The United States Space Force has officially introduced its first-ever dedicated physical fitness program, a significant move that tailors readiness standards to the unique operational demands of its personnel. The new system, which begins January 1, 2026, emphasizes holistic health and leverages data from wearable fitness trackers.
Detailed in Space Force Manual 36-2905, titled “Human Performance and Readiness,” the program replaces the previous reliance on the U.S. Air Force's fitness standards. This change reflects the distinct nature of the Space Force mission, where most Guardians operate in office environments rather than traditional combat roles.
Key Takeaways
- The Space Force will implement its own physical fitness test, the Human Performance Assessment, starting January 1, 2026.
- The program is based on findings from a study using wearable fitness trackers, which showed improved Guardian fitness and high exercise adherence.
- The new test includes cardio, strength, and endurance components, but the body composition measurement is not scored.
- A follow-up study called CFA PRIME will continue to gather data using smartwatches, offering participants reduced testing requirements.
A New Era of Guardian Fitness
Since its establishment in 2019, the Space Force has utilized the Air Force's physical fitness assessment. However, service leaders recognized the need for a program better aligned with the duties of Guardians, many of whom are "deployed in place" at computer consoles. This led to the development of the Holistic Health Approach in 2023, which prioritizes overall wellness over a single annual test.
The foundation for the new program was a multi-year study called the Continuous Fitness Assessment (CFA). In this study, volunteer Guardians were given Garmin fitness trackers to monitor their physical activity, heart rate, and other health metrics. The goal was to understand exercise habits and develop a more effective, data-driven approach to fitness.
According to a Space Force spokesperson, the initial results were highly positive. “Interim results show that Guardians regularly exceeded the exercise requirement, suggesting excellent adoption and adherence to exercise requirements,” the spokesperson stated. The service also reported no documented increase in injuries from the increased activity.
Study Shows Positive Outcomes
After 12 months in the Continuous Fitness Assessment study, the pass rate for physical fitness assessments among participating Guardians increased to 92 percent. Participants also showed significant improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness.
The Human Performance Assessment Explained
The new twice-annual test, named the Human Performance Assessment, is designed to measure different aspects of physical fitness relevant to the service. It is structured to provide flexibility while ensuring a baseline of readiness. The assessment is worth a total of 80 points.
Component Breakdown
The test is divided into three scored sections:
- Cardiovascular Fitness (50 points): Guardians can choose between a 2-mile run or a 20-meter High Aerobic Multi-Shuttle Run (HAMR). However, policy requires that at least one of the two annual tests must be the 2-mile run.
- Muscular Strength (15 points): This section offers a choice between completing as many push-ups as possible in one minute or as many hand-release push-ups as possible in two minutes.
- Muscular Endurance (15 points): Guardians can select one of three exercises: one minute of sit-ups, two minutes of cross-leg reverse crunches, or a timed forearm plank.
A notable difference from other military branches is the approach to body composition. While the Space Force will measure a Guardian's waist-to-height ratio, this measurement is not a scored component of the Human Performance Assessment. Instead, it is used as a health indicator.
Scoring and Performance Tiers
Guardians' total scores place them into one of three categories:
- Fit to Fight: A score of 72 points or higher.
- Health Maintenance: A score between 60 and 71.9 points.
- Health Concern: A score below 60 points.
Individuals who score in the “Health Concern” category are required to enroll in a fitness improvement program. They must then retest within three months to demonstrate progress. The complete scoring charts are available to personnel on internal Space Force platforms.
Continued Innovation with Wearable Technology
Building on the success of the initial study, the Space Force is launching a follow-on experiment called CFA PRIME. This new phase, which began on October 1, 2025, will continue to use wearable technology to refine the service's approach to fitness.
What is the Holistic Health Approach?
Introduced in 2023, the Holistic Health Approach is a comprehensive Space Force initiative focused on the overall well-being of Guardians. It goes beyond physical fitness to include mental, spiritual, and social health, supported by resources like Guardian Resilience Teams.
CFA PRIME will feature “data-driven modifications” aimed at achieving faster and more significant fitness improvements. According to the service, this includes increasing the monthly exercise requirements tracked by the devices. Guardians who participated in the original CFA study were exempt from physical fitness tests for two years. Those who volunteer for CFA PRIME will only be required to take one official Human Performance Assessment per year instead of two.
“Guardians exhibited significant improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness after 12 months of participation in the CFA study,” a service spokesperson told Air & Space Forces Magazine, highlighting the data that supports the new program.
The original study monitored several key metrics, including cardiovascular intensity minutes, with a monthly goal of 600 minutes. It also tracked VO2 max assessments and push-up performance, supplemented by regular surveys.
Support Structures and Broader Military Context
To support the new fitness culture, the Space Force established Guardian Resilience Teams (GRTs). These teams include a range of specialists such as certified strength and conditioning coaches, mental health providers, and physical therapists. The GRTs are now responsible for training and certifying “Unit Fitness Cells,” which are groups of Guardians tasked with administering the new tests and leading physical training at the unit level.
The release of the new fitness manual on September 26, 2025, occurred shortly before Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth emphasized physical readiness across the Department of Defense. On September 30, Hegseth issued a memo directing all service members to perform physical fitness training every duty day.
The Space Force manual outlines a requirement for units to conduct 60 minutes of physical training at least three days a week, allowing Guardians time for individual workouts on other days. A spokesperson confirmed that the service has not received instructions to change its manual in response to the Secretary's directive.
Furthermore, while Hegseth’s memo called for “Combat Field Tests” for combat arms personnel, the Space Force is uniquely exempt from this requirement. The service does not have any career fields officially designated as combat arms occupations, underscoring its distinct operational focus and the rationale behind its tailored fitness program.