The United States Marines Corps (USMC) have implemented a Physical Fitness Test (PFT) to assess physical fitness levels and a Combat Fitness Test (CFT) to assess a Marine’s functional fitness as it relates to the demands of combat operations. The PFT involves three events; pull-ups/push-ups (PU), two-minute abdominal crunches/sit-ups (AC), and a timed three-mile run (RUN). The CFT also involves three events; Movement to Contact (MTC), two-minute Ammunition Lift (AL), and Maneuver-Under-Fire (MANUF).

Prior research suggests that the PFT and CFT are both necessary among male Marines. As such, the purpose of this study was to determine the degree of relationships between PFT (PU, AC, RUN, and total) and CFT (MTC, AL, MANUF, and total) scores among female Marines. The PFT and CFT scores from 554 active duty enlisted USMC females (age 22.7±1.4 years, height 163±7 cm, body mass 62.8±7.3 kg) were analyzed.

Pearson correlation coefficients (r) were calculated between the PFT and CFT total scores as well as individual events. The PFT mean±sd scores were as follows: PU=7.1±4.3 (pull-ups), AC=104.9±10.2 (repetitions), RUN=1550.7±145.8 sec, PFT total=254.3±26.3. The CFT mean±sd scores were as follows: MTC=211.7±22.2 sec, AL=74.9±13.4 repetitions, MANUF=184.3±23.5 sec, CFT total=272.1±25.4. Moderate significant (p<0.01) correlations were found between: the PFT total and MTC (r=-0.47), PFT total and CFT total (r=0.48), RUN and MTC (r=0.56), RUN and MANUF (r=0.42), & RUN and CFT total (r=-0.50). Other correlations between variables yielded “no to low” association but were also significant due to the large sample size.

Within the parameters of this study, PFT and CFT event scores demonstrated no to moderate correlations suggesting that different fitness characteristics are being assessed and supports the need for both the PFT and CFT assessments.