What's the Naval Academy Candidate Fitness Assessment Like?

I know there's a physical test involved in getting into the Naval Academy. Can someone explain what the Candidate Fitness Assessment (CFA) consists of and how I can best prepare for it?

The Candidate Fitness Assessment (CFA) for the U.S. Naval Academy is used to assess your physical fitness level. It's composed of six parts: a basketball throw, pull-ups, shuttle run, crunches, push-ups, and a timed one-mile run.

1. The basketball throw is a test of upper body strength. You'll kneel at a line and toss a basketball as far as you can.

2. In the pull-up test, you'll have two minutes to perform as many pull-ups as possible. Female candidates who are unable to execute a pull-up instead perform a flexed-arm hang for as long as possible.

3. The shuttle run measures the candidate's ability to move rapidly while changing directions. It involves running to a certain point before sharply turning toward another direction while touching the floor with the hand.

4. In the crunch test, you will have two minutes to perform as many crunches as possible. This part is meant to measure abdominal/core body muscular endurance.

5. In the push-ups test, you will have two minutes to perform as many push-ups as possible. This part assesses the endurance of the muscles in your chest, shoulders, and triceps.

6. Lastly, you'll have a timed one-mile run which is a measure of overall cardio respiratory fitness.

To prepare for the CFA, you should focus on improving your fitness in each of these areas. For the basketball throw, work on upper body strength exercises such as push-ups, pull-ups, and weightlifting. For the pull-up, crunch, and push-up portions of the test, aim to increase the number of reps and sets you do each week.

For the shuttle run, practice running a distance of 30 feet, touching a floor line, and running back repeatedly to improve your coordination and time.

For the one-mile run, running shorter, faster intervals can help increase speed. Running intervals involves varying your pace throughout a workout, alternating between intense bursts of speed and recovery periods of slower jogging or walking. Gradually increasing your running distance and maintaining a consistent running schedule will also help improve cardio fitness.

Bear in mind that this is a challenging test, designed to measure your physical capabilities against the demands of Naval Academy training. It's advised to start preparation well in advance and stick to a consistent routine to see incremental improvements. Good luck!