Indeed. There is a great deal of difference between static strength (as exemplified by things like push-ups) and flexible, capable, athletic capabilities as evidenced by the ability to climb, jump, pull, push, roll, etc.
The ability to climb, roll, carry, climb, hoist, and so forth are far more important capabilities to a soldier (or anyone in an occupation requiring both physical fitness and adaptable capability) than is an ability to complete a specific number of sit-ups.
I for one am very glad to see the physical emphasis shifting towards active physical capabilities in testing.
For the first time in more than 20 years, the Army is gearing
up to change its fitness test for every Soldier.
Gone is the simple pushup, sit up, and run routine, and in its place comes a battery of sprints, jumps and rows.
And the service is also introducing a grueling series of slalom runs, balance beam walks, casualty drags, and ammo carries it calls the Army Combat Readiness Test -- a totally new evaluation that simulates the kind of body crush Joes experience on deployment.
"The key difference is between 'readiness' and fitness," said Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling, the Army's deputy commanding general for initial training. "It's one thing to be fit it's quite another thing to be ready for the things we are being asked to do. And in our case, it's becoming a 'tactical athlete.' "
For the next six months, the Army will be administering the new Army Physical Readiness Test and the ACRT to almost 10,000 Soldiers at nearly 10 Army commands, including Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.; Fort Benning, Ga., and Fort Sill, Okla. Soldiers there will help Army fitness experts determine how best to structure the tests and how often to do them.
Army officials are also looking into how to grade the new tests, with a simple "excellent," "good" or "poor" potentially replacing a pass-fail or a point score...
The ability to climb, roll, carry, climb, hoist, and so forth are far more important capabilities to a soldier (or anyone in an occupation requiring both physical fitness and adaptable capability) than is an ability to complete a specific number of sit-ups.
I for one am very glad to see the physical emphasis shifting towards active physical capabilities in testing.
Army's Big PT Test Changes
Gone is the simple pushup, sit up, and run routine, and in its place comes a battery of sprints, jumps and rows.
And the service is also introducing a grueling series of slalom runs, balance beam walks, casualty drags, and ammo carries it calls the Army Combat Readiness Test -- a totally new evaluation that simulates the kind of body crush Joes experience on deployment.
"The key difference is between 'readiness' and fitness," said Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling, the Army's deputy commanding general for initial training. "It's one thing to be fit it's quite another thing to be ready for the things we are being asked to do. And in our case, it's becoming a 'tactical athlete.' "
For the next six months, the Army will be administering the new Army Physical Readiness Test and the ACRT to almost 10,000 Soldiers at nearly 10 Army commands, including Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.; Fort Benning, Ga., and Fort Sill, Okla. Soldiers there will help Army fitness experts determine how best to structure the tests and how often to do them.
Army officials are also looking into how to grade the new tests, with a simple "excellent," "good" or "poor" potentially replacing a pass-fail or a point score...
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