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The Association Between Body Composition and Performance on Military Fitness Tests
Kimberly A Feeney1,2, Bridget F Melton3, Greg A Ryan4
1Department of Health and Human Performance, Concordia University-Chicago, River Forest, Illinois.
Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research
|December 9, 2024
Summary
Military fitness tests show varied associations with body composition. While calisthenics favor lower body mass and fat, occupational tasks benefit from higher body mass index (BMI) and skeletal muscle mass (SMM) with managed body fat.
Area of Science:
- Sports Science
- Military Medicine
- Human Physiology
Background:
- Body composition and physical fitness are critical for military personnel.
- Limited research exists on the specific relationship between body composition metrics and military fitness test performance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the correlations between various body composition measures and performance on two distinct fitness tests.
- To analyze these relationships within Air Force special warfare candidates.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective cohort study design.
- Involved 1,036 candidates for body composition testing, 1,002 for a calisthenics-based test, and 562 for an occupational task-based test.
- Utilized Pearson correlation analysis to assess relationships.
Main Results:
- Calisthenic-based tests showed a weak preference for lower body mass and body fat.
- Occupational task-based tests correlated with higher body mass index (BMI) and skeletal muscle mass (SMM), and lower body fat.
- Specific exercises like farmer's carry were negatively associated with SMM and body mass, while 3-RM deadlift performance positively correlated with body mass, BMI, and SMM.
Conclusions:
- Optimizing skeletal muscle mass (SMM) while controlling body fat levels is recommended for individuals in physically demanding military roles.
- Different military fitness tests may require distinct body composition profiles for optimal performance.
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