Guide · Training
Marine PFT standards: the events, the IST minimums, and where the score tables live
Three events on the PFT, three on the CFT, and one entry test before any of it. Here are the official numbers we can cite to the Marine Corps itself — and a straight answer about the ones we won't reprint.
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The Initial Strength Test (IST)
The IST is the entry test — the one a recruit takes with a recruiter before shipping. These are the minimums published by the Marine Corps on its official recruiting site, quoted directly:
| Event | Male minimum | Female minimum |
|---|---|---|
| Pull-ups or push-ups | 3 pull-ups or 34 push-ups (2:00 time limit) | 1 pull-up or 15 push-ups (2:00 time limit) |
| 1.5-mile run | 13:30 | 15:00 |
| Plank | 40 seconds | 40 seconds |
Two things worth reading twice. First, the pull-up and push-up options are alternatives — you pick one, you do not do both. Second, these are minimums: the number at which you are allowed to continue, not a number anyone should be aiming at. How each event converts into points is a question for the scoring tables, which is the next section.
The Physical Fitness Test (PFT)
The PFT, per the Marine Corps, consists of three components: pull-ups or push-ups, the plank pose, and a three-mile run. Each event is scored, the scores add up to the total, and the score required for a given class depends on age and gender bracket.
The Combat Fitness Test (CFT)
The CFT is the separate, combat-focused test. The Marine Corps describes it as including an 880-yard sprint, repeatedly lifting a 30-pound ammo can overhead, and a 300-yard course featuring combat crawls, agility runs, casualty drags, fireman's carries and grenade throws.
Where to get the actual tables
- MCO 6100.13A (with administrative changes) — the governing order for the PFT and CFT, published in the Marine Corps Publications Electronic Library. This is the authoritative source for events, age brackets, minimums and the scoring tables.
- Your recruiter, or your unit. For anyone actually testing, this is faster than reading the order and comes with the current change transmittal already applied.
- marines.com for the IST minimums and the event descriptions quoted above.
Treat any third-party “PFT calculator” as a convenience, not a source — several of the widely linked ones were built against older versions of the order, and none of them are what you will be scored on.
What this means for how you train
Whatever the exact table says, the shape of the test does not change, and it tells you where your time is best spent:
| Event | What it rewards | Where most people gain the most |
|---|---|---|
| Pull-ups or push-ups | Maximal upper-body pulling or pressing endurance | Pull-ups — highly trainable, and they need only a bar |
| Plank | Trunk endurance under a static hold | Cheap to train, plateaus fast; a few minutes, several times a week |
| Three-mile run | Aerobic base and pacing | Consistent weekly mileage plus one interval session — the slowest to move |
The pull-up event is the one a person can transform at home in a few months, which is why the PFT prep plan is built around it, and why getting a first pull-up is the highest-leverage page on this site for anyone starting from zero.
Picks
The two things that move a PFT score fastest at home
Of the three PFT events, the pull-up is the one most people can move the most, and it is the one you can train in a doorway. A bar and a set of assistance bands are the whole kit.
Key specs
- Door width
- 24–32 in. (trim to 3.5 in.)
- Mounting
- Leverage, no screws
- Rated load
- 300 lb
Scores · editorial, out of 10
- Fit & clearance (door, ceiling, depth)
- 7
- Reversibility (no drill, no marks, takedown)
- 9
- Rated load & build
- 7
- Grip options
- 8
- Value
- 10
Pick 1 · Pull-up bars
Iron Gym Total Upper Body Workout Bar
Iron Gym
The doorway bar everyone copies: three grips, a 300 lb rating, fits a 24–32 in. door with trim up to 3.5 in., and it leaves with you when the lease ends.
Best for
A first bar in a standard apartment doorway
Pros
- Fits the most common US interior door range and trim depth without tools
- Three grip positions (wide, narrow, neutral) on a bar this cheap is rare
- Flips to the floor for push-ups and dips — one piece of gear, four movements
Cons
- The leverage design needs a door with trim on both sides; flat, trimless frames won't hold it
- Grip width is fixed — taller lifters may find the wide grip a touch narrow
Specs from Iron Gym — Total Upper Body Workout Bar listing (door width, trim, load).
Key specs
- Length
- 41 in. loop
- Assistance
- #1 red 10–35 lb to #5 blue 65–175 lb
- Widths
- 1/2 in. to 2.5 in.
Scores · editorial, out of 10
- Assistance range
- 10
- Material & safety
- 8
- Sizing clarity
- 9
- Bar compatibility
- 10
- Value
- 8
Pick 2 · Assistance bands
WODFitters Pull-Up Assistance Bands (set)
WODFitters
The standard 41 in. loop bands with a clearly published range — red 10–35 lb up to blue 65–175 lb — sold as sets so you can step down assistance as you get stronger.
Best for
Anyone working toward a first pull-up who wants a progression, not one band
Pros
- Published resistance per color, so you can plan the step-down from green to red
- Sets of 4 or 5 cover a 200 lb beginner through to a light-assist finisher
- Natural latex, 41 in. — fits any doorway bar or tower
Cons
- Latex — not for latex allergies, and it degrades in sunlight
- The thickest bands can snap a foot out from under you if you slip; step in carefully
Specs from WODFitters — Resistance Bands (length, resistance by color, widths).
FAQ
Questions readers ask
What are the Marine Corps IST minimums?
Per the Marine Corps: men, 3 pull-ups or 34 push-ups in 2:00, a 1.5-mile run in 13:30, and a 40-second plank. Women, 1 pull-up or 15 push-ups in 2:00, a 1.5-mile run in 15:00, and a 40-second plank.
What events are on the Marine Corps PFT?
Three: pull-ups or push-ups, the plank pose, and a three-mile run. The CFT is a separate test with an 880-yard sprint, ammo can lifts and a 300-yard maneuver-under-fire course.
Where can I find the official PFT scoring tables?
In Marine Corps Order 6100.13A and its administrative changes, published in the Marine Corps Publications Electronic Library, or from your recruiter. We do not reprint them here because we could not retrieve the order from the Marine Corps servers to verify it.
Should I choose pull-ups or push-ups on the PFT?
Check how each option scores in your bracket in MCO 6100.13A, or ask your recruiter, before you decide. Training-wise, the pull-up is the event that responds fastest to a few months of focused work at home, and it needs nothing but a bar.
Related
Keep reading
- Marine PFT prep plan
A 12-week plan for the three events, at home.
- How to get your first pull-up
For anyone starting below the IST minimum.
- Pull-up progression
Getting from 3 reps to a scoring number.
- Best doorway pull-up bars
The bar the plan runs on.
Sources
- —U.S. Marine Corps — Requirements to become a Marine (IST minimums, PFT and CFT events) · marines.com
- —MCO 6100.13A w/ADMIN CH-5 — Marine Corps Physical Fitness and Combat Fitness Tests (Marine Corps Publications Electronic Library) · marines.mil
- —Iron Gym — Total Upper Body Workout Bar listing (door width, trim, load) · amazon.com
- —WODFitters — Resistance Bands (length, resistance by color, widths) · wodfitters.com