The Marine Corps has postponed a move to replace the flexed arm hang with pull-ups in the physical fitness test for female Marines.

On Nov. 15, Headquarters Marine Corps issued a brief statement saying Phase 1 of the change to the PFT, announced last November in All Marine Corps Activities Message 046/12, will continue into the coming calendar year.

The first phase of the change, which began Jan. 1, 2013, gave women the choice between the flexed arm hang or pull-ups on the fitness test. A flexed arm hang of 15 seconds is required to pass, and a perfect score takes 70 seconds, while those who choose pull-ups must do three to pass and eight for a perfect score.

In Phase 2, the flexed arm hang is to be phased out, requiring female Marines to meet the pull-up requirements. That was scheduled to begin Jan. 1, 2014, but it has now been delayed. A new date has not been announced, but the Nov. 15 statement encourages Marines to continue training “under the assumption that pull-ups will remain a standard measure of physical fitness.”

Brian Hancock, personal trainer with Semper Fit, advised that everyone should continue training for a PFT that includes pull-ups. “Just because it’s been postponed doesn’t mean you stop training,” he said.

For those who are already satisfied with their pull-up capabilities, he warned, “If you don’t use it, you lose it, and that’s very true for strength training.” And for women who still don’t feel they’re ready for the change, he urged against waiting for the next announcement to step up training.

According to a press statement issued by HQMC Public Affairs, Training and Education Command has spent the last year gathering data on female pull-up performance and determined there is an “unacceptable risk at this time in executing a complete transition to a [pull-up]-only PFT.”

Pull-ups were never intended to be required for females taking the initial strength test at boot camp or the inventory PFT at Officer Candidates School, but the original ALMAR says the second phase of the transition will make passing a fitness test with pull-ups a graduation requirement for recruits and officer candidates.

The shift to pull-up requirements for females has been in the works since 2010. An HQMC Public Affairs statement issued after the changes were originally announced said the flexed arm hang is more a test of muscular endurance than strength and “is not a predictor of performance on military-related tasks in contrast to the pull-up,” which it called “one of the most functional, combat-specific movements.”

Push-ups were also considered for the female PFT, but TECOM settled on pull-ups.

The switch has caused concern for some female Marines.

Cpl. Latasha Hellems, a reservist and administrative clerk to the base adjutant, said she is still worried about her performance when the change does take effect. “It was bound to happen,” she said. “We’re all going to have to do it, and we’re all going to have to pass.”

Hellems said she is able to pass the minimum three-pull-up requirement but isn’t satisfied with that. “I’m trying to go beyond the minimum,” she said. “I want to go above and beyond and get as close to the maximum as I can.”

Hancock said he has not seen a drop-off in numbers of women training for the new requirement since the delay was announced. “Every day, there have been more and more females coming in and asking for ways they can improve their pull-ups,” he said.

Both TECOM and the Marine Corps High Intensity Tactical Training program issued training progressions to help women prepare for the pull-up requirement, Hancock said, indicating stacks of printouts available in the gym of the Barber Physical Activity Center. “We’ve probably handed out hundreds of these,” he said, adding that the TECOM plan puts a heavy emphasis on pulling, while the HITT program is more generalized.

 “Depending on your current state, it could take weeks, or it could take months [to be ready],” Hancock said. “There’s no quick fix, there’s no easy way to start doing it. You have to train.”

— Writer: mdicicco@quanticosentryonline.com