PHYSICAL TRAINING
he Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT) is used by the Basic Airborne Course (BAC) to ensure Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines meet minimum physical fitness requirements necessary to successfully complete Airborne training. In order to enter the course, the prospective student MUST score a MINIMUM of 60% on the lowest age group scale. This equates to 42 push-ups, 53 sit-ups, and a 15:54 or faster on the 2-mile run for males and 19 push-ups, 53 sit-ups, and an 18:54 or faster on the 2-mile run for females.
Physical fitness is conducted daily at the BAC for three reasons:
Esprit de corps - doing PT together reinforces training together.
PT sparks the mind and body to be ready for a full day of training.
PT provides cadre with a means to assess for injuries.
The BAC is NOT a physical fitness school. Our primary task is to teach members of the Department of Defense how to safely conduct static line parachuting. PT is included to indoctrinate Soldiers into the Army lifestyle and to ensure they are mentally and physically prepared for the rigors of daily Airborne training. A lack of either could be grounds for dismissal from the course.
Injuries. Many Soldiers try to "gut" through an injury so as not to be perceived as "weak." This can result in them becoming more serious injuries during the most critical phase of the course - jump week. Daily PT is yet another means of risk mitigation focusing on Soldier safety here at the BAC.
Hot and cold weather mitigation. All PT sessions are subject to change based on current weather and humidity conditions Typical PT Session. You must participate in daily PT by completing the exercises and distance run. A typical daily PT session includes warm up exercises, Calisthenics, Guerilla/Grass Drills, Circuit Training or a 3.2 to 4-mile formation run. Males and females run in the same formation during PT and the average pace is approximately 9-minutes per mile.