The Air Force Physical Readiness Assessment (PFRA) tests muscular endurance and cardiorespiratory endurance as part of the updated Physical Fitness Readiness Program (PFRP)..From March 1 through June 30 , 2026, all PFAs will be diagnostic only, giving Airmen time to learn and train to the new standards. Official scored testing resumes on July 1, 2026, under the revised DAFMAN 36-2905.
The PRFA reimplements the scored body composition component using the current Body Composition Program. Airmen may complete the body composition component up to 5 duty days before the remaining PFRA components.The PRFA also introduced a 2-mile run. All alternate exercises for the cardiovascular, strength, and endurance components will remain available as options for Airmen during their PRFA. However, Airmen will be required to perform a 2-mile run during at least one PRFA every 365 days. Official score charts have been updated with increased minimums for each component.
The PRFA consists of 3 events: a test of cardiorespiratory endurance with either a 2-mile run or the High Aerobic Multi-shuttle Run (HAMR); a push-up assessment consisting of either one minute of standard push-ups or 2 minutes of hand-release push-ups; and a core-muscle endurance test consisting of either one minute of traditional sit-ups, 2 minutes of cross-leg reverse crunches, or a plank exercise for maximum time.
Learn more about the training principles that will help you get ready for the PRFA.
Muscular endurance
Muscular endurance is the ability of your muscles to move or contract for long periods of time—or to contract as many times as possible in a set period of time. Examples include holding a plank or doing as many push-ups as you can in one minute. The PRFA’s push-up test and sit-up components measure muscular endurance and core stability because they require you to do a maximum number of repetitions in a set period of time.
Muscular endurance is often the foundation of muscular fitness. The lighter weights used make it easier to learn proper form before you move to heavier weights and train to improve muscular strength and power. To improve muscular endurance, the National Strength and Conditioning Association recommends lifting 67% or less of your one-rep max for at least 12 repetitions per set, with less than 30 seconds of rest between sets. Training muscular endurance is one of the few times when limiting rest is beneficial because it stresses your muscles’ energy systems by restricting recovery time, forcing them to adapt.
For the push-up and sit-up events, basic core stability will be half the battle. For both exercises, start with a base core-strengthening program. Then work on chest and arm muscle endurance to improve your push-ups.
For sit-ups, crunches, or planks, general core-strengthening programs are just as effective at improving sit-up performance in a PFA as training by doing sit-ups in every workout. The benefit comes from reducing strain on your back and hip flexor muscles, which can lead to pain or injury.
When training to improve your muscular endurance, it can help to focus on one muscle group at a time, rather than doing supersets (a group of exercises performed one right after another) that involve multiple muscle groups. While time-efficient, supersets build in too much rest for each specific muscle group to fully train for muscular endurance.
Cardiorespiratory endurance
Cardiorespiratory endurance (CRE) is what you’re training when you do aerobic exercise, and it’s the key fitness component for the 2-mile run or HAMR. Although you’ll be tested on your ability to run fast enough to meet the standard, activities like tennis, hiking, swimming, and biking can help improve your CRE. They can also make training more enjoyable if you don’t like to run.
Adding variety can make training easier if you have hip, knee, or ankle issues because it reduces the stress on those joints. If you have nagging pain or injuries but don’t have a profile exempting you from the 2 running events, swimming, biking, and rowing are great ways to maintain your CRE. You should still run a couple of times every 2 weeks, but it doesn’t need to be the focus of your training.
In addition to aerobic conditioning, anaerobic endurance is critical for success on the 2-mile run or HAMR. Anaerobic endurance is your ability to sustain high-intensity efforts for short durations, typically lasting from 30 seconds to 3 minutes. Training methods such as 30-second sprint intervals using a 1:1 work-to-rest ratio, short hill climbs, and shuttle runs are effective for developing anaerobic endurance. These sessions build your body’s ability to tolerate fatigue and sustain high-intensity performance—for example, holding steady through the final laps or pushing through a sprint to the finish line even when your muscles burn and your breathing is heavy.
To optimize your CRE, monitor your overall mileage and avoid adding long-distance runs immediately before or after high-intensity training days. A balanced program should include 2–3 weekly CRE sessions performed at 60–80% of maximum heart rate, complemented by 1 or 2 anaerobic endurance training sessions to improve high-intensity capacity. Your heart rate should exceed 80% during these intervals, and that’s okay.
Muscular strength
Muscular strength is the ability of a muscle to exert maximal or near-maximal force—or how much weight you can push, pull, or lift. Even though the PFA isn’t a true test of muscular strength, incorporating strength-building goals and workouts can help improve your performance during muscular endurance tests.
Those who don’t regularly weight train can expect to see strength gains with focused training in as little as 2 weeks as muscle activation—your body’s ability to fire more of the fibers that make up a muscle—improves. As you continue training, you should start to see muscle mass gains after about 4–6 weeks.
Fueling for the PRFA
As always, make sure you’re well hydrated in the days leading up to the test. Don’t wait until the day of the event to drink up. Since the whole test should take less than an hour, you should be fine with water, rather than a sports drink.
Plan to have a light, 200–300 calorie, high-carb snack, such as a bagel and fruit, 1–2 hours before the start of the test to stay energized. Because the test lasts less than an hour, you probably won’t need much between events. But if you feel yourself starting to crash, small snacks or sports drinks with small to moderate amounts of carbs might help improve your endurance.
For more information on nutrient timing, see Chapter 9 of the Warfighter Nutrition Guide.
Bottom line
Preparing for the PRFA should be a months-long training progression. To get the most out of your physical training, get help from a Master Fitness Leader (MFL) and refer to The Warfighter’s Fitness Playbook. Pregnant and postpartum Airmen can also find tailored training and wellness guidance in the Pregnancy & Postpartum Performance Training Guide. Keep in mind that starting July 1, 2026, your PFRA score will factor into your annual evaluation per AFI 36-2406.
Updated: March 3, 2026
