Sarah Chen, MS, CSCS
Exercise Science Reviewer
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Sarah Chen, MS, CSCS
Exercise Science Reviewer
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Published: January 15, 2026 • 21 min read
I have trained for the ACFT the wrong way and the right way. The wrong way was doing random workouts and hoping that general fitness would carry me. It did not. I scored 430 on my first attempt. Not bad, but nowhere near where I wanted to be.
The right way was building a structured program that addressed each event with specific training methods, progressed intensity over 8 weeks, and peaked for test day. That approach took me from 430 to 548 in a single training cycle. The program I am sharing here is based on what worked for me and for the soldiers I have coached since.
Eight weeks divides cleanly into three phases. Weeks 1-3 build your base. Weeks 4-6 increase intensity and specificity. Weeks 7-8 are about peaking and tapering. Each phase has a distinct purpose, and skipping ahead is counterproductive.
Here is my strong opinion on ACFT deadlift training: most soldiers do not deadlift heavy enough in training. They get nervous about injury, stick to moderate weights, and then wonder why they stall at 200 lbs on test day. The deadlift is a strength event. You need to train heavy to get stronger. Period.
Phase 1 (Weeks 1-3): Build the pattern
Phase 2 (Weeks 4-6): Build strength
Phase 3 (Weeks 7-8): Peak
Common deadlift training mistake:
Training with sets of 10 reps. This builds endurance, not maximal strength. The ACFT tests your 3-rep max. You need to train with sets of 3-5 reps at heavy weights. If your training sets never go above 60% of your max, you will not get stronger.
The power throw is the most technique-dependent event on the ACFT. Strength helps, but a well-trained athlete at 160 lbs can out-throw a strong soldier at 220 lbs if the lighter athlete has better hip extension timing and release mechanics. This event is about coordination and explosiveness, not just brute force.
Phase 1 (Weeks 1-3): Build explosiveness
Phase 2 (Weeks 4-6): Refine and progress
Phase 3 (Weeks 7-8): Polish
This is where I disagree with most ACFT training advice. The standard recommendation is "do more push-ups." That is lazy coaching. If you are stuck at 25 hand-release push-ups and you just do more sets of 25, you will stay stuck at 25. You need to build the muscles that perform the push-up and train the endurance of those muscles separately.
Phase 1 (Weeks 1-3): Build the muscle
Phase 2 (Weeks 4-6): Build endurance
Phase 3 (Weeks 7-8): Test and taper
The pacing trap:
Soldiers who go fast in the first 30 seconds typically get 5-8 fewer reps than soldiers who pace themselves. My recommendation: aim for one rep every 2 seconds for the first minute (30 reps), then push harder in the second minute. This prevents the "arms turn to jelly at 45 seconds" phenomenon that kills scores.
The SDC is the event that separates soldiers who train specifically from soldiers who just "work out." General fitness helps, but if you have not practiced dragging a sled, carrying kettlebells at speed, and performing lateral shuffles while exhausted, you will be slower than you should be.
Phase 1 (Weeks 1-3): Build the components
Phase 2 (Weeks 4-6): Combine and condition
Phase 3 (Weeks 7-8): Sharpen
Plank training is boring. I am not going to pretend otherwise. But boring works. The plank is an isometric endurance event, and you train it with progressive overload applied to isometric holds. The key insight is that just holding a plank until you collapse is not optimal training. You need structure.
Phase 1 (Weeks 1-3): Build the base
Phase 2 (Weeks 4-6): Progressive overload
Phase 3 (Weeks 7-8): Test and maintain
Most soldiers train for the two-mile run by running two miles. That is like training for the deadlift by just doing max-effort deadlifts every session. It works up to a point, then you plateau hard. The soldiers I have seen make the biggest improvements in their run times are the ones who stopped running the same 2-mile loop at the same pace every other day.
Phase 1 (Weeks 1-3): Build your aerobic base
Phase 2 (Weeks 4-6): Add intervals
Phase 3 (Weeks 7-8): Race-specific prep
Why intervals work better than just running more:
Running at a pace faster than your current 2-mile pace forces physiological adaptations that easy running cannot. Your body learns to clear lactate faster, your running economy improves, and your VO2 max increases. Easy runs build the base that supports interval work, but the intervals are where the speed comes from.
Here is how I structure a typical training week during Phase 2 (Weeks 4-6). This assumes you are training 5 days per week with 2 rest days. Adjust based on your unit schedule.
| Day | Focus | Workout |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Strength (Upper) | Bench press 3x10, overhead press 3x8, push-up timed sets 3x60sec, dips 3x10, Pallof press 3x10/side |
| Tuesday | Run (Intervals) | 10-min warmup, 6x400m at goal pace with 90sec rest, 10-min cooldown |
| Wednesday | Strength (Lower) + Power | Hex bar deadlift (work to heavy 3), box jumps 4x5, med ball backward throws 3x5, plank 3 sets at 80% max |
| Thursday | SDC Practice + Easy Run | Full SDC practice (timed), 20-min easy run afterward to build fatigue tolerance |
| Friday | Tempo Run + Core | 20-min tempo run, weighted plank 3x45sec, dead bugs 3x10/side, ab wheel rollouts 3x8 |
| Saturday | Rest or Active Recovery | Walk, stretch, foam roll. Nothing intense. |
| Sunday | Full Rest | Complete rest. Sleep. Eat well. Recover. |
I am going to be blunt: the Army does not make recovery easy. Between duty hours, field training, and the general grind of garrison life, sleep and nutrition often take a back seat. But if you are serious about your ACFT score, you need to treat recovery as part of your training program, not an afterthought.
Seven hours minimum. I know that sounds impossible during a field rotation. But during your 8-week ACFT training block, prioritize sleep. Your muscles do not get stronger during the workout. They get stronger during recovery. Cut the sleep short and you cut the gains short. Research consistently shows that sleep deprivation impairs strength output, reaction time, and endurance. All things the ACFT tests.
Calorie intake:
If you are actively training 5 days per week, you need to eat enough to support that training. Undereating is the number one recovery killer I see in soldiers. The DFAC meals may not be gourmet, but eat enough of them. If you are losing weight unintentionally during your training block, you are not eating enough.
Protein:
Aim for 0.8-1.0 grams per pound of bodyweight daily. For a 180-lb soldier, that is 144-180 grams of protein per day. This supports muscle recovery and growth. If you are not hitting this number through food alone, a protein supplement can fill the gap. Nothing fancy. Whey protein or a plant-based alternative works fine.
Hydration:
Drink water consistently throughout the day. Not just during workouts. If your urine is dark yellow, you are dehydrated. Aim for pale yellow. In hot climates (looking at you, Fort Moore and Fort Bliss), you need significantly more than the standard recommendation.
Pre-test meal (morning of the ACFT):
Eat 2-3 hours before the test. Something you have eaten before training and tolerated well. My go-to recommendation: oatmeal with a banana and a tablespoon of peanut butter. Carbs for energy, some protein, easy to digest. Do not try anything new on test day.
On rest days, do not just sit around. Light activity promotes blood flow and speeds recovery. A 20-minute walk, light stretching, foam rolling, or a casual bike ride. The goal is to move without creating additional fatigue. Think 3 out of 10 effort, maximum.
Peaking is the art of arriving at test day fresh, strong, and ready. The biggest mistake soldiers make is training hard right up until the test. I see it every cycle. Soldiers grinding through heavy deadlifts and hard runs 48 hours before the ACFT, then wondering why their legs feel like concrete on test morning.
7 days out:
Last hard session. Full ACFT simulation or a challenging combined workout. After this, you are done with intense training.
6 days out:
Complete rest.
5 days out:
Light 20-minute run at easy pace. A few sets of push-ups. Light deadlift work (3x3 at 50% max). Nothing challenging.
4 days out:
20-minute walk or light jog. Core work (2 sets of planks at 50% max time). That is it.
3 days out:
Complete rest. Focus on hydration and sleep.
2 days out:
15-minute easy jog. A few bodyweight squats and push-ups. Keep the nervous system active without fatigue.
1 day out:
Complete rest. Prepare your gear. Eat a normal dinner. Go to bed early. Visualize each event.
Every two weeks, test yourself on each event and plug the numbers into our ACFT calculator. This serves two purposes. First, it shows you which events are responding to training and which are lagging. Second, it keeps you motivated. Watching your estimated score climb from 380 to 420 to 470 over six weeks is powerful motivation to keep training.
The calculator breaks down your score by event and shows your overall category. If you are targeting Gold (540+), you need to know exactly where your weak points are. Maybe your deadlift is already at 90 points but your plank is sitting at 65. That tells you where to focus your training energy.
The ACFT rewards structured, specific training over general fitness. You cannot just "work out" and expect to excel. Each event requires targeted training methods, and your program needs to account for the fact that you perform all six events sequentially under fatigue.
Eight weeks is enough time to make real improvements if you train with intention. Twelve weeks is better. But even four weeks of focused, event-specific work will show results compared to random gym sessions.
Pick the program. Follow the progression. Test yourself regularly. Eat and sleep enough to recover. And on test day, trust your training. You have put in the work. Now execute.