TY - JOUR
T1 - Army combat fitness test relationships to tactical foot march performance in reserve officers’ training corps cadets
AU - Withrow, Kevin
AU - Rubin, Daniela
AU - Jay Dawes, J.
AU - Orr, Rob Marc
AU - Lynn, Scott
AU - Lockie, Robert G.
N1 - Funding Information:
This study examined the relationship between ACFT and TFM performance of cadets in one university US Army ROTC program. Firstly, male cadets performed significantly better compared to female cadets in every ACFT assessment, except push-ups and TFM. With regard to the ACFT and TFM correlation analyses, it was hypothesized that the ACFT total score and the deadlift, sprint-drag-carry, leg tuck, and 2-mile run events would be significantly related to the TFM. This hypothesis was supported in part by the findings of this study. The sprint-drag-carry, leg tuck, and 2-mile run showed relationships with a large degree of strength with the TFM. These results suggest that aerobic endurance, upper body and trunk strength, and anaerobic capacity may be important components of fitness necessary for performance in the TFM. These results support previous research in military personnel that suggest soldiers require sufficient fitness in multiple domains to successfully complete their required job tasks [,,,,,]. The present results also suggest that the ACFT measured these different fitness components, likely making the test valid and useful for measuring the fitness necessitated by combat, as the TFM is an essential combat task for soldiers [,,,].
Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 by the authors.
PY - 2023/3/21
Y1 - 2023/3/21
N2 - 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 (p 0.039), except the push-up. ACFT total score, leg tuck, 2-mile run, and sprint-drag-carry showed large correlations with the TFM (r = 0.463–0.531,p 0.026). Aerobic and anaerobic capacity and upper body/trunk strength were important fitness components for cadet TFM performance.
AB - 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 (p 0.039), except the push-up. ACFT total score, leg tuck, 2-mile run, and sprint-drag-carry showed large correlations with the TFM (r = 0.463–0.531,p 0.026). Aerobic and anaerobic capacity and upper body/trunk strength were important fitness components for cadet TFM performance.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85151741078&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3390/biology12030477
DO - 10.3390/biology12030477
M3 - Article
SN - 2079-7737
VL - 12
SP - 1
EP - 14
JO - Biology
JF - Biology
IS - 3
M1 - 477
ER -