Initial Strength Test

• The Marine recruit must pass the Initial Strength Test, or IST, prior to shipping out to basic training. The IST will consist of sit-ups, a one-mile run for females, a one and a half mile run for males, pull-ups for males and flexed arm hang for females. The minimum requirements to pass the IST are not as strict as passing the PFT, but the IST also does not allow any variations by age group.
  
  

The Final Physical Fitness Test

• The Final Physical Fitness Test, or PFT, is taken in the tenth or eleventh week of Marine basic training. The recruit must pass the PFT in order to be eligible for graduation from basic training and the new title of Marine. The PFT will consist of a three-mile run, abdominal crunches, pull-ups for males and flexed arm hang for females. This test will be completed in one single session and is not to exceed two hours in duration. The minimum requirements are much stricter for the PFT than they are for the IST, but do offer variations by age group for two out of the three events.
  
  

Running Time Standards for Male Recruits

• To pass the IST a male recruit will be required to run a distance of one and a half miles in a time of 13 minutes and 30 seconds or less. To pass the PFT a male recruit will be required to run three miles. Time requirements vary by age and are as follows: 28 minutes for ages 17 to 26, 29 minutes for ages 27 to 39, 30 minutes for ages 40 to 45 and 33 minutes for ages 46 and older.
  
  

Running Time Standards for Female Recruits

• A female will be required to run one mile in a time of 10 minutes and 30 seconds or less in order to pass the IST. To pass the PFT a female recruit will be required to run three miles. Time requirements vary by age and are as follows: 31 minutes for ages 17 to 26, 32 minutes for ages 27 to 39, 33 minutes for ages 40 to 45 and 36 minutes for ages 46 and over.
  
  

Sit-ups and Abdominal Crunches

• In order to pass the IST, both male and female recruits will be required to complete 35 sit-ups within a time period of two minutes. The PFT requires the recruit to do abdominal crunches, not sit-ups. Male and female recruits are required to complete the same amount of crunches in their age group. The requirements are as follows: 50 crunches for ages 17 to 26, 45 crunches for ages 27 to 45 and 40 crunches for ages 46 and older. The recruits will have two minutes to complete their crunches. In both the IST and the PFT, the time is not stopped when the minimum requirements are met. A recruit will continue to do sit-ups or crunches until the entire two minutes has passed. This allows the recruit to be placed in the proper class on the testing score charts.
  
  

Pull-ups for Males Only

• To pass the IST, a male recruit will have to complete two pull-ups. To pass the PFT, he will have to complete three pull-ups. Neither test is a timed event. A recruit's score is based on how many pull-ups he can do before dropping off of the bar. Therefore, a recruit will not be stopped at any time. He will be able to continue to do as many pull-ups as he can in his effort to achieve his maximum possible score on the score chart.
  
  

Flexed Arm Hang for Females Only

• A female recruit will complete the flexed arm hang in both the IST and the PFT. The flexed arm hang is a timed event but the recruit will be left to continue as long as she can remain in position on the bar. The recruit will not be stopped when the minimum time needed to pass is met. To pass the IST, the recruit will have to complete duration of 12 seconds in the flexed arm hang. To pass the PFT, she will needed to complete duration of 15 seconds. The time required in order to pass does not offer any variations for different age groups.