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The US Army revealed its new set of guidelines for the Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT) this Wednesday. Among the changes revealed, the one that sparked controversy was the removal of the leg tuck.
These new guidelines are to be implemented starting April 1, 2022. Soldiers will be allowed six months to train, and have their records tested on October 1, 2022.
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The regime consists of six athletic events to be completed over the course of 50 minutes.
- Three-rep max (3 RM) trap bar deadlift.
- Standing power medicine ball throws (10 lbs)
- Hand-release push ups
- Sprint-Drag-Carry (250 metre shuttle run)
- Plank hold of 1 min 20 seconds
- 2 Mile run
The test is graded at a scale of 600 points maximum.
The controversial swap in this list of events is the leg tuck being wiped out for a simple plank hold.
Other differences include:
- A minimum of 120 lbs for women, and 140 lbs for men, respectively, is required for deadlifts.
- The distance for the power throws reduced from 12 meters to 6.3 for men and 4 for women.
- The number of push ups being reduced to 10 from 30 repetitions
- Men have 22 minutes to complete the 2-Mile course, women have 23; one minute longer than the former time allotted.
The leg tuck has been removed based on data and analysis
As mentioned earlier, these revisions are said to be based on data and analysis. The results of studies conducted by the Army and RAND Corporation stated that gender-neutral tests may not be an accurate measure of physical fitness levels of the general population of Soldiers.
The studies by the RAND Corporation revealed that an alarming 72 per cent of female soldiers failed the leg tuck test in particular, with a fail rate of 70 percent for this ACFT test overall among women. This was a staggering contrast to the 16 percent fail rate among men.
The new guidelines aim to make the required points attainable for female soldiers too, as well as older candidates. It is believed to be a general measure of physical fitness rather than a regimen that prepares soldiers for combat.
Authorities were also concerned that the individual would expend more energy from their upper body trying to perform the leg tuck, dismissing it as an appropriate test of core strength.
The new implementations have garnered mixed reviews from fitness enthusiasts worldwide. A number of contradictory opinions are being tossed around on the internet as we speak.
While many netizens are in favor of the leg tuck being scrapped, others point out that it is a sexist move, undermining the abilities of women and their capabilities of being an Army official.
Some genuinely feel that the plank is harder to accomplish than the leg tuck.
The leg tuck has always been an integral test in the ACFT, and having it wiped out without warning raises a lot of question marks among people. It is widely believed to be an essential move for combat training, and can be achieved by anybody given the right training is being followed and the required efforts are being put in.
