Sprint-Drag-Carry (SDC): AFT Standards and How to Train It

The Sprint-Drag-Carry (SDC) is one of the five events on the Army Fitness Test (AFT), and the one most Soldiers find hardest to pace correctly. It packs five distinct movements into a single continuous, timed effort: a sprint, a sled drag, a lateral shuffle, a loaded carry, and a final sprint, each covering 50 meters.

The Five Phases of the SDC

1. Sprint (50m): an all-out sprint down the lane.
2. Sled Drag (50m): dragging a loaded sled backward by attached straps.
3. Lateral Shuffle (50m): a side-to-side shuffle down and back, staying low.
4. Loaded Carry (50m): carrying two loaded ammo cans (or equivalent) down and back at a run.
5. Sprint (50m): a final all-out sprint to the finish.

The event is scored as one continuous time from the first sprint to the finish line, not as five separate splits.

How SDC Scoring Works

The SDC is scored on the AFT's 0-100 point scale, and unlike the deadlift or push-up, a faster time earns more points. Scoring tables are broken out by age band (ten bands, 17-21 through 62+) and by scoring column, M | C (males and every combat-specialty Soldier) or F (females in combat-enabling specialties).

For the 17-21 age band, M | C column:

Every Soldier must score at least 60 points on the SDC, regardless of category, as part of the AFT's across-the-board 60-point minimum. For your exact age band and an instant score, use the AFT Calculator, which covers every event, age band, and scoring column.

Training the SDC: Phase by Phase

Because the SDC combines five different movement patterns, training each phase in isolation, then stringing them together, produces better results than treating it as one generic conditioning drill.

• Sprints: short-sprint speed work (10-20 yard accelerations) transfers directly to both sprint phases. The SDC rewards acceleration more than top-end speed, since 50 meters isn't far enough to reach maximum velocity.
• Sled drag: posterior chain strength (hip hinge, hamstrings, and grip) drives drag speed more than raw leg strength. Practice the actual backward-drag technique, not just forward sled pushes, since the movement pattern is different.
• Lateral shuffle: this phase punishes poor hip mobility and a high center of gravity. Staying low and driving off the outside leg, rather than crossing your feet, keeps your speed up here.
• Loaded carry: grip endurance is the limiter for most Soldiers on this phase, not leg strength. Farmer's carries at or above the test load, done for time rather than distance, build the specific grip and core stability this event needs.

The loaded-carry phase of the sprint-drag-carry, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, Aug. 2026. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Duke Edwards (DVIDS, public domain).

Transitions Matter as Much as the Movements

Most Soldiers train each phase but never practice the transitions between them, which is where time is actually lost on test day. Running the full SDC lane, start to finish, at a controlled pace before attempting a max-effort run lets you find your own transition weak points instead of guessing at them.

Where the SDC Fits in the AFT

The SDC is one of five AFT events; the others are the 3-Repetition Maximum Deadlift, Hand-Release Push-Up, Plank, and 2-Mile Run. See our AFT standards and score chart for the full event list, category minimums, and how the 60-point floor applies across all five.

A strong SDC time doesn't carry over to body composition: AFT and WHtR are fully decoupled under Army Directive 2026-13, so check your WHtR Calculator result separately.

Sources

1. Army Fitness Test (army.mil)
2. AFT Scoring Scales, effective June 1, 2025 (Army Publishing)