Strength
15% of composite score
How it works
Pick your variant before test day and stick with it. Your grader counts only reps that meet standard. No time cap, but the event ends the moment you break form or stop. One bad rep in a row and your grader will call it.
Exercise options
Push-ups (Standard)
Hands shoulder-width apart, body in a straight line from head to heels. Lock out at the top, chest comes within 2–3 inches of the deck on the way down. Your grader counts only clean reps. No sagging, no snaking.
Hand Release Push-ups (HR-PU)
Same starting position as standard push-ups, but at the bottom of every rep you lift your hands completely off the ground before pressing back up. Takes the bounce out of the movement and demands more raw strength per rep. Lower rep thresholds across the board.
Minimum to pass
Every age group and gender has a minimum rep count marked with an asterisk on the scoring chart. Drop below it and the component is a no-go, full stop, regardless of how well you did everywhere else.
Notes
Run your numbers through the AF PT calculator for both variants before test day. HR-PU thresholds are lower at the same point value. It's often the smarter pick if your max is in the mid-range.
Sagging hips, flared elbows, and not breaking the 2–3 inch mark are the three most common reasons reps get dropped. Your grader will not warn you mid-set.
There is no time limit, but resting in the up position is allowed. Resting on the deck is not.


