Analysis of weight, body-fat, and physical fitness testing standards, for active duty male Marines, with proposed alternatives
By: William J. Inserra
Publisher: Naval Postgraduate School; Available from National Technical Information Service
Published: 1998
Place of publication: Monterey, Calif; Springfield, Va
Language: eng
Number of pages: 124
Description: The Marine Corps utilizes a three-event Physical Fitness Test (PFT) comprised of a 3-mile run, sit-ups, and pull-ups to assess the level of physical fitness of individual Marines. This thesis uses newly collected data from the Marine Corps to analyze the current weight and body-fat standards and compare them with proposed alternatives. The research investigates whether the current standards can be slightly relaxed without resulting in significant decreases in physical fitness performance. Additionally, this thesis investigates the validity of pull-ups as an indicator of muscular strength and endurance. The analysis compares the performance scores for two types of pull-ups (the dead- hang and kip methods) with other physical performance events which require upper body strength and muscular endurance. The thesis also presents proposed scoring alternatives for the pull-up event based on an analytical comparison of performance distributions for the run and sit-up events, in order to level the equality for all three PFT events. Additionally, a new 3-profile PFT alternative comprised of aerobic, muscular, and body-fat profiles is presented as an improved measure of assessing the physical fitness of individual Marines.
Notes: "September 1998."

Thesis advisor(s): Harold J. Larson, Timothy L. Phillips.

Thesis (M.S. in Operations Research) Naval Postgraduate School, September 1998.

Includes bibliographical references (p. 119-121)

Approved for public release; distribution unlimited.

Also available online.

Mode of access: World Wide Web.

System requirements: Adobe Acrobat reader.

US Marine Corps (USMC) author.

dk/dk cc:9116 10/27/98.