Army plank standards for the AFT forearm plank
Last updated: 30 September 2026
Key takeaways
Army plank standards for ages 17–21 are 1:30 at 60 points and 3:40 at 100 points. GoArmy prints that pair on both the men’s and women’s plank cards. Hold a forearm plank in a straight line. Grade the seconds in the AFT calculator, then copy the points onto a DA Form 705 score card.
17–21 hold times
GoArmy’s plank page lists one minimum and one maximum for ages 17–21, and it repeats that pair under both sex tabs.
| Points | Ages 17–21 |
|---|---|
| 100 | 3:40 |
| 60 | 1:30 |
The calculator’s 17–21 plank row uses those two times: 90 seconds for 60 points and 220 seconds for 100 points. An older page on this site said the pass was 2:00. That figure is retired. Older age bands step down from 1:30. Read them on the AFT score chart. This page does not print an 80-point plank time. The GoArmy card does not show that cell.
How the grader starts the hold
On “GET READY” the hands are on the ground, either in fists with the pinky side down or flat with the palms down, no more than a fist-width apart. Elbows sit under the shoulders. Forearms form a triangle on the ground. Hips may stay bent with one or both knees down.
On “GO” the soldier moves to a straight line from head to heels and holds it. Feet and forearms stay in contact with the ground. The soldier may switch a fist to a flat palm during the hold. The clock runs while that line stays legal. Record the time, then the points, on the score card. The deadlift is a separate event: its 17–21 weights are on the army deadlift standards page. Sprint-drag-carry times are on the sprint-drag-carry standards page.
Positions that end the clock
The hold ends when the body leaves the straight line. A sagging hip, a lifted forearm, or a knee that returns to the ground stops the clock. The feet have to stay down. Combat MOS soldiers still need the 350-point total on the combat standard page. Sixty points on the plank is the event floor. It does not replace the 350-point total.
The other four events sit on the five-event hub. Source: GoArmy, Plank (PLK), and Army Directive 2025-06, which names the plank as one of the five AFT events effective 1 June 2025.
FAQ
What is the Army plank standard to pass the AFT?
Ages 17–21: 1:30 for 60 points and 3:40 for 100 points. GoArmy prints that pair for both sex tabs.
How does the grader start the forearm plank?
GET READY allows knees down. GO requires a straight line from head to heels, with feet and forearms on the ground.
Does the plank time change for a combat MOS?
The hold is still the age table. Combat MOS soldiers need 350 total points, with at least 60 on the plank.
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