Preparing for the Army Combat Fitness Test Online CE Course

The course components are delivered online:

• Preparing for the Army Combat Fitness Test ebook
• Study guide
• Continuing education exam

Preparing for the Army Combat Fitness Test Online CE Course is the ideal resource to help you assess readiness and train clients for the Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT). Backed by the expertise of the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), this course addresses the requirements of the ACFT and provides the tools needed to prepare soldiers and army recruits for testing day.

Consisting of six events—the 3 Repetition Maximum Deadlift, Standing Power Throw, Hand Release Push-Up–Arm Extension, Sprint-Drag-Carry, Leg Tuck, and Two-Mile Run—the ACFT will test physical characteristics that can be developed and cultivated with the training guidelines in this book. For each testing event, you’ll find a description of the test, instructions on performing the test safely and effectively, and scoring standards so you know the minimum performance requirements to pass and avoid disqualification.

A variety of sample training plans are provided so you can select a plan based on how much time your client has to prepare for the ACFT and the amount of time they have available to train. Choose from 24-, 12-, 8-, or 4-week plans that contain workouts for two, three, four, or five days a week. Setup and execution guidelines are provided for over 100 exercises, so you can safely and effectively demonstrate the exercises assigned within each training program. Accompanying photos visually demonstrate how to perform the exercises. Suggestions are offered for replacement exercises that are similar in movement and training outcome.

Learning Objectives
After completing this course, you will be able to do the following:

• Describe how to perform each event of the ACFT.
• Interpret the component of performance each ACFT event is assessing.
• Explain the different training principles and their application to preparing for the ACFT.
• Recognize the components of performance involved in the ACFT events and how to address each one in a training plan.
• Practice implementing a training plan based on current state of readiness, training principles, and components of performance involved in the ACFT.
• Differentiate between different power exercises, lower body pulling exercises, lower body pushing exercises, upper body pulling exercises, upper body pushing exercises, and trunk exercises that can be implemented in a training plan to develop power, strength, and muscular endurance.
• Describe how to implement different conditioning sessions that will improve adaptation and recoverability.

Audience

A continuing education course for strength and conditioning professionals, personal trainers, and other fitness professionals working with tactical populations.

Part I. All About the ACFT

Chapter 1. The Army Combat Fitness Test
Chapter 2. 3 Repetition Maximum Deadlift
Chapter 3. Standing Power Throw
Chapter 4. Hand Release Push-Up–Arm Extension
Chapter 5. Sprint-Drag-Carry
Chapter 6. Leg Tuck
Chapter 7. Two-Mile Run

Part II. The Science Behind Training

Chapter 8. Training Principles
Chapter 9. Components of Performance

Part III. Preparation and Programming

Chapter 10. Your Current State of Readiness
Chapter 11. Training Plan Considerations
Chapter 12. Sample Training Plans

Part IV. Workout and Exercise Descriptions

Chapter 13. Warm-Up
Chapter 14. Power Exercises
Chapter 15. Lower Body Pulling Exercises
Chapter 16. Lower Body Pushing Exercises
Chapter 17. Upper Body Pulling Exercises
Chapter 18. Upper Body Pushing Exercises
Chapter 19. Trunk Exercises
Chapter 20. Conditioning

Nate Palin, MS, CSCS, is the tactical strength and conditioning program manager for the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA). Prior to his transition to the strength and conditioning profession, he served as a leader in the 2nd Ranger Battalion for seven years. Over the course of five combat deployments in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, Palin experienced the military’s performance shortcomings and observed the need for enhanced physical training to better support mission critical tasks. These experiences drove him to begin his coaching career in 2010, narrowing his focus to tactical strength and conditioning as a performance specialist for EXOS in Washington, D.C., in 2012. He coached Special Operations Forces at Joint Base Lewis-McChord from 2015 to 2018.

Rob Hartman, MAEd, CSCS, serves as a strength and conditioning professional who is contracted to implement, analyze, and guide numerous aspects of the Special Operations Human Performance Program at the unit level. He began his career servicing the Special Operations community in late 2010, spending the first six years with the 1st Special Forces Group and more recent years working with the Special Operations Aviation Regiment.

During his tenure in the tactical community, Hartman has educated others in the field with his participation in NSCA’s TSAC Practitioners Course, EXOS’s Tactical Training course, NSCA’s TSAC Annual Training conference, the Tactical Athlete Human Factors Summit, and briefs to various units on Joint Base Lewis-McChord. His experience allows him to be consulted for macro and micro areas in the field, but his main focus is modeling programming and profiling of tactical operators’ aerobic and anaerobic attributes.

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