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Introduction

The Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT) is a hot topic in military circles right now, and if you’re reading this book, you probably want to do your best on this make-or-break assessment. Sure, physical fitness is the cornerstone of combat readiness, but the Army’s kept the same old physical training regimen for more than four decades. If it ain’t broke, why fix it?

The problem is that the old test — the Army Physical Fitness Test, or APFT — was broken. It wasn’t a good gauge of a soldier’s overall fitness. How much can you really measure with push-ups, sit-ups, and a two-mile run? Not much.

Enter the ACFT, the Army’s new and improved assessment that looks at a soldier’s functional fitness level. The days of calling three events a test are over, and so are the days of gender- and age-specific scoring. Now, the Army has a completely neutral test that every soldier must pass. Performance is divided into three Physical Demand Categories based on military occupational specialty, or MOS: Moderate, Significant, and Heavy.

You have to pass the ACFT. If you don’t, you may need to start looking for a new job — and that’s the last thing you want to do, whether you’re working toward retirement or you’re just ready to complete your first contract.

About This Book

ACFT For Dummies is the resource you need to improve your physical fitness, train for the ACFT, and make good choices between 1130 and 1300. I explain each test event in detail, discuss the test’s rules, show you exercises you can use to improve your performance on each event, and explain how to deal with injuries. I even give you guidance on maintaining a healthy diet.

This book also contains the answers to all your burning ACFT questions, such as

 What exercises should I do to prepare for each event?

 Is PRT really going to help me perform well on the ACFT?

 How healthy are popular workouts, and will they help me pass the ACFT?

 How important is recovery?

 What happens if I’m on a profile?

 Are there special exercises females should focus on? What about seasoned soldiers?

 Are special diets worth the time and energy they require?

 How can clean eating help me pass the test?

A final note about the ACFT: Its scoring is considered gender-neutral. As of this writing, the Army officially recognizes two genders — male and female — so when it says the test is gender-neutral, it’s indicating that the scoring doesn’t discriminate between biological males and biological females.

Foolish Assumptions

When I moved this book from my head to paper, I made a few assumptions about you. (Yes, I know what happens when you assume.) Mostly, I’ve taken a few things for granted about who you are and why you picked up this book:

 You’re either in the U.S. Army or you’re about to join.

 You understand the Army’s basic physical fitness regimen, but you’re not necessarily familiar with gym jargon or many exercises outside what you do for PT every morning.

 You want to do your best on the ACFT, or you’re struggling with certain events that you can’t pass as of right now.

 You want to continue your career in the Army without being involuntarily separated.

 You’re ready, willing, and able to do what it takes to improve your physical fitness level.

Icons Used in This Book

Throughout this book, you find icons that help you use the material in this book. Here’s a rundown of what they mean:

This icon alerts you to helpful hints regarding the ACFT. Tips can help you save time and avoid frustration.

This icon reminds you of important information you should read carefully.

This icon flags actions that can cause injury or illness or points out mistakes you may make while you’re preparing for or taking the ACFT. Often, this icon accompanies common mistakes or misconceptions people have about the ACFT.

This icon points out information that is interesting, enlightening, or in-depth but that isn’t necessary for you to read.

This icon points out specific examples designed to help you prep for a record ACFT.

Beyond the Book

In addition to the material you’re reading right now, this product also comes with a free, access-anywhere Cheat Sheet. No, it isn’t something you can tape to the inside of your PT belt to help you perform better on the ACFT. Instead, this Cheat Sheet gives you quick pointers about what you need to know before taking the ACFT. It explains the events and exercises you can perform when you’re short on time and covers basic things you should avoid when you’re training. You can also find tips and techniques to max out your performance on each event. To get this Cheat Sheet, simply go to www.dummies.com and search for “ACFT For Dummies Cheat Sheet” in the Search box.

But wait! There’s more! This book also comes with some helpful online videos that cover the exercises I explain in the book. Check them out at www.dummies.com/go/acftfd.

Where to Go from Here

You don’t have to read this book from cover to cover to perform well on the ACFT. I suggest that you begin with Chapters 1 and 2 to pick up the basics, especially if you haven’t yet taken a diagnostic or record ACFT. That way, you can get a feel for how the test is organized and which events you need to pour your blood, sweat, and tears into. This plan of attack helps you set up logical and effective goals to maximize your efforts with the time you have left to prepare.

When you know your weak spots, you can dig into Chapters 8 and 9, which explain exercises and stretches you can focus on for peak performance. If you’re struggling with a certain event, flip directly to that event’s section and get to work. You may want to skip sections you don’t need (as long as you keep training the way you have been). For example, if you can run two miles in 12 minutes but you couldn’t do a leg tuck to save your life, you probably don’t need to learn much about sprint intervals and hill repeats. You need loaded isometric hangs and contralateral dead bugs.

If you’re battling the tape measure each time you take a physical fitness test, have a peek at Part 4 of this book. I give you the rundown on hitting the drive-through, eating your veggies, and pounding energy drinks (and how they all impact your physical performance).

Not sure where to start? Grab your last bag of chips (at least until after the test), kick back, and start at the beginning.