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To fully understand, run an experiment on yourself:
On day 1, run 2 miles.
On day 2, within 2 hours and at least 10 minutes between events:
-Deadlift 3 reps, same weight, using a hex bar
-fling a 10 pound ball behind you for distance, twice
-do max pushups in 2 minutes (use t-form hand release)
-on a 25 meter course, sprint down and back, drag a 90 pound sled down and back, do laterals down and back, carry 40 pounds in each hand down and back, and sprint down and back, for lowest time
-Hold a plank for as long as possible
-NOW run 2 miles
The second 2 miles will be much slower. You will probably find you added 3-4 minutes to your time, particularly if you don’t practice the deadlifts or sprint/drag/carry.
The new test is a full body test and it’s much more involved, but also much better thought out, than the old one.
Thanks for adding more context. That is a lot tougher test with the sprints and carrying extra weight. I like the simulation of real-life with springs and carry. I'd probably be in the 22-26 minute area. This would be hard to perform very well in humid weather with a 10-minute break.
How are our regular recruits supposed to get prepared if p.e. is optional in middle school and HS?
At 50+ yrs, I've been doing P90x 3-4 days a week for 14 years and regularly play 4.5 level tennis 1-2x a week. I removed some of the workout from P90x as I found it unnecessary.
Thanks for adding more context. That is a lot tougher test with the sprints and carrying extra weight. I like the simulation of real-life with springs and carry. I'd probably be in the 22-26 minute area. This would be hard to perform very well in humid weather with a 10-minute break.
How are our regular recruits supposed to get prepared if p.e. is optional in middle school and HS?
At 50+ yrs, I've been doing P90x 3-4 days a week for 14 years and regularly play 4.5 level tennis 1-2x a week. I removed some of the workout from P90x as I found it unnecessary.
It would take a huge effort for middle and high school P.E. classes to start to make a difference in fitness levels for potential recruits. I've subbed for high school P.E. classes in around 10 school districts. P.E. teachers have given up trying to push students to meet any kind of minimum fitness.
For example, many high schools used to do fitness tests. One test was a mile run. One P.E. teacher told me he gave up with the mile run when parents complained to the high school principal. The principal asked him if it was really worth to try to force kids to run a mile. Another P.E. teacher couldn't get a girl to run the mile. She finally agree to meet the girl before school to watch her run a mile. The girl showed up and walked around the track in bedroom slippers.
To raise the physical fitness level of high school students, it would take legislation like the No Child Left Behind Act or the Every Student Succeeds Act, which would at least bring physical fitness to the level of subjects like biology and algebra. Right now all a student has to do to pass gym class is to dress for class. Some have a hard time with that.
It would take a huge effort for middle and high school P.E. classes to start to make a difference in fitness levels for potential recruits. I've subbed for high school P.E. classes in around 10 school districts. P.E. teachers have given up trying to push students to meet any kind of minimum fitness.
For example, many high schools used to do fitness tests. One test was a mile run. One P.E. teacher told me he gave up with the mile run when parents complained to the high school principal. The principal asked him if it was really worth to try to force kids to run a mile. Another P.E. teacher couldn't get a girl to run the mile. She finally agree to meet the girl before school to watch her run a mile. The girl showed up and walked around the track in bedroom slippers.
To raise the physical fitness level of high school students, it would take legislation like the No Child Left Behind Act or the Every Student Succeeds Act, which would at least bring physical fitness to the level of subjects like biology and algebra. Right now all a student has to do to pass gym class is to dress for class. Some have a hard time with that.
There were some schools about 20 years ago--I think in Illinois--that were going to set up their PE classes with fitness center equipment and run them like cardio classes. I don't know if that happened or how it turned out.
There were some schools about 20 years ago--I think in Illinois--that were going to set up their PE classes with fitness center equipment and run them like cardio classes. I don't know if that happened or how it turned out.
Most of the high schools in my area have a fitness center with free weights, machines, and cardio classes. The one local high school bought cardio machines that had could record workouts for each student. Many of the students get on the machines and walk slowly to appear like they are doing something.
I saw one high school where a bunch of girls brought blankets and curled up on the floor for the entire class. OTOH, this school now has classes learning how to do free weight exercises like squats and deadlifts. It depends if the P.E. teachers want to push the students and administration is willing to support them.
I used to think only the kids good in gym class in school would even be able to consider a career in the military or law enforcement. It used to be that the working-class kids would be big into sports for a number of reasons (trying to score chicks aggressively, making up for poor grades in other areas). Seems like the problem is nowadays that the rich get fitter and the poor get fatter. Rich kids don't enlist typically, poor kids do, so the military has a problem.
There were some schools about 20 years ago--I think in Illinois--that were going to set up their PE classes with fitness center equipment and run them like cardio classes. I don't know if that happened or how it turned out.
One of my friends teaches PE for Florida Virtual School. I think they are required to track workouts via some sort of device and actually video themselves on occasion to send to the teacher. She is able to look at form for specific exercises and make recommendations. I had my doubts about this as a subject (she started doing it in 2017), but it seems like a better course than the traditional PE.
I used to ALWAYS max out the APFT when I was in 20+ years ago. With the new one I'm pretty sure I could still do it and I'm 45 now. Those new standards are pretty weak, honestly, but I'm glad they at least have more events for a much broader picture of true fitness, and not just cardio/endurance based.
I never had an issue passing the PFT with flying colors when I was in. And I'm a small guy. I joined at 17 and was 5'9" and 138lbs. I could probably pass it now.
Any combat MOS, be it infantry, armor, combat engineer, whatever, needs very high physical standards. I doubt many Americans soldiers or Marines could pass the South Korean military fitness tests. Or the French Foreign Legion tests. Seen them both with my own eyes. Neither of those two groups were whiners. Both groups stellar in performance and discipline. If anything, it's better to have fewer top-notch troops than a bunch of middling ones. I also doubt the Chinese military is slack or weak in their assessments. Americans love their underdogs and they are doing this to fill recruiting quotas. That is all. as I said in another post, if you in the combat ranks and you cannot do a 25-mile force march with full rucksack and all your gear, you're not fit to fight. Everything is moving to light infantry concepts now. Light and fast with drones and other tech supporting. Infantry, combat engineers, mortars, artillery, will always be with us. Ukraine shows us this stuff is very valid. Drones and rotors dare not be used in some areas now. The man on the ground is still the way of war no matter how much tech you throw at something, unless you are going for a scorched earth, nuke it from orbit approach.
The war isn't won until you have a 19-year-old with a rifle standing on the enemy's ground, unopposed.
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