The CFT was specifically designed to evaluate strength, stamina, agility, and coordination as well as overall anaerobic capacity. The purpose of the USMC CFT is to Īssess a Marine’s physical capacity in a broad spectrum of combat related tasks. The CFT is a complement to the PFT and measures additional functional elements of general fitness to include agility, coordination and anaerobic capacity ( 26). The USMC implemented the Combat Fitness Test (CFT) in 2008 and began official scoring in the fall of 2009 ( 3). All PFT events are required to be conducted in a single session, not to exceed two hours in duration ( 24, 25, 26, 27). The current USMC’s PFT is taken once a year (between 1 January and 30 June) and comprised of three events hybrid Pull-ups (PU)/Push-ups, two-minute timed abdominal crunches (AC), and timed three-mile run (RUN)/ Row option. The PFT was specifically designed to test the strength and stamina of the upper body, midsection, and lower body as well as efficiency of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems” ( 24, 25, 26, 27) to help ensure that all members of the USMC are battle-ready. The USMC’s “PFT is a collective measure of general fitness Marines Corps-side. In the past few years the USMC has altered/adapted the PFT to include the hybrid pull-up/ push-up test (option of pull-ups or push-ups, lower max points for push-up option) and introduced a five-kilometer row option instead of three-mile run for Marines age 46 and older and those recommended by a primary health care provider based on a medical condition and approved by the Commanding Officer (CO) or Officer in Charge (OIC) ( 24, 25, 26). In 2013 female pull-up implementation was initiated, eliminating the flexed arm hang for females in 2016. In 1997 all Marines regardless of age were required to take the PFT and the sit-up was changed to an abdominal crunch. In 1996 the 1.5-mile run for females was changed to the three-mile run and the pull-up was modified to a dead-hang (no kipping) for males. Early forms of the modern PFT began in 1972 for males <46 years of age (pull-ups, sit-ups, three-mile run) and in 1975 for females <46 years of age (flexed arm hang, sit-ups, 1.5-mile run). The USMC’s Physical Fitness Test (PFT) has gone through many changes in scope including modifications for: certain ranks, age, and gender by 1971. Research by retired Colonel McGuire ( 13) indicates that the USMC began using physical fitness testing in the early 1900s. The USMC’s creation was to augment naval forces during the Revolutionary War ( 36), today the USMC has grown to be one of the most effective fighting forces on the planet with assets spanning the entire globe. The USMC’s origins have been traced and established to Philadelphia in Novemat Tun Tavern on Water Street. The origins and history of the United States Marine Corps (USMC) have been well documented. Within the parameters of this study, PFT and CFT event scores demonstrated no to moderate correlations suggesting that different fitness characteristics are being assessed and supports the need for both the PFT and CFT assessments. Other correlations between variables yielded “no to low” association but were also significant due to the large sample size. Moderate significant (p<0.01) correlations were found between: the PFT total and MTC (r=−0.47), PFT total and MANUF (r=−0.42), PFT total and CFT total (r=0.50), RUN and MTC (r=0.46), RUN and CFT total (r=−0.43), & PU and CFT total (r=0.41). Pearson correlation coefficients (r) were calculated between the PFT and CFT total scores as well as individual events. The PFT and CFT scores from 19,678 active duty enlisted USMC males (age 22.5☑.3 years, height 1.77☐.07 m, body mass 79.4☑0.3 kg) were analyzed. As such, the purpose of this study was to determine the degree of relationships between PFT (PU, AC, RUN, and total) and CFT (MTC, AL, MANUF, and total) scores of active duty Marines. It is of interest to determine if the PFT and CFT are both necessary. The CFT also involves three events Movement to Contact (MTC), two-minute Ammunition Lift (AL), and Maneuver-Under-Fire (MANUF). The PFT involves three events pull-ups/push-ups (PU), two-minute abdominal crunches/sit-ups (AC), and a timed three-mile run (RUN). The United States Marines Corps (USMC) have installed a Physical Fitness Test (PFT) to measure physical fitness levels and a Combat Fitness Test (CFT) to assess a Marine’s functional fitness as it relates to the demands of combat operations.
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