• Military medicine · Nov 2024

    Physical Fitness Tests in the Army-Legitimate Diversity or Randomness?

    • Andrzej Tomczak.
    • WSB Merito University in Torun (Poland), Faculty of Finance and Management, Toruń 87-100, Poland (Polska).
    • Mil Med. 2024 Nov 5; 189 (11-12): 309312309-312.

    AbstractIn this article, I present my views on the diversified approaches to assess the physical fitness of soldiers within selected armies worldwide. I discussed the related common features and paradoxes associated with these approaches. For the comparative analysis, national diversity was taken into account and subjective selection of the physical fitness tests conducted in the armies of the United States, Finland, Germany, India, China, Israel, Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and Poland was done. An analysis of the physical fitness tests reveals significant variations, despite the purpose of the assessment being the same, that is, to evaluate a soldier's physical preparedness for combat tasks. Based on the analysis, I categorize the variation in physical fitness tests of soldiers at four levels: (1) single-system function tests (e.g., push-ups, sit-ups) vs. multi-system tests (obstacle courses), (2) considering health aspects vs. not considering health aspects during physical fitness tests, (3) motor components vs. coordination components (e.g.,balance), and (4) tests differentiated by gender and age vs.tests not differentiated by gender and age. In conclusion, I am in favor of multi-system tests, comprised of obstacle courses mirroring potential situations in combat tasks. In my opinion, multi-system tests are superior compared to single-system function tests since they enable a comprehensive assessment of effort, coordination, and mental predispositions necessary for functioning in real-life conditions. I also support physical fitness evaluation that is not differentiated based on a soldier's gender and age, as there is no logical justification for such distinctions.© The Association of Military Surgeons of the United States 2024. All rights reserved. For commercial re-use, please contact reprints@oup.com for reprints and translation rights for reprints. All other permissions can be obtained through our RightsLink service via the Permissions link on the article page on our site–for further information please contact journals.permissions@oup.com.

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