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Learn about, practice for, and understand your scores on the all-important ASVAB and AFQT.
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Cheat Sheet / Updated 11-01-2023
If you're thinking about joining the U.S. military, your Armed Forces Qualification Test (AFQT) score may well be the most important score you achieve on any military test. You need a qualifying score on the AFQT, or your plans for enlistment come to a dead end — and each branch of the military has its own minimum AFQT score requirements. Part of getting a high score on the AFQT involves brushing up on your math skills. You need to memorize key formulas and use proven test-taking strategies to maximize your chances for a high math score. The other part is making sure you have a firm grasp on English; in order to ace the language parts of the AFQT, you need a solid vocabulary and good reading comprehension skills.
View Cheat SheetArticle / Updated 10-18-2023
After you’ve identified which ASVAB subjects you’re the weakest in, concentrate on boosting your abilities in those areas to improve your overall success on the exam. These tips can point you in the right direction as you study: Check out library books about the specific subject you’re struggling with, such as human anatomy or beginner’s electronics. Review reliable online sources related to ASVAB subjects. Ask someone in your community to tutor you. For example, get your Uncle Joe to show you the parts under the hood of his prized Camaro. Study with a buddy. Saying things out loud can help with memorization. Not to mention, studying with someone else makes you more accountable and can even make learning fun.
View ArticleArticle / Updated 10-18-2023
Many subtests in the ASVAB, such as General Science, Mechanical Comprehension, Electronics Information, and Auto and Shop Information, are hard to ace because you probably didn’t learn much about them in high school. So you may need to memorize facts and illustrations to do well in the areas of the ASVAB that you aren’t familiar with. Use these ten study methods to trick your brain into remembering all the things you need to know to get an excellent score on the ASVAB: Acronyms: An acronym uses the initial or important letters of a phrase to create an easily memorable abbreviation, such as PEMDAS to help remember the order of operations in mathematics (parenthesis, exponents, multiplication, division, addition, and subtraction). Acrostics: This mnemonic device uses a group of words that start with particular letters to convey a meaning, such as the newly revised acrostic “My Very Educated Mother Just Showed Us Nothing,” to help you remember the eight planets (sans Pluto): Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. Categorizing: Mentally dividing information into categories can help you remember similarities and differences. For example, studying plants and animals separately may help you remember photosynthesis, which occurs in plants, not animals. Chunking: Especially helpful with numbers, chunking is the process of breaking big chunks of information into smaller segments. For example, you can break larger numbers into shorter segments to help you remember them. That’s why you memorize phone numbers by saying “five, five, five, (pause) one, two, three, four.” Loci method: This mnemonic device helps you remember something if you can associate that thing with a familiar place (loci means “location”). For example, if you visualize E = MC2 spray-painted on your bedroom wall, you’re sure to see that picture when you close your eyes, which helps you memorize that formula. Q and A: Question-and-answer practice is a good study tool for memory if you have more than one person available to quiz you. Get the most out of this study technique by using it together with the re-review method later in this list. Recording: Recording yourself reviewing information (such as vocabulary definitions) and then playing it back aids in memory retention. Re-review: Reviewing new information more than once in the same day helps set that information in your brain more effectively than waiting a few days to look over it. Rhymes: Rhyming with catchy phrases and sentences is an easy way to retain information. For example, “i before e except after c” is a popular rhyme used to help spell some words in the English language. Visualizing: Creating mental pictures of different concepts you want to memorize makes remembering them easier. For instance, picturing yourself running a marathon, exhausted and out of breath, may help you remember that the exhaust of a car is the tailpipe that blows out the smoke.
View ArticleArticle / Updated 10-18-2023
An ASVAB study schedule is imperative to your success. No matter how many days are left until test day, you can use this guide to help structure your plan. If you’re a few months out, use this study guide and take your time to really pinpoint the areas that need the most attention. If you don’t have much time to spare, jump to the end of this schedule, pump out that extra effort, and eat, sleep, and breathe ASVAB from now until test day! One month before test day You have 30 days until test day. Let the studying begin! Take an ASVAB practice exam and score yourself on each subtest. Rank each subtest: 1 through 4 for each AFQT subtest (Word Knowledge, Paragraph Comprehension, Mathematics Knowledge, and Arithmetic Reasoning), and 1 through 5 for the specialty subtests, with 1 being the lowest rank. Spend the most time studying for the areas you ranked the lowest, giving special attention to the AFQT subjects, such as Mathematics Knowledge and Arithmetic Reasoning. For the remainder of your time, concentrate on the specialty subjects, such as Electronics Information, especially if you know your desired military jobs require a specific score, or if you want to ace the ASVAB. Two weeks before test day You’re in the home stretch. Try not to get nervous if you don’t know some of the material as well as you’d like. Use these strategies to boost your confidence: Take the same ASVAB practice exam you took at the beginning of your study plan, scoring each subtest the same way as before. Compare your new (and hopefully improved) practice test scores to the original scores. Note any improvements you’ve made within each subtest. Note the struggles you’re having in specific areas and write them down. For example, you may still have a hard time dividing fractions, memorizing planets, identifying vehicle parts, or learning suffixes. Spend the next two weeks fine-tuning the areas that need improvement. If you scored very high on any specific subtest (as in, you missed only one or two questions), set aside your review of that material in favor of spending time on topics that you still feel shaky about. Periodically check your ASVAB growth by trying out another practice test so you can see your progress. Feel confident that your hard work will pay off and don’t give up. Note: If you’re just now starting to study for the ASVAB, don’t panic. Take a practice exam and score each subtest to see where you need to focus your time in the next two weeks. Then get studying! One day before test day If there were ever a time not to stress, this is it. Follow these suggestions to prepare for the big day: Relax and enjoy your day because the last thing you need is built-up anxiety. Pack up everything you need to take the test, such as your ID card, any necessary paperwork, directions to the test site, lip balm, reading glasses, car keys, and so on, and be sure to set your alarm. Break down your final study review into two one-hour sessions: During the first hour, concentrate on your weak subjects. Read over the types of questions and the work you’ve done to prepare for them. Then take a break. During the second hour, look over the highlights and any notes you have for each subtest. Stay hydrated with plenty of water. Get at least eight hours of rest.
View ArticleArticle / Updated 10-18-2023
Some math problems on the ASVAB AFQT will require you to apply formulas to solve real-world problems. It's important to not only be familiar with these formulas, but also to know when and how to apply them. Practice exercise In the following practice exercise, you need to match the word problem to the appropriate formula. (You don't actually need to solve the problems—this exercise is just to test your ability to choose the right formula.) When you're finished, check the "Answers and explanations" that follow. Answers and explanations The correct answer is Choice E.The problem asks you to find the circumference of a circle, and the formula for that is where C represents circumference and r represents the circle's radius. Remember, the radius of a circle is half its diameter. The correct answer is Choice C.The formula to solve a work problem that asks you how long it will take two people together to accomplish a task is The correct answer is Choice A.Investment and loan problems can typically be solved with the interest formula, which is I = prt. I stands for interest, p represents the principal, r represents the interest rate, and t represents the amount of time you're evaluating. The correct answer is Choice B.When a problem asks you, "How many square feet … ," it's looking for an area. The formula for the area of a rectangle is A = lw, where A represents area, l represents length, and w represents width. The correct answer is Choice D.In this problem, you need to use the formula for the volume of a cube, which is V = s3, where V represents volume and s represents the length of a side.
View ArticleArticle / Updated 10-18-2023
The Word Knowledge subtest of the ASVAB AFQT will contain some questions that ask you to define an underlined word in a sentence. Even if you don't know the word's meaning, you should be able to figure it out based on its context within the sentence. If you're unsure about your context skills, try the following practice exercise to test them. Practice exercise The following chart contains five sentences, each of which contains an underlined word. Copy the chart onto a sheet of paper. Then, based on each sentence, write your definition in the "Your Definition" column. Then look up the word in the dictionary (or check the definitions under "Answers and explanations") to find out how close you were. In the "Dictionary Definition" column, write the official definition; this will help you to remember it. Sentence Your Definition Dictonary Definition 1. Smoking has deleterious effects on your health. 2. The topic was too serious for her to be so facetious. 3. The English lexicon contains hundreds of thousands of words. 4. She told him not to plagiarize, but he copied the text anyway. 5. The commander didn't want to capitulate, but the general told him to surrender. Answers and explanations Deleterious is an adjective that means causing harm or damage. Facetious is an adjective that means treating serious issues with deliberately inappropriate humor. Lexicon is a noun that means the vocabulary of a person, language, or branch of knowledge. Plagiarize is a verb that means to take someone else's work or idea and pass it off as one's own. Capitulate is a verb that means to cease to resist or to surrender.
View ArticleArticle / Updated 10-18-2023
Anything that saves you time and brain power on the ASVAB AFQT Mathematics Knowledge subtest is useful for two reasons: first, because you're working on a limited time budget, and second, because you can't use a calculator. That's where math properties, like the commutative and associative properties, can help. The commutative and associative properties let you break the rules about adding or multiplying from left to right: The commutative property of addition says you can rearrange the numbers you're adding without changing the result. Similarly, the associative property of addition lets you decide how to group the numbers you're adding. Together, these properties let you add a string of numbers in whatever order you like. For example, you can make calculations easier by pairing up numbers whose ones digits add up to 10 before adding other numbers in the list. Because subtracting is essentially the same thing as adding a negative number, you can extend these addition properties to subtraction problems, too — just be careful to keep track of the negative signs. The following example shows how smart groupings can let you add and subtract figures faster. Notice which calculations are easier to do in your head. Similarly, the commutative and associative properties of multiplication let you multiply numbers in any order you like. Check out how switching the numbers around can make mental math easier: You can even use these multiplication properties with division, as long as you remember that division is the same thing as multiplying by a fraction:
View ArticleArticle / Updated 08-14-2023
The Sprint-Drag-Carry event on the Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT) measures four big fitness components: agility, anaerobic endurance, muscular strength, and muscular endurance. In combat, you use these skills to build a hasty fighting position, pull a casualty out of a vehicle and carry him or her to safety, react to fire, and carry ammo from Point A to Point B. Here are the five parts of this event, which you start in the prone position with the top of your head behind the start line: Sprint: On the command of “Go,” jump up and sprint 25 meters in your lane. Touch the 25-meter line with your foot and hand, bust a U-turn, and sprint back to the start line. Drag: Grab each strap handle on the sled. Pull the sled backward until you have the whole thing over the 25-meter line and then turn it around and pull it back. The entire sled has to cross the start line. Don’t jerk the straps—use a steady pull to move the sled. Remember not to sling the sled to turn it around, too. Lateral: Face one side and perform a lateral run for 25 meters, touch the line with your foot and hand, and head back to the start line. Face the same direction on the way back. Don’t cross your feet during laterals. Carry: Pick up your pair of 40-pound kettlebells and run to the 25-meter line. Step on or over the line with one foot, turn around, and run back to the start line. Be careful when you turn around with the kettlebells—maintain control of your feet and the kettlebells the whole time. If you drop the kettlebells, just pick them up and keep moving. Sprint: Put your kettlebells on the ground, turn around, and sprint to the 25-meter line. Touch the line with a hand and foot and then return to the start line as fast as you can. Your time stops when you cross the start line after your final sprint. In this race against the clock, you need to complete all five events in 3 minutes flat to get 60 points. Finish in 2:30 to get 65 points, or wrap it up under 2:10 to get 70 points. Power through the whole thing in 1:33, and you max it out with 100 points. Sprint-Drag-Carry instructions The Sprint-Drag-Carry (SDC) comprises five separate events, and each one comes with specific rules for proper execution. The Army’s instructions for the SDC are as follows: You must assume the prone position with hands on the ground beneath your shoulders and with the top of your head behind the start line, ready to complete five consecutive and continuous 50-meter shuttles. For the first shuttle, on the command “Go,” stand up and sprint 25 meters before touching the 25-meter line with your foot and hand, turning at the line and sprinting back to the start. If you fail to touch properly, the scorer will call you back before allowing you to continue. For the second shuttle, grasp each pull-strap handle to pull the sled backwards until the whole sled crosses the 25-meter line. If you fail to cross the line with the sled, the scorer will call you back before allowing you to continue. Turn and drag the sled back to the start line. For the third shuttle, you will perform the lateral for 25 meters, touching the line with the foot and hand before performing the lateral back to the start line. The lateral will be performed to the left in one direction and to the right in the other direction. For the fourth shuttle, grasp the handles of the two 40-pound kettlebells and run 25 meters, touching the line with the foot before returning back to the start line. Place the kettlebells on the ground without dropping them. For the fifth shuttle, sprint 25 meters to the line, touching with the foot and hand, before turning and sprinting back to the start line to complete the event. In plain English, that means you start the SDC on your stomach, in the prone position (just like the starting position for the HRP), and then you spring into action for the first sprint. When you hit the 25-meter line, you touch it with your foot and hand, turn around, and come right back to the starting point. Then you grab your sled handles and drag the sled to the 25-meter line as you run backward. Wheel it over the line, turn around and drag it all the way back across the start line, drop the handles, and go right into your laterals. Hit the line with your hand and come right back (while still facing the same way). Get over the start line and pick up your two 40-pound kettlebells. Carry them to the 25-meter line and back as quickly as you can, and then do your final sprint (down to the 25-meter line and back). The SDC events are always in the same order: sprint, sled drag, laterals, kettlebells, and sprint. SDC tips and techniques The sled drag may not trip you up, but it’s likely to pre-fatigue the muscles you need for the remaining events. The two sprints are where you really give it your all; because they’re a relatively short distance, you can make up some time if you lose it in other shuttles. Try these other suggestions as well: Pull your sled straight back and keep your eyes forward while you’re moving backward—don’t try to turn to look for the 25-meter or finish line. You’re not going to miss the line; you see it as soon as you cross it. This way, you can also use your whole body to pull the sled rather than only the side that’s closest to it. Use your legs for the sled drag—don’t flex your arms by trying to pull the handles in close to your body. Lean back and let your arms extend so you’re not pre-fatiguing your grip and your biceps (remember, the Leg Tuck is still on the horizon). This figure gives you a look at what your upper body should look like in the Sled Drag. Keep your chest tall while you drag the sled and lean back as you pull. Your core muscles and your lats (technically, your latissimus dorsi) work with your legs to provide you with enough power to get the sled across the line. Get into an athletic stance before you do laterals. You go faster—and stay safer—if you get low and leggy. Don’t bounce, because bouncing slows you down and wastes valuable energy. Engage your deltoids and lats to keep your kettlebells under control while you run with them. If you let your kettlebells swing, you can hurt yourself (or drop them, which costs you time). Trouble spots on the SDC If you perform something incorrectly on the SDC, your grader calls you back to the start and has you repeat the shuttle. This do-over counts against your time, so looking out for the same things your grader is looking for is in your best interest: Failing to touch the line (with your hand and foot for sprints and laterals and your foot with kettlebells) Failing to get the entire sled across the line prior to turning around Crossing your feet during laterals Jerking the sled Failing to use the sled’s handles Failing to travel facing the same direction during laterals Throwing or carelessly letting go of the kettlebells Running sideways or forward while dragging the sled
View ArticleArticle / Updated 08-14-2023
If you’re on a permanent profile, the new events on the Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT) don’t have to spell an end to your illustrious career. You may be eligible for the modified ACFT—called the ACFT MOD—if you have clearance from your medical provider. Soldiers are required to participate in all the events they’re not profiled against, but at minimum, a permanently profiled soldier has to pass the following, regardless of his or her job’s physical demand category: MDL: In the 3 Repetition Maximum Deadlift, you have to lift a minimum of 140 pounds, which nets you a score of 60 points. SDC: Every permanently profiled soldier has to complete the Sprint-Drag-Carry in under three minutes (that’s the 60-point score again). An aerobic event: Depending on your profile, you may be required to participate in the Two-Mile-Run, the 5,000-Meter Row, the 15,000-Meter Bike, or the 1,000-Meter Swim. You must complete your alternate aerobic event within 25 minutes. (The 2MR rules are exactly the same as they are on the standard ACFT, but you must complete the course in 21 minutes.) You still take the ACFT MOD with your unit, but you’re the last in line for each event, and you take only the events your profile allows. You begin your alternate events 10 minutes after you complete your last standard event (unless you’re taking the swim event, in which case you leave right away for the pool). Unlike the other ACFT events, the test supervisor reads instructions before each of these events. The ACFT MOD is only available to soldiers who are on permanent profiles. If you have a temporary profile, the Army expects you to recondition, retrain, and pass the full six-event ACFT. The requirements for the ACFT MOD are subject to change. The Army is serious when it says that the rules governing this test are “living documents.” Call your grader over when you’re getting close to the end of your required distance on the bike or row event. He or she has to watch your odometer and clock the exact moment you cross the “finish line” to record your point score. Bike The 15,000-Meter Bike event is another way the Army can measure your cardiovascular fitness. The bike event requires a stationary bike with an adjustable seat and handlebars so it can accommodate soldiers of different heights. The bike has to be equipped with an odometer and a stationary cycle ergometer. You get a short warm-up period and time to adjust the seat and handlebars. Your event supervisor reads you these instructions: The 15,000-Meter Bike measures your level of aerobic fitness. On the command “Go,” the clock will start and you will begin pedaling at your own pace. You must complete the 15,000-meter distance in 25 minutes or less. You will be scored on your time. What are your questions about this event? Then, on the command of “Get set,” grab your handlebars and get ready for the “Go” command. Your time starts on the “Go” command, and your test timer calls out the time remaining every 30 seconds during the last two minutes of allowable time. You must cover 12,000 meters within 25 minutes. Take some time to adjust the bike to your body before your event starts. You don’t want to stop during the test to tweak it because that cuts into your time. Row If you’re participating in the row event, your unit has to provide you with a stationary rowing machine. It must have mechanically adjustable resistance, and the seat, handles, and foot straps have to be adjustable, too. The rowing machine must be equipped with an odometer, and it has to be calibrated before the test. You get a short warm-up period and some time to adjust the machine to your body size. Then, your event supervisor reads you these instructions: The 5,000-Meter Row measures your level of aerobic fitness. On the command “Go,” the clock will start and you will begin rowing at your own pace. You must complete the 5,000-meter distance. You will be scored on your time. To pass, you must complete 5,000 meters in 25 minutes. What are your questions about this event? On the command of “Get set,” position yourself comfortably. The clock begins when your grader says “Go.” Like the bike event, your grader calls out the remaining time every 30 seconds during the last two minutes of the test. You have 25 minutes to complete 5,000 meters. Do a complete stroke each time you row. The rowing machine measures your distance, so don’t stop yourself shy—extend your arms all the way forward (until you’re almost touching the machine) and lean all the way back so that your body is almost parallel to the ground. Pull the handles to your chest, not your bellybutton. Swim The 1,000-Meter Swim is the third option available on the ACFT MOD. The swim event has to take place in a pool with a 25-meter lane and a minimum depth of 1 meter. This one requires a lot of personnel: You need an event supervisor, one scorer for every three soldiers, a timer and a backup timer, and support personnel who are there to ensure safety. The event supervisor can’t be a scorer, either. You get a few minutes in the pool to acclimate and warm up before your event supervisor reads these instructions: The 1,000-Meter Swim measures your level of aerobic fitness. You will begin in the water; no diving is allowed. At the start, your body must be in contact with the wall of the pool. On the command “Go,” the clock will start. You should then begin swimming at your own pace, using any stroke or combination of strokes you wish. You must swim [appropriate number based on lap length] laps to complete this distance. You must touch the wall of the pool at each end of the pool as you turn. Any type of turn is authorized. You must complete the 1,000-meter distance in 25 minutes. You will be scored on time. Walking on the bottom to recuperate is authorized. Swimming goggles, swim caps, and civilian swimming attire are permitted, but no other equipment is authorized. What are your questions about this event? When you hear the command “Get set,” you have to position yourself in the pool holding the wall, with your body in contact with the wall—that’s the start position for this event. On the command of “Go,” you can start swimming. You can use any stroke you want (including a combination of strokes). At the end of each 25-meter lap, you have to touch the pool’s wall as you turn around. Pace yourself and work with your best strokes (the ones that allow you to cover the most distance with the least effort on your part). Your grader tells you how many laps you need to do to reach 1,000 meters and keeps track of how many you’ve done, but keeping track yourself is a good idea. You have 25 minutes to swim 1,000 meters, which in a 25-meter lane is 40 laps. Your scorer is supposed to watch you and count your laps, but counting them yourself doesn’t hurt. During the event, you can walk on the bottom of the pool to recuperate if you need to. You don’t have to wear your Army Physical Fitness Uniform during this alternate event. You can wear civilian swimming attire (read: your favorite trunks or bathing suit), swimming goggles, and a swim cap if you want to. Just make sure you’re sporting something that would be appropriate for you to wear in front of your sergeant major.
View ArticleArticle / Updated 08-14-2023
If you walked into a gym right now, you’d most likely see rows of machines dedicated to training just one muscle at a time. Those are great for bodybuilders but not necessarily for the average soldier. Because most military occupational specialties (MOSs) have at least minimal physical demands, and because those demands require real-world movement, many of the machines at the gym are great supplements to your training. However, you definitely need movement training, too. Distinguishing muscle training from movement training Improving athleticism, which is what the Army is really testing with the ACFT, requires a combination of muscular and movement-based training. Movement training is unlike muscle training. It harnesses your natural human kinetics—the way you move—and makes your movements stronger, more stable, and safer. In standard muscle training, you have to isolate a muscle (or a group of muscles) to focus all your work there. Your intent is to put force in just one region of your body, like your chest, while the rest of your body is stabilized and still, and your goal is to see just how much force you can send into that region and still execute a movement, such as a chest press. You don’t want to “cheat” by using momentum because that means other muscles are pitching in to help you execute the movement. That’s fine if that’s the type of training you’re doing. But when you need motor skills you can use outside the gym, and if you need to be efficient with your movement (like you do on the ACFT and on the battlefield), you need your muscles to work together to accomplish a result. Whether you’re putting together a GP Medium or carrying one of your squad members to safety, your movement training kicks in. Movement training is about improving motor tasks that take you outside the linear plane. Movement training integrates your whole body. And with the ACFT, the Army is testing your ability to pull off complex movements—not just your ability to use your pecs and a few smaller muscles to push yourself off the ground. That means you have to cross-train, use three-dimensional movements and your planar movements, and use weight training to complement everything you’re doing if you want to perform well on the ACFT. These 3D movements come with a wide range of other benefits, too, such as improved Aerobic capacity Coordination Joint health Resiliency in multidirectional movements outside the gym Tensile strength in your connective tissues The more momentum you can harness while controlling your form, the more efficiently you work. Your brain automatically wants to execute all your body’s movements in ways that are easiest to accomplish—but not necessarily in ways that prevent injury (think about the last time you did bicep curls and threw your back into them, or picked up a box from the floor without bending your legs). Planar movement With physical training, you can do your work in one or more of the three planes of motion: the sagittal plane, the frontal plane, and the transverse plane. If you’re working in the sagittal plane, you’re moving two-dimensionally—up and down or back and forth. In the frontal plane, you’re making side-to-side movements. Finally, in the transverse plane, you’re using twisting or rotating movements. Work in any of these planes can be unloaded, which means you have only your body weight, or loaded, which means you’re using an external mass while moving. An external mass can be anything from a barbell loaded with weight to your Improved Outer Tactical Vest, or IOTV. Most exercises in the three planes of motion fall into one or more of four main categories: Unloaded linear movements: Linear movements are in the sagittal plane or the frontal plane. You’re running, cycling, or performing some types of strength training. Linear exercises move only horizontally or vertically. Unloaded 3D movements: Movements that cross over the borders between the sagittal, frontal, and transverse planes are 3D movements. Things like sports (tennis, football, baseball, and a number of others), dancing, and many types of martial arts use unloaded 3D movements. Loaded linear movements: Loaded movements keep you in the sagittal or frontal plane and involve external weight. Running while carrying a litter, squatting with a bar on your back, and doing everyday bicep curls are loaded linear movements. The external weight can range from resistance bands and barbells to the flywheel of an adjustable stationary cycle or full battle rattle. Loaded 3D movements: Working through different planes with an external weight means you’re doing loaded 3D movements. These movements, like agility drills, modified exercises (such as shoulder extensions with a trunk rotation), and lateral lunges with a plate reach involving rotation. Strictly training in loaded linear movements can easily result in overuse injuries. Working in 3D allows other muscles, connective tissues, and joints to pitch in to complete a task, which “shares the load.” The 4Q model The 4Q model allows you to group exercises together by type: unloaded linear, unloaded 3D, loaded linear, and loaded 3D. (Check out the preceding section for more on these types of movements.) The figure shows the 4Q model, as well as some of the exercises that belong in each quadrant. Training in all four quadrants is essential for optimal results. If your goal is overall strength and endurance, you can’t leave one (or more) out. Unloaded training Unloaded training—commonly called body weight training—refers to exercises like push-ups and pull-ups. Despite what you’ve heard, body weight training isn’t inherently easier than loaded training is. The Leg Tuck on the ACFT is a perfect illustration of that; it’s all body weight, but for many people, it’s one of the most difficult exercises to perform. Loaded training Loaded training requires you to add external mass to movement. Any mass counts, whether it’s a 1-kilogram plate alone or a bar loaded with 400 pounds. How much mass you need to move to make gains and improve your fitness level depends on your current level of physical fitness. Your body will adapt to larger loads over time, provided that you use something that challenges you and forces a change in your muscles. When your body adapts to a certain amount of weight, it’s no longer going to force your muscles to adapt, so if you want to become stronger, you have to increase the mass of the loads you’re working with. Loaded movements are movements that involve an external mass that’s not part of your body. Running is an unloaded linear movement, while running while wearing your IOTV is a loaded linear movement. Throwing your rucksack over a wall is a loaded 3D movement, and climbing up the wall after it (if you’re not wearing your kit) is an unloaded linear movement. (If you’re wearing your kit, it becomes a loaded linear movement.) Going over the top of the wall to come down on the other side is a 3D movement; it’s unloaded or loaded depending on whether you’re wearing your kit. Loaded multi-planar (3D) training for the ACFT Loaded multi-planar training is relatively new—at least in the gym. Classic strength training isolates muscles with the purpose of strengthening only those muscles, as evidenced by people hitting the gym for “chest day” or “cardio day.” (Everyone knows what happens when “leg day” isn’t part of a weekly routine.) But loaded multi-planar movement falls into the upper-right quadrant in the 4Q model, and training there is absolutely essential for passing the ACFT. The bottom line is that functioning in and out of the Army requires the human body to move mass while in motion, and most of the time, you have to move that mass in a way that asymmetrically loads your body or puts it in a weird position. If you’re only training to carry something by using both biceps evenly at the same time, without any help from your back or legs, you’re not going to perform as efficiently or as safely as you would if you practiced loaded movement training that integrated your whole body. ACFT events in the 4Q model The table shows whether each of the ACFT events falls into the loaded linear or unloaded linear quadrant of the 4Q model. The test is mostly about linear movement, but training to perform well on the test requires you to work in all four quadrants. Each event gives the Army a good look at how you perform 3D movements, such as surmounting an obstacle or extracting a casualty from a vehicle, which are hard to grade. Some of the events require a combination of muscular strength and endurance plus cardiovascular endurance, such as the drag and carry shuttles of the Sprint-Drag-Carry. ACFT Events in 4Q Quadrants Loaded Linear Movement Unloaded Linear Movement 3 Repetition Maximum Deadlift (MDL) Hand Release Push-Up – Arm Extension (HRP) Standing Power Throw (SPT) Sprint-Drag-Carry (SDC) Sprint-Drag-Carry (SDC) Leg Tuck (LTK) Two-Mile Run (2MR) Note that the Sprint-Drag-Carry falls under two quadrants: loaded linear movement and unloaded linear movement. That’s because this single event comprises four individual activities. The sprints and laterals are unloaded linear movements, while the drag and carry are loaded linear movements.
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