Own the Other 28 Days: Part 4

Written By Mark Christiani

Using the AFT to Drive Purposeful Programming and Individual Readiness

This is a guest blog post submitted by a member of Leg Tuck Nation. The content represents their own views and opinions, with edits made only for grammar, clarity, etc. If you are interested in submitting your own content for consideration, click here.

Assess at Battle Assembly, Not Just Test

Battle Assembly (BA) must be more than a time to conduct the AFT. It must be a deliberate checkpoint for assessing physical readiness and prescribing training interventions. The Army Fitness Test isn't just a performance metric, it’s a diagnostic framework. Every soldier’s performance on each event maps directly onto a domain of physical fitness. When interpreted properly, the AFT becomes a tactical dashboard, offering real-time feedback on where to focus effort during the other 28 days.

How to Use the ACFT as a Training Blueprint

Rather than treating the AFT as a standalone event, leaders can use results from each event to assign training tracks that align with the “Other 28 Days” structure. Here's how:

  • 3 Repetition Maximum Deadlift (3RM DL):
    Training focus if deficient: Posterior chain strength (glutes, hamstrings, spinal erectors)
    Intervention: Emphasize hip-dominant lifts like glute bridges, Romanian deadlifts, and kettlebell swings on strength days. Prioritize low-back stability.

  • Hand-Release Push-ups (HRP):
    Training focus if deficient: Upper-body endurance, scapular control
    Intervention: Include tempo push-ups, band-resisted push-ups, and prone shoulder mobility drills.

  • Sprint-Drag-Carry (SDC):
    Training focus if deficient: Anaerobic conditioning, lateral agility, grip strength
    Intervention: Modify interval day to target multi-directional speed. Add sled drags, farmer’s carries, and shuttle drills.

  • Plank Hold:
    Training focus if deficient: Core endurance, trunk stability under fatigue
    Intervention: Integrate planks, bird dogs, anti-rotation band holds, and longer-duration loaded carries on both strength and recovery days.

  • Two-Mile Run:
    Training focus if deficient: Aerobic base, pacing control
    Intervention: Emphasize long Zone 2 conditioning efforts (runs, incline walks), and ensure they’re properly dosed into the weekly schedule.

Once soldiers complete the AFT at BA, leaders or H2F Integrators (H2F-I) can assign training modifications based on weakest events and embed corrective volume into the soldier’s next month of Other 28 Days training. This not only makes the training more targeted, it also increases buy-in by directly connecting programming to outcomes.

Supplemental Screening Tools to Inform Training

Beyond the ACFT, units should employ quick, low-lift readiness assessments to add context to a soldier’s physical state. These tools support early injury identification, guide training load, and help H2F-I teams tailor interventions. Here are a few options:

1. Musculoskeletal Readiness Questionnaire (MRQ)

 
 

Use Case: If a soldier responds yes or at risk for questions, recovery-based work can be prioritized, or that soldier can be given an injury-modified version of the Other 28 Days plan. The H2F-Is for the unit can step in an assess what the needs of the soldier are.

2. Optional Baseline Movement Screens

Not every soldier has access to formal evaluations like the Functional Movement Screen (FMS), but that doesn’t mean you can’t quickly identify dysfunctions that limit performance or increase injury risk. A short series of movement screens, performed at Battle Assembly or during warm-up, gives leaders and H2F-Is critical insight into a soldier’s mobility, stability, and movement control. These screens are also scalable, ideal for both small team huddles and individual use at home.

1. Upper Body – Wall Reach Test

  • Purpose: Assesses shoulder flexion and scapular/thoracic mobility.

  • How to Perform: Stand with back flat to a wall, raise both arms overhead trying to touch thumbs to wall without arching the back.

  • What to Look For: Rib flare, Lumbar arch, Inability to touch the wall, one arm lagging behind

2. Lower Body – Single-Leg Balance (Eyes Closed)

  • Purpose: Tests ankle stability, proprioception, and hip control.

  • How to Perform: Stand barefoot on one foot, eyes closed, arms at side.

  • What to Look For: Swaying or hopping, Hip shift, Touching the ground before 30 seconds

3. Thoracic Spine – Seated Rotation Test

  • Purpose: Screens rotational mobility in the T-spine.

  • How to Perform: Sit upright with arms crossed over chest, rotate slowly left and right.

  • What to Look For: Asymmetry in rotation, Compensations with the pelvis or shoulder elevation, Limited range on one side

3. RPE + Session Load Review

  • Soldiers can rate their most recent week’s training on a 1–10 scale for effort and volume. If a soldier consistently trains below a 5 RPE or skips sessions, their “Other 28 Days” plan may need to be scaled for engagement or simplified.

Use Case: Ensure soldiers aren’t under-loading or progressing too fast. Especially valuable when modifying for return-to-duty after injury.

Creating a Feedback Loop at Battle Assembly

When these tools are combined AFT diagnostics, movement screens, injury-readiness questionnaires, they give leaders a 360-degree view of the soldier’s current physical state. From there:

  • The H2F-I or designated readiness NCO can recommend tiered templates for the Other 28 Days (e.g., base plan, scale-up, injury-adapted).

  • Patterns in unit-level performance can inform training themes (e.g., if 70% of soldiers show weak planks and run times, prioritize core and aerobic base next month).

  • Units can make BA a strategic checkpoint, not just a compliance weekend.

This transforms the ACFT from a once-per-cycle formality into a monthly performance dashboard and connects every rep between drills to real-world demands. When used this way, Battle Assembly becomes a platform not just for measuring fitness but for guiding sustainable, soldier-specific progress by using systems that are already in place.

Sources

Roach, Megan H et al. “Musculoskeletal Injury Risk Stratification: A Traffic Light System for Military Service Members.” Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) vol. 11,12 1675. 7 Jun. 2023, https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10298076/ 

 
 

Mark A. Christiani is a Tactical Strength, and  Special Operations Army Veteran. He has human performance experience in the worksite wellness, collegiate and tactical settings. Mark holds a Master of Science in Sports Medicine from Georgia Southern University and several certifications, including CSCS and RSCC. Currently, he serves as an on-site Human Performance Specialist with the US Army Reserves. Mark's extensive background in research, coaching, and injury rehabilitation underscores his commitment to advancing the field of sports science and human performance.

Mark Christiani
Next

Own the Other 28 Days: Part 3