Physical performance and body composition reference values for modern US Marine Corps women

Abstract

Women’s roles in the US military have progressively changed over the past several decades. Previously women were barred from combat roles. Recent change in policy allow women into combat roles in the Marine Corps, and this has led to women being trained for combat specialties.ObjectivesThis observational cross-sectional study describes body composition and performance values for modern Marine Corps women.MethodsVolunteers were 736 Marine women who were assessed for body composition and physical performance; (age 29.5±7.3 (18–56) years; height 163.6±6.8 (131.0–186.1) cm; body mass 68.3±9.2 (42.0–105.3) kg; years in the military 8.9±6.8 (0.5–37) years-in-service). Body composition measures were obtained using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and single-frequency bioelectrical impedance analyses. Performance measures were obtained from official physical and combat fitness test scores (PFT; CFT) as well as from data on measured countermovement jumps (CMJ) on a calibrated force platform.ResultsMean body composition metrics for Marine women were: 47.5±5.7 fat free mass (FFM) (kg), 30.1%±6.4% body fat (%BF), 2.6±0.3 bone mineral content (kg), and 25.5±2.8 body mass index (kg/m2); performance metrics included 43.4±3.2 maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max; mL.kg.min), 22.4±7.1 CMJ height (cm) and 2575±565.2 CMJ peak power (W). Data showed strong correlations (r) (≥0.70) between PFT and VO2max scores (0.75), and moderate correlations (≥0.50) between CFT and VO2max scores (0.57), CFT and PFT scores (0.60), FFM and CMJ peak power (W) (0.68), and %BF to VO2max (−0.52), PFT (−0.54), CMJ-Ht (−0.52) and CMJ relative power (W/kg) (−0.54).ConclusionModern Marine women are both lean and physically high performing. Body composition is a poor predictor of general physical performance.

The 300 Marines: characterizing the US Marines with perfect scores on their physical and combat fitness tests

“…As the standardized group mean differences in fitness and anthropometric assessments were very strongly correlated between 300 Marine women and men (r = 0.977), we determined that the defining characteristics of a 300 Marine converge and are consistent across sexes ( Figure 4 ). It is also noteworthy that Marine women can perform pull-ups, which distinguishes them in general from most other military men and women ( Potter et al, 2023 ). These data provide an important baseline for evaluation of future changes in physical readiness testing and assessment of future populations as well as highlight the importance of strength in tactical populations.…”

“…We performed a cross-sectional study on data collected over a multi-year, multi-site body composition survey of the USMC ( Potter et al, 2022c ) to identify defining characteristics of the most fit Marine women and men. Each sex was divided into groups: Marines that earned perfect 300 scores on both their last PFT and CFT (300); and those that did not (Other).…”

“…United States Marine women and men were recruited as part of a body composition survey of the USMC ( Potter et al, 2022c ) from four locations: The Basic School (TBS) at Marine Corps Base Quantico, VA; active-duty Marines within the National Capital Region (NCR); Camp Lejeune, NC (CLNC); and Camp Pendleton, CA (CPEN). Out of the original sample of 2,175 volunteer Marines, we included those that: 1) achieved a passing score (150 or higher) on both the PFT and CFT; 2) self-reported data for all PFT and CFT events; 3) elected to complete the pull-up event (instead of the push-up option) and completed the three-mile run event; and 4) completed dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) testing.…”

“…This high standard of fitness is currently enforced by two annual assessments: the Physical Fitness Test (PFT) and Combat Fitness Test (CFT) ( Keefer and Debeliso, 2020 ; Office of the Commandant of the Marine Corps, 2022 ). While all Marines are encouraged to earn a first class score of 235 or more on each test ( Office of the Commandant of the Marine Corps, 2022 ), very few US Marine women and men achieve a perfect 300 score on both their PFT and CFT ( Bartlett et al, 2015 ; Keefer and Debeliso, 2020 ; Keefer et al, 2021 ; Potter et al, 2023 ).…”