“You don’t do push-ups and sit-ups in combat”
The US military recently updated its fitness test to better reflect the realities of combat – because being able to do a lot of push-ups or sit-ups doesn’t really reflect who you can handle your body under life-threating pressure.
To see how intense it really is, we had US Special Forces soldier Emil Daubon put us through the test. As well as being a soldier for 25 years, Daubon has also served as creative consultant on the video game Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint.
Spoiler: it wasn’t easy.
This is how the US Army fitness test breaks down:
1. Hex Bar Deadlift
Pick a weight between 54 and 190 kilograms. Your 3 heaviest reps are recorded.
2. Med Ball Throw
Select a ball between 4 and 10 kilograms. The longest distance you can manage is recorded.
3. Hand-Release Press-Ups
Perform as many as possible in 3 minutes.
4. Sprint-Sled-Carry
Set up two cones. Sprint between them, push a sled the same distance, and then carry two heavy kettlebells back and forth.
5. Knee Tucks
As many reps as possible in two minutes.
6. Two Mile Run
Aim to complete this in under 15 minutes.
Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint launches in the UK on October 4th on PS4, Xbox One and PC.
