APFT: What It Was and What Replaced It | Combat Fitness
The APFT (Army Physical Fitness Test): What It Was and What Replaced It
The APFT (Army Physical Fitness Test) was the U.S. Army's fitness test of record from 1980 until September 30, 2020. It had three events: two minutes of push-ups, two minutes of sit-ups, and a timed 2-mile run. It is no longer the test of record, and the standard you train for today is different. Our military fitness programs are built around the test soldiers take now, not the one their drill sergeants took.
We program for soldiers and candidates who have to pass the current test, so we've laid this out the way a platoon sergeant would. We cover what the APFT measured, what the old standards were, and how the Army moved to the ACFT and then the Army Fitness Test (AFT). We also answer whether the APFT is coming back. Start with what the test was.
Key Takeaways:
The APFT had three events (push-ups, sit-ups, 2-mile run). Each was scored 0 to 100, for a 300-point maximum, and passing required 60 points per event.
The six-event Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT) replaced the APFT as the test of record on October 1, 2020.
The five-event Army Fitness Test (AFT) replaced the ACFT on June 1, 2025. It is scored out of 500.
The Army has announced no plan to bring the APFT back.
APFT scores and calculators no longer apply to any current soldier, so train for the AFT.
What Was the APFT (Army Physical Fitness Test)?
The Army Physical Fitness Test was a three-event assessment of muscular endurance and aerobic fitness. Every soldier took it at least twice a year. It consisted of two minutes of push-ups, two minutes of sit-ups, and a 2-mile run, each scored against age- and sex-specific tables.
If you're wondering what APFT stands for, the answer is in the name: Army Physical Fitness Test. The Army adopted the three-event format in 1980 and governed it through field manuals, most recently FM 7-22 (2012). Soldiers tested in PT uniform and running shoes with no equipment. A passing score was required for promotion, for Army schools, and for staying in good standing.
What Did the APFT Consist Of?
The test ran in a fixed order with rest between events:
Push-ups (2 minutes): lower the body as a single unit until the upper arms are at least parallel to the ground, then press back to full extension. Rest is allowed only in the up position.
Sit-ups (2 minutes): knees bent at roughly 45 degrees and feet held by a partner. Raise the upper body to vertical, then return until the shoulder blades touch the ground.
2-mile run: a measured course, run as fast as possible, with no walking restriction but no help from others.
The design explains why the test was eventually replaced. It measured muscular endurance and aerobic capacity, and almost nothing else. A light, aerobically fit soldier could max it without being able to deadlift a casualty or sprint with a load. Combat asks for both, and the APFT only saw half the picture.
What Were the APFT Standards and Score Chart?
The APFT standards below are historical. No soldier is scored against them for record today. Each event's raw result (reps or run time) converted to 0 to 100 points using tables split by sex and by age brackets running from 17-21 into the 60s. The maximum score was 300.
Military APFT standards, FM 7-22 (historical), minimum (60 points) / maximum (100 points)
Figure 1.1 - Army Physical Fitness Test scoring standards for ages 17 to 31, showing the 60-point minimum and the 100-point maximum for push-ups, sit-ups and the two-mile run. Passing required at least 60 points in each event and 180 overall, with push-ups and sit-ups scored over two minutes each. The pattern across the three age bands runs in opposite directions at the two ends: the pass mark eases with age, 42, 40 then 39 push-ups for men, 53 then 50 then 45 sit-ups, while the hundred-point requirement rises, from 71 to 77 push-ups and 78 to 82 sit-ups. Sit-ups were the only event with no separate standard for men and women. These figures belong to FM 7-22, Army Physical Readiness Training, October 2012, and were scored on DA Form 705; the APFT ceased to be the Army's test of record on 1 October 2022. Sources: DA Form 705 as reproduced by Northern Michigan University Military Science, citing AR 350-1 and TC 3-22.20.
The full APFT score chart in FM 7-22 continued through every older bracket. Sit-up standards were identical for men and women, while push-up and run standards were sex-specific.
How Many Points Did You Need to Pass the APFT?
You needed 60 points in each event, which made 180 the lowest possible passing total. The per-event floor mattered more than the total. A 100 on push-ups could not cover a 50 on the run, because the test was built to catch a single weak link rather than average it away.
These numbers are history. For the tables soldiers are measured against today, see the current AFT standards. The same shift reached Army ROTC, where cadets once contracted against APFT minimums. Current ROTC fitness test standards follow the Army's newer test instead.
What Replaced the APFT? From ACFT to AFT
The APFT was replaced by the six-event Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT) on October 1, 2020. The ACFT was then replaced by the five-event Army Fitness Test (AFT) on June 1, 2025. If you searched for the "new APFT" or the "new Army APFT test," the AFT is the test you're looking for.
APFT to ACFT (2020)
The Army announced its plan to replace the APFT in July 2018 and ran a yearlong field test across 63 battalions that ended in September 2019. Army Directive 2020-06 made the ACFT the test of record on October 1, 2020. After September 30, 2020, the Army stopped conducting the APFT, with one exception: soldiers whose last record APFT was a failure.
COVID-19 disrupted the rollout. The Army ruled that ACFT scores would not count against individual soldiers until March 2022. The original six events were the 3-repetition maximum deadlift, standing power throw, hand-release push-up, sprint-drag-carry, leg tuck, and 2-mile run. The plank later took over as the core event.
The reasoning was occupational. The Army designed the ACFT to correlate with warrior tasks and battle drills: lifting, carrying, dragging, and moving fast under load. The APFT measured none of that.
ACFT to AFT (2025)
The Army announced the AFT on April 21, 2025, and it became the test of record on June 1, 2025. It has five events: the 3-repetition maximum deadlift, hand-release push-up arm extension, sprint-drag-carry, plank, and 2-mile run. The standing power throw was dropped after a RAND Corporation analysis linked it to future injury. RAND's work and Army data from nearly one million test records informed the new standard.
Each event is scored 0 to 100, for a 500-point maximum. The general standard is normed by age and sex, with a passing score of 300 and at least 60 points per event. Soldiers in 21 combat military occupational specialties are held to a sex-neutral, age-normed combat standard. That standard took effect January 1, 2026, for the active component and June 1, 2026, for the Reserve and National Guard.
APFT vs ACFT vs AFT at a Glance
APFT (1980 to September 2020): 3 events: 2-minute push-ups, 2-minute sit-ups, and a 2-mile run. Scored out of 300, with 60 points per event to pass and standards normed by age and sex. No strength event.
ACFT (October 2020 to May 2025): 6 events: 3RM deadlift, standing power throw, hand-release push-up, sprint-drag-carry, leg tuck (later the plank), and a 2-mile run. Scored out of 600, with 60 points per event to pass. Scoring was initially age- and sex-neutral, then normed by age and sex.
AFT (June 2025 to present): 5 events: 3RM deadlift, hand-release push-up, sprint-drag-carry, plank, and a 2-mile run. Scored out of 500, with 60 points per event to pass. The general standard is normed by age and sex, while the 21 combat MOSs use a sex-neutral, age-normed standard.
The constant: the 2-mile run is the only event common to all three tests.
Two details matter for anyone who trained on the old test. First, the push-up changed. The hand-release push-up puts your chest on the ground and your hands off the deck on every rep. That removes the rebound and partial range that inflated APFT push-up counts, so every rep starts from a dead stop.
Second, the run survived every version. The Army two-mile run is the only event common to the APFT, ACFT, and AFT. Army health researchers have long treated aerobic capacity as the most important single measure of soldier fitness. If you are deciding how to train for the new standard, our guide to choosing a military fitness program walks through what to look for.
Is the APFT Coming Back?
No, the APFT is not coming back. The Army has announced no plan to return to it. The Army Fitness Test has been the test of record since June 1, 2025, and the 2025 changes moved further from the APFT model. They added sex-neutral combat standards rather than restoring push-ups, sit-ups, and a run.
The rumor that the Army is going back to the APFT has two sources. The AFT restored age- and sex-normed scoring for the general standard, which some soldiers read as a return to the old system. The AFT also cut an event, which looked like a step back toward a shorter test. Neither change brought back sit-ups or removed the deadlift.
The deadlift stays because lifting and carrying load is the job. A test that cannot see strength cannot predict whether a soldier can move a casualty, a ruck, or a resupply load. That is the gap the APFT left open. Policy can change, and we will update this page if it does.
Is There Still an APFT Calculator?
APFT calculators still exist online, but they score a test no soldier takes for record. Enter your numbers into an old APFT score calculator and you get a 2019 answer to a 2026 question. There is also no official conversion between an APFT score and an AFT score, because the two tests measure different physical qualities.
Use the Army Fitness Test calculator instead. You enter your deadlift, hand-release push-ups, sprint-drag-carry time, plank time, and 2-mile run time with your age and sex. It shows where you stand against the standard you will be graded on.
How to Prepare for the Current Army Fitness Test
Searches for how to pass the APFT, how to prepare for the APFT, or how to max the APFT all lead to the same place now: preparing for the AFT. The test rewards a mix of strength, anaerobic capacity, and aerobic fitness, so your training has to build all three without letting one wreck the others.
Test all five events first. Run a full mock AFT in event order (deadlift, hand-release push-up, sprint-drag-carry, plank, 2-mile run) to find your weakest event.
Build deadlift strength early. Strength takes the longest to develop, and it carries over to the sprint-drag-carry, so lift two to three times per week.
Train the hand-release push-up specifically. Standard push-up volume does not fully transfer, because the dead-stop start removes the stretch reflex you relied on.
Develop anaerobic capacity for the sprint-drag-carry. Use repeat sprints, sled drags, and loaded carries with incomplete rest to match the event's demand.
Build the aerobic base for the 2-mile run. Keep most running easy and add one interval or tempo session per week. A bigger aerobic engine also speeds recovery between the other events.
Train the plank as a hold under fatigue. You plank after three hard events, so practice it at the end of sessions rather than fresh.
Retest every four to six weeks. A full mock test shows whether the program is working and where to shift volume.
If you are starting from a low baseline, our Army PT workouts for beginners lay out a starting progression before you add test-specific work.
FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions
What does APFT stand for?
APFT stands for Army Physical Fitness Test. It was the U.S. Army's test of record from 1980 to September 30, 2020, and it measured muscular endurance and aerobic fitness through push-ups, sit-ups, and a 2-mile run. The Army Fitness Test (AFT) is the current test.
What did the APFT consist of?
The APFT consisted of three events in a fixed order: two minutes of push-ups, two minutes of sit-ups, and a timed 2-mile run. Each event was scored from 0 to 100 points using tables based on age and sex, for a maximum of 300 points. No equipment was required.
What were the APFT passing standards?
Passing the APFT required at least 60 points in each event, which meant a minimum total of 180. For a male soldier aged 17-21, 60 points meant 42 push-ups, 53 sit-ups, and a 2-mile run of 15:54 or faster. These standards are historical and no longer used for record.
Is the Army going back to the APFT?
No. The Army has not announced any plan to return to the APFT. The Army Fitness Test became the test of record on June 1, 2025, and its standards for combat specialties took effect in 2026. The AFT keeps a strength event, which the APFT never had.
What replaced the APFT?
The Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT) replaced the APFT on October 1, 2020. The ACFT was then replaced on June 1, 2025, by the Army Fitness Test (AFT). The AFT has five events: deadlift, hand-release push-up, sprint-drag-carry, plank, and 2-mile run.
How do you prepare for the current Army test?
Prepare for the AFT by testing all five events, then building deadlift strength, hand-release push-up capacity, anaerobic work for the sprint-drag-carry, and an aerobic base for the 2-mile run. Train the plank under fatigue and retest every four to six weeks to adjust your program.
The APFT was a clean, simple test of push-ups, sit-ups, and running endurance, and it served the Army for four decades. It also missed strength and power, which is why the Army replaced it twice. Every number from the old score chart is now a piece of history, not a target.
Knowing the lineage is useful. Passing the current test takes a program that builds strength, anaerobic capacity, and aerobic fitness in the right order. Start training for the AFT with a structured plan: CF ONE programs the deadlift, sprint-drag-carry, and run work into one progression so you show up on test day ready for all five events.
References:
U.S. Army Public Affairs. "Army establishes new fitness test of record to strengthen readiness and lethality." April 21, 2025.
Escarne, W. "Army introduces new fitness test for 2025." U.S. Army, May 14, 2025.
U.S. Army. "Army Fitness Test" (official AFT information page).
Headquarters, Department of the Army. Army Directive 2020-06, Army Combat Fitness Test. June 12, 2020.
Brading, T. "ACFT 2.0: Changes sparked by COVID-19." Army News Service, June 15, 2020.
U.S. Army Reserve. "Army Reserve commanding general, Soldiers participate in ACFT pilot program."
Association of the United States Army. "Army Implements New PT Test."
National Guard Association of the United States. "Army issues new fitness test, key changes." 2025.
Headquarters, Department of the Army. FM 7-22, Army Physical Readiness Training. October 2012 (APFT administration and scoring tables).
Headquarters, Department of the Army. FM 7-22, Holistic Health and Fitness. October 2020.
Headquarters, Department of the Army. AR 350-1, Army Training and Leader Development.
RAND Corporation. Analysis of Army fitness test data supporting the 2025 Army Fitness Test, as cited by U.S. Army Public Affairs, April 21, 2025.
UNC Charlotte Army ROTC. "APFT Standards."
University of Toledo Army ROTC. "ROTC Physical Assessment, the Army Physical Fitness Test and Required Height/Weight Information."
Disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes only and describes the retired Army Physical Fitness Test as historical information. Army fitness standards, scoring, and policies change. Confirm current requirements with official Army publications or your chain of command. Consult a qualified medical professional before starting any new training program.
