Army AFT Calculator

What Is the Army Fitness Test (AFT)?

The Army Fitness Test (AFT) is the United States Army's official physical readiness assessment, effective June 1, 2025. It replaced the Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT) with a refined five-event structure that measures muscular strength, muscular endurance, explosive power, anaerobic capacity, and aerobic endurance — the full spectrum of physical fitness required for military service.

The AFT is administered at least twice per year and is used to evaluate individual soldier readiness, support promotion and assignment decisions, and ensure the force maintains the physical standards required for operational effectiveness. Passing the AFT is a requirement for all active duty, National Guard, and Army Reserve soldiers.

The Five AFT Events Explained

1. Maximum Deadlift (MDL)

The Maximum Deadlift measures lower body and core muscular strength. Soldiers perform a three-repetition deadlift using a hex bar (also called a trap bar) and select the maximum weight they can lift correctly for all three reps. The weight is recorded in pounds and scored against the age-group and standard-specific table. The MDL simulates the physical demands of lifting heavy equipment, casualties, and ammunition in operational environments.

The minimum qualifying weight varies from 80 to 220 lbs depending on age and standard, while maximum-point performance typically requires 300–350 lbs for younger male soldiers under the General standard. Proper form — straight back, hip-hinge mechanics, and controlled tempo — is required for each repetition to count.

2. Hand-Release Push-Up (HRP)

The Hand-Release Push-Up measures upper body muscular endurance. Soldiers perform as many correct repetitions as possible in two minutes. The key feature distinguishing the HRP from a standard push-up is the hand-release movement at the bottom of each rep: the soldier must fully lower to the ground, lift their hands off the floor briefly, then push back up. This ensures full range of motion and prevents the bouncing technique common in older push-up standards.

Scoring ranges from roughly 10–65 repetitions for a minimum score to 40–61 repetitions for a 100-point score depending on age and standard. The HRP tests pushing endurance, shoulder stability, and core control under fatigue.

3. Sprint-Drag-Carry (SDC)

The Sprint-Drag-Carry is a timed 50-meter course measuring anaerobic power, agility, and muscular endurance across multiple movement patterns. Soldiers complete five 10-meter shuttles in sequence: a sprint, a drag of a weighted sled (90 lbs), a lateral shuffle, a carry of two 40 lb kettlebells, and a final sprint. Total time is recorded in seconds and scored against the table.

The SDC is one of the most physically demanding and technically complex events. Faster times require explosive starts, efficient grip transitions, and sustained anaerobic output. Minimum passing times range from roughly 3:28 to 5:03 depending on age and standard, while top scores require times under 1:30–2:09 depending on the age group.

4. Plank (PLK)

The Plank measures core muscular endurance and isometric stability. Soldiers maintain a proper forearm plank position — body in a straight line from head to heels, elbows under shoulders — for as long as possible. Time is recorded in minutes and seconds. The minimum qualifying hold is approximately 40–60 seconds depending on age, while 100-point performance requires holds of 3:20–3:40 for peak-age soldiers.

The Plank replaced the Leg Tuck (LTK) from the previous ACFT, which was removed due to concerns about grip strength as a limiting factor and inconsistent scoring. The Plank provides a more reliable and accessible assessment of core endurance.

5. Two-Mile Run (2MR)

The Two-Mile Run measures aerobic capacity and cardiovascular endurance. It remains the most familiar AFT event and one of the strongest predictors of overall cardiovascular health in the military population. Soldiers run two miles on a flat surface as fast as possible, with time recorded in minutes and seconds.

Run times for a passing score (60 points) range from approximately 19:45 to 25:50 depending on age and standard. Perfect scores of 100 points typically require times between 13:22 and 17:18. The 2MR strongly rewards consistent aerobic training — it is the event most improved by steady-state running, tempo work, and interval training.

Combat Standard vs. General Standard

The AFT offers two scoring standards that serve different populations and purposes.

The General standard uses sex-specific (male/female) performance scales that apply to most soldiers across the force. Female soldiers are evaluated against a separate scale that accounts for physiological differences in upper body strength and body composition. This is the standard used for the vast majority of routine AFT administrations.

The Combat standard uses a single gender-neutral scale with higher performance requirements, identical for male and female soldiers. It reflects the physical demands of direct combat roles and is used for soldiers assigned to or seeking assignment to combat arms positions. The Combat standard is more demanding — particularly for upper body events — and represents elite-level military fitness.

Minimum Standards and Pass/Fail

A soldier passes the AFT by scoring a minimum of 60 points in every event and achieving a total score of at least 350 points. Failing any single event — regardless of total score — results in a failing result on the overall AFT. A soldier who scores 100 points in four events but 50 in one still fails.

This per-event minimum requirement reflects the Army's philosophy that physical fitness cannot have a significant weakness compensated for by strength in another area. A soldier who cannot deadlift the minimum weight or hold a plank for the minimum time has a physical deficiency that is operationally significant, regardless of how fast they can run.

Alternate Aerobic Events

Soldiers who hold a medical profile preventing them from performing the Two-Mile Run may be authorized to take an alternate aerobic event. These events are scored on a Go/No-Go basis, with a Go equivalent to a 60-point score on the 2MR. The four approved alternates are the 2.5-Mile Walk, 12 km Bike, 1 km Swim, and 5 km Row. Time standards for each alternate vary by age group and standard, and are detailed in the official June 2025 scoring tables this calculator uses.

How to Improve Your AFT Score

Prioritize Your Weakest Event

The biggest total score gains come from improving your lowest-scoring event, not your best. If you score 90 on the run and 62 on the SDC, investing training time in the SDC produces far more total points than shaving more seconds off your run. Our calculator's Priority Training Focus section identifies exactly which event gives you the most points per unit of improvement.

Deadlift Programming

Improve the MDL through progressive overload with hex bar or conventional deadlifts, Romanian deadlifts for posterior chain development, and accessory work including bent rows, good mornings, and glute bridges. Most soldiers can add 20–40 lbs to their 3-rep max within 8–12 weeks of structured programming. Focus on hip-hinge mechanics before adding load.

Push-Up Endurance

The HRP is primarily a volume and endurance event. Three to four push-up sessions per week, using ladders, max-rep sets, and timed sets, build the specific endurance tested. Tricep, chest, and shoulder accessory work supports upper body resilience. The hand-release motion adds a small recovery demand between reps — practice the full movement, not standard push-ups, in training.

SDC Speed and Conditioning

The Sprint-Drag-Carry rewards athletes who train explosiveness, sled work, and lateral conditioning. Include heavy sled drags, shuttle runs, lateral shuffles, and farmer carries in training. Grip strength for the kettlebell carry is often the limiting factor — include dedicated grip work in your program.

Plank Hold Duration

The Plank responds well to progressive hold training. Start with 3 sets of your max hold time, rest 90 seconds, and repeat three days per week. Add 5–10 seconds per session. Strengthen the core with anti-rotation exercises (Pallof press), dead bugs, and hollow body holds to develop the full core stability the plank tests.

Two-Mile Run Time

Running improvement requires consistent aerobic base building combined with structured speed work. Run at least 3–4 times per week. Include: one long easy run (3–4 miles), one tempo run (2 miles at 80% effort), and one interval session (6–8 × 400m at goal pace). Most soldiers can improve their 2-mile time by 1–2 minutes within 8 weeks of structured run training.

Recovery: The Missing Element in AFT Training

Training hard is only half the equation. The physical adaptations that improve AFT performance — increased muscle fiber recruitment, improved VO2 max, enhanced motor patterns — happen during recovery, not during the workout itself. Two recovery factors matter more than all supplements and accessories combined: sleep and hydration.

Most soldiers training for the AFT underestimate how much sleep affects performance. Growth hormone release, muscle protein synthesis, and motor memory consolidation all peak during slow-wave and REM sleep. Consistently sleeping under 7 hours significantly impairs the muscle building and cardiovascular improvements that AFT training demands. Our Sleep Calculator helps you find the exact bedtime that puts you through the right number of complete sleep cycles so you wake up recovered — not groggy from a mid-cycle alarm.

Hydration is equally critical, especially for soldiers training in heat or at altitude. Even mild dehydration of 2% body weight reduces muscular endurance, aerobic output, and cognitive performance — all of which affect AFT results. The standard recommendation of "eight glasses a day" ignores body size, training intensity, and environmental conditions. Our Water Intake Calculator estimates your daily fluid needs based on your weight, activity level, and training conditions so you can nail hydration on training days and test day.

AFT Scoring Tables — Effective June 2025

The scoring tables in this calculator are based on the official Army Fitness Test Score Tables approved May 15, 2025 and effective June 1, 2025. These tables supersede all previous ACFT scoring scales. They cover all five events, all ten age groups (17–21, 22–26, 27–31, 32–36, 37–41, 42–46, 47–51, 52–56, 57–61, Over 62), and both the Combat (C) and General (M/F) standards. Points are awarded from 0 to 100 per event, with a minimum qualifying score of 60 points required for each event.