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How to prepare for the Combat Fitness Test

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. — Unlike the familiar Physical Fitness Test, the Corps’ new Combat Fitness Test is designed to assess Marines’ physical strength, endurance and agility where it really counts: in battle.

While the PFT focuses largely on running (an aerobic activity), the CFT is “totally different,” said Larry S. Verity, a professor at San Diego State University’s School of Exercise and Nutritional Science.

It consists of an 880-yard sprint, lifting a 30-pound ammo can as many times as possible in two minutes, and a nasty 300-yard course that includes carrying a mock casualty and accurately lobbing a dummy grenade. To say it’s exhausting is an understatement. The CFT’s hellish pace robs the body of oxygen and muscle-fueling glycogen.

Marines must “be able to handle the [test’s] anaerobic demands,” Verity said.

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It’s pass/fail for now but will evolve into a tiered scoring system in July, meaning results will count toward cutting scores. Preparation demands an entirely different approach to exercise, trainers say.

“It’s a lot more strength and agility,” said John White, a retired Marine and certified personal trainer who manages one of Camp Pendleton’s fitness centers. “If you get in better shape, your body is going to recover faster.”

The advent of the CFT has sprouted a growth industry at base fitness centers across the Corps, where experts like White are developing workouts and circuits with the CFT specifically in mind. By focusing on strength training, plyometrics, sprints and good form, Marines will reduce the risk of injury, improve overall conditioning and boost their test times.

So how does one master the CFT? Experts say there’s no magic routine or a one-size-fits-all fitness program. Marines who don’t like to run, who avoid weight machines or do the same daily drill will want to rethink their workouts.

The CFT “opens the mind up to different ways to train,” said Joe Artino, a former Marine and trainer who manages the 52 Area Fitness Center at School of Infantry-West at Camp Pendleton.

Running the test course won’t always be practical, and Marines who do risk getting bored quickly. Trainers say Marines should develop exercise routines that combine short runs with weight lifting in varying exercises.

Intervals (or repetitive exercises) are key to “developing the base for muscular strength and muscular endurance,” Verity said. “Squats, lunges, leg press — these are all going to be incredibly useful” as will flexibility, he noted.

And don’t forget the midsection. A solid core supports the upper and lower body and — more importantly — ensures a stronger back.

“What Marines do not do enough of is to develop that core more,” said retired Chief Warrant Officer 3 Tony Rosenbum, a motivational trainer and former drill instructor who starred in the 2002 reality show “Celebrity Boot Camp.” “The key is really focusing on that middle piece.”

A Marine’s agility — the ability to move quickly and effectively — is tested throughout the CFT’s combination of speed drills, explosive movements and endurance demands. Every second counts, whether it’s pushing your pace on the 880, scurrying on the crawls, quickly lifting the casualty or transitioning from push-ups to the final run hauling 60 pounds.

“You’ve just got to do them right, and you’ve got to do it frequently,” Rosenbum said. “You’re simply going to get better at it.”

Train right, he added, and “you’ll be getting good scores and getting promoted.”

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CFT boosts popularity of circuit training