Navy increases physical fitness tests to twice a year starting in January

The United States Navy announced Tuesday that it was increasing its annual physical fitness assessment to twice a year, starting in 2026, with the tests taking place during the two fitness assessment cycles that begin in January and July.

The change in the Navy's Physical Readiness Program returns the military to its standards before the COVID-19 pandemic, which lowered the tests to just once a year in 2021.

The change also aligns with War Secretary Pete Hegseth's order in September that all branches of the military conduct two fitness tests per year. For the Navy, sailors who are in combat roles will take the PFA and the Combat Fitness Assessment, while regular sailors will take the PFA twice.

“For the majority of our sailors outside our combat arms ratings, it will be the PT test we take now. It will just be given twice a year,” Master Chief Officer of the Navy John Perryman told Task & Purpose.

The assessment consists of a Body Composition Assessment and the Navy’s Physical Readiness Test. The readiness test will be a combination of push-ups, planks and a 1.5-mile run.

All PFA failures before 2026 are being reset to zero, but three failures in the course of four years moving forward will make the sailors ineligible for service, according to Task & Purpose. Pregnant women will receive a one-year deferment in testing.

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