Army CFT Training Plan: How to Train for All 7 Combat Field Test Events
Photo: Dan Fahey, Gritty Soldier
The Army Combat Field Test is seven events done back to back in uniform and boots, and you pass by finishing all of it in 30:00 or less. Train it in three layers: running for the two miles, strength endurance for the push-ups, sandbag lift and carry, and short combined sessions that link the stations together. The 8-week plan below does all three in four sessions a week.
New to the test? The rules for every event, who has to take it and how it is timed are on our Army CFT calculator page, where you can also add up your own event times.
What the CFT asks of you
In order, on one running clock:
- A 1-mile run
- 30 dead-stop push-ups
- A 100-meter sprint
- 16 lifts of a 40 lb sandbag onto a 65-inch platform
- A 50-meter carry of two 40 lb five-gallon water cans
- A 50-meter movement drill: 25 meters of high crawl, then 25 meters of 3 to 5 second rushes
- A final 1-mile run
No event is timed on its own. The clock runs from the start of the first mile to the end of the second, so the time you spend walking between stations counts too. The standard is the same for everyone, regardless of age or sex: 30:00 or less.
Where your time goes
For most Soldiers the two miles are the biggest chunk of the 30 minutes, which is why running fitness gives you the biggest return. The stations decide whether you can hold that pace: push-ups when you are already breathing hard, a sandbag lift from the ground to above shoulder height, a heavy carry right after it, and crawling and rushing before you have to run again.
A simple way to plan: time each piece in training, put the numbers into the CFT calculator, and see where you are losing the most time. Train that piece hardest.
How to train each event
1 and 7. The two miles
Run three times a week: one easy run, one interval session and one run that comes after station work. A good interval session is 6 to 8 x 400 meters a little faster than your goal mile pace, with the same amount of time walking or jogging between them. The test is run in boots, so do some of your easy runs in boots too, and build up gradually to keep your feet and shins happy.
The second mile is where the test is won or lost. You will start it tired, so practice running hard straight after the stations instead of only on fresh legs.
2. 30 dead-stop push-ups
Every rep starts and ends in a straight-body plank. Lower until your chest touches the ground, lift both hands off the surface, then push back up with your knees off the ground. A rep that misses the standard does not count. You can rest in any position, but you must return to the up position before you continue, and your count picks up where you left off.
Train them two or three times a week. Early on, do 4 to 5 sets of 8 to 12 clean reps. Later, try 30 reps for time with as few breaks as you can manage. Once 30 strict reps feel easy, adding load with a weighted vest builds a margin for test day, when you will be doing them after a mile.
3. 100-meter sprint
It is short, so do not overtrain it. Once a week, after your warm-up, run 4 to 6 strides or sprints of 60 to 100 meters at a hard but relaxed effort. Practicing a sprint right after a set of push-ups is the most test-specific version.
4. Sandbag lift
Sixteen 40 lb sandbags go from the ground onto a 65-inch platform, and the event is not over until all 16 are up there. Any method is allowed. A method that works well: hinge and pull the bag into your lap, stand and drive it to your chest with your hips, then push it up and place it on the platform. Stay close to the platform so the bag travels straight up, and place it instead of tossing it, because a bag that slides off has to go back up.
Practice with a real 40 lb bag and a sturdy, stable surface around 65 inches high. A workout we like is 16 lifts for time, once a week, trying to beat your time. Our CFT sandbag lift guide goes deeper on technique and sandbag workouts.
The Skirmish Training Sandbag
Adjustable 20 to 40 lb, so it fills to the exact CFT weight. Made in the USA from 1000D Cordura, ships unfilled, $89.99.
Shop the Skirmish5. 50-meter water can carry
The cans are 40 lb each, filled to capacity. You can carry them any way you like and set them down as often as you need, but you cannot drag or throw them, and pouring out water ends the test. Every stop costs time, so the goal is to carry 50 meters without putting them down. Train it as a farmers carry with two 40 lb loads: kettlebells, dumbbells or two water jugs all work. Do 4 to 6 carries of 50 meters, and keep your grip and posture solid when your forearms burn. Our farmers carry guide covers form.
6. 50-meter movement drill
The first 25 meters is a high crawl: body off the ground, weight on your forearms and lower legs, knees behind your hips, moving opposite elbow and knee. A bear crawl or crab crawl does not count. The second 25 meters is the 3 to 5 second rush, three bounds of about 8 meters each: get up, run, plant both feet and get back down into the prone position, finishing prone. Doing either half wrong sends you back to the start of that half.
Practice both on grass or turf once a week, 4 to 6 rounds, until getting down and up again feels automatic. It is a skill as much as a fitness event, and clean technique is free time.
The 8-week Army CFT training plan
Four sessions a week. Leave at least one rest day between the run day and the CFT session, and start a week with an easier version of any session if you are coming back from time off.
Weeks 1 and 2
- Run day: 6 x 400 m, equal rest
- Strength day: push-ups 5 x 8 to 12, sandbag lifts 4 x 4, carries 4 x 50 m
- CFT session: week 1, a full practice test for a baseline time; week 2, 1 mile, 30 push-ups and 8 sandbag lifts
- Easy day: 2 to 3 easy miles, then 4 rounds of movement drill practice
Weeks 3 and 4
- Run day: 8 x 400 m, equal rest
- Strength day: push-ups 4 x 12 to 15, sandbag lifts 4 x 6, carries 5 x 50 m
- CFT session: 1 mile, 30 push-ups, 100 m sprint, 16 sandbag lifts
- Easy day: 3 easy miles, part in boots, then 5 rounds of movement drill
Weeks 5 and 6
- Run day: 3 x 1 mile at goal pace, 3 minutes rest
- Strength day: 30 push-ups for time x 2, 16 sandbag lifts for time, carries 6 x 50 m
- CFT session: stations 2 to 6 in order, then 1 mile
- Easy day: 3 easy miles in boots, then 6 rounds of movement drill
Week 7
- Run day: 2 x 1 mile at goal pace, 4 minutes rest
- Strength day: light, push-ups 3 x 10 and sandbag lifts 2 x 8
- CFT session: full practice test, timed, compared to week 1
- Easy day: 2 easy miles
Week 8
- Run day: 4 x 400 m, relaxed
- Strength day: light push-ups and a few sandbag lifts
- CFT session: rest two days, then test
- Easy day: an easy 15 to 20 minute jog
All of these numbers are starting points, not Army standards. If a session leaves you wrecked for days, cut the volume; if it feels easy, add a round.
How to run a full practice test
Set it up as close to the real thing as you can: a measured mile, a place to do push-ups, a 100-meter stretch, 16 sandbags at 40 lb (or one 40 lb bag lifted 16 times), two 40 lb loads for a 50-meter carry, and 25 meters of grass for the crawl plus 25 meters for the rushes. Wear boots and long pants if you can. Have a partner start the clock on the first mile and stop it at the end of the second. Then put each piece into the CFT calculator to see where the time went.
Training a whole squad or setting up lanes for record tests? Each lane needs 16 sandbags. We build them for units, accept Government Purchase Cards and can add your unit logo: CFT sandbags for units.
Hybrid Weight Vest MK2
Make push-ups, pull-ups and runs harder between tests. 20 lb of removable steel-shot plates, fits 5'0" to 6'5", 1000D Cordura, made in the USA. From $199.99.
Shop the Hybrid Vest MK2Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to train for the Army CFT?
Eight weeks is enough for most Soldiers who already run and train regularly to learn the events and improve their time. If running a mile is hard for you right now, spend a few weeks building easy running first, then start the plan.
What is the CFT time standard?
You must finish all seven events in 30:00 or less. No individual event has a time standard, so you can be slow on one station and make it up on another. Our CFT calculator adds up your event times.
Should I train in boots for the CFT?
Yes, some of the time. The CFT is done in the Army Combat Uniform and AR 670-1 approved boots, so running and crawling in them before test day matters. Add boot runs gradually to avoid blisters and shin pain.
How do I train for the CFT sandbag lift at home?
Use a 40 lb sandbag and a sturdy, stable surface around 65 inches high. Practice the hinge, lap, chest and press pattern, then do 16 lifts for time once a week. One bag lifted 16 times works if you do not have 16 bags.
Is the Army CFT the same as the Marine Corps CFT?
No. The Marine Corps Combat Fitness Test has three events (Movement to Contact, Ammo Can Lifts and Maneuver Under Fire) scored with points. If that is your test, read our Marine Corps CFT training guide.
Sources: U.S. Army, Combat Field Test announcement (April 22, 2026); Annex B, Combat Field Test implementation, HQDA EXORD 103-26.
The training plan is Battle Bunker coaching guidance, not an Army program. If you have an injury or a medical condition, check with your provider before you start.
