The U.S. Navy has cancelled its physical fitness tests for sailors for the remainder of the year because of the risk of spreading the novel coronavirus, the chief of naval operations office has announced.
“The COVID-19 situation requires that we continue to minimize risk to personnel, therefore all personnel will be EXCUSED from participation in Navy PFA Cycle 2, 2020,” the administrative message from the CNO on Tuesday reads, referring to the “physical fitness assessment.”
“Suspension includes both the official Body Composition Assessment (BCA) and Physical Readiness Test (PRT) components of the PFA.”
The order comes after the spring assessment, that was scheduled for Jan. 1 to June 30, was cancelled in March.
“This is a unique situation that calls for a unique response,” Paul Rosen, acting director of the 21st Century Sailor Office that oversees the service’s physical readiness policy, said in a release in March.
Organized or group physical training also remains suspended, although exemptions apply for recruit training or unit mission requirements.
However, the Navy will allow sailors to conduct mock PFAs for the purpose of advancement or retention eligibility — provided local, installation and other COVID-19 guidelines are in place. Limitations include keeping mock PFAs to no more than 10 people, conducting temperature checks and the wearing of masks during the BCA.
The Chief of Naval Personnel Vice Adm. John Nowell, however, has told sailors to remain fit.
“COVID-19 may have shut down a lot of the base gyms, but there are a lot of exercises you could do at home to stay in shape,” Nowell said Tuesday in a video released posted to Facebook. “Planks are one of them.”
Planks are an isometric core strength exercise in which a person holds a position like a position for as long as possible.
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