| Author | Message | ||
     Sayitaintso |
The old PT test was stupid, to me. It had very little relationship to what I needed to be able to do to fight when/if the need arose. Army trying out an new set of tests for PT tests | ||
| Sifo |
Sounds like a good move. One thing I never understood was different requirements based on sex. I skimmed the article pretty quickly, but didn't see if that was changing or not. I did see it mentioned as part of the current requirements though. I don't mean to sound sexist about this, but it's a physical job. For any females that can make the grade, great for them. For those of any sex (If I understand correctly there may be more than 2), if they can't cut it then so be it. | ||
| Hootowl |
If we're going to allow women to be front line combat troops, they should have the same physical requirements as the men. Some women can meet these requirements, most can not. I sure as hell can't. | ||
| Sayitaintso |
I didn't see anything about sex based standards either. It would also make sense to me to have different tests based on MOS. A cannon cocker is very different than a grunt and the strength/endurance requirements are very different. I was in fire direction; setting up, running fire missions, tearing down, moving...over and over every 5-6 hours takes different strength/endurance too. (btw: camo nets suck) But then, everyone should be ready to grab their rifle and "hit the trenches" if needed. | ||
| Crackhead |
If you think the Army standard has no relation to what is happening in the field, look at the Coast Guard PT. It has a 1.5 mile run, push ups, sit up, sit and reach. I man a 25ft boat. When the heck will I run 1.5miles? I guess i could,, if i did shuttle runs in 6ft intervals. Where is the requirement that you can fit through the forward cuddly door, balance to move from forward to aft decks. | ||
| Sayitaintso |
Agreed, throw your butt in the water and swim....carry heavy crap across a gang plank/ramp.... test balance on a moving surface.... and whatever else is appropriate. | ||
| Hootowl |
Navy's the same way. As far as swimming goes, by the time the boat sinks, I'd already be dead, so that's not useful either. The Navy's PRT should have something to do with fire hoses and cleaning stuff. Running a mile and half, not so much. | ||
| Cityxslicker |
we got the swim speech at boot camp. 'You will be required to pass a swim test, those of you that cant swim will be given remedial attention'.... After 72 days, I still couldnt swim. per their requirements. I CANT swim on top of the water, I just cant do it. I cant dance either. So the test was a 20 meter pool, up and back, and tread water for 'two minutes' and out. There was a 15 foot platform you had to jump off of and into the water. apparently that cause anxiety for alot that couldnt swim, and they would opt out. I hit the water, did the twenty under water, came up for breath, dropped back under and did the tweny under water again, popped up in formation, and did the lamest tread / dead man you have ever seen. passed, and here is why. IS/CT at the time the cold war were on carriers, and in the SCIF, we had destruction protocols that there were no way to comply with and still get off a carrier, and away far enough so you didnt get sucked back in ... this was 1986. Dont know what they have done since for bootcamp. In all my years of service in the Navy, I never did set foot on a ship. Air support crew for the big birds has its advantages | ||
| Geforce |
New PT test... been talking about it for YEARS. When it hits the regs and books and my ass is trying to do it... then I'll believe it. Until then, it's still "experimental" to me. Hopefully they are also intelligent enough to include a clause in the FMs and ARs that removed H/W standards for Soldiers who pass the new APFT with xx% results. Not that I have a problem with my H/W, but I have had to put good Soldiers out simply because they were a bit thicker than what the ancient H/W tables allow. That sucks when they truly are "good" Soldiers. | ||
| Buellerandy |
The only difficult part of this type of regimen is the question "what do you all need to train for to complete this test?" What I mean is, when it comes to the current pfts, you know that if you want to improve your run, pushups/pullups, and situps, all you have to do is work at running, situps, and pushups/pullups. Theres a whole lot more to work on with this new experimental test. | ||
| Sayitaintso |
Hopefully they are also intelligent enough to include a clause in the FMs and ARs that removed H/W standards for Soldiers who pass the new APFT with xx% results. Not that I have a problem with my H/W, but I have had to put good Soldiers out simply because they were a bit thicker than what the ancient H/W tables allow. That sucks when they truly are "good" Soldiers. Aint that the truth, I had a couple guys I knew that were put out b/c they were thick. They never had a problem with passing the PT tests and they worked much harder than most of the guys who passed the strength parts of the PT tests w/ flying colors and could run like jackrabbits. The lard butts that weren't worth a damn usually never made it out of Basic. One of my best friends never passed a H/W check....but his head was attached directly to his shoulders and he cleared the neck measurement w/o a problem every time. Hell, I used to tease him that his neck was bigger than his head, probably the strongest guy I ever knew. Just a side story.... We were putting up the cammo net over the CP and since I was smaller I had to crawl under and unsnag it from the vehicles. He would lift the poles with the spreader to raise the net. My LBE got stuck one time and rather than waiting for me to unsnag myself that S.O.B. lifted me clean off the ground and left me hanging from the net 6ft in the air.... laughing his ass off. | ||
| Geforce |
I think the best way to train for this new APFT will be to core body workouts and LOTS of lower body training. Growing up in the Airborne world, this test is nothing more than a day at the obstacle course. After getting heavy into CrossFit for the last few months... that might be the ticket too. | ||
| Sayitaintso |
Growing up in the Airborne world, this test is nothing more than a day at the obstacle course. Having spent my whole time in the Army at Ft Bragg I was thinking along those lines, for the Army anyway. Hell, just make the obstacle course the PT test and be done with it. In full gear with your rifle, that thing will kick your butt....unless you're just walking through it. They'd need to standardize the courses though. The one we did in Basic at Ft. Sill was a joke compared to the one we did at Ft. Bragg. If you make it though the course in xx time you're good. |
