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The Process of Physical Fitness Standards Development

Human Systems Information Analysis Center2000
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This State-of-the-Art Report (SOAR) documents the methods, processes, and issues that are involved with the development of physical fitness standards with special reference to the military. There has been a long-standing interest in standards for individual physical fitness. On close examination, this topic is truly complex. This SOAR strives to provide an organized base of knowledge concerning the primary factors of standards development as they might apply to both the military and civilian environments. Chapters, each written by a military or civilian subject-matter expert, focus on history of occupational demands assessment, health-based fitness standards, job analysis, types of physical fitness tests, test validity, setting performance standards, and legal issues. This review is unique in both its scope and timeliness of information. Knowing how fit personnel should be is one focus of the field of occupational demands measurement- a field that has its roots in the fields of industrial engineering and occupational assessment, individual differences, and physical fitness. Military fitness, or the lack of it, has been an issue for as long as militia have existed. The physical fitness programs of the military services now employ norm-based standards-those sometimes representative of past military populations. In terms of occupational fitness standards, only the Air Force currently employs such an occupational fitness test, the Strength Aptitude Test, which is administered at accession. Although military researchers have vigorously studied this topic, few steps have been implemented by the services to update and improve their approach to the fitness standards process, particularly with regard to occupational and health considerations. Further policy and programmatic changes will be necessary as the military services move into occupationally based fitness standards.
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