Army Fitness • 7 Min Read • Updated July 2026
The sprint-drag-carry (SDC) is the anaerobic-power event of the Army Fitness Test: five continuous 50-meter lanes down and back on a 25-meter shuttle, for 250 meters total, scored on time. It's the event that leaves soldiers most winded, and the one where pacing and technique — not just fitness — decide your score.
| Lane | What You Do |
|---|---|
| 1. Sprint | Sprint 25m out and back. |
| 2. Drag | Pull a 90-lb sled 25m out and back, backpedaling. |
| 3. Lateral | Side-shuffle 25m out and back. |
| 4. Carry | Carry two 40-lb kettlebells 25m out and back. |
| 5. Sprint | Final 25m sprint out and back to finish. |
Scored 0-100 by age and sex. Selected marks for the youngest two brackets:
| Age / Sex | 60 pts (pass) | 100 pts (max) |
|---|---|---|
| Men 17-21 | 2:28 | 1:29 |
| Men 22-26 | 2:31 | 1:30 |
| Women 17-21 | 3:15 | 1:55 |
| Women 22-26 | 3:15 | 1:55 |
Times ease with age — see your exact bracket, and combine it with your other four events, in our AFT Calculator.
The single biggest mistake is sprinting lane one at 100%. You'll pay for it in the drag and carry, where a gassed soldier slows to a crawl. Run lane one hard but controlled (about 90%), stay smooth through the drag, then empty the tank on the final sprint. The clock rewards a strong finish, not a fast start.
Drop your hips, lean back into the straps, and take short, driving backpedal steps — don't stand tall and tug. Keep the sled moving; every stall costs momentum you have to rebuild. This lane is where technique buys the most time.
The SDC is a 90-180 second all-out effort — pure anaerobic capacity. Sled pushes and drags, farmer's carries, and shuttle intervals (5-6 × the full SDC with 3-4 minutes rest) build exactly what it demands. Steady-state cardio alone won't move this event.
Two 40-lb kettlebells tax your grip and trunk more than people expect on tired legs. Heavy farmer's carries directly transfer, and they double as grip work for the deadlift. Track your pulling and carrying strength with our One Rep Max Calculator and check your grip against population norms with the Grip Strength Chart.
The SDC is one of five events — don't over-index on it. Balance it against the deadlift and run, the two events where most soldiers gain the most points. Our guide to a good AFT score breaks down where to focus, and the ACFT vs AFT guide covers how the test changed in 2025.
The sled totals 90 lb for the drag, and the carry uses two 40-lb kettlebells (80 lb combined). Both are fixed weights regardless of the soldier's size or sex.
For younger men, anything under about 2:00 is strong and well into the upper point range, with 1:29-1:30 maxing the event. For younger women, sub-2:30 is competitive and 1:55 maxes it. Passing requires roughly 2:28-2:31 (men) or 3:15 (women).
Yes. Prowler pushes, heavy backpack drags, hill sprints, and repeated shuttle runs all build the same anaerobic capacity and leg drive. The specific movement helps, but the energy-system training matters more.
They test different systems — the run is aerobic, the SDC is anaerobic power with grip and carrying demands. Distance runners often struggle with the SDC because sustained pace doesn't prepare you for repeated all-out shuttles under load. Train it specifically.