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Audio of this article is brought to you by the Air & Space Forces Association, honoring and supporting our Airmen, Guardians, and their families. Find out more at afa.org<\/p>\n
The Space Force introduced its own physical fitness program, the first one ever developed just for Guardians. The new twice-annual assessment is similar to the Air Force\u2019s new test and also extends the Space Force\u2019s study using wearable fitness trackers.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Outlined in the new Space Force Manual 36-2905, \u201cHuman Performance and Readiness,\u201d the new fitness program arrives just as leaders are wrapping up USSF\u2019s \u201cContinuous Fitness Assessment\u201d study, which used smartwatches to track Guardians\u2019 exercise and health.\u00a0\t\t<\/p>\n
\u201cInterim results show that Guardians regularly exceeded the exercise requirement, suggesting excellent adoption and adherence to exercise requirements,\u201d a service spokesperson told Air & Space Forces Magazine. The Space Force noted no documented increase in injuries as a result of increased exercise. \u201cGuardians exhibited significant improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness after 12 months of participation in the CFA study,\u201d the spokesperson said. \u201cThe pass rate increased to 92 percent.\u201d <\/p>\n
Now the Space Force is extending the study further, adding new \u201cdata-driven modifications\u201d intended to increase monthly exercise requirements and gain faster and improved fitness outcomes.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The original test concludes Sept. 30, and the new experiment, dubbed CFA PRIME, launches Oct. 1.\u00a0The new PT testing officially begins Jan. 1, 2026.<\/p>\n
Guardians who volunteered for the initial study were exempt from PT tests for two years and those who sign on for the follow-up will have to take only one annual PT test instead of two. \u00a0<\/p>\n
Like the Air Force\u2019s recently revamped PT test, the Space Force\u2019s \u201cHuman Performance Assessment\u201d test will include:\u00a0\t\t<\/p>\n
A cardio portion with either a 2-mile run or 20-meter High Aerobic Multi-Shuttle Run, but at least one of the tests each year must include a 2-mile run.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A muscular endurance portion including either 1 minute of sit-ups, 2 minutes of cross leg reverse crunches, or a timed forearm plank\u00a0<\/p>\n
A muscular strength portion including either 1 minute of push-ups or 2 minutes of hand release push-ups.\u00a0<\/p>\n
One key difference: The Space Force\u2019s body composition assessment\u2014measured as waist-to-height ratio\u2014is not a scored portion of its test. The Human Performance Assessment totals 80 points: 50 points for the cardio portion and 15 points each for the endurance and strength portions. Guardians who score: <\/p>\n
72 points or higher are deemed \u201cFit to Fight.\u201d<\/p>\n
Between 60 and 71.9 are rated in \u201cHealth Maintenance.\u201d <\/p>\n
Below 60 are considered a \u201cHealth Concern,\u201d and must enroll in a fitness improvement program and\u00a0retest in three months.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The full scoring tables are currently only available on internal Space Force forums.<\/p>\n
When the Space Force first stood up in 2019, it used the Air Force\u2019s physical fitness program and test for Guardians. Within a few years, leaders began planning a different approach<\/a>, driven by the service\u2019s small size and unique mission set, which confines most Guardians to being deployed in place, working from desks.\u00a0<\/p>\n In 2023, the Space Force unveiled its Holistic Health Approach, trying to take a more expansive approach to Guardians\u2019 health and wellness compared to once-a-year tests. That included the Continuous Fitness Assessment<\/a>, which gave service members Garmin fitness trackers and gathered data on their exercise habits. In particular, officials looked at:\u00a0<\/p>\n