The Army Combat Fitness Test is the most significant change to Army physical assessment in 40 years. Six events, gender-neutral standards, and a scoring system that rewards well-rounded physical capacity.
The Six Events — What They Actually Test
3-Rep Maximum Deadlift: Raw strength production. Not a max single — a controlled triple. Train with 3-5 rep ranges, not singles. Grip is often the limiting factor.
Standing Power Throw: Explosive power transfer from lower body through torso to upper body. Train with medicine ball throws, kettlebell swings, and Olympic lift variations. This event exposes athletes who are strong but slow.
Hand-Release Push-Ups: Upper body endurance + core stability. The hand release eliminates bouncing and half-reps. Train strict push-ups with a 1-second pause at the bottom. Volume matters more than load here.
Sprint-Drag-Carry: The most tactically relevant event. 5x50m shuttles: sprint, sled drag, lateral shuffle, farmer's carry, sprint. This event destroys people who didn't train transitions. Practice the entire sequence, not the components in isolation.
Plank: Core endurance under tension. Not a max hold — scored by time. Train planks with weight (plate on back) so bodyweight feels easy. Don't neglect hip flexor endurance — they'll fail before your abs.
2-Mile Run: Aerobic capacity under fatigue. The run comes last for a reason — the Army wants to see if you can run when you're tired. Train running on tired legs. Do your run intervals after strength work at least once per week.
The 8-Week ACFT Peaking Block
Weeks 1-3 (Base): 3 strength sessions, 2 run sessions, 1 ACFT event practice. Build capacity. No event sequencing yet.
Weeks 4-6 (Specific): 2 strength maintenance, 1 full ACFT simulation per week (all six events in order, timed). The simulation teaches your body the event sequence — your heart rate, your grip fatigue, your pacing.
Weeks 7-8 (Peak): 1 strength maintenance, 1 simulation per week, Rehab the week of the test. The week before: light practice, no new stimulus, prioritise sleep and nutrition.
THE LINE's ACFT peaking block programs all of this automatically. You input your test date. The engine reverse-engineers the block. You execute.