How to Max Your Army ACFT: A Complete Training Guide

U.S. Army soldier performing hex bar deadlift for ACFT training

The Army Combat Fitness Test replaced the old APFT in 2022 and it is a fundamentally different challenge. Six events across strength, power, endurance, and agility. No more banking on a strong run to carry a weak upper body. The ACFT tests everything, and maxing it requires training everything. This guide breaks down each event, what a max score looks like, and how to build a training plan that gets you there.

Use the Battle Bunker Army ACFT Calculator to plug in your current numbers and see exactly where you stand and what scores you need to hit your target.

Want to see how the ACFT stacks up against the Marine Corps, Air Force, Navy, and Coast Guard tests? Read our military fitness test comparison.

The Six ACFT Events

Each event is scored 0 to 100 points. A perfect score is 600. The minimum passing score varies by MOS, but a score of 360 (60 per event) is the baseline. Here is what each event tests:

3 Repetition Maximum Deadlift (MDL): Straight-bar hex bar deadlift for 3 reps. Tests lower body and back strength. Max for males is 340 lbs, females 210 lbs in most age categories.
Standing Power Throw (SPT): Overhead backward throw of a 10 lb medicine ball. Tests explosive power. Max distance varies by age and gender.
Hand Release Push-Up (HRP): Full push-up with a hand release at the bottom of every rep. Tests upper body pushing endurance. Max is 60 reps for most male categories.
Sprint-Drag-Carry (SDC): 250-meter course with five 50-meter shuttles: sprint, drag a 90-lb sled, lateral shuffle, carry two 40-lb kettlebells, and sprint again. Tests explosive conditioning and functional strength.
Leg Tuck or Plank (LTK/PLK): Alternating grip hang with knee raises, or a timed plank. Most soldiers benefit from choosing the plank unless they already have strong LTK numbers.
Two-Mile Run (2MR): Standard aerobic endurance run. Max for males aged 17-21 is 13:30. For females in the same bracket, 15:29.

Event 1: 3 Rep Max Deadlift

The MDL is the only event where more weight is always better. The hex bar format is more forgiving on the lower back than a straight bar, but the movement still demands real posterior chain strength.

If you are below 200 lbs: Focus on building the foundational movement pattern first. Romanian deadlifts, trap bar deadlifts at moderate weight with a focus on hip hinge mechanics, and single-leg deadlifts for balance and stability. Get the pattern right before loading it heavy.

If you are between 200 and 280 lbs: Progressive overload is the tool here. Work up to heavy sets of 3-5 reps twice a week. Add weight every one to two weeks. Accessory work should include Romanian deadlifts, good mornings, and hamstring curls.

Pushing for 300+ lbs: You need genuine max-effort training. Work up to a true 3RM every 10 to 14 days with lower-intensity deadlift volume in between. Grip strength becomes a factor at heavy loads. If your hands give out before your legs, add dead hangs and farmer carries to your routine. A pair of lifting straps can also keep your grip from capping your heavy deadlift volume.

Event 2: Standing Power Throw

The SPT is the event most soldiers undertraining for. Explosive power is a specific physical quality that does not improve much from strength or endurance training alone. You have to train it directly.

Key movements: Medicine ball overhead slams, rotational throws, jump squats, and kettlebell swings all train the hip-extension power pattern that drives the SPT distance. Do these two to three times per week, always with full effort on each rep. Power work done at half effort does not transfer.

Technique also matters. The throw is a full-body movement that starts with the legs and hips. Practice the mechanics with a lighter ball first so your body learns to sequence the power from the ground up.

Event 3: Hand Release Push-Ups

The HRP rewards pushing endurance, not max strength. The hand release requirement slows the pace and prevents momentum-based reps, so every single one is honest work.

Training approach: Volume. Do push-up sets multiple times per day at 50-60% of your max, stopping well before failure. This grease-the-groove method builds endurance without frying your shoulders. Add resistance band push-ups and dips for tricep strength that supports higher rep counts.

Pacing on test day is critical. Going out too fast in the first 30 reps often causes a wall at rep 45. Practice doing sets at the test pace, not your max pace, so you know what sustainable feels like.

Event 4: Sprint-Drag-Carry

The SDC is the most physically demanding event on the ACFT. It tests conditioning, functional strength, and the ability to move fast under fatigue. It is also the event with the most room for improvement through smart training.

Train the individual pieces:

Sled drag: Heavy sled pulls for 20-30 meters. If you do not have a sled, heavy farmer carries build similar hip and leg drive.
Lateral shuffle: Agility ladder work and defensive shuffles at speed. This is mostly skill and coordination, not strength.
Kettlebell carry: Farmer carries with 40 lbs per hand. Train the grip, the posture, and the breathing pattern.
Sprint conditioning: Short-distance interval sprints (20-50 meters) build the explosive speed the SDC requires.

Once you can handle the individual pieces, practice the full SDC course or a close simulation two to three times per week. The transitions between events are where time is lost if your body is not used to switching movement patterns under fatigue.

Event 5: Leg Tuck or Plank

Most soldiers should choose the plank unless they already have solid leg tuck numbers. The plank is trainable in a straight line and most people reach a competitive time faster than they can build leg tuck reps.

A 3:20 plank scores 100 points for most age categories. Six to eight weeks of consistent plank training gets most soldiers there. Hold to form failure, rest 90 seconds, repeat. Four to five days a week is enough.

If you are going for leg tucks, treat them like pull-ups. Band-assisted reps, negative-only reps, and accumulated volume at sub-failure sets build the core and pulling strength needed. The Battle Bunker Battle Bands work well for assisted leg tuck practice at the pull-up bar.

Event 6: Two-Mile Run

The 2-mile run is the same aerobic challenge it has always been, just shorter than the old APFT 2-mile. A max score requires running faster, not just longer, than the old standard demanded.

Build an aerobic base with two to three easy runs per week. Add one interval session weekly at goal race pace. A typical interval session: 6 x 400m at your goal mile pace with 60 seconds rest between. This trains the speed needed without the joint wear of running at race effort every day.

If you are scoring below a 15:00 right now, prioritize base mileage first. Get comfortable at easy pace for four weeks before adding speed work.

8-Week ACFT Training Plan Overview

This plan assumes you are currently passing but not maxing the ACFT.

Monday: Deadlift (work up to heavy 3-5 reps), Push-up volume
Tuesday: SDC conditioning (sled work, carries, sprint intervals), Plank holds
Wednesday: Power throw training (medicine ball, jump squats), Easy 30-min run
Thursday: Push-up volume, Deadlift accessory work (RDLs, good mornings)
Friday: Full SDC simulation or 2-mile time trial, Leg tuck or plank practice
Saturday: Long easy run (40-50 min), Light power work
Sunday: Rest or active recovery

Track your score after each mock test using the Army ACFT Calculator. This keeps your target concrete and shows which events are moving and which need more attention.

Common ACFT Mistakes

Ignoring the SPT. The standing power throw is the most neglected event. Soldiers who only run and lift will stall here. Train explosive power directly, two to three times per week, year-round.

Going to failure on push-ups every session. Failure training spikes fatigue without building the endurance you need for 60+ reps. Sub-failure volume, spread across the day, is more effective.

Treating the SDC as an afterthought. It is the most physically punishing event. Dedicated SDC training twice a week will move your score significantly.

Not knowing your current numbers. Run everything through the ACFT Calculator before you start your training cycle. Know exactly how many pounds on the deadlift, how many seconds on the plank, and how much time you need to cut from the run. Specific targets beat vague effort every time.

Battle Bunker Battle Bands

Use them for band-assisted pull-ups and leg tuck practice, push-up resistance training, and mobility work. Built for the kind of multi-event training the ACFT demands.

Shop Battle Bands

The Bottom Line

The ACFT is a harder test than the APFT, and it requires a broader training base to max. Strength, power, pushing endurance, functional conditioning, core, and aerobic capacity all need dedicated work. No single focus covers all six events.

Start with your weakest event and build from there. Use the Army ACFT Calculator to pinpoint your score gaps, set specific targets, and track progress through your training cycle. Eight focused weeks can move the needle on every event if the training is built around what the test actually demands.

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