What are the AFT alternate events?

The AFT alternate events are four aerobic activities that can replace the two-mile run: a 2.5-mile walk, a 12-kilometer stationary bike, a 5,000-meter row, and a 1,000-meter swim. They exist so that soldiers who are medically unable to run can still complete an aerobic assessment. They replace only the two-mile run, not the whole test.

Who is allowed to take an alternate event?

Alternate events are for soldiers with a permanent profile that prevents them from running, documented in the Army medical readiness system and signed by a medical provider. The profile must specify which events the soldier is cleared to perform and which are prohibited. You cannot choose an alternate event simply because you prefer it or are on a temporary profile.

Are the alternate events scored for points?

No. The alternate aerobic events are graded go or no-go, meaning pass or fail, rather than on the 0 to 100 point scale used for the two-mile run. You cannot earn extra points or max an alternate event. The four remaining events, unless you are also profiled out of them, are still scored normally and count toward your total.

What is the time standard for the walk, bike, row, or swim?

Each alternate event has a maximum time to earn a go, and the standard is set by age in the official Army Fitness Test scoring scales. Because those standards change by age band and can be updated by the Army, confirm the exact time for your event and age group against the current official scoring scales and your own profile rather than relying on a general figure.

Can I pick the row or bike because I do not like running?

No. Preference does not qualify you. Without a permanent profile that prohibits the two-mile run and authorizes an alternate, you take the run. The alternate events are a medical accommodation, not a menu of options for soldiers who are cleared to run.

Can I still get the body fat exemption if I use an alternate event?

No. The AR 600-9 body fat exemption requires a total AFT score of 465 or above. Because an alternate aerobic event is go or no-go and earns no points, your four scored events cap at 400 combined even if you max all of them, which is below 465. A soldier taking an alternate aerobic event cannot reach the exemption threshold through the AFT and remains subject to the body fat standard.

How do alternate events affect promotion points and the combat standard?

Because the alternate aerobic event is go or no-go rather than scored, it does not add points the way a two-mile run time does. Soldiers on permanent profiles are generally expected to pass the alternate aerobic event and meet a points standard on the events they can perform. The exact rules depend on your standard and situation, so verify how your score is calculated with your unit and against current Army guidance.

AFT Alternate Events: Walk, Bike, Row, and Swim Explained

Q: Do the alternate events replace the entire AFT?

No. An alternate event replaces only the two-mile run, which is the aerobic event. The deadlift, hand-release push-up, sprint-drag-carry, and plank are still performed and scored as usual, unless your profile separately prohibits one of them. The alternate event is a substitute for one event, not the test.

The short version

•There are four alternate aerobic events: walk, bike, row, and swim.
•They replace only the two-mile run, not the whole test.
•They are graded go or no-go, not on the 0 to 100 point scale.
•You need a permanent profile that prohibits running to use one.

The Four Alternate Aerobic Events

Each alternate is an aerobic activity chosen to place a demand roughly comparable to the two-mile run while avoiding the impact of running. A profile specifies which one a soldier is cleared to perform.

The four AFT alternate aerobic events and their distances
Event	Distance	Notes
Walk	2.5 miles	The most common alternate, performed on the same measured course used for the run.
Stationary Bike	12 kilometers	Performed on an approved stationary cycle ergometer.
Row	5,000 meters	Performed on an approved rowing ergometer.
Swim	1,000 meters	Performed in an approved pool. Requires the appropriate facility and graders.

Verify the exact time standard before you rely on it. Each alternate event has a maximum time to earn a go, and that standard is set by age in the official AFT scoring scales. Those figures can change and vary by age band, so confirm the current standard for your event and age group against the official Army scoring scales at army.mil/aft and against your own profile, rather than a general number from any third-party site, including this one.

An Alternate Replaces the Run, Not the Test

This is the point soldiers most often misunderstand. An alternate event stands in for the two-mile run only, because the run is the aerobic event. The other four events, the deadlift, hand-release push-up, sprint-drag-carry, and plank, are still performed and scored on the normal 0 to 100 scale, unless your profile separately prohibits one of them. Qualifying for an alternate aerobic event does not excuse you from the strength and endurance events.

For a full breakdown of the five standard events and how each is scored, see our guide to the five AFT events, or view the point tables on the AFT score chart.

How Alternate Events Are Graded

Unlike the two-mile run, which earns a point score from 0 to 100 based on your time, the alternate aerobic events are graded go or no-go. You either meet the standard for your event and age, which is a go, or you do not, which is a no-go. There is no partial credit and no way to earn extra points, so you cannot max an alternate event or use it to lift your total the way a fast run time would.

That changes how a profiled soldier's overall result is put together, since one of the five events no longer contributes points in the usual way. Soldiers on permanent profiles are generally expected to pass the alternate aerobic event and to meet a points standard across the events they can perform. Because the exact calculation depends on your profile and standard, confirm how your result is scored with your unit rather than assuming.

There is one consequence worth knowing in advance: using an alternate event closes off the body fat exemption. The AR 600-9 exemption requires a total of 465 or above, but with a go or no-go aerobic event earning no points, your remaining four events top out at 400 combined even if you max every one of them. A soldier on an alternate aerobic event therefore cannot reach the 465 threshold through the AFT and stays subject to the body fat standard.

Who Qualifies for an Alternate Event

Alternate events are a medical accommodation, not a matter of preference. To take one, you need a permanent profile that prohibits the two-mile run, documented in the Army medical readiness system and signed by a medical provider. The profile must spell out which events you are cleared to perform and which you are prohibited from, and it determines which alternate, if any, you are authorized to use.

A temporary profile does not qualify you for an alternate event. Soldiers on temporary profiles follow their profile and retest once recovered, rather than substituting a different event. And a soldier who is cleared to run cannot elect to row, bike, swim, or walk instead simply because they would score better or find it easier. Without a qualifying permanent profile, the two-mile run is the aerobic event.

AFT Alternate Events FAQs

Score the rest of your AFT

The other four events are still scored on points. Use the calculator to see your deadlift, push-up, sprint-drag-carry, and plank scores.

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