title: Factors of trainability and predictability associated with military physical fitness test success.
abstract: Cuddy, JS, Slivka, DR, Hailes, WS, and Ruby, BC. Factors of trainability and predictability associated with military physical fitness test success. J Strength Cond Res 25(12): 3486-3494, 2011-The purpose of this study was to determine the trainability of college-aged men using varied training programs and to assess factors associated with successfully passing a Special Operations Forces (SOF) physical fitness test (PFT). One hundred thirty-five male subjects were stratified into 3 training groups (run focused, calisthenic focused, or combined run and calisthenic) and were trained 3 times·per week for 12 weeks. Body composition and accelerometer activity patterns were measured pretraining and posttraining. The PFT performance (pull-ups, sit-ups, push-ups, and 1.5-mile run time) was measured weekly throughout the study period. The subjects exhibited reduced body fat (18.4 ± 7.7 to 16.9 ± 7.3), increased fat-free mass (66.1 ± 8.2 to 67.4 ± 7.9), reduced fat mass (15.8 ± 9.2 to 14.6 ± 8.9) from pretraining to posttraining, respectively (p < 0.05). All groups improved in each component of PFT performance with training (p < 0.05). There was a significant 20 ± 35% increase in 6-day average daily activity for the run-focused training group from pretraining and posttraining. The key indicators of a candidate's potential to successfully reach SOF PFT standards (in 12 weeks) were determined to be as follows: enter the pipeline being able to run 2.4 km in ≤10:41 minutes, have a body fat percentage of ≤12.9%, and participate in a minimum of 30 min·d of vigorous physical activity. Training an individual's relative run or calisthenic deficiency did not prove to be a better training approach compared with a program that emphasizes training both running and calisthenic activities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health and Human Performance, Montana Center for Work Physiology and Exercise Metabolism, The University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, USA.
authors.forename: John S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Cuddy
authors.forename: Dustin R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Slivka
authors.forename: Walter S
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Hailes
authors.forename: Brent C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Ruby
mesh_terms: D050154:Adiposity; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D054874:Athletic Performance / Q000592:standards*; D001835:Body Weight; D005080:Exercise Test; D006173:Gymnastics / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008889:Military Personnel; D010806:Physical Education and Training / Q000379:methods*; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology*; D012420:Running / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult