New Army Combat Fitness Test - Current Army PFT Changes in 2025

Order the New Fitness Program / Book here!

The Army Combat Fitness Test is now the ARMY FITNESS TEST (AFT).  The changes are minimal, so you still have to run 2 miles, deadlift, hand-release pushups, sprint-drag-carry, but the power throw and the leg tuck are taken out, and the plank pose is in! Whether you are a new recruit or a current Army soldier, this change applies to you. 

If so, you need to get into the weight room to build not only your muscle stamina and cardio endurance but also strength, power, speed, agility, and grip strength.  You still have to do a 2-mile run and pushups (sort of), so maintaining those numbers while building the other elements of fitness takes practice, IF you want to pass.  

In 2020, the Army moved toward a functional fitness test that mimics many of the movements and elements of fitness typical of Army soldiers on duty.  The Army Combat Fitness Test replaced the Army PFT but a version of the old PFT is still used with applicants to ROTC (pushups, situps, 1 mile run).  This is just an easier test to use, as many recruits and officer candidates will still be taking this test prior to joining for the foreseeable future. Now, the Army uses the Army Fitness Test (below)

The NEW Army Fitness Test Workout program is updated to answer all the testing elements of the new and old fitness tests. Book, Ebook, 

You will also have to take the Occupational Physical Assessment Test at BCT in order to place you in the appropriate MOS.  The more fit you are the more challenging jobs you can enter (Infantry, Artillery, Ranger, SF, etc).

Prepare for the OPAT and AFT

You will also take the Occupational Physical Assessment Test (OPAT) soon into your career. The better you score on this test, the tougher (physically) job, or MOS, you will be eligible to join. Consider this like the physical ASVAB test. This new test has the following events:

The Army Fitness Test - The difference is the new exercises in the following chart:

But you should also start to prepare for Army basic training and following advanced training, where you will carry a backpack (ruck) with 40-80+ lbs loaded in it for some events.  If you are one day thinking of Ranger school or SF training, you DEFINITELY need to prepare your body for the advanced-level PFT scores, as well as miles and miles of running and rucking.

Tips For Testing Elements of Multiple Tests (APFT, AFT, OPAT)

 Pushups or HR Pushups - Placing your hands in the wrong position can seriously affect your maximum score.  A perfect location for your hands is just outside shoulder width.  This position enables the chest, shoulders and triceps to be equally taxed.  Keep hands at shoulder height when in the up position.  Your pushups will be weakened if your hands are too low, wide, close or high. (AFT / APFT)

Hand-Release Pushups – Same as above, but add the upper back exercise Reverse Pushups into the repetition. Exert on the UP position and let gravity take you down to the ground – then flex the upper back to lift hands off the floor and move them outward a in the directions of a T with your body.  (AFT)

Seated Ball Throw – Throw the medicine with a chest pass.  To develop power, practice this event on pushup days.  Add in some bench presses to help build chest / shoulder / arm strength. (OPAT)

Sit-ups - Though they are not tested once you are in the Army, you will likely still have to take this easy-to-administer test with your recruiter, ROTC unit, or other Army accession program. This is an exercise you need to pace.  Most people burn out in the first 30 seconds with 30 sit-ups accomplished, only able to perform another 20 or so situps within the next 1:30.  By setting a pace at, for instance, 20 situps every 30 seconds, you can turn your score of 50-60 to 80 with very little effort.  (APFT)

Dead Lift – Practice dead lifting. Lift with the legs, hips, with a straight back. If you do not have a trap bar, use a barbell. This exercise is critical for your Army career as it prepares your body to be strong for common lifts and movements. Not just for proper form to lift objects off the ground, rucking strength development, but now for this test in both the OPAT and the ACFT.

Long Jump – Squats and lunges will help you with this exercise, but you need to practice the explosive power of the jump to maximize your test. Practice this extra exercise on leg days to maintain a solid performance on this OPAT test.

Beep Test (shuttle run) – On a basketball court or field, run back and forth on a set pace that increases each set. Start off easy as a warmup for the first few sets, pick up the pace so you have a few seconds to breathe and catch your breath.  Eventually the rest periods will decrease so your cardio conditioning needs to be strong to score well on this.  You only get that if you practice the BEEP TEST. Do it on leg days or as a cardio day warmup. (OPAT)

 250-meter Sprint/Drag/Carry - All events are 25 meters out and back for time: (1) sprint, (2) 100-pound sled drag, (3) sprint, (4) two 40-pound kettlebell carry, and (5) sprint. Practice sprinting 25m, running with 2 x 40lb weights, and dragging a sled for 50m sets. The leg work in this workout will prepare you for this but specifically adding this to a leg day is a smart practice. (AFT)

Two Mile Timed run - PACE - The most important thing is to not start off too fast.  Learn your pace and set your goal by pacing yourself to the finish.  For instance, if your goal is to run the 2 mile run in 14:00, you must run a 7:00 mile or a 1:45 - 1/4 mile.  (APFT and AFT)

There is More To StewSmithFitness.com than You May Know

(In fact, there are more than 40 books, 1000+ articles, online coaching - and more) 

Who is Stew Smith CSCS? Coach, Trainer, Writer, Podcaster: I'm the former Navy SEAL that tactical candidates go to for books, ebooks and online coaching to prepare themselves to get to and through intense tactical assessment and selection programs and qualify for service in their chosen tactical profession.  See More at StewSmithFitness.com

Here is a list of what we do at StewSmithFitness.com

Core Mission

• Tactical Fitness Training For the Candidate / Recruit: Specializing in preparing individuals for military, special ops, law enforcement, and firefighter selection programs (getting you "TO and THROUGH" training). 
  
  
• Functional Training for Both Active Duty / Recruits: Utilizing a seasonal tactical fitness periodization system that balances longer workouts of running/rucking, swimming, and calisthenics during the Spring/Summer when days are longer. Then, the focus shifts in the Fall/Winter to lifting (Cals/cardio maintenance) when the days are shorter/colder. This process has 25 years of proven success building tactical athletes who improve in all areas of fitness: strength, power, speed, agility, endurance, muscle stamina, mobility, flexibility, and grip.
  
  Becoming an Asset for All Types: Even non-tactical athletes want to be of use in situations that require some level of fitness to get through the day. Be an asset, not a liability, in potentially dangerous situations, whether natural or man-made. Fitness can be a common denominator in successfully enduring life-or-death scenarios. 

Specific Programs & Courses

• The Ageless Athlete (Fitness Over 50): A 22-week program designed for beginners to advanced trainees looking to regain fitness, flexibility, and energy.
  
  
• Tactical Fitness Over 40: After training people for over 25 years now, many who started with me in the early 2000s are now in their 40s and beyond. Learning how to shift training to remain an asset while also offering longevity, flexibility, and mobility is central to this 52-week program. (4-part series)
  
  
• Tactical Fitness Course: An 80-minute course on preparing for Spec Ops selection, getting TO and THROUGH the toughest military special ops’ programs using this two-phase system.
  
  
  Seasonal Tactical Fitness Periodization - A 25 Year proven system to become a tactical athlete. 
  
  
• The Never Quit Mindset Book and Course: The "Never Quit Mindset" book and course is a deep dive into building constructive habits that incrementally improve discipline, build mental toughness, and foster a Never Quit Mindset in anything you want to do.
  
  
• Specialized Workout Plans: Specific, tailored programs for Navy SEAL (Phases 1-4), SWCC, Army (SF/Ranger/Airborne), USMC MarSOC / (RECON), Air Force (PJ/CCT), Coast Guard, Law Enforcement (FBI/DEA/FLETC), Fire Fighter, and general fitness too for beginners and advanced athletes alike.
  
  
  

Resources and Content

• • Extensive Content Library: Over 1,000 free articles, 200+ podcasts, and social media content (YouTube, TikTok, Instagram) featuring Spec Ops swim critiques and LIVE QA sessions.
    
    
  • FREE Local Training for those preparing to serve! Check out HeroesofTomorrow.org for our location and schedule.
    
    
    
  • NEW SKOOL.com Tactical Fitness Community
    
    
  • Educational Materials: Over 40 options for eBooks, videos, printed books, podcasts (200+), and online video courses.
    
    
  • Apps: Pushup Push, Pullup Push, FBI workout, and Navy SEAL exercise apps (iPhone/Android).
    
    
  • LIVE QA Sessions Each Week: Monday and Tuesday, 9 am EST on social media platforms (YouTube, Instagram, Facebook) and Skool.com Tactical Fitness community.
    
    
  • Online Coaching: Personalized programming based on specific goals, equipment, and your time availability.
    
    
  • Membership Site: Access to hundreds of weeks of training, unpublished workouts, and exclusive content, weekly newsletter sent to subscribers with the week's latest articles, videos, and workouts (beginner/intermediate, and advanced special ops prep workouts).