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6 MI · PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

SCA & SCA Club

Understand your conditioning. Focus your training. Build on your progress.

THE ASSESSMENT

What the SCA measures

The Soldier Conditioning Assessment is a developmental assessment of physical conditioning. It helps soldiers, commanders and PT staff identify strengths and areas to develop across four physical qualities.

Aerobic endurance

Your ability to sustain physical effort.

Lower body strength

Your capacity to produce force through the lower body.

Upper body muscular endurance

Your ability to repeat upper body effort.

Upper body pulling strength

Your ability to produce pulling force through the upper body.

The SCA uses an age- and sex-neutral baseline. Individual circumstances—including training history, age, sex, body mass and previous injury—still matter when interpreting results and planning training.

PERFORMANCE LEVELS

A starting point for development

A performance level describes current conditioning. An area needing development is a starting point for focused training; it should not become a label that defines a soldier.

The SCA is not a pass/fail test or a grading tool. Results must not be used in isolation to determine employability, deployability or career progression, or as the basis for disciplinary or administrative sanctions.

Level thresholds

Use the current SCA conduct notes for the authorised performance-level table, event technique, repetitions, loads and timings. The fitness card shows a performance level for each recorded element using the v4.0 table. It does not calculate Club awards.

Read current SCA conduct notes in the app →Full 59-page v4.0 document.

SCA and RFT(S) have different purposes

The SCA supports physical development. The Role Fitness Test (Soldier) remains the Army’s role-related Physical Employment Standard. An SCA result does not replace RFT(S).

ASSESSMENT STANDARDS

SCA levels 1–10

Level 1 is the highest performance level. Each assessment element has its own level; individuals may sit at different levels across the four elements. SCA Club recognition is separate.

ITR 2.1 · SCA Conduct Notes · v4.0 · 1 April 2026 · pages 15–16 · MSFT is level.shuttle, not a decimal
Performance level2 km runMSFTA3 · W/kgHex bar predicted 1RM · kgPress-ups · 1 minutePull-ups
1 · Advanced7:23 or faster11.3 or higher3.0 or higher140 or above51 or above12 or above
2 · Advanced7:24–7:4511.2–10.82.92139–13450–4711.5–10
3 · Intermediate7:46–8:0310.7–10.42.84133–12046–439.5–8
4 · Intermediate8:04–8:2110.3–9.112.75119–11042–407.5–6.5
5 · Intermediate8:22–8:379.10–9.72.65109–10839–366–5
6 · Foundational8:38–8:579.6–9.32.52107–10435–344.5–4
7 · Foundational8:58–9:189.2–8.92.43103–9533–303.5
8 · Foundational9:19–9:458.8–8.52.3594–8829–283
9 · Developing9:46–10:238.4–7.92.387–8027–252.5–1
10 · Developing10:24 or slower7.8 or lower2.2 or lower79 or below24 or below0.5–0

A3 level ranges require PTI confirmation. Values for levels 2–9 do not define full interval boundaries; do not interpolate between them.

What each category means

  • Levels 1–2 · Advanced: maintain and, where possible, improve high performance while contributing to collective PT.
  • Levels 3–5 · Intermediate: maintain consistent training and progress towards higher performance through routine PT.
  • Levels 6–8 · Foundational: build strength, endurance and capacity through structured development in routine PT.
  • Levels 9–10 · Developing: review the training approach with PT staff and use a targeted development plan. Support should reflect the elements affected and individual needs.

A single Level 10 indicates targeted development within normal sub-unit PT. Two or more Level 10 results indicate a need for closer, holistic support. Support is developmental and non-punitive; SCA results are not employment standards or grounds for administrative action.

The assessment order is BCM (where applicable), aerobic assessment, hex bar deadlift, press-ups, then pull-ups. Minimum recovery between the four assessment elements is three minutes. Hex bar deadlift uses 3–10 repetitions and the prescribed prediction table. Press-ups last one minute; pull-ups are best effort, allowing whole and half repetitions.

Record your SCA results → · Read the full conduct notes in the app →

RECOGNITION & PROGRESSION

The SCA Club

The SCA Club is a separate pilot recognition initiative. Participation is voluntary and non-consequential. It takes age and sex into account to recognise achievement fairly, alongside the SCA’s common assessment baseline.

For eligibility, award categories and exact achievement thresholds, use the current Club guidance. Club recognition and SCA performance levels are separate systems.

Open SCA Club guidance ↗

YOUR NEXT STEP

Train the areas that need it

  1. Discuss your results with your PT staff and identify the physical qualities to develop.
  2. Build a progressive programme with suitable technique, loading and recovery.
  3. Track effort, consistency and progress over time.

The Army Physical Training System remains the core framework. Targeted training can improve quality without simply adding more PT. Reservists can use structured individual programmes alongside unit support.

Speak to SSgt C Davies · RAPTCI · 07376 776848

POLICY & SUPPORT

Official guidance

The conduct notes stay inside the app. Other official resources may require MOD sign-in and open separately.

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