Army PFT ???

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Specializes in Advanced Practice, Home Care, Med-Surg,.

Questions regarding the 2 mile run. Does anyone know if you have to run the whole time? Can you stop to rest? Can you change to a fast walk at all then switch back to run?

Anyone who has taking the test and can shed some light, please do :) TIA

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Specializes in EMT, ER, Homehealth, OR.

Yes, you can slow down and rest. It is not a good idea, but you are able to do it.

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Specializes in Advanced Practice, Home Care, Med-Surg,.
Yes, you can slow down and rest. It is not a good idea, but you are able to do it.

thank you and see ya soon!(ofcourse I have to pass PT first :))

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Specializes in EMT, ER, Homehealth, OR.

Dont worry you will.

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I can almost guarantee you - you won't be the only one needing a break during PT for the first few weeks. I know the Army's certainly different from the Air Force, but there will be others there in worse shape than you. (Don't take offense - I was one of the ones resting at COT!)

Plus I'm a firm believer that some people just can't run.

I for one am looking forward to being considered "permanent party" at Brooke Army Medical Center - apparently the Army has active duty folks that have special duty as personal trainers (or so I was told by an Air Force girl who works at BAMC). I could use the discipline... :)

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You can slow down and walk or even stop. Best to "fast walk" or trot if you need to catch your breath. And don't forget that burst at the end as you approach the finish line. You can cut off a lot of seconds at the end.

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Stopping I wouldn't recommend. Keep moving - you draw less attention to yourself. Even in seemingly "prissy" COT (ha ha ha) they'd go postal on anyone who stopped who wasn't injured. Even if you're reduced to SPEED WALKING (and I've certainly earned the t-shirt in that department a time or two), keep moving at all costs, unless you really are injured.

(I always, always feel a bit ridiculous discussing PT with Army folks - even though your overall mission is different, even though I think the AF PT test is just fine for what our mission is, even though I know I'd rather DIE than do the Army PT test, I still feel a bit ridiculous...:) )

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Specializes in ER, NICU.

I was one of the ones sucking wind, I downloaded some running cadences from itunes to run with in my free time. This helped me be able to maintain a pace and push through the wind suckage. Hope this helps!!

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Yep - LOVED THEM. Bought about fifteen of them myself. STILL use them.

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Walking during your run is strongly discouraged!!! I woudl not do it. Once your're at your unit if your enlisted soldiers see you walking during a two mile run you will lose a lot of respect in their eyes. PT is an integral part of the Army. Even though on the AMEDD side it is a little more laid back than in a line unit.

Do your best to go prepared to pass the APFT on the first time. If you're making a committment to be a commissioned officer being able to pass an APFT at any time is absolutely required. Don't think that they will prepare you to pass at BOLC. You will take your APFT within 7 days of arriving at BOLC and that is not enough time to train to pass if you haven't already been working on your own.

A lot of recruiters tell people that they will prepare you at BOLC to pass, this isn't true for the first APFT. If you fail the first one then you will do more PT with cadre in preparation for the re-test. I highly encourage people to begin running, doing situps and pushups for at least 2 months prior to BOLC to be prepared. Hope this helps!! :)

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Specializes in Med/Surg.

The APFT is a joke...IMO. Trust me when I say they could care less about walking, skipping, jogging, etc....I've seen it all. That said, I'm obviously only around Medical/Nurse corps soldiers so that could be the reason. People walked during the APFT while I was at OBLC, no one got in trouble or was looked down upon and now that I'm at my duty station the same thing still apply.

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The section of the PFT manual (which they will read to you before every test), says "Although walking is authorized, it is strongly discouraged." It goes on to say that the disqualifiers are being pushed, pulled, dragged carried, or leaving the runnning route for any reason. You can have someone pace you. Good luck- I failed my first PT test miserably and went on to score 300 (maximum) consistently after that. It's a great way to earn the respect of your soldiers and leaders.

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