THE VARIOUS BRANCHES of the United States Military have fitness standards measured by a number of physical assessments, like the Army Fitness Test (AFT), the Marine Corps Physical Fitness Test (PFT), and the Candidate Fitness Assessment (CFA) for admission to Service Academies such as West Point. These tests are more than just the pushups, pullups, burpees, and mile-and-a-half runs you might be familiar with from bootcamp scenes in war movies or YouTube clips. But if you can’t manage the Murph, there is one military fitness test that the average guy can try: the basketball throw.
Introduced in 1975 as part of the six-part Candidate Fitness Assessment required for admission to U.S. military academies, the basketball throw might look odd compared to other feats of strength, like a trap bar deadlift. Here’s how it works: cadets lean back from a kneeling position and toss a basketball with one hand. They’re not trying to get it in the hoop; the objective is to launch it as far as possible. This tests a brand of functional explosive strength necessary for military tasks, such as throwing a grenade from a kneeling position. “There are many types of grenades, from smoked grenades to explosive ones — being able to throw them a great distance may be necessary,” explains Stew Smith, C.S.C.S., a former Navy SEAL.
Without that combat context, the test looks like an entry-level Harlem Globetrotters exercise. But while it may not appear to be much in videos on social media, it’s not easy to dominate this throw. The best, longest, most powerful throws in any sport (and with any implement) capitalize on hip power. By forcing you to kneel, the military basketball throw eliminates almost all of that hip power.
What the throw does, says Smith, is zone in on upper-body power. “It is a way to measure ballistic power and strength, but it’s also a great way to measure how far you can throw something and (whether you) have a durable shoulder girdle,” Smith says. He recalls asking the late Ed Peery, a legendary wrestling coach at the U.S. Naval Academy, about the purpose of the basketball throw back in 1996. Peery’s response: it measures athletic potential. “I think he’s right,” Smith reflects. “I have given this test hundreds of times and can say the best athletes do the best on that event.”
It’s also testing how well you use your spine, says MH fitness director Ebenezer Samuel, C.S.C.S. “Since you can’t explode through your hips on this throw, you have to create whip-like force from somewhere else,” says Samuel. “Your body relies instead on two other key mechanics: A massive twist through your shoulders, and powerful arching and then rounding through your spine.”
Translation: To succeed in this test, you need a ton of mobility. “A really easy way to get better at this test: Hit your cat-cows and Spiderman lunges,” says Samuel.
Unlike Smith, Rob Shaul, who completed the basketball throw test in 1985 as a part of his admission into the Coast Guard Academy, has always found the test to be a bit of an unusual proxy for athleticism. “I've never seen it in another tactical athlete fitness assessment, and I've designed training plans for dozens of them,” he says. As the founder of Mountain Tactical Institute, Shaul develops training programs for military and law enforcement and has helped cadets prepare for the basketball throw. So before you try and ball, Shaul shares five tips for a long shot.
- Once comfortably in a kneeling position, bend your wrist and cradle the ball between your hand and forearm, rather than try to balance it on your palm. This is a more secure way to confidently hold the ball before throwing it, regardless of hand size.
- When you’re ready to throw, try not to throw the basketball like a baseball or football with a bent elbow. In other words, if you’re winding up like a pitcher or quarterback, you’re doing it wrong. The key is to keep your arm and elbow extended as much as possible while managing to toss the ball.
- Make a fist with your non-dominant hand and drive that elbow down and sideways during the throw. This helps you throw further by generating “rotational power with your upper body,” Shaul says.
- For added power behind your throw, Shaul recommends leaning back, then pulling yourself forward. To stay balanced and in control of the ball, keep your core muscles engaged and lean back only as far as you're comfortable.
- Finally, you are ready to throw the basketball. For best results, Shaul has found that releasing the ball at a 45-degree angle generally yields the greatest throwing distance.
Sure, you’re not trying to get into West Point, but the average scores there are 69 feet for men and 43 feet for women. “I don’t know about a first-time try, but those would be good scores after some technique work,” Shaul says. It’s worth noting that the CFA basketball test requires cadets to complete three tosses within two minutes, so consider timing yourself as well.
The Bottom Line
The basketball throw can seem easier than other forms of military tactical exercises, partly because you’re not working for reps or for time. Instead, it’s about getting your upper body to work as a unit for a few perfect seconds.
But figuring out how to own that moment can be incredibly challenging—at least to do well. Since most people have access to a basketball and the risk of injury is low, there is no compelling reason not to give this move a (wait for it) shot. Think of it as the one air-ball you can claim was on purpose.
Lauren Vinopal is a writer based in Chicago whose work has been published in GQ, Slate, Mel Magazine, and more.
