Army Physical Fitness Test - Test Site


The test site should be fairly flat and free of debris. It should have the following:
• An area for stretching and warming up.
• A soft, flat, dry area for performing push-ups and sit-ups.
• A flat, 2-mile running course with a solid surface and no more than a three-percent grade. (Commanders must use good judgment; no one is expected to survey terrain.)
• No significant hazards, (for example, traffic, slippery road surfaces, heavy pollution).
When necessary or expedient, a quarter-mile running track can “be used. It can be marked with a series of stakes along the inside edge. When the track is laid out, a horizontal midline 279 feet, 9 3/4 inches long must be marked in the center of a clear area. A 120-foot circle is marked at both ends of this line. The track is formed when the outermost points of the two circles are connected with tangent lines.
A 400-meter track may be used in place of the standard quarter-mile (440-yard) track for the 2-mile run, However, one lap run on a 400-meter track is 92 inches shorter than one lap on a 440-yard track. Eight laps on a 400-meter track is 736 inches shorter than eight laps (2 miles) on a 440-yard track. Therefore, soldiers who run the 2-mile event on a 400-meter track must run eight laps plus an additional 61 feet, 4 inches.


Test Procedures
On test day, soldiers are assembled in a common area and briefed by the test OIC or NCOIC about the purpose and organization of the test. The OIC
or NCOIC then explains the scorecard, scoring standards, and sequence of events.
The instructions printed here in large type must be read to the soldiers:
“YOU ARE ABOUT TO TAKE THE ARMY PHYSICAL FITNESS TEST, A TEST THAT WILL MEASURE YOUR MUSCULAR ENDURANCE AND CARDIORESPIRATORY FITNESS. THE RESULTS OF THIS TEST WILL GIVE YOU AND YOUR COMMANDERS AN INDICATION OF YOUR STATE OF FITNESS AND WILL ACT AS A GUIDE IN DETERMINING YOUR PHYSICAL TRAINING NEEDS. LISTEN CLOSELY TO THE TEST INSTRUCTIONS, AND DO THE BEST YOU CAN ON EACH OF THE EVENTS.”
If scorecards have not already been issued, they are handed out at this time. The OIC or NCOIC then says the following: “IN THE APPROPRIATE SPACES, PRINT IN INK THE PERSONAL INFORMATION REQUIRED ON THE SCORECARD.” (If scorecards have been issued to the soldiers and filled out before they arrive at the test site, this remark is omitted.)
The OIC or NCOIC pauses briefly to give the soldiers time to check the information. He then says the following: “YOU ARE TO CARRY THIS CARD WITH YOU TO EACH EVENT. BEFORE YOU BEGIN, HAND THE CARD TO THE SCORER. AFTER YOU COMPLETE THE EVENT, THE SCORER WILL RECORD YOUR RAW
SCORE, INITIAL THE CARD, AND RETURN IT TO YOU.” (At this point, the scoring tables are explained so everyone understands how raw scores are converted to point scores.) Next, the OIC or NCOIC says the following “EACH OF YOU WILL BE ASSIGNED TO A GROUP. STAY WITH YOUR TEST GROUP FOR THE ENTIRE TEST, WHAT ARE YOUR QUESTIONS ABOUT THE TEST AT THIS POINT?”
Groups are organized as required and given final instructions including what to do after the final event. The test is then given.

RETAKING OF EVENTS
Soldiers who start an event incorrectly must be stopped by the scorer before they complete 10 repetitions and told what their errors are. They are then sent to the end of the line to await their turn to retake the event.
A soldier who has problems such as muscle cramps while performing an event may rest if he does not assume an illegal position in the process. If he continues, he receives credit for all correctly done repetitions within the two-minute period. If he does not continue, he gets credit for the number of correct repetitions he has performed up to that time. If he has not done 10 correct repetitions, he is sent to the end of the line to retake that event. He may not retake the event if he has exceeded 10 repetitions. Soldiers who are unable to perform 10 correct repetitions because of low fitness levels may not retake an event.

TEST FAILURES
Soldiers who stop to rest in an authorized rest position continue to receive credit for correct repetitions performed after their rest. Soldiers who rest in an unauthorized rest position will have their performance in that event immediately terminated. The records of soldiers who fail a record APFT for the first time and those who fail to take the APFT within the required period (AR 350-15, paragraph 11) must be flagged IAW AR 600-8-2 (Reference B).

RETESTING
Soldiers who fail any or all of the events must retake the entire APFT. In case of test failure, commanders may allow soldiers to retake the test as soon as the soldiers and commanders feel they are ready. Soldiers without a medical profile will be retested not-later-than three months following the initial APFT failure in accordance with AR 350-15, paragraph 11.