Sarah Chen, MS, CSCS
Exercise Science Reviewer
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Sarah Chen, MS, CSCS
Exercise Science Reviewer
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Published: January 8, 2026 • 18 min read
I remember my first ACFT. I walked onto the field cocky because I had been crushing the old APFT for years. Two hours later I was on my hands and knees after the two-mile run, rethinking every training decision I had made in the previous six months. The ACFT is a fundamentally different test. It demands a different kind of fitness.
Since then, I have coached dozens of soldiers through ACFT preparation, from fresh privates barely scraping 360 to NCOs chasing 600. This guide covers everything you need to know about the test: what each event involves, how scoring works, where soldiers lose points they should not be losing, and how to approach test day strategically.
The ACFT tests six physical domains in a specific order. You cannot rearrange the events. You get a minimum rest period between each one. Understanding the flow of the test is just as important as training for each event individually.
What it tests:
Lower body and grip strength. You perform three continuous repetitions of a hex bar (trap bar) deadlift at the heaviest weight you can manage.
Equipment:
60-pound hex bar loaded with 10-pound bumper plates in increments. Weight options range from 60 lbs to 340 lbs.
Execution:
Form cues that matter:
| Points | Male (lbs) | Female (lbs) |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 340 | 210 |
| 90 | 300 | 190 |
| 80 | 260 | 170 |
| 70 | 230 | 150 |
| 60 (min pass) | 200 | 130 |
What it tests:
Explosive power from the lower body through the upper body. You throw a 10-pound medicine ball backward over your head for maximum distance.
Execution:
Form cues that matter:
| Points | Male (meters) | Female (meters) |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 12.5 | 8.5 |
| 90 | 11.0 | 7.5 |
| 80 | 10.0 | 6.5 |
| 70 | 9.0 | 5.8 |
| 60 (min pass) | 8.0 | 5.0 |
What it tests:
Upper body muscular endurance. You perform as many hand-release push-ups as possible in two minutes.
Execution:
Form cues that matter:
| Points | Male (reps) | Female (reps) |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 60 | 60 |
| 90 | 50 | 45 |
| 80 | 40 | 35 |
| 70 | 35 | 28 |
| 60 (min pass) | 30 | 20 |
What it tests:
Anaerobic endurance, agility, and functional strength. This is five 50-meter shuttles back to back, each with a different task. It is the most physically demanding single event on the test.
The five shuttles (250 meters total):
Form cues that matter:
| Points | Male (time) | Female (time) |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 1:33 | 1:58 |
| 90 | 1:40 | 2:10 |
| 80 | 1:50 | 2:20 |
| 70 | 2:00 | 2:30 |
| 60 (min pass) | 2:10 | 2:40 |
What it tests:
Core endurance and stability. You hold a proper forearm plank position for as long as possible. The Plank replaced the original Leg Tuck event, which had extremely high failure rates (over 70% for female soldiers).
Execution:
Form cues that matter:
| Points | Time (min:sec) |
|---|---|
| 100 | 3:40 |
| 90 | 3:20 |
| 80 | 3:00 |
| 70 | 2:40 |
| 60 (min pass) | 2:20 |
What it tests:
Aerobic endurance. You run two miles as fast as possible. This is the final event, which means you are already fatigued from the previous five events. That fatigue is the point. The ACFT tests your ability to perform under accumulated physical stress.
Execution:
Strategy notes:
| Points | Male (time) | Female (time) |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 13:00 | 15:00 |
| 90 | 14:00 | 16:00 |
| 80 | 15:00 | 17:30 |
| 70 | 16:00 | 18:30 |
| 60 (min pass) | 17:00 | 20:00 |
Each event is scored on a 0-100 point scale. Your total ACFT score is the sum of all six events, meaning the maximum possible score is 600. But here is the critical part that catches soldiers off guard: you must score at least 60 points on every single event.
That means you can score 100 on five events and 58 on one event, and you fail the entire test. I have seen this happen. A sergeant who maxed the deadlift, crushed the push-ups, and ran a 14-minute two-mile run. Failed because his plank gave out at 2:05. Fifty-seven points. Two minutes and twenty seconds was the target. He missed it by fifteen seconds.
| Category | Total Score Required | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
| Gold | 540+ | Elite performance. Averaging 90+ per event. |
| Silver | 480-539 | Strong performance. Averaging 80+ per event. |
| Bronze | 420-479 | Solid performance. Averaging 70+ per event. |
| Pass | 360-419 | Meets minimum standard. 60+ on every event. |
| Fail | Below 360 or any event below 60 | Does not meet standard. Requires retest. |
ACFT scoring is gender- and age-normed. This means that the raw performance required to earn a specific number of points varies depending on whether you are male or female and which age bracket you fall into. A 25-year-old male needs to deadlift 200 lbs for 60 points, while a 25-year-old female needs 130 lbs for the same score.
The age brackets are: 17-21, 22-26, 27-31, 32-36, 37-41, 42-46, 47-51, 52-56, 57-61, and 62+. As you age, the standards adjust. A 50-year-old male does not need the same two-mile run time as a 22-year-old. The adjustments are not dramatic between adjacent brackets, but they compound. The difference between the 22-26 and 47-51 brackets is significant.
The Plank is the one event that uses the same scoring scale for both genders. Every other event has separate male and female tables. This is important to keep in mind when comparing scores across a unit.
I have graded hundreds of ACFT attempts. These are the mistakes I see over and over again.
Soldiers rush through reps and fail to fully extend at the hip. The grader needs to see a clear lockout. Hips forward, shoulders back, knees straight. If any of those are missing, the rep does not count. I have watched soldiers lift 300 lbs and get credit for zero reps because they never fully stood up.
In the excitement of throwing, soldiers step past the start line before releasing the ball. That throw is a foul. You only get two record attempts. Fouling one of them puts enormous pressure on the other.
The hand release must be obvious. Barely lifting your pinky finger is not going to cut it. Graders want to see daylight between your palms and the ground. Some soldiers find it helpful to extend their arms out to the sides in a "T" position for maximum clarity.
The time between each shuttle phase adds up fast. Fumbling with the sled straps, hesitating before picking up the kettlebells, standing around at the turnaround line. I have seen soldiers lose 10-15 seconds just in transition time. Practice the full event end to end and focus specifically on your transitions.
Under strain, your instinct is to hold your breath and brace. That works for a 10-second max effort. It does not work for a 2+ minute isometric hold. You need to breathe rhythmically while maintaining abdominal tension. Practice this before test day. It is a skill, not something you figure out in the moment.
After five events, you are running on fumes. The adrenaline of starting the run masks how tired you actually are. Soldiers go out 20-30 seconds per lap faster than their goal pace and completely fall apart by the fourth lap. Negative splits (running the second mile faster than the first) almost never happen on the ACFT. The goal is to limit how much you slow down.
Training is only half the battle. How you approach test day determines whether your training translates to your score.
Knowing where you stand before test day is half the battle. Plug your current performance numbers into our ACFT calculator to see your estimated score, identify which events need the most work, and figure out exactly what you need to improve to hit your target category.
The calculator will break down your score by event, show you whether you are passing or failing each one, and give you your overall category (Gold, Silver, Bronze, Pass, or Fail). Use it regularly during your training cycle to track progress.
The ACFT is not a test you cram for. It tests a broad range of physical fitness across strength, power, endurance, and core stability. That breadth is what makes it harder than the old APFT. You cannot just be a good runner or a strong lifter. You have to be both, plus everything in between.
The good news is that with focused training, most soldiers can pass the ACFT comfortably within 8-12 weeks. The bad news is that "focused" means actually addressing your weaknesses instead of doing more of what you are already good at. If your deadlift is strong but your run is weak, you need to run more, not deadlift more. That sounds obvious, but I watch soldiers ignore it constantly.
Train smart, practice the actual events, know the standards, and do not leave points on the table through poor technique. The ACFT rewards preparation over raw talent.