSTRUCTIONS, AND HAVE THE EVENT DEMONSTRATED • ADMINISTERS TEST EVENTS • SUPERVISES THE SCORING OF THE EVENT BY • WALKING THE TEST SITE • ENSURE THAT NECESSARY EQUIPMENT IS ON HAND. • RULE ON QUESTIONS AND SCORING DISCREPANCIES FOR THEIR EVENT

9. SCORERS • SUPERVISE THE PERFORMANCE OF TESTEES • ENFORCE THE TEST STANDARDS (IAW) FM 21-20 • COUNT THE NUMBER OF CORRECT REPETITIONS ALOUD TO THE SOLDIER • RECORD THE CORRECT, RAW SCORE ON THE PT SCORECARD, AND INITIAL THE SCORECARD BLOCK • PERFORM OTHER DUTIES ASSIGNED BY THE OIC OR NCOIC • RECEIVES TRAINING CONDUCTED BY OIC/NCOIC TO ENSURE SCORING IS TO STANDARD

10. TEST PROCEDURES • Brief purpose and organization of the test • Explain the scorecard, scoring standards, and sequence of events • Read instructions printed in upper-case (FM 21-20) • Issue scorecards (DA Form 705) and fill out • Organize groups and give final instructions

11. TEST SEQUENCE • Push-up • Sit-up • 2-mile run or alternate aerobic event :- • 10-20 minutes recovery • Staggered start times • All events completed within 2 hours • 6.2 MILE STATIONARY-BICYCLE • 6.2 MILE CONVENTIONAL BICYCLE TEST • 800-YARD-SWIM TEST • 2.5-MILE-WALK TEST

12. RETAKING OF EVENTS • Soldiers who start an event incorrectly. • Soldiers must be stopped by the scorer prior to completing 10 correct repetitions and told what errors are being made. • The soldier will be sent to the end of his line and await his turn to retake the event. • The soldier is allowed to retake the event one time. • Soldiers who are unable to perform 10 correct repetitions because of low fitness levels may not retake an event.

13. PUSH-UP • Push-ups measure the endurance of the chest, shoulder and triceps muscles • Administrative and support requirements for this event are listed below :- • Equipment :- One stopwatch. • Facilities :- One test station per 15 soldier. • Personnel :- One scorer (station) & one supervisor (site. • Instructions :- Supervisor read Inst. FM 21-20, CH14-11. • Administration :- Supervisor answers questions & moves soldier in groups to their test stations. • Timing techniques :- Supervisor call out the time remaining every 30 sec. & every sec. for the last 10 sec • Scorer duties :- Counts reps aloud & records on DA FORM 705.

14. PUSH-UP INSTRUCTIONS • Front leaning rest position, hands where comfortable • Feet together or up to 12” apart • Body forms a generally straight line • Lower body as a single unit until upper arms are parallel to ground • Return to starting position, raise entire body until arms are fully extended • Altered front leaning rest position is only authorized rest position

15. 450 3 FT Scorer Position Administration of the APFT Push-up Scorer Position

16. TERMINATION OF PUSH-UP EVENT • REST ON GROUND • LIFT HAND OR FOOT FROM GROUND • SUPPORT MOST OF BODY WEIGHT WITH LEGS

17. LOSS OF REPETITION OF PUSH-UP • BODY NOT GENERALLY STRAIGHT • FEET GREATER THAN 12 INCHES APART • UPPER ARM NOT PARALLEL TO GROUND • ARMS NOT FULLY EXTENDED

18. SIT-UP • Sit-ups measure the muscular endurance of the abdominal and hip-flexor muscles • Administrative and support requirements for this event are listed below :- • Equipment :- One stopwatch. • Facilities :- Each station is 6 ft wide and 15 ft deep. • Personnel :- One scorer (station) & one supervisor (site. • Instructions :- Supervisor read Inst. FM 21-20, CH14-14. • Administration :- Supervisor answers questions & moves soldier in groups to their test stations. • Timing techniques :- Supervisor call out the time remaining every 30 sec. & every sec. for the last 10 sec • Scorer duties :- Counts reps aloud & records on DA FORM 705.

19. SIT-UP INSTRUCTIONS • Lying on back with knees bent at 90o angle, back of hands must touch ground • Feet together or up to 12 inches apart • Hold ankles with the hands only • Heel must remain in contact with ground • Fingers must be interlocked behind the head • Raise upper body to vertical position • Lower body until bottom of shoulder blades touch ground

20. 3 FT Scorer Position Administration of the APFT Sit-up Scorer Position

21. REST IN DOWN POSITION REST IN UP POSITION WITH ARMS AROUND KNEES USE HAND TO PUSH OR PULL BODY TO UP POSITION TERMINATION OF SIT-UP EVENT

22. FINGERS NOT INTERLACED BEHIND HEAD UPPER/LOWER LEG ANGLE > 90 DEGREES HEELS NOT IN CONTACT WITH GROUND BUTTOCKS NOT IN CONTACT WITH GROUND BASE OF NECK NOT ABOVE BASE OF SPINE FEET MORE THAN 12 INCHES APART LOSS OF REPETITION OF SIT-UP

23. TWO-MILE RUN The Two-Mile Run tests cardiorespiratory (aerobic) endurance and endurance of the leg muscles. • Administrative and support requirements for this event are listed below :- • Equipment :- Two stopwatch. • Facilities :- Course no more than 3 degree slope, start & finish points clearly marked. • Personnel :- One scorer (max 10 soldiers) & one supervisor (site). FM 21-20, CH 14-18 • Instructions :- Supervisor read Inst. FM 21-20, CH14-17.

24. Administrative and support requirements (cont) :- • Administration :- Supervisor answers questions, moves soldier in groups to the start point. Scorers assigns numbers to runners and takes scorecards. • Timing techniques :- Supervisor is the time keeper and call out time in min and sec as the runners near & cross the finish point. • Scorer duties :- Monitors laps & records finish time on DA FORM 705.

25. ALTERNATE EVENTS • Alternate APFT events assess the cardiorespiratory endurance and muscular endurance of soldiers with permanent medical profiles or long-term (greater than three months) temporary profiles who cannot take the regular, three-event APFT. • The alternate aerobic APFT events are the following: • 800-Yard-Swim Test • 6.2-Mile-Stationary-Bicycle Ergometer Test • 6.2-Mile-Bicycle Test on a Conventional Bicycle • 2.5-Mile-Walk Test

26. MISCONCEPTIONS • Q: How often can a record APFT be administered by the commander in a one year period ? • A: As often as he wish (AR350-41, para 9-8) • Q: After the first 10 push-ups have been completed and counted on a Diagnostic APFT, can it be changed to a Record APFT ? • A : No (AR 350-15, para 11) • Q: If a soldier fails the APFT, how much time does he have before he can retest ? • A: As soon as he/she and the commander wants, without medical profile, not to exceed three months (AR 350-15).

27. MISCONCEPTIONS • Q: Can a pregnant soldier be administered the APFT ? • A: NO (AR 40-501) • Q: How long after termination of pregnancy can a Record APFT be administered ? • A : 135 days . 45 days profile & 90 days recovery/train-up (AR 40-501) • Q: Can a soldier whose profile prevents him from taking two or more events be administered the APFT ? • A: Yes, he/she must be able to complete the 2 mile run or an alternate aerobic event to earn a “GO” on the test

28. MISCONCEPTIONS • Q: Can a soldier be administered the APFT if due to a profile is unable to take an aerobic event ? • A: No (FM 21-20, CH 14-20)