Application Process: Candidate Fitness Assessment

The Candidate Fitness Assessment (CFA) is used by all the service academies to determine physical fitness of their candidates. The test was designed to test various areas of candidates fitness. And it must be administered by a PE teacher, coach, or Blue and Gold officer so some prior planning and coordination must be taken to schedule this ahead of time.  I suggest getting with the other service academy applicants at your school and finding a time to take it together to be more efficient for the person administering the test.

So the test consists of:

• Basketball Throw
• Pull-ups (or flexed arm hang)
• Shuttle Run
• Crunches
• Push-ups
• 1 Mile run

The test is completed in that order with specific rest times built in. 

Most of these things are pretty normal and are usually done in sports practices anyway so not too much extra practice is need but the basketball throw is a completely different beast.  This was one of the most awkward "exercises" I've ever done in my life.  Basically, you kneel down on a line and with one hand you throw a basketball as far as you can without losing your balance because you can't not touch the ground across the line until the ball has landed.  This event should be practiced and practiced and practiced, and even with all that it will still be awkward and probably difficult to master but keep at it. Also, I've never heard of anyone coming close to the maximum score, except maybe a baseball player. 

So this just boils down to being in shape and maybe take some practice run through before you ask a teacher or coach to administer the real test.  It's nothing too hard, it's just one of those getting used to first things.

The official instructions and exact details can be found here: http://www.usna.edu/admissions/cfainstructions.htm

The usual still applies, anything question still lingering? Ask away below in the comment or email me at USNAwiki@gmail.com