FORT KNOX, KY. — Two minutes of push-ups, two minutes of sit-ups, and a two-mile run, that is how 10th Regiment Advanced Camp Cadets started off their morning during their Army Physical and Fitness Test (APFT).
10th Regiment Advanced Camp Cadet Noah Brandon, from Mississippi State University, does the push-ups section of his APFT, July 11, at Fort Knox, Ky. The APFT measures a Cadet’s physical fitness, and is one of the first things Cadets will do during CST. | Photo by Matthew Billiot, CST Public Affairs Office
APFT tests a Cadet’s physical fitness to see how well he or she might handle being in the field.
Lyndsey Fisher, a student at Texas Christian University, said pacing herself was harder than she expected. At her school, there is an Olympic track where she runs eight laps, rather than two.
Although she passed her test, Fisher did not do as well as she wished. Fisher feels if she had eaten something more than just an MRE and had more sleep she would have performed better.
In order to prepare for her APFT, she lifted weights, practiced push-ups and sit-ups before coming to CST. Fisher practiced this in Colorado, so the lower altitude of Fort Knox worked to her advantage.
10th Regiment Advanced Camp Cadet Enoch James, from Missouri State University, does the sit-ups section of his APFT, July 11, at Fort Knox, Ky. The APFT measures a Cadet’s physical fitness, and is one of the first things Cadets will do during CST. | Photo by Matthew Billiot, CST Public Affairs Office
Since she said that the APFT will be changing soon, she advises future Cadets to make sure they lift weights along with practicing push-ups, sit-ups and two-mile run.
Fisher said APFT is important, because, “we do a lot of physically taxing things, and if you are not physically fit you are going to get injured and not have a good time at all.”
Owen Smith, from Cameron University, said, “[APFT] was pretty tough with all of the humidity.” Smith comes from Oklahoma, so he is not used to the humidity of Kentucky which made his run harder for him.
Smith, who was covered in sweat after his run said he was not used to sweating as much as he did.
The final test for 10th Regiment Advanced Camp Cadets is to run two miles, July 11, at Fort Knox, Ky. The APFT measures a Cadet’s physical fitness, and is one of the first things Cadets will do during CST. | Photo by Matthew Billiot, CST Public Affairs Office
Although his legs felt fatigued after the push-ups and sit ups, Smith was able to finish in 13 minutes and 30 seconds. This time allows him to still qualify for RECONDO, but he typically finishes faster than 13 minutes.
This is not the longest run test Cadets will face. As they progress through CST, Cadets have to do a 6 and 12 mile ruck.
On top of the difficulty of the humidity, Cadets arrived for the APFT at 0500 hours.
10th Regiment Advanced Camp Cadets’ day got a little bit harder after their APFT since up next, they had to conquer the CBRN chamber.
