CFA Flexed Arm Hang/Pull-Ups

g396

New Member
Joined
Jun 2, 2016
Messages
4
I am going to be taking the CFA next year, and I am preparing for it. I noticed that the flexed arm hang is listed for women, but not for men. Do women only have to do the flexed arm hang if they can't do pull ups? Or do they do both no matter what? Should I practice both the arm hang and pull ups?

Thanks!
 
The flexed arm hang is an option only females have. You would only have to do the flexed arm hang if you are unable to complete one pullup up to standards...but keep in mind just one pullup gets you a higher score in that event than if you max out the time for the flexed arm hang. You should do everything that will help you reach at least the average score for pullups (which was 3 for this past year)!!
 
Definitely do the pull ups. Like someone else said, just one scores higher than maxing out on the flexed arm hang. What really helped me was getting a pull up assist; it is elastic and you can attach it to the bar and it helps you up. You can adjust it as you get stronger. Also, do negative pull-ups. Get your body over the bar- jump use a chair whatever. Then, slowly lower your body down as slow as possible. It uses the same muscles and helps you get up to a real pull-up. Lastly, do other back, chest and core exercises. They will help you with pull-ups as well. Mostly it's just muscle memory and hard work. Good luck! I went from 0 pull-ups to 4 doing this.
 
Hello USAFA crowd. It has been a long time (#1 is at Ranger School and #3 is a Yuk at USMA--so Go Army). I hope you and your cadets and graduates are well.
Was at a cocktail party over the holidays and met a friend's daughter--a bright eyed cadet candidate (a star in CAP, straight A's, with two nominations, etc.)--just a gem of a young woman whose only wish in the world is to attend USAFA.
She discussed that she had maxed the flex arm hang on the CFA--and I mentioned the importance of being able to do a single pull up (and the plethora of training materials available online--esp now that the Marine Corps has instituted pull-ups for women--there are excellent videos featuring the work of LtCol Misty Posey, and more).
So...do candidates who cannot do a pull up routinely get accepted to USAFA or is it the sort of thing that a motivated candidate would/should continue to work on the pull up with the goal of submitting an updated CFA or somehow notifying admissions when she got her chin over the bar a time or two?
I would like to be able to provide relevant and current information--and I know this group is well informed.
Happy holidays to all--and best wishes in the New Year.

Have edited this to add, of course I was like, 'You know, the application deadline for West Point is the end of February. You have a presidential nomination. With a little effort you could broaden your strategy on becoming an officer.' You would have thought I asked her to do something illegal...that girl is USAFA or AF ROTC through and through. Admirable.
 
So...do candidates who cannot do a pull up routinely get accepted to USAFA or is it the sort of thing that a motivated candidate would/should continue to work on the pull up with the goal of submitting an updated CFA or somehow notifying admissions when she got her chin over the bar a time or two?

Candidates who can do only a flexed-arm hang do get accepted, but I wouldn’t say “routinely.” As mentioned several times above, just one pull-up is worth more than hanging eternally. So a cadet who only managed a hang clearly compensated with other strong credentials.

If a candidate is truly motivated, she should absolutely do everything in her power to do a pull-up or three. Settling for a hang when there’s clearly time to improve would make me question her motivation.
 
My son joined cross fit to improve his CFA.

Started out using bands ... got 15 on his CFA. Wanted 18 ... but settled because he didn’t want to hurt his push-ups and other items by tiring out.

The women in cross fit can do as many as he can.
 
My son joined cross fit to improve his CFA.

Started out using bands ... got 15 on his CFA. Wanted 18 ... but settled because he didn’t want to hurt his push-ups and other items by tiring out.

The women in cross fit can do as many as he can.
Go for the pull-ups! I do Crossfit and can get 5 strict pull-ups. (And I’m female and 46 with 3 kids!)
 
Well, this grandmother (soon to be of 8 (in 4 years) since fencersdaughter is having TWINS) can't do any pullups any more but when I was 17, I could do five. Um, now... well, I am good at WATCHING sit ups.
 
Back
Top