The United States Marine Corps requires that all Marines perform a Physical Fitness Test (PFT) and a Combat Fitness Test (CFT) once each calendar year. Each test must be held at an interval of six months. The same standards apply for reservists. The PFT ensures that Marines are keeping physically fit and in a state of physical readiness. It consists of pull-ups or push-ups, planks, and a 3-mile run.
On October 1, 2008, the Marine Corps introduced the additional pass/fail CFT to the fitness requirements. The CFT is designed to measure abilities demanded of Marines in a war zone. [1]
For this test, Marines choose to either perform pull-ups or push-ups. However, the maximum score is only attainable if pull-ups are chosen.
The pull-ups may be done with either an overhand (pronated) grip or an underhand (supinated) "chin-up" grip. Changes in grip are allowed as long as the feet do not touch the ground and only the hands come in contact with the pull-up bar. The pull-up begins at the "dead-hang" with arms extended and the body hanging motionless. A successful pull-up is performed without excess motion, the body rising until the chin is above the bar, and body lowered back to the "dead-hang" position. There is no time limit. [2]
Until 2017, male Marines were required to perform pull-ups, and female Marines performed the flexed hang instead of the pull-up. The flexed hang was started with the chin above the pull-up bar. The timer was started and did not stop until the arms became fully extended. The feet could not touch the ground or any part of the pull-up bar at any time. The Marine Corps had originally indicated that, as of January 1, 2014, female Marines would be required to perform a minimum of three pull-ups in order to pass the PFT. [3] However, when more than half of female recruits were unable to meet this standard, [4] the change was delayed. In 2017, the flexed-arm hang event was eliminated, and both male and female Marines were given the choice to do either push-ups or pull-ups for this event. [5]
Planks are executed with forearms on the deck with hands and feet placed shoulder width apart. The body must remain flat and parallel to the deck. The Marine must hold this position as long as possible with no pauses. Marines must achieve a duration 3:45 to for a maximum score.
The Marine runs three miles on reasonably flat ground. (Actual distance may vary slightly.) The 3.1 miles is approximately 5 kilometers.
The scoring for each part of the test is dependent upon a Marine's sex and age group. [6]
Calisthenics or callisthenics (/ˌkælɪsˈθɛnɪks/) is a form of strength training consisting of a variety of movements that exercise large muscle groups, such as standing, grasping, pushing, etc.
The push-up is a common calisthenics exercise beginning from the prone position. By raising and lowering the body using the arms, push-ups exercise the pectoral muscles, triceps, and anterior deltoids, with ancillary benefits to the rest of the deltoids, serratus anterior, coracobrachialis and the midsection as a whole. Push-ups are a basic exercise used in civilian athletic training or physical education and commonly in military physical training. They are also a common form of punishment used in the military, school sport, and some martial arts disciplines. Variations of push-ups, such as wide-arm push-ups, diamond push-ups target specific muscle groups and provide further challenges.
The Fleet Marine Force Ribbon, officially the Navy Fleet Marine Force Service Ribbon, was a military award of the United States Navy established in 1984 by Secretary of the Navy, John F. Lehman, Jr. The service ribbon was awarded to eligible Navy personnel serving with the Marine Corps between 1984 and 2006. The award signified the acquisition of specific professional skills, knowledge and military experience that resulted in qualifications above those normally required of Navy personnel serving with the Fleet Marine Force (FMF). The FMF Ribbon was discontinued in the mid-2000s due to the promulgation of the FMF badges.
The Fleet Marine Force Warfare Insignia, also known as the Fleet Marine Force badge or FMF pin, are three military badges of the United States Navy which are issued to those U.S. Navy officers and sailors who are trained and qualified to perform duties in support of the United States Marine Corps. There are currently three classes of the Fleet Marine Force pin, being that of enlisted, officer, and chaplain.
The Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps (NROTC) program is a college-based, commissioned officer training program of the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps.
In weight training, a kettlebell is a cast-iron or cast-steel ball with a handle attached to the top. It is used to perform many types of exercises, including ballistic exercises that combine cardiovascular, strength and flexibility training. Kettlebells are the primary equipment used in the weight-lifting sport of kettlebell lifting.
Exercise equipment is any apparatus or device used during physical activity to enhance the strength or conditioning effects of that exercise by providing either fixed or adjustable amounts of resistance, or to otherwise enhance the experience or outcome of an exercise routine.
The pull-down exercise is a strength training exercise designed to develop the latissimus dorsi muscle. It performs the functions of downward rotation and depression of the scapulae combined with adduction and extension of the shoulder joint.
The Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT) was designed to test the muscular strength, endurance, and cardiovascular respiratory fitness of soldiers in the United States Army. Soldiers were scored based on their performance in three events consisting of the push-up, sit-up, and a two-mile run, ranging from 0 to 100 points in each event. A minimum score of 60 in each event was required to pass the test. The soldier's overall score was the sum of the points from the three events. If a soldier passed all three events, the total could have range from 180 to 300.
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to exercise:
A pull-up is an upper-body strength exercise. The pull-up is a closed-chain movement where the body is suspended by the hands, gripping a bar or other implement at a distance typically wider than shoulder-width, and pulled up. As this happens, the elbows flex and the shoulders adduct and extend to bring the elbows to the torso.
The muscle-up is an advanced strength training exercise, within the domain of calisthenics. It is a combination routine of a radial pull-up followed by a dip. Variations exist for the rings as well as the bar.
United States Marine Corps Recruit Training is a 13-week program, including in & out-processing, of recruit training that each recruit must successfully complete in order to serve in the United States Marine Corps.
The Combat Fitness Test (CFT) is an annual physical fitness test of the United States Marine Corps. The purpose of the CFT is to assess a Marine's physical capacity in a broad spectrum of combat related tasks. The CFT was specifically designed to evaluate strength, stamina, agility, and coordination as well as overall anaerobic capacity. The CFT is a complement to the USMC Physical Fitness Test and measures the functional elements of combat fitness through execution of a series of events that represent every Marine's combat experience, emphasizing the ethos of "every Marine is a rifleman." All active duty and reserve Marines are required to conduct the Combat Fitness Test every year between the dates 1 July to 1 January. The test is designed to test each Marine's ability to perform in a high-intensity setting. The British Army formerly used a test of the same name which is currently known as the Annual Fitness Test.
A power tower, also known as a knee raise station, and as a captain's chair, is a piece of exercise equipment that allows one to build upper body and abdominal muscle strength. When only the forearm pads alone are used for performing abdominal exercises, the power tower requires minimal arm strength as it is stable and movement occurs in the hips and torso. The equipment commonly has a backrest and forearm rests that form the chair, with vertical handles at the ends of the arm rests. The word "power" comes from the addition of other powerful arm exercises such as parallel horizontal handles for performing dips, a pull-up bar attached to the top for chin-ups and pull-ups, and push-up handles that are usually found on the bottom for Atlas ("deep") push-ups.
The burpee, a squat thrust with an additional stand between repetitions, is a full body exercise used in strength training. The movement itself is primarily an anaerobic exercise, but when done in succession over a longer period can be utilized as an aerobic exercise.
In the British Army, the Annual Fitness Test is designed to assess soldiers' lower and upper body strength and endurance. The test was formerly known as the Combat Fitness Test – and is still colloquially known by soldiers as the CFT. The test involves a fast-paced march at fifteen minutes per mile, in full combat gear including the SA80 personal weapon, across rough terrain and on roads. The exact weight of the equipment carried depends upon the type of unit and it is usually 15 kg to 25 kg dependent on service or arm, but all will cover a distance of 8 miles in less than 2 hours.
Charles Lewis Armstrong was a United States Marine Corps lieutenant colonel. During his 21-year career as a Marine, he participated in military actions in 22 foreign countries. Armstrong is known for his contributions to physical fitness and the many articles he wrote professionally.
The United States Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT) is the fitness test for the United States Army. It was designed to better reflect the stresses of a combat environment, to address the poor physical fitness of recruits, and to reduce the risk of musculoskeletal injuries for service members. It consists of six events. Each event is graded on a scale from 0 to 100 points. A minimum of 60 points is required to pass each event. The maximum score is a 600. The test is the US Army's fitness test of record since October 2022.
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Marine Corps .