Army Combat Fitness Test Relationships to Tactical Foot March Performance in Reserve Officers’ Training Corps Cadets
The Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT), consisting of deadlift, standing power throw, hand release push-up, sprint-drag-carry, leg tuck or plank, and 2-mile run, is the United States Army’s new fitness test. The ACFT is designed to measure multiple fitness components required to perform combat tasks. O...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-03-01
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| Series: | Biology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/12/3/477 |
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| author | Kevin L. Withrow Daniela A. Rubin J. Jay Dawes Robin M. Orr Scott K. Lynn Robert G. Lockie |
| author_facet | Kevin L. Withrow Daniela A. Rubin J. Jay Dawes Robin M. Orr Scott K. Lynn Robert G. Lockie |
| author_sort | Kevin L. Withrow |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT), consisting of deadlift, standing power throw, hand release push-up, sprint-drag-carry, leg tuck or plank, and 2-mile run, is the United States Army’s new fitness test. The ACFT is designed to measure multiple fitness components required to perform combat tasks. One critical task is the tactical foot march (TFM), where soldiers cover long distances while carrying loads comprised of mission-essential equipment. As the ACFT is meant to predict soldier task performance, determining the relationships between the ACFT and the TFM is important. Data from 29 cadets (♂ = 20, ♀ = 9) from one university Reserve Officers’ Training Corps program were analyzed. The ACFT was recorded in raw and scaled scores. The TFM was performed over 6.44 km, with time recorded. Cadets carried a 15.88-kg rucksack, fighting load carrier, 3-L hydration pack, and replica M4 carbine. Independent samples t-tests evaluated ACFT and TFM between-sex differences. Partial correlations, controlling for sex, determined ACFT event and TFM relationships. Male cadets outperformed females in all ACFT tasks (<i>p</i> ≤ 0.039), except the push-up. ACFT total score, leg tuck, 2-mile run, and sprint-drag-carry showed large correlations with the TFM (<i>r</i> = ±0.463–0.531, <i>p</i> ≤ 0.026). Aerobic and anaerobic capacity and upper body/trunk strength were important fitness components for cadet TFM performance. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T06:54:18Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-35a4eacbedb64409bfe8fd80dc95daa3 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2079-7737 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T06:54:18Z |
| publishDate | 2023-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Biology |
| spelling | doaj.art-35a4eacbedb64409bfe8fd80dc95daa32023-11-17T09:42:51ZengMDPI AGBiology2079-77372023-03-0112347710.3390/biology12030477Army Combat Fitness Test Relationships to Tactical Foot March Performance in Reserve Officers’ Training Corps CadetsKevin L. Withrow0Daniela A. Rubin1J. Jay Dawes2Robin M. Orr3Scott K. Lynn4Robert G. Lockie516th Combat Aviation Brigade, Holistic Health and Fitness, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, WA 98433, USACenter for Sport Performance, Department of Kinesiology, California State University, Fullerton, CA 92831, USATactical Fitness and Nutrition Lab, School of Kinesiology, Applied Health and Recreation, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USATactical Research Unit, Bond University, Robina, QLD 4229, AustraliaCenter for Sport Performance, Department of Kinesiology, California State University, Fullerton, CA 92831, USACenter for Sport Performance, Department of Kinesiology, California State University, Fullerton, CA 92831, USAThe Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT), consisting of deadlift, standing power throw, hand release push-up, sprint-drag-carry, leg tuck or plank, and 2-mile run, is the United States Army’s new fitness test. The ACFT is designed to measure multiple fitness components required to perform combat tasks. One critical task is the tactical foot march (TFM), where soldiers cover long distances while carrying loads comprised of mission-essential equipment. As the ACFT is meant to predict soldier task performance, determining the relationships between the ACFT and the TFM is important. Data from 29 cadets (♂ = 20, ♀ = 9) from one university Reserve Officers’ Training Corps program were analyzed. The ACFT was recorded in raw and scaled scores. The TFM was performed over 6.44 km, with time recorded. Cadets carried a 15.88-kg rucksack, fighting load carrier, 3-L hydration pack, and replica M4 carbine. Independent samples t-tests evaluated ACFT and TFM between-sex differences. Partial correlations, controlling for sex, determined ACFT event and TFM relationships. Male cadets outperformed females in all ACFT tasks (<i>p</i> ≤ 0.039), except the push-up. ACFT total score, leg tuck, 2-mile run, and sprint-drag-carry showed large correlations with the TFM (<i>r</i> = ±0.463–0.531, <i>p</i> ≤ 0.026). Aerobic and anaerobic capacity and upper body/trunk strength were important fitness components for cadet TFM performance.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/12/3/477ACFTArmycombat fitnessleg tuckmilitaryROTC |
| spellingShingle | Kevin L. Withrow Daniela A. Rubin J. Jay Dawes Robin M. Orr Scott K. Lynn Robert G. Lockie Army Combat Fitness Test Relationships to Tactical Foot March Performance in Reserve Officers’ Training Corps Cadets Biology ACFT Army combat fitness leg tuck military ROTC |
| title | Army Combat Fitness Test Relationships to Tactical Foot March Performance in Reserve Officers’ Training Corps Cadets |
| title_full | Army Combat Fitness Test Relationships to Tactical Foot March Performance in Reserve Officers’ Training Corps Cadets |
| title_fullStr | Army Combat Fitness Test Relationships to Tactical Foot March Performance in Reserve Officers’ Training Corps Cadets |
| title_full_unstemmed | Army Combat Fitness Test Relationships to Tactical Foot March Performance in Reserve Officers’ Training Corps Cadets |
| title_short | Army Combat Fitness Test Relationships to Tactical Foot March Performance in Reserve Officers’ Training Corps Cadets |
| title_sort | army combat fitness test relationships to tactical foot march performance in reserve officers training corps cadets |
| topic | ACFT Army combat fitness leg tuck military ROTC |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/12/3/477 |
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