Army Physical Fitness Program | US Army Training Film | 1967
Video
Description
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This vintage video – originally titled as « Physical Fitness – U.S. Army » – is a training film produced by the US Army in 1967.
This film shows the US Army’s physical fitness programs during Basic and Advanced Individual Training (AIT), at the unit level, and in special courses for Paratroopers, Rangers, and Special Forces.
As the narrator states in the introduction, « The purpose of the Army’s Physical Fitness Program is to prepare you for the strenuous activity, the just plain hard work of military life. A soldier who’s not in shape physically threatens the security of himself, his unit and the nation he is defending. To get in good physical condition and stay that way, you have to exercise. All the advanced technology of modern warfare and the abundance of mechanized and computerized equipment haven’t changed the picture. The physical condition of the individual soldier is still of prime importance. No matter what his job, a soldier can do it better if he’s fit. »
BACKGROUND / CONTEXT
The Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT) is designed to test the muscular strength, endurance, and cardiovascular respiratory fitness of soldiers in the Army. Soldiers are scored based on their performance in three events consisting of the push-up, sit-up, and a two-mile run, ranging from 0 to 100 points in each event. A minimum score of 60 in each event is required to pass the test. The soldier’s overall score is the sum of the points from the three events. If a soldier passes all three events, the total may range from 180 to 300.
Active component and reserve component soldiers on active duty are required to take a « record » (meaning for official records) APFT at least twice each calendar year. Reservists not on active duty must take a « record » test once per calendar year. The Army Field Manual 7-22: « Army Physical Readiness Training » covers the administration of the APFT, as well as ways to conduct individual, squad and unit level physical training sessions.
If, due to a diagnosed medical condition, a soldier is temporarily unable to conduct one or more of the events in the record APFT, the soldier can be granted an extension to allow him or her to overcome his or her injury and return to an acceptable level of physical fitness. If a soldier has a permanent medical condition that keeps him or her from conducting the two mile run, an alternative aerobic event consisting of either a 2.5 mile walk, an 800-yard swim, or 6.2 mile cycle ride is taken. There are no alternate events for the push-up or sit-up.
The physical fitness assessments for the U.S. Army were first developed in 1858 at the United States Military Academy. Over the years, the athletics for soldiers have been revised repeatedly. According to a US Army abstract, the calisthenics and events of « push-ups, sit-ups, and a 2-mile run was introduced in 1980. »
For soldiers attending the first phase of Ranger School, a special Ranger Physical Fitness Test is conducted for all age groups, which is separate from the Army Physical Fitness Test. The test is pass/fail and involves push-ups, sit-ups, chin-ups, and a five-mile run. Push-ups and sit-ups are to be performed within 2 minutes.
For more information on this topic, see:
Army Physical Fitness Program | US Army Training Film | 1967
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NOTE: THE VIDEO REPRESENTS HISTORY. SINCE IT WAS PRODUCED DECADES AGO, IT HAS HISTORICAL VALUES AND CAN BE CONSIDERED AS A VALUABLE HISTORICAL DOCUMENT. THE VIDEO HAS BEEN UPLOADED WITH EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES. ITS TOPIC IS REPRESENTED WITHIN HISTORICAL CONTEXT.
