AFT Sprint-Drag-Carry Explained
Updated September 21, 2026
The AFT Sprint-Drag-Carry is the third event of the Army Fitness Test, five 50-meter shuttles run as one continuous timed effort. Over a single 25-meter lane, a Soldier sprints, drags a sled backward, moves laterally, carries two kettlebells, and sprints again, turning at the 25-meter line on every shuttle.
The event requires a nylon sled with a pull strap loaded to 90 pounds, two 40-pound kettlebells, and a marked lane with a start line and a turn line, and a valid run follows set starting, line-crossing, and turnaround rules. Each segment has its own technique standard, from the hip-low drag to the no-crossover lateral and the upright carry, and faults such as a missed line touch send the Soldier back to correct them while the clock runs.
The start-line grader times the run from "GO" to the finish, and the recorded time converts into 0 to 100 points on the current AFT score tables. The event measures muscular endurance, muscular strength, anaerobic power, and anaerobic endurance, which shapes how Soldiers train for it and which errors cost time. The Sprint-Drag-Carry sits third in the complete AFT, adds its points to the total, and differs from the other four events as the only mixed-modal event. A failed attempt leads to a retest, and because the rules change over time, verified current standards lead back to the definition of the event itself.
What Is the AFT Sprint-Drag-Carry?
The AFT Sprint-Drag-Carry (SDC) is Event 3 of the Army Fitness Test: five 50-meter shuttles on a 25-meter lane, run as a single continuous timed effort. The five shuttles are a sprint, a backward sled drag, a lateral, a kettlebell carry, and a final sprint, so the event combines running speed with a 90-pound sled and two 40-pound kettlebells.
The Soldier's time for all five shuttles is the raw score, and the event's full name leads into what its acronym covers.
What Does SDC Mean in the AFT?
SDC means Sprint-Drag-Carry, the third event of the Army Fitness Test. The name lists three movements (the sprint, the sled drag, and the kettlebell carry), but the event runs five shuttles: a sprint, a drag, a lateral, a carry, and a second sprint, so the lateral and the final sprint sit inside the event without appearing in its name.
What Is the Purpose of the AFT Sprint-Drag-Carry?
The purpose of the AFT Sprint-Drag-Carry is to test the capacity behind short, high-intensity combat tasks: reacting quickly to direct and indirect fire, building a hasty fighting position, and extracting a casualty and carrying the casualty to safety. A mixed-modal shuttle belongs in the test battery because those tasks combine sprinting, pulling, moving laterally, and carrying in one effort, which no single-movement event can measure.
What Does the AFT Sprint-Drag-Carry Measure?
The AFT Sprint-Drag-Carry measures a Soldier's ability to sustain moderate-to-high-intensity muscular work over a short duration. The event assesses muscular endurance, muscular strength, anaerobic power, and anaerobic endurance as its primary components, according to the U.S. Army's "Army Fitness Test" event standards at army.mil/aft (September 2026 version), and the whole demand is compressed into a run that lasts from about a minute and a half to a few minutes.
Why Is Sprint-Drag-Carry AFT Event 3?
The Sprint-Drag-Carry is AFT Event 3 because the test runs in a fixed order: the 3-Repetition Maximum Deadlift and the Hand-Release Push-Up come before it, and the Plank and the Two-Mile Run follow it. The order manages fatigue across the test: the heaviest lift comes first while Soldiers are fresh, the high-intensity shuttle comes before the core endurance hold and the run, and the only programmed rest, 10 minutes, falls after the plank and before the run.
How Does the AFT Sprint-Drag-Carry Work?
The AFT Sprint-Drag-Carry works as one continuous timed run from the start command to the finish line with no rest between shuttles. The Soldier starts in the prone position with the top of the head behind the start line of a 25-meter lane, rises on "GO," and runs the five shuttles back and forth between the start line and the 25-meter line.
The run ends when the Soldier crosses the finish line (the start line) after the final sprint, and the start-line grader stops the clock at that point. The five shuttles follow a fixed order that cannot be changed.
What Is the Required Sprint-Drag-Carry Movement Sequence?
The required Sprint-Drag-Carry movement sequence starts from the prone position on the command "GET SET," with the top of the head behind the start line and the hands on the ground beneath the shoulders. On "GO," the Soldier runs the five shuttles in a fixed order that cannot be substituted: sprint, drag, lateral, carry, and sprint, each 25 meters out and 25 meters back.
What Are the Five Sprint-Drag-Carry Segments?
The five Sprint-Drag-Carry segments are listed below in run order with the load each uses:
- Sprint: unloaded.
- Drag: a nylon sled loaded to 90 pounds, pulled backward by its strap.
- Lateral: unloaded.
- Carry: two 40-pound kettlebells.
- Sprint: unloaded.
1. Sprint the First 50 Meters
The first 50 meters of the AFT Sprint-Drag-Carry, timed Event 3, start with the Soldier rising from the prone start on "GO" and accelerating hard out of the lane toward the 25-meter line. At the 25-meter line, the Soldier touches the line with a foot and a hand, turns, and sprints back to the start line; a Soldier who misses the touch is called back to make it. The momentum of the opening sprint carries straight into the loaded backward pull that follows.
2. Drag the Sled Backward 50 Meters
The backward sled drag in the AFT Sprint-Drag-Carry, timed Event 3, has the Soldier grasp each pull strap handle and pull the sled backward, facing the sled with the hips low, until the entire sled crosses the 25-meter line. The Soldier then turns and drags the sled back to the start line. The strap must pass freely through the sled's D-ring without being twisted, wrapped, or knotted, and the Soldier may use one of three authorized grips: fingers through the loops, hands completely through the loops gripping below the sewn portion, or hands below the loops at the sewn portion.
Keeping the sled moving through the turn saves time, and jerking the straps or slinging the sled to turn it is a safety fault. The loaded backward travel then gives way to the unloaded lateral.
3. Shuffle Laterally 50 Meters
The lateral in the AFT Sprint-Drag-Carry, timed Event 3, moves the Soldier sideways 25 meters in a low athletic stance, touching the 25-meter line with a foot and a hand, then back to the start leading with the opposite foot. The Soldier faces the same direction on the way out and the way back, so the lead foot changes at the turn rather than the facing direction. The feet must not cross, and they stay parallel to each other and perpendicular to the direction of travel. The low lateral stance then gives way to the upright posture of the carry.
4. Carry Kettlebells 50 Meters
The kettlebell carry in the AFT Sprint-Drag-Carry, timed Event 3, has the Soldier grasp the handles of the two 40-pound kettlebells with a closed grip and carry them at the sides of the body in a farmer's carry, the only authorized carry position. The Soldier runs 25 meters with an upright torso, touches the 25-meter line with a foot, and returns to the start line, with the kettlebells upright and the handles up throughout.
The carry allows no rest, and after crossing the start line the Soldier places the kettlebells on the ground without dropping them; a Soldier who drops them is called back to re-place them under control. Grip and forearm fatigue build fast during the carry, and the final shuttle inherits that fatigue.
5. Sprint the Final 50 Meters
The final 50 meters of the AFT Sprint-Drag-Carry, timed Event 3, is an empty-handed sprint on legs and a grip already fatigued by the drag and the carry. The Soldier sprints 25 meters, touches the 25-meter line with a foot and a hand, turns, and sprints back across the start line, which is the finish line that stops the clock.
How Far Is the AFT Sprint-Drag-Carry?
The AFT Sprint-Drag-Carry is 250 meters in total. The lane is 25 meters long, each shuttle runs out and back for 50 meters, and five shuttles make up the 250-meter event.
What Equipment Does the AFT Sprint-Drag-Carry Require?
The equipment the AFT Sprint-Drag-Carry requires is listed below:
- Sled: a heavy nylon sled, 22 by 19.5 inches, loaded with two 45-pound plates to a 90-pound drag load on grass or turf, and to 180 pounds on a modified surface.
- Pull Strap: a one-piece 92-inch strap with a loop handle at each end, running through the sled's D-ring, which the Soldier grips for the backward drag.
- Kettlebells: two 40-pound kettlebells per lane, each within 2 pounds of 40 pounds, carried in the farmer's carry.
- Lane and Line Markers: a 25-meter lane marked with a start line and a 25-meter line, using paint, tape, or cones, which set every shuttle's distance.
- Timing Device: the start-line grader's stopwatch, which times two adjacent lanes from "GO" to the finish.
What Are the Prescribed Sprint-Drag-Carry Loads?
The prescribed Sprint-Drag-Carry loads are a 90-pound sled on standard surfaces and two 40-pound kettlebells. The prescribed loads are shown in the table below:
| Equipment Item | Prescribed Load (pounds) | Metric Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Sled with pull strap, standard surface (grass or turf) | 90 lb | 40.8 kg |
| Sled with pull strap, modified surface (wood, packed dirt, vinyl, smooth concrete) | 180 lb | 81.6 kg |
| Kettlebell (each) | 40 lb | 18.1 kg |
| Kettlebells (pair) | 80 lb | 36.3 kg |
The prescribed loads are identical for every Soldier regardless of sex or MOS, and only the surface changes the sled load, according to "ATP 7-22.01 Holistic Health and Fitness Testing" by Headquarters, Department of the Army, March 2026.
What Course Setup Does the AFT Sprint-Drag-Carry Require?
The parts of the AFT Sprint-Drag-Carry course setup are listed below:
- Lane Length and Width: 25 meters long and 2.5 to 3.0 meters wide, which sets the shuttle distance and keeps adjacent lanes apart during the lateral and the drag.
- Start Line: the line the Soldier starts behind, turns at on each return, and crosses to finish.
- Turn Line: the 25-meter line every shuttle must touch or cross.
- Marker Placement: lanes marked in 5-meter increments, with cones where the site is not permanently marked.
- Surface: grass or artificial turf as the standard surface, modified surfaces with a heavier sled, and no unimproved dirt, gravel, rubberized surfaces, ice, or snow.
- Clearance: about 4 meters of turn-around space for the sled and about 8 meters for staging equipment and running through the finish.
What Are the Sprint-Drag-Carry Starting Rules?
The Sprint-Drag-Carry starting rules are listed below:
- Prone Starting Position: the Soldier lies prone on "GET SET."
- Head Behind the Start Line: the top of the head stays behind the start line.
- Start Command: the NCOIC's "GO" starts the event and the start-line grader's stopwatch together.
- Hand and Foot Placement: the hands rest on the ground beneath the shoulders before the clock starts.
What Are the Sprint-Drag-Carry Line-Crossing Rules?
The Sprint-Drag-Carry line-crossing rules are listed below:
- Lines to Touch or Cross: the 25-meter line on every shuttle and the start line on every return, with the final crossing of the start line finishing the event.
- Completed Shuttle: a shuttle counts once the required touch or crossing at the 25-meter line is made and the Soldier returns across the start line.
- Sled and Kettlebell Position: the entire sled must cross the 25-meter line, and the kettlebells travel in the carry position until they are placed down past the start line.
- Short Crossing: a Soldier who misses a touch or stops short of the line is called back by the grader to complete it while the clock keeps running.
What Are the Sprint-Drag-Carry Turnaround Rules?
The Sprint-Drag-Carry turnaround rules are listed below:
- Turn-Line Requirement: every shuttle reaches the 25-meter line at the halfway mark before turning back.
- Turn Mechanics per Segment: the sprints and the lateral touch the line with a foot and a hand, and the carry touches it with a foot.
- Sled Through the Turn: the whole sled crosses the 25-meter line before the Soldier turns and drags it back, without jerking the straps or slinging the sled around.
- Kettlebells at the Turn: the kettlebells stay in the farmer's carry, upright with the handles up, through the turn and back to the start line.
What Is Proper Technique for Each AFT Sprint-Drag-Carry Segment?
The proper technique for each AFT Sprint-Drag-Carry segment is listed below:
- Sprint the First 50 Meters: drive up from the prone position and stay low through the first steps, then chop the steps before the line to plant, touch, and turn; breathe freely. Cue: "Explode, touch, turn."
- Drag the Sled Backward 50 Meters: sit the hips low, keep the arms long on the straps, and take short, powerful backward steps so the sled never stalls. Cue: "Sit low, pull steady."
- Shuffle Laterally 50 Meters: hold a low athletic stance, push off the trailing foot, and never cross the feet, leading with the opposite foot on the way back. Cue: "Stay square, feet apart."
- Carry Kettlebells 50 Meters: stand tall with the shoulders set and the arms straight, run with quick steps, and keep the kettlebells upright. Cue: "Tall torso, quiet bells."
- Sprint the Final 50 Meters: set the kettlebells down under control, turn, and sprint through the finish without easing up. Cue: "Finish past the line."
Correct technique on each segment keeps the run inside the standards every attempt is judged against.
What Invalidates an AFT Sprint-Drag-Carry Attempt?
An AFT Sprint-Drag-Carry attempt is invalid when the Soldier does not complete the five shuttles to standard, but most faults are corrected during the run rather than voiding it. The start-line grader and the 25-meter-line grader work two adjacent lanes together, watching the touches, the sled crossing, and the kettlebells, and the graders rule on every fault.
Headquarters, Department of the Army sets that call-back procedure in "ATP 7-22.01 Holistic Health and Fitness Testing" (March 2026): when a grader calls a fault, the Soldier goes back to correct it (touching the line, finishing the sled's crossing, or re-placing dropped kettlebells) while the clock keeps running, so the fault costs time. The AFT has no event restarts, and a Soldier who does not complete the event to standard has no valid time to record.
Which Faults Cause an Invalid Sprint-Drag-Carry Attempt?
The Sprint-Drag-Carry faults graders enforce are listed below:
- Starting Before the Command: the event and the clock start only on "GO," and the Soldier holds the prone start until then.
- Breaking the Start Line Too Soon: the top of the head stays behind the start line in the prone start.
- Failing to Touch or Cross a Required Line: a missed touch or a sled short of the 25-meter line brings a call-back that costs time.
- Setting or Dropping the Kettlebells: the kettlebells stay in the farmer's carry, and dropping them at the start line brings a call-back to re-place them.
- Crossover Stepping on the Lateral: the feet must not cross during the lateral.
- Running the Movements Out of Order: the five shuttles run only in the fixed order of sprint, drag, lateral, carry, and sprint.
How Is the AFT Sprint-Drag-Carry Timed?
The AFT Sprint-Drag-Carry is timed by the start-line grader, who runs one or two stopwatches for two Soldiers in adjacent lanes. The clock starts on the NCOIC's "GO" and stops when the Soldier crosses the finish line after the final sprint, according to "ATP 7-22.01 Holistic Health and Fitness Testing" by Headquarters, Department of the Army, March 2026.
During the run, one grader stays at the start line and the other moves to the end of the 25-meter lane to confirm the touches and the sled crossing, without following Soldiers up and down the lanes. The AFT allows one attempt, with no event restarts, and the start-line grader records the time in minutes and seconds on the DA Form 705-TEST. The recorded time then moves to the scale that converts it into points.
How Is the AFT Sprint-Drag-Carry Scored Under Current Standards?
The AFT Sprint-Drag-Carry is scored under current standards by converting the finish time into 0 to 100 points on the Army Fitness Test score tables, which are banded by age and sex, with the sex-neutral Combat standard using the male column. The minimum event score to pass is 60 points, and a faster time earns more points.
The AFT replaced the ACFT on 1 June 2025, so the AFT tables in force since that date apply to every record test, and ACFT-era charts no longer do.
What Is the AFT Sprint-Drag-Carry Event Scoring Scale?
The AFT Sprint-Drag-Carry event scoring scale runs from 100 points at the fastest listed time down to 60 points at the slowest passing time. The point bands for the 17-21 age band are shown in the table below:
| Event Points | Qualifying Time (Male and Combat / Female) | Standard Set That Applies |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 1:29 / 1:55 | Current AFT tables, ages 17-21 |
| 95 | 1:37 / 2:08 | Current AFT tables, ages 17-21 |
| 90 | 1:43 / 2:16 | Current AFT tables, ages 17-21 |
| 85 | 1:48 / 2:22 | Current AFT tables, ages 17-21 |
| 80 | 1:53 / 2:28 | Current AFT tables, ages 17-21 |
| 75 | 1:58 / 2:34 | Current AFT tables, ages 17-21 |
| 70 | 2:03 / 2:41 | Current AFT tables, ages 17-21 |
| 65 | 2:11 / 2:53 | Current AFT tables, ages 17-21 |
| 60 | 2:28 / 3:15 | Current AFT tables, ages 17-21 (minimum passing time) |
The "Army Fitness Test Score Tables," approved on 15 May 2025 and effective 1 June 2025, set those bands, and older age bands allow slower times: the 60-point time reaches 3:16 for Male and Combat Soldiers over 62 and 4:48 for female Soldiers aged 57 and over.
How Does Sprint-Drag-Carry Time Convert to Event Points?
Sprint-Drag-Carry time converts to event points by finding the Soldier's column for age band and sex or standard in the scoring table above and reading the points for the recorded time. Each listed time earns its points for any finish at or faster than that time, so a time that falls between two listed rows earns the points of the slower row it beats, and times are recorded in whole seconds.
The minimum passing time sits at the 60-point row, 2:28 for a Male or Combat Soldier aged 17 to 21 and 3:15 for a female Soldier in that band, and any slower time fails the event.
What Physical Abilities Does the AFT Sprint-Drag-Carry Test?
The AFT Sprint-Drag-Carry tests a sequence of physical abilities, segment by segment. The sprints drive the hip flexors, quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves through fast acceleration and turns, the drag loads the glutes, hamstrings, back, and upper body against the sled, the lateral works the hip abductors and adductors and the stabilizers of the knee and ankle, and the carry taxes the grip, forearms, and trunk.
The run draws mainly on anaerobic energy: fast stored energy powers the starts and turns, and anaerobic glycolysis sustains the effort across 250 meters with no rest, which is why "FM 7-22 Holistic Health and Fitness" (Change 2, August 2025) warns Soldiers to avoid depleting glycogen through the anaerobic effort of the Sprint-Drag-Carry. The aerobic system still contributes: a 2024 study of ROTC cadets by Acevedo, Zeigler, and Melton in the International Journal of Exercise Science found that maximal aerobic capacity correlated with Sprint-Drag-Carry performance (r = 0.495).
Which Fitness Components Does the AFT Sprint-Drag-Carry Test?
The fitness components the AFT Sprint-Drag-Carry tests are listed below:
- Primary Components: muscular endurance, muscular strength, anaerobic power, and anaerobic endurance.
- Secondary Components: balance, coordination, agility, flexibility, and reaction time.
How Should Soldiers Train to Improve Their Sprint-Drag-Carry Time?
Soldiers should train to improve their Sprint-Drag-Carry time with event-matched strength, speed, and conditioning work. The Sprint-Drag-Carry training steps are listed below:
- Pull and Drag Sleds: train backward and forward sled drags at and above the test load to build hip drive and leg endurance for the drag.
- Train Loaded Carries: carry kettlebells or dumbbells at the sides for distance to build grip and an upright carry posture.
- Run Shuttle Intervals: run 25- to 50-meter shuttles with sharp turns to rehearse the touches and direction changes.
- Build Grip Endurance: add dead hangs and timed kettlebell holds so the carry and final sprint start with grip left.
- Build Anaerobic Capacity: run short, hard intervals with brief recoveries, such as 300-meter shuttle runs.
- Set Weekly Frequency: schedule two to three event-matched sessions a week, such as a heavy drag-and-carry day, a shuttle-speed day, and a mixed-interval day.
- Pace the Five Shuttles: start hard but controlled so the drag and carry do not collapse the second half.
- Manage Injury Risk: keep the torso and hips in position on the drag and carry, and raise loads gradually.
Research shows that resisted sled training with moderate to very heavy loads improved acceleration by 0.5 to 9.1 percent in strength-trained and team-sport athletes, according to "Resisted Sled Sprint Training to Improve Sprint Performance: A Systematic Review" by Petrakos, Morin, and Egan, March 2016. Army doctrine progresses anaerobic conditioning from 2 x 300-meter shuttle runs in 3 minutes to 4 x 300-meter shuttle runs in 1 minute, as "FM 7-22 Holistic Health and Fitness" sets out. The training plan leads straight into the errors that cost time on test day.
What Mistakes Slow the AFT Sprint-Drag-Carry?
The mistakes that slow the AFT Sprint-Drag-Carry are listed below:
- Wasted Steps at the Turn Lines: overstriding into the line or stutter-stepping at the turn costs time on every shuttle.
- Standing Too Tall on the Drag: an upright posture reduces pulling force and slows the sled.
- Setting the Kettlebells Down: breaking the carry costs time, and dropping them at the start line brings a call-back.
- Over-Sprinting the First Shuttle: an all-out first sprint drains the energy the drag and carry need.
- Crossover Stepping: crossing the feet on the lateral breaks the standard and slows the shuffle.
How Does Sprint-Drag-Carry Fit Into the Complete AFT?
The Sprint-Drag-Carry fits into the complete AFT as the third of five events, after the 3-Repetition Maximum Deadlift and the Hand-Release Push-Up and before the Plank and the Two-Mile Run. The test has no programmed rest before or after the Sprint-Drag-Carry, apart from the time Soldiers wait while the rest of the group finishes (5 minutes of rest between events when only one or two Soldiers test). The whole test, from the start of the preparation drill to the start of the run, must finish within 120 minutes.
How Does Sprint-Drag-Carry Score Roll Into the Total AFT Result?
The Sprint-Drag-Carry score rolls into the total AFT result as one of five event scores added into a total out of 500 points. The Soldier must score at least 60 points on the Sprint-Drag-Carry and on every other event, and the total must reach 300 points under the General standard or 350 points under the Combat standard, so a high total cannot offset a failed event, according to "Army establishes new fitness test of record to strengthen readiness and lethality" by Army Public Affairs, April 2025. A record AFT counts toward the official record, while a diagnostic AFT measures progress without changing the record.
How Does Sprint-Drag-Carry Compare With the Other AFT Events?
The Sprint-Drag-Carry compares with the other AFT events as the only mixed-modal event in the test. The five AFT events are compared in the table below:
| Event | What It Loads | Primary Fitness Quality | Scoring Unit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3-Repetition Maximum Deadlift | 60-lb hex bar with bumper plates | Muscular strength | Heaviest weight lifted for 3 repetitions |
| Hand-Release Push-Up | Body weight | Upper-body muscular endurance | Correct repetitions in 2 minutes |
| Sprint-Drag-Carry | Body weight, a 90-lb sled, and two 40-lb kettlebells | Muscular endurance, strength, anaerobic power, and anaerobic endurance | Time for five 50-m shuttles |
| Plank | Body weight | Core strength and endurance | Time held in position |
| Two-Mile Run | Body weight | Aerobic endurance | Time for two miles |
The Sprint-Drag-Carry is the only event that combines sprinting, resisted dragging, lateral movement, and loaded carrying in one timed effort.
What Happens After a Failed AFT Sprint-Drag-Carry Attempt?
After a failed AFT Sprint-Drag-Carry on a record test, the Soldier fails the AFT, and "Army Directive 2025-06 (Army Fitness Test)," signed by Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll in April 2025, requires a passing retest within 90 days in the Regular Army and Active Guard Reserve, or within 180 days in the Reserve Component. A failed diagnostic test carries no record consequence and only shows where training should focus.
Soldiers on a permanent profile take every event their profile does not prohibit, so a Soldier profiled against the Sprint-Drag-Carry skips it, while alternate aerobic events replace only the two-mile run. A failed record test has administrative weight, since Soldiers flagged for an AFT failure receive no promotion points until they pass.
Where Can Soldiers Verify Current AFT Sprint-Drag-Carry Rules?
Soldiers can verify current AFT Sprint-Drag-Carry rules through three sources. The Army's AFT page at army.mil/aft, the official Army fitness test channel, posts the event description, instructional videos, and the current score tables, and goarmy.com carries event guidance for new Soldiers. The governing testing publication, ATP 7-22.01 Holistic Health and Fitness Testing, sets the execution standards, equipment specifications, grader duties, and timing procedure, while FM 7-22 Holistic Health and Fitness sets the training doctrine.
At the unit level, the Master Fitness Trainer and the test OIC or NCOIC confirm which standards and profiles apply to each test. Those three sources keep every Soldier preparing for the AFT Sprint-Drag-Carry, timed Event 3, under the rules that apply on test day.
How Do You Calculate Your AFT Sprint-Drag-Carry Score?
Your Sprint-Drag-Carry score comes from your finish time, read against the Army's tables for your age band, your sex, and your standard, General or Combat. A faster time earns more points, and a time between two listed rows earns the points of the slower row it beats.
The calculator reads the same tables, approved on 15 May 2025. Enter your time in the AFT score calculator to see your Sprint-Drag-Carry points, how many seconds the next point takes, and your AFT total with the other four events.