🏋 ACFT Deadlift Calculator
Calculate your Army Combat Fitness Test deadlift score. Enter your 3-rep max trap bar deadlift weight to find your ACFT points and tier.
| 3RM Weight (lbs) | Points | Tier | Status |
|---|
| ACFT Score | 3RM (lbs) | Est. 1RM | Strength Level Context | Training Focus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fail (<60 pts) | <140 lbs | <154 lbs | Below beginner | Foundation work, form first |
| 60 pts (Min Pass) | 140-209 lbs | 154-230 lbs | Beginner | General strength programming |
| 70 pts | 210-229 lbs | 231-252 lbs | Novice-Intermediate | Progressive overload |
| 80 pts | 230-259 lbs | 253-285 lbs | Intermediate | Peaking cycles |
| 90 pts | 260-299 lbs | 286-329 lbs | Intermediate-Advanced | Strength specialization |
| 100 pts (Max) | 300-340+ lbs | 330-374+ lbs | Advanced | Elite programming |
The three-rep max deadlift is the first event in the Army Combat Fitness Test, or simply ACFT. It measures the muscular power of a soldier and shows how well one can safely and effectively lift heavy objects off the ground. In the whole ACFT this stays the only purely strong exercise.
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For the ACFT one chooses a hex-shaped bar called also a trap-bar, rather than the usual straight pole. That detail really matters because training with a hex-bar gives a different feeling than with a straight bar. Some soldiers had troubles, when the bar would slip backwards or forward during the move.
How to Train for the ACFT Three-Rep Deadlift
Training with both kinds helps, but because the hex-bar is the one used in the test, logically practice it more often.
The highest score for the ACFT reaches 600 points. Each of the six parts can give up to 100 points. Soldiers must reach or pass teh minimal level according to their job category to pass.
Regarding the male standards for the deadlift in 2024, for maximum score you need to raise 340 to 370 pounds according to the age group. Minimal for all ages is 140 pounds for 60 points. This shows a big gap between the basic and the top achievement.
One interesting point about the scoring is that even a 110-pound soldier can raise 170 pounds just like a heavy 170-pound friend and receive the same score. The scale of rating does not depend on body weight.
During preparation heavy loads with few reps matter most. A simple method is five sets of five. The main goal is the three-rep max, so raw force must bee the focus more than work with lightweight weights for many rounds.
Exercises like leg press and seated rows help to strengthen the back and legs. A good plan is made up of warming, then deadlift for sets of three at maximum weight, later drop by 60 to 80 pounds for three or four sets of five reps.
Proper form is key. You stand by stepping to the bar, bending at the hips, reaching down and keeping the hands wide outside of the bar before starting the rise. Soldiers often complain about the ban on using a lifting belt in the test, which would help to keep the back straight.
Always try to practice right form with any weight that feels comfortable, nomatter how light.
The deadlift does exactly measure whole muscular force. Efforts to improve must copy the test conditions. Steady practice over time gives the main advantage.
The ACFT also recently changed its name to AFT and removed the ball throwing because of too many injuries.
