Marine Corps Revolutionizes Physical Test: Sex-Neutral and 210 Points for Combat Arms

MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Virginia — The United States Marine Corps updates its physical fitness and body composition evaluation criteria in accordance with the memorandum on “Military Fitness Standards” issued by the Secretary of War (SECWAR) on September 30, 2025. The changes, published in MARADMIN 613/25, will take effect on January 1, 2026 and primarily concern the PFT evaluation for certain specialties and the evolution of the weight/body composition system.

In the Marine Corps, physical readiness is structured into two main tests — Physical Fitness Test (PFT) and Combat Fitness Test (CFT) — and a body composition evaluation, complementary tools that measure both general fitness and the ability to perform more “combat-oriented” tasks.

PFT: the “basic” test (January–June)

The Physical Fitness Test is conducted annually between January 1 and June 30 and assesses strength and aerobic endurance. The main events include:

• Pull-ups or push-ups: the Marine can choose; push-ups have a maximum cap of 70 points, while pull-ups allow access to the full score as per the scoring scales.
• Plank: mandatory core event; for maximum score, 3:45 is required.
• 3-mile run (approximately 4.8 km): timed aerobic endurance event.

From January 1, 2026, Marines with PMOS “combat arms” will be evaluated in the PFT with sex-neutral criteria: scoring will be done using the male standard, normalized for age, and a minimum of 210 points (70% of the total) will be required. Those who do not reach 210 by the end of the reference period will be placed in remedial physical training and may be subject to administrative measures (such as promotion restrictions or possible PMOS reclassification).

“These changes ensure that all combat arms Marines meet the same high sex-neutral standards,” said Col. James Derrick, Training Standards Division (TECOM).

For non-combat arms Marines, the current standards differentiated by sex and age remain in effect.

CFT: the “operational” test (July–December)

Alongside the PFT, the Combat Fitness Test is conducted in the second half of the year (July 1–December 31) and aims to measure performance in tasks closer to an operational scenario. The three key events are:

• Movement to Contact: timed run over 880 yards (approximately 800 meters).
• Ammunition Lift: repeated lifts, in 2 minutes, of a 30-pound ammunition can above the head.
• Maneuver Under Fire: 300-yard shuttle run with combat-related tasks (crawls, buddy drag/carry, grenade throw, box carry, agility).

Body Composition: Towards the “Waist-to-Height Ratio”

In addition to the PFT and CFT, the Marine Corps is reviewing the Body Composition Evaluation: the goal is to replace the current height/weight standards and the tape test with a methodology based on the waist-to-height ratio. Specific numerical standards will be published following further SECWAR guidance; in the meantime, current procedures remain in effect, with the possibility of using bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) as an additional assessment when necessary. For very high fitness scores (typically 285 or above), exemptions or tolerances in body composition evaluation may be considered.