Army Fitness Test

[OneMissionataTime]

Might just be a rumour but I've heard from some buds on CAP that they are trying out some sort of new Army Fitness test instead of the EXpress test. Apparently they were running it as an experiment on their platoon. The test is consisting of Max pushups in 2 minutes, Max sit ups in 4 minutes or something along those lines, anyone have any info on this.

 

[Fishbone Jones]

If anyone has solid information, please post.

If you're concerned about what we coulda\ shoulda\ woulda done as to the makeup of the test, there are already threads about that. Post there.

Milnet.ca Staff

 

[GGHG_Cadet]

Its called the Commandant's Challenge, it was done in addition to the Expres test. I believe the Commandant of the Infantry School is interested in making it the minimum fitness standard at the school instead of the Express test. The test was a 5km timed run followed by max push ups in 2 minutes and max sit ups in 4 minutes. For each event there were 4 levels based on your performance. The levels follow the Army Fitness Manual fitness check.




edited for spelling

 

[George Wallace]

Its called the Commandant's Challenge, it was done in addition to the Express test. I believe the Commandant of the Infantry School is interested in making it the minimum fitness standard at the school instead of the Express test. The test was a 5km timed run followed by max push ups in 2 minutes and max sit ups in 4 minutes. For each event there were 4 levels based on your performance. The levels follow the Army Fitness Manual fitness check.

If that is the case, it is not an Army test, but an Infantry School standard/test.  As such, it will not be a recognized CF test like the CF Expres or the BFT.




NOTE: CF EXPRES Test is spelled with only one "s".

 

[ballz]

There are 4 levels, level 4 being the best.

Each component you get a level, but you keep the lowest level... so if you get a level 1 on pushups and a level 4 on the run and the situps, guess what, you're still just a level 1.

Level 4 requirements:
5 km run in 23 min or less
40+ pushups in 2 minutes
100+ situps in 4 minutes

Everybody on CAP from 7 Jun - 13 Aug ran this test, don't know about the other courses. The Coy OIC did mention something about it possibly being the requirement to start CAP next summer (in other words, show up and instead of doing the CF Expres Test, or possibly in addition to it, you would also have to obtain a certain level on this test to continue training).

Don't recall him mentioning about the CO thinking about making it a school-wide requirement, but he may have. I'm sure the CO is watching closely.

EDIT: Well, George, it was called both the Army Fitness Test and the Commandant's Challenge when we were doing it. The OIC was wearing an "Army Fitness Level 4" shirt while we were running, but it was on our schedule as the CO's challenge... Perhaps they haven't ironed out those details yet?

 

[Wookilar]

It's not just the Infantry School, it's floating around CFSME as well. Same name, Army Fitness Test, but no real solid direction yet though. O Group is Thursday so the Cpl's should know tomorrow.  ;D

Wook

 

[Chilme]

I think the  Army Fitness Test or Commandant's Challenge is a great standard to set for the infanteers.    I really don't believe the Minimum Physical Fitness Standards of the EXPRES reflect the job requirements of an infantry soldier.

 

[daftandbarmy]

And, of course, even the standards required to pass this new test, as well as the BFT and Express Test, are far too low for what the the infantry really needs to be capable of.

It's a good little build up type of test though: simple to run, easy to train for at home, no equipment required, gives a good base to build from etc. We used to do a test like this once a month on parade nights, but we added in chin ups. Some of those little barstewards were doing upwards of 50 in one go!

 

[ballz]

And, of course, even the standards required to pass this new test, as well as the BFT and Express Test, are far too low for what the the infantry really needs to be capable of.

It's a good little build up type of test though: simple to run, easy to train for at home, no equipment required, gives a good base to build from etc. We used to do a test like this once a month on parade nights, but we added in chin ups. Some of those little barstewards were doing upwards of 50 in one go!

Well on your first point, yes, it is too low of what the infantry needs to be capable of, but students moving onto CAP are fresh out of BMOQ and are still many leaps and bounds away from being an Infanteer. But, raising the bar a little higher before the course, helps bring them more ready for the course. From there, they can spend 10 weeks raising the bar a little higher, and perhaps (no, definitely) another, even harder test, can be given before the start of Phase III, meaning nobody is showing up to Phase III only capable of doing 19 pushups, 19 situps, and getting a 6 on the beep test (in other words, doomed before they start).

Definitely a good build up... I wish there were more levels, perhaps a level 5 that's something that'll make someone damn proud of to accomplish it. I know I saw a lot of people looking at that "Army Fitness Level 4" t-shirt thinking "I want one..."

Just my 2 cents...

 

[Wookilar]

Why do we keep inventing new tests? It seems every few years we are coming up with measuring our PT levels in a slightly different manner. Why don't we fix our official tests that we have now instead of re-inventing the wheel?

There is nothing wrong with the Expres test, the levels are just horribly too low. I passed the Expres fresh out of surgery a couple of years ago and there was no way that I was gtg. It has far less to do with my determination to get off Category than it has to do with the benchmarks simply being too low.

What was that test we did in Calgary.......Cooper's test? That seemed better, but my memory is a little ...ummm... foggy  :blotto: that far back lol.

Wook

 

[George Wallace]

Because someone wants their few minutes in the limelight and a check in that box "Promoting Change" on their PER.  Once upon a time there was a program called "5 B X" developed by the RCAF and was adopted around the world by a number of allied nations as the 'best' physical fitness program out there.  Look what we have today.  Numerous programs, each claiming to be the "best". 

On another note; what happened to the Cooper's Test?

 

[Fishbone Jones]

There are threads discussing the other tests already. Back on topic please.

Milnet.ca Staff

 

[Chilme]

I agree that the test is an good indicator of VO2, muscular endurance and grip, but the standards are way off.

I also believe there should be a level system for passing with various incentives for achieving each level.  Instead of a Fail, Pass, or Exempt rating, there should be something like: fail, level 1 pass, level 2 pass, level 3 pass, and Level 4 (Exempt) pass. Just to give an example.  There is definitely a huge difference in fitness between lvl 6 (VO2=38.5) and lvl 10 (VO2= 50.8) although they appear as the same result on the PER of a 20 something yr old male.

 

[ballz]

I agree that the test is an good indicator of VO2, muscular endurance and grip, but the standards are way off.

I also believe there should be a level system for passing with various incentives for achieving each level.  Instead of a Fail, Pass, or Exempt rating, there should be something like: fail, level 1 pass, level 2 pass, level 3 pass, and Level 4 (Exempt) pass. Just to give an example.  There is definitely a huge difference in fitness between lvl 6 (VO2=38.5) and lvl 10 (VO2= 50.8) although they appear as the same result on the PER of a 20 something yr old male.

You may want to read the thread.... since you are obviously talking about the Expres test which the moderator just told us not to do...

 

[Chilme]

I believe we shifted a bit there to talk about increasing minimum standards.  I used the EXPRES as a real life example to support that idea.

George Wallace,  The Cooper Test is still used in CSOR and JTF2 selection.  A modified version is used in SarTech Seletion.