Get FAT
The MOPs & MOEs “Fitness Aptitude Test”
Regular listeners of the MOPs & MOEs podcast will know that one of the thought experiments we like to run from time to time involves designing our “ideal” PT test. With the ever-changing Army (Combat?) Fitness Test at the forefront of the tactical human performance news cycle, there is ample opportunity to discuss the merits of different exercises, time domains, equipment setups, etc.
After two years of doing this - and after two years of being somewhat critical of “Military PT Testing Procurement Policy” - we decided, what the hell, let’s just create our own!
Requirements
The first requirement of any good PT test is that it has to have a good acronym. We thought “FAT” would be kind of fun, so let’s work backward from there to arrive at Fitness, Aptitude, and Test. Boom. Job done.
The second (and more serious) requirement was that the test be as minimalistic as possible, both from an equipment standpoint and a number-of-events standpoint. Whether you consciously consider it or not, there is a spectrum along which every single PT event sits. On the one end, we have a singular event. On the other end, we have an infinite number of events. You can very quickly see the pros and cons of each of these extremes. One event is very time-efficient and easy to set up; however, it tells us very little about the total athlete. Infinite events are logistically infeasible; however, we could set it up to literally tell us every little thing about every little thing.
The third and final requirement, which goes hand-in-hand with the second requirement, is that the test be time-efficient. You should be able to warm up for and complete the entire test in less than an hour.
Philosophy
The goal of every PT test is to determine physical aptitude. How that looks and feels will vary from branch to branch, and even from job description to job description, but the overarching concept of military PT testing as a whole is that we use a series of physically demanding events to determine whether or not a soldier/marine/airman/guardian/etc will be able to sustain the physical rigors of combat.
So, how does that play out in real-time? Traditionally, when determining which events will make up a PT test, the powers-that-be work backward from the objective demands of the mission. As an example, the US Army uses Mission Essential Task Lists (METLs). These tasks are reverse-engineered to construct fitness-based corollaries. Carrying a litter might be replicated with a deadlift. Sprinting under fire might be replicated with a sprint-drag-carry. You get the idea.
Unfortunately, it’s in this translation of combat-to-gym that we believe most test makers miss the mark, as it were. In an attempt to try and encapsulate as many demands as possible into a sequence of tested events, we oftentimes end up with something that passes the sniff test in a lab but doesn’t necessarily make much sense in the field.
For example, a test that includes a heavy deadlift AND a broad jump might claim to be testing strength AND power. But could you not posit that if someone has a strong deadlift, we can safely assume they are also able to display power? If we accept that to be true (and we should), then do we need both events? Or can we get by with just one? Could we not just…trim the FAT?
The MOPs & MOEs Fitness Aptitude Test (FAT)
Thus, we arrive at our attempt at the most minimalistic yet well-informed testing protocol in the history of the US Military (no idea if that’s true or not). Consisting of just three events and requiring only a barbell and a place to do pull-ups, the FAT touches on absolute strength, muscle endurance, and aerobic capacity. When considered on the whole, we also make the case that it tests work capacity and “recoverability” as well. Let’s explore:
Event 1: 1RM Deadlift
The deadlift is the go-to strength event in military testing, and rightfully so. Since the beginning of time, pulling a heavy object off the ground has been an acceptable display of strength, and we see no reason to try and debate that. The nice thing about this movement is that you either have it or you don’t…the weight leaves the ground or it doesn’t. At this point in time, we have no preference as to whether or not you use a hex bar or a straight bar, though future iterations of the FAT may specify one or the other. We’ll see how the data plays out.
Event 2: AMRAP Pull-Ups
Just as pulling a weight off the ground is a timeless display of strength, so too is pulling yourself up and over a bar several times in a row a timeless display of strength-endurance. We recognize that in today’s gender-normed PT standards milieu, the pull-up might be controversial, but that’s entirely the point. Strong women have long ago disproven the idea that “girls can’t do pull-ups,” and thus we believe the ability to pull oneself up and over a bar is a fantastic equalizer. The added benefit here is that the successful completion of multiple pull-ups demands mastery of one’s own bodyweight, eliminating the need for any sort of body composition standard in addition to a PT test. If you’re overweight but can do 10+ pull-ups, I’d argue that we ought to change our definition of “overweight.”
Also, before you ask, a pull-up is one in which your palms face away from you.
Event 3: 5-Mile Run
I have long maintained that one of the reasons why the Marine Corps has always represented the pinnacle of military fitness is that they test a 3-mile run versus the standard 1.5- to 2-mile run that we see in so many other places. There is something about having to run 3+ miles that truly separates the wheat from the chaff. We chose to push the run distance to 5 miles for a number of reasons. First, in order to even complete that distance effectively, one must approach training with some level of intention and foresight. You can’t just bumblefuck your way through a timed 5-mile run. Second, proficiency at a 5-mile distance tells us far more about your aerobic base than a quick 1-miler or even a 2-miler. Third, when combined with a heavy 1RM deadlift, an athlete who excels at both ends of the spectrum can truly lay claim to being tactically capable.
Scoring
Admittedly, we’ve still got some work to do in the scoring department. One thing we know for certain is that we don’t want to default to the standard arbitrary “1RM Deadlift Should Be XYZ Pounds.” Never once have we lost a battle because a soldier could do 50 push-ups versus 49 push-ups.
What we’d like to do instead is to use statistics, and specifically Z-Scores, to set up moving targets when it comes to scoring. With this method, you can easily break scores into categories based on specific population classifications of interest: branch, age, gender, MOS, etc…the possibilities are endless. Once the framework is set up, the “standards” will adjust in real-time to take into account all of the data inputted into the system. Instead of chasing arbitrary numbers, you’ll be able to compare yourself to other athletes that fit your archetype and determine where you fall relative to your peers.
Final Thoughts
So there you have it: the FAT. It may not be the perfect PT test, but we sure as hell think it’s pretty comprehensive while also being pretty minimalistic and approachable.
The key theme here is that a test should be simple, but not easy. Give this one a try and see how you do.