Marine Corps Fitness Standards - IST and PFT

StewSmith.com | April 2007

The Physical Fitness Test is administered every six months. All Marines are provided time to train and are expected to maintain an adequate degree of physical fitness. The standard physical fitness test consists of three events that measure cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength and endurance and mobility.

The Initial Strength Test (IST) for Recruits

If you are thinking about joining the USMC, you will have to pass the IST – Initial Strength Test.  The IST is a shortened version of the USMC PFT, a recruit only has to do pull-ups, sit-ups, and a 1.5 mile run.  The minimum standards for passing the Initial Strength Test are as follows:

Male

 

Female

 

 

 

2 Pull Ups

 

Flexed Arm Hang - 12 seconds

35 Sit Ups (2 minutes)

 

35 Sit Ups (2 Minutes)

1.5 Mile Run - 13:30

 

1 Mile Run - 10:30

In Accordance with Marine Corps Order (MCO) P1100.72B – page 148 discusses IST fitness and weight standards.  MILITARY PERSONNEL ROCUREMENT MANUAL, VOLUME 2, ENLISTED PROCUREMENT, paragraph 3274, all Marine Corps recruits, male and female, requiring recruit training (boot camp) are required to pass the IST prior to shipping to recruit training.

 

The USMC Physical Fitness Test (PFT) 

Male Marines will perform "dead-hang” pull-ups, abdominal crunches, and a 3.0-mile run. Female Marines will complete the "flexed-arm" hang, abdominal crunches, and a 3.0 - mile run with a pull-up option. 

Check out this USMC PFT grading chart below to figure out where your fitness level stands compared to a U.S. Marine.  

Marine Corps Physical Fitness Test Points - Male

Points

Pull-Ups

Crunches

3-Mile Run

100

20

100

18:00

99

 

99

18:10

98

 

98

18:20

97

 

97

18:30

96

 

96

18:40

95

19

95

18:50

94

 

94

19:00

93

 

93

19:10

92

 

92

19:20

91

 

91

19:30

90

18

90

19:40

89

 

89

19:50

88

 

88

20:00

87

 

87

20:10

86

 

86

20:20

85

17

85

20:30

84

 

84

20:40

83

 

83

20:50

82

 

82

21:00

81

 

81

21:10

80

16

80

21:20

79

 

79

21:30

78

 

78

21:40

77

 

77

21:50

76

 

76

22:00

75

15

75

22:10

74

 

74

22:20

73

 

73

22:30

72

 

72

22:40

71

 

71

22:50

70

14

70

23:00

69

 

69

23:10

68

 

68

23:20

67

 

67

23:30

66

 

66

23:40

65

13

65

23:50

64

 

64

24:00

63

 

63

24:10

62

 

62

24:20

61

 

61

24:30

60

12

60

24:40

59

 

59

24:50

58

 

58

25:00

57

 

57

25:10

56

 

56

25:20

55

11

55

25:30

54

 

54

25:40

53

 

53

25:50

52

 

52

26:00

51

 

51

26:10

50

10

50

26:20

49

 

49

26:30

48

 

48

26:40

47

 

47

26: 50

46

 

46

27:00

45

9

45

27:10

44

 

44

27:20

43

 

43

27:30

42

 

42

27:40

41

 

41

27:50

40

8

40

28:00

39

 

x

28:10

38

 

x

28:20

37

 

x

28:30

36

 

x

28:40

35

7

x

28:50

34

 

x

29:00

33

 

x

29:10

32

 

x

29:20

31

 

x

29:30

30

6

x

29:40

29

 

x

29:50

28

 

x

30:00

27

 

x

30:10

26

 

x

30:20

25

5

x

30:30

24

 

x

30:40

23

 

x

30:50

22

 

x

31:00

21

 

x

31:10

20

4

x

31:20

19

 

x

31:30

18

 

x

31:40

17

 

x

31:50

16

 

x

32:00

15

3

x

32:10

14

x

x

32:20

13

x

x

32:30

12

x

x

32:40

11

x

x

32:50

10

x

x

33:00

* Round up all values (e.g., 18:01 to 18:09 equals 99 points)

In order to pass the semi-annual fitness test, Marines must perform the minimum acceptable performance requirements shown in the chart below. Additionally, they must have enough overall points to meet the 3rd class fitness requirements (see below).

Minimum Fitness Requirments for Each PFT Event - Males

Age

Pull-Ups

Crunches

3-Mile Run

17-26

3

50

28:00

27-39

3

45

29:00

40-45

3

45

30:00

46+

3

40

33:00

 

Marine Corps PFT Classification Scores - Male and Female

Class

Age 17-26

Age 27-39

Age 40-45

Age 46+

1st

225

200

175

150

2nd

175

150

125

100

3rd

135

110

88

65

Marine Corps Physical Fitness Test Points - Female

Points

Flexed-Arm Hang

Crunches

3-Mile Run

100

70 sec

100

21:00

99

 

99

21:10

98

69 sec

98

21:20

97

 

97

21:30

96

68 sec

96

21:40

95

 

95

21:50

94

67 sec

94

22:00

93

 

93

22:10

92

66 sec

92

22:20

91

 

91

22:30

90

65 sec

90

22:40

89

 

89

22:50

88

64 sec

88

23:00

87

 

87

23:10

86

63 sec

86

23:20

85

 

85

23:30

84

62 sec

84

23:40

83

 

83

23:50

82

61 sec

82

24:00

81

 

81

24:10

80

60 sec

80

24:20

79

 

79

24:30

78

59 sec

78

24:40

77

 

77

24:50

76

58 sec

76

25:00

75

 

75

25:10

74

57 sec

74

25:20

73

 

73

25:30

72

56 sec

72

25:40

71

 

71

25:50

70

55 sec

70

26:00

69

 

69

26:10

68

54 sec

68

26:20

67

 

67

26:30

66

53 sec

66

26:40

65

 

65

26: 50

64

52 sec

64

27:00

63

 

63

27:10

62

51 sec

62

27:20

61

 

61

27:30

60

50 sec

60

27:40

59

 

59

27:50

58

49 sec

58

28:00

57

 

57

28:10

56

48 sec

56

28:20

55

 

55

28:30

54

47 sec

54

28:40

53

 

53

28:50

52

46 sec

52

29:00

51

 

51

29:10

50

45 sec

50

29:20

49

 

49

29:30

48

44 sec

48

29:40

47

 

47

29:50

46

43 sec

46

30:00

45

 

45

30:10

44

42 sec

44

30:20

43

 

43

30:30

42

41 sec

42

30:40

41

 

41

30:50

40

40 sec

40

31:00

39

39 sec

x

31:10

38

38 sec

x

31:20

37

37 sec

x

31:30

36

36 sec

x

31:40

35

35 sec

x

31:50

34

34 sec

x

32:00

33

33 sec

x

32:10

32

32 sec

x

32:20

31

31 sec

x

32:30

30

30 sec

x

32:40

29

29 sec

x

32:50

28

28 sec

x

33:00

27

27 sec

x

33:10

26

26 sec

x

33:20

25

25 sec

x

33:30

24

24 sec

x

33:40

23

23 sec

x

33:50

22

22 sec

x

34:00

21

21 sec

x

34:10

20

20 sec

x

34:20

19

19 sec

x

34:30

18

18 sec

x

34:40

17

17 sec

x

34:50

16

16 sec

x

35:00

15

15 sec

x

35:10

14

x

x

35:20

13

x

x

35:30

12

x

x

35:40

11

x

x

35:50

10

x

x

36:00

Minimum Fitness Requirments for Each PFT Event - Females

Age

Flexed-Arm Hang

Crunches

3-Mile Run

17-26

15 Seconds

50

31:00

27-39

15 Seconds

45

32:00

40-45

15 Seconds

45

33:00

46+

15 Seconds

40

36:00

                     

 

Marine Corps PFT Classification Scores - Male and Female

Class

Age 17-26

Age 27-39

Age 40-45

Age 46+

1st

225

200

175

150

2nd

175

150

125

100

3rd

135

110

88

65

 USMC is a challenging profession and more information can be found at the StewSmith.com Article Archive

 For more specific info on the USMC PFT read the following related articles:

 Pull-up Push Workout

 Pull-up Alternatives

 Proper Technique for Crunches

 Run Faster 3 Mile Timed Run

 Free Three Mile workout Plan:

 Passing the Tape Test – Losing Body Fat / Inches / Weight

 Lean Down Diet Plan

Stew Smith, former Navy SEAL and fitness writer is certified by the National Strength and Conditioning Association (www.nsca.com) as a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS).  Email him personally at stew@stewsmith.com or stew@mycustomworkout.com

  New Venture - www.mycustomworkout.com

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