About the APFT Sit-Up Event
This event measures the endurance of the abdominal and hip-flexor muscles.
Instructions
The event supervisor must read the following: “THE SIT-UP EVENT MEASURES THE ENDURANCE OF THE ABDOMINAL AND HIP-FLEXOR MUSCLES. ON THE COMMAND “GET SET”, ASSUME THE STARTING POSITION BY LYING ON YOUR BACK WITH YOUR KNEES BENT AT A 90-DEGREE ANGLE. YOUR FEET MAY BE TOGETHER OR UP TO 12 INCHES APART. ANOTHER PERSON WILL HOLD YOUR ANKLES WITH THE HANDS ONLY. NO OTHER METHOD OF BRACING OR HOLDING THE FEET IS AUTHORIZED. THE HEEL IS THE ONLY PART OF YOUR FOOT THAT MUST STAY IN CONTACT WITH THE GROUND. YOUR FINGERS MUST BE INTERLOCKED BEHIND YOUR HEAD AND THE BACKS OF YOUR HANDS MUST TOUCH THE GROUND. YOUR ARMS AND ELBOWS NEED NOT TOUCH THE GROUND. ON THE COMMAND “GO”, BEGIN RAISING YOUR UPPER BODY FORWARD TO, OR BEYOND, THE VERTICAL POSITION. THE VERTICAL POSITION MEANS THAT THE BASE OF YOUR NECK IS ABOVE THE BASE OF YOUR SPINE. AFTER YOU HAVE REACHED OR SURPASSED THE VERTICAL POSITION, LOWER YOUR BODY UNTIL THE BOTTOM OF YOUR SHOULDER BLADES TOUCH THE GROUND. YOUR HEAD, HANDS, ARMS, OR ELBOWS DO NOT HAVE TO TOUCH THE GROUND. AT THE END OF EACH REPETITION, THE SCORER WILL STATE THE NUMBER OF SIT-UPS YOU HAVE CORRECTLY COMPLETED. A REPETITION WILL NOT COUNT IF YOU FAIL TO REACH THE VERTICAL POSITION, FAIL TO KEEP YOUR FINGERS INTERLOCKED BEHIND YOUR HEAD, ARCH OR BOW YOUR BACK AND RAISE YOUR BUTTOCKS OFF THE GROUND TO RAISE YOUR UPPER BODY, OR LET YOUR KNEES EXCEED A 90-DEGREE ANGLE. IF A REPETITION DOES NOT COUNT, THE SCORER WILL REPEAT THE NUMBER OF YOUR LAST CORRECTLY PERFORMED SIT-UP. THE UP POSITION IS THE ONLY AUTHORIZED REST POSITION. IF YOU STOP AND REST IN THE DOWN (STARTING) POSITION, THE EVENT WILL BE TERMINATED. AS LONG AS YOU MAKE A CONTINUOUS PHYSICAL EFFORT TO SIT UP, THE EVENT WILL NOT BE TERMINATED. YOU MAY NOT USE YOUR HANDS OR ANY OTHER MEANS TO PULL OR PUSH YOURSELF UP TO THE UP (RESTING) POSITION OR TO HOLD YOURSELF IN THE REST POSITION. IF YOU DO SO, YOUR PERFORMANCE IN THE EVENT WILL BE TERMINATED. CORRECT PERFORMANCE IS IMPORTANT. YOU WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO PERFORM AS MANY SIT-UPS AS YOU CAN. WATCH THIS DEMONSTRATION.”
Additional points to demonstrate for the sit-up event
The following points must be clarified during the demonstration:
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To minimize stress to the neck, it is recommended that the soldier keep his chin curled downward and touching the top of his chest throughout the performance of the sit-up event.
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From the starting (down) position, or during any phase of the sit-up, the soldier may not use his hands or arms to pull himself up or to push off the ground (floor or mat) in order to help himself attain the up position. Any of these procedures can give the violator an unfair advantage. They also violate the intent of the event. The sit-up event will be terminated immediately for those soldiers who, by pushing or pulling, use their arms to assist themselves in attaining the up position.
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If a mat is used, the entire body, including the feet and head, must be on the mat at the start.
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From the starting (down) position, or during any phase of the sit-up, the soldier may not swing his hands or arms in order to help himself attain the up position. If this occurs, the repetition does not count.
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The soldier may wiggle to attain the up position, this does not give him an unfair advantage.
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While in the up position, the soldier may not help himself stay in that position by using the elbows or any part of the arms to lock on to or brace against the legs. The elbows can go either inside or outside the knees. However, to push or pull them into the sides or tops of the knees t get extra leverage and rest gives an unfair advantage to that soldier. There-for, soldiers who use this technique will be warned once for the first violation and immediately terminated if the violation continues or recurs.
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During the performance of the sit-up event, the fingers must be interlocked and behind the head. As long as any of the fingers are overlapping to any degree, the fingers are considered to be interlocked.
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If either foot breaks contact with the ground during a repetition, that repetition will not count. Both heels must stay in contact with the ground (floor or mat) during the performance of the event. The scorer should ensure that the holder has the soldier’s feet properly secured. The scorer tells the soldier that his heel(s) is raised from the ground and that the repetition will not count.
