Five training habits to carry from the ACFT into AFT preparation
Keep useful practice; leave the quick-fix promises behind
Guidance reviewed October 1, 2026.
Five habits for a more useful training plan
The AFT replaced the ACFT on June 1, 2025.[1] If you found this article while looking for ACFT advice, check which test you are preparing for before choosing a score target. The following ideas are questions to work through with a qualified coach, not a promise of a faster score.
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Give strength work a purpose. Match the session to the movements you need to practice and your current ability. Do not add heavy compound lifts simply because a generic plan calls them essential.
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Practice shuttle transitions. Ask a coach to watch your start, turns and equipment handling. Do not pair heavy resistance with all-out sprinting just because someone calls it a shortcut.
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Keep running in the plan. Do not replace all endurance work with sprints. Discuss the balance of easier work and faster practice with your coach, accounting for unit PT and time on your feet.
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Practice the plank standard. A more difficult gym variation is not automatically better test preparation. Review the required position and get feedback.
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Review recovery alongside training. The Army's H2F approach includes nutrition and sleep as well as physical work.[18] Ask for help with practical barriers instead of assuming a supplement or another workout will solve them.
Use an app when it saves you work
ArmyFit lists calculators, event instructions, timers and bodyweight plans.[17] Those tools may help you organize practice. They do not make an old ACFT score chart the right reference for the AFT, and they cannot guarantee improvement.
Choose one habit to improve
Review the next week's plan with your PT leader or coach. Pick one change, decide how you will judge whether it helps and leave room for recovery. A plan you can explain and follow is more useful than a collection of hacks.
Related resources
Links carried forward from this article are listed for further reading, not as verification of current policy or of the claims in earlier editions. Consult the checked sources below for the revised guidance.
Sources
[1] https://www.army.mil/aft — Army Fitness Test: official events and policy resources [17] https://www.army.fit — ArmyFit product features [18] https://www.goarmy.com/explore-the-army/holistic-health-fitness — GoArmy: Holistic Health and Fitness
Credits
Photo: Staff Sgt. Emilie Lenglain / DVIDS. 02.24.2025.
The appearance of U.S. Department of War (DoW) visual information does not imply or constitute DoW endorsement.