Can I still do crunches for personal training?

Yes — crunches are fine for general core work. They just no longer count on the PFT. Prioritize plank-specific training if you want core points on test day.

What plank position is required on the PFT?

Forearm plank with elbows directly under shoulders, body in a straight line from head to heels. Your scorer will correct form breaks — know the official position before test day.

Did the plank change affect CFT scoring?

No. The CFT never used crunches as a standalone event. Core strength is tested within Maneuver Under Fire, which was unaffected by the PFT plank transition.

How long did Marines have to transition from crunches?

CH-4 was signed on 23 March 2022 and allowed crunches until 31 December 2022. From 2023 on, every PFT uses the plank.

Is a 3:00 plank a good score?

A 3:00 plank scores well above the minimum and into competitive territory. Enter your exact time in the calculator to see the precise point value — the plank table changes by a point roughly every two to three seconds.

Why do some older articles still mention crunches?

Pre-2022 content has not been updated or was written for a different branch. Always verify against MCO 6100.13A and current USMC guidance — crunches are no longer a PFT event.

Does the plank have a maximum time cap?

Scoring maxes at 3:45 (100 points). Holding longer does not earn extra points, though it demonstrates capacity. Train to hold 3:45 with solid form rather than chasing extreme durations.

Will the Marine Corps bring crunches back?

There is no indication of a reversal. The plank change was driven by injury prevention research and alignment with functional fitness standards across the military.

Plank vs Crunches: Why the Marine Corps Changed

Quick answer

MCO 6100.13A CH-2 (December 2019) added the plank as an alternative to crunches, and CH-4 (March 2022) ended the crunch on 31 December 2022. The plank is scored on one table for all ages and both sexes: 1:10 earns 40 points and 3:45 earns 100.

To turn your own reps and times into points, use the Marine Corps PFT calculator.

Timeline

When crunches left the PFT

The plank became an option in 2019 and the only core event after the crunch ended on 31 December 2022.

If you trained under the old PFT, you remember the crunch station: two minutes, arms crossed, scorer counting reps until time ran out. That event is gone. MCO 6100.13A CH-2 (30 December 2019) added the forearm plank as an alternative to the crunch. CH-4 (23 March 2022) set the current plank table, from 1:10 for 40 points to 3:45 for 100, and ended the crunch on 31 December 2022. Since then every PFT uses the plank. Current minimums for every event are on the Marine Corps PFT standards page.

The change was not a minor tweak. It rewrote how Marines train core strength, how scorers administer the test, and how points accumulate on the fitness report. Marines who still practice crunch volume for PFT prep are working the wrong event. The plank is what counts.

PFT core event — crunch vs plank
	Crunches (pre-2022)	Plank (current)
Event type	Max reps in 2 minutes	Timed forearm hold
Scoring method	Rep table by age & sex	One table for all ages and both sexes
Minimum for points	Varies by age group	1:10 (40 points)
Maximum score	Varies by age group	3:45 (100 points)
Still valid for PFT	No (ended 31 Dec 2022)	Yes — sole core event
Governing order	MCO 6100.13A, Table 2-3	MCO 6100.13A CH-4, Table 2-4

Why the change

Why the Marine Corps chose planks over crunches

The order does not give a reason, but the difference between the two movements is easy to see.

Crunches reward repeated spinal flexion — curling your torso up and down as fast as possible for two minutes. That motion builds a specific kind of endurance, but it does not mirror how Marines brace under load, carry gear, or stabilize during movement. Planks test isometric bracing: the same pattern you use when you hold tension through your midsection under a pack, in a fighting hole, or during a fireman's carry.

The change transmittals themselves only say the update was directed by the Commandant; they do not cite injury data. What changed in practice is clear: a two-minute rep race became a hold that measures whether you can keep core tension over time.

Scoring also simplified. Crunches used separate rep tables for every age group and sex. The plank uses one table for everyone (Table 2-4), so a 22-year-old man and a 48-year-old woman earn the same points for the same hold. That uniformity is rare on the PFT and makes training targets easier to set.

Plank scoring milestones (all ages and genders)
Hold time	Points	Notes
Below 1:10	Fail event	Does not meet minimum
1:10	40	Minimum valid hold
2:00	59	Mid-range passing
2:30	70	Strong for most age groups
3:00	82	Solid 2nd Class helper
3:45+	100	Maximum score

Scoring today

How plank is scored on your current PFT

Your hold time is looked up in one plank table, the same for every Marine.

Hold a forearm plank with elbows under shoulders, body in a straight line from head to heels, and feet together or as directed by your unit. The scorer starts the clock when you are in position and stops it when you break form or choose to stop. That elapsed time is your raw score input.

Points run from 40 at 1:10 to 100 at 3:45. The table lists a time for each point, roughly every two to three seconds, and you earn the points for the longest listed time you held. Adding 15 seconds to your hold is worth about five or six points on your total.

Use the PFT score calculator to convert your hold time to points and stack it with your upper-body and cardio events. For every PFT table and a worked example, read PFT scoring explained.

Training

Migrating your training from crunches to planks

If your core program still centers on crunch volume, rebuild around holds, bracing, and time under tension.

The fastest path off crunches is not to ignore core work — it is to redirect it. Replace timed crunch sets with plank intervals: 3–4 holds at 80–90% of your max time, rest equal to hold time, three sessions per week. Add anti-extension work (dead bugs, hollow holds) and loaded carries so your brace holds up when you are tired on test day.

Build time gradually. Marines who chase a 3:45 max on week one often plateau or irritate their shoulders. Add 5–10 seconds per week to your longest hold when form stays strict. Track times the same way you would track a run PR — same surface, same warm-up, same rest before the attempt.

Sample 6-week plank progression (strict form)
Week	Session focus	Target longest hold
1	4 × 45 sec holds, 45 sec rest	1:15 test hold
2	4 × 60 sec holds, 60 sec rest	1:30 test hold
3	3 × 90 sec holds, 60 sec rest	1:50 test hold
4	3 × 2:00 holds, 90 sec rest	2:15 test hold
5	2 × 2:30 holds, 2 min rest	2:45 test hold
6	1 max hold + 2 × 2:00	Test-day target hold

Fleet reality

What this means for Marines who lived both standards

Veterans of the crunch era have an advantage in general fitness — but they still need plank-specific prep.

Marines who maxed crunches under the old order often assume core is a solved problem. Plank testing proves otherwise. The hold exposes weak links in shoulder stability and hip control that crunches never stressed. Fleet leaders report Marines passing the event while scoring lower on plank than they expect — not because they are unfit, but because they never trained the new standard with intent.

The good news: plank scores respond to consistent training faster than many Marines expect. Two focused cycles of interval holds usually move the needle more than months of occasional crunch sets. Treat plank like any other PFT event with a published table — set a target time, work backward from the points you need, and verify progress in the PFT Calculator alongside your run and upper-body numbers.

Crunches are history on the PFT. Planks are the present. Train the event on the score sheet, see how the PFT scoring tables work, and give your core block the same respect you give your run intervals.

Calculate your PFT score

Enter pull-ups or push-ups, plank time, and 3-mile run or 5K row for an instant total.

Open PFT Calculator

Calculate your CFT score

Score Movement to Contact, Ammo Can Lifts, and Maneuver Under Fire out of 300.

Open CFT Calculator

Help

Frequently asked questions

Answers specific to this guide — not duplicated from the calculator or standards pages.

Can I still do crunches for personal training?
Yes — crunches are fine for general core work. They just no longer count on the PFT. Prioritize plank-specific training if you want core points on test day.
What plank position is required on the PFT?
Forearm plank with elbows directly under shoulders, body in a straight line from head to heels. Your scorer will correct form breaks — know the official position before test day.
Did the plank change affect CFT scoring?
No. The CFT never used crunches as a standalone event. Core strength is tested within Maneuver Under Fire, which was unaffected by the PFT plank transition.
How long did Marines have to transition from crunches?
CH-4 was signed on 23 March 2022 and allowed crunches until 31 December 2022. From 2023 on, every PFT uses the plank.
Is a 3:00 plank a good score?
A 3:00 plank scores well above the minimum and into competitive territory. Enter your exact time in the calculator to see the precise point value — the plank table changes by a point roughly every two to three seconds.
Why do some older articles still mention crunches?
Pre-2022 content has not been updated or was written for a different branch. Always verify against MCO 6100.13A and current USMC guidance — crunches are no longer a PFT event.
Does the plank have a maximum time cap?
Scoring maxes at 3:45 (100 points). Holding longer does not earn extra points, though it demonstrates capacity. Train to hold 3:45 with solid form rather than chasing extreme durations.
Will the Marine Corps bring crunches back?
There is no indication of a reversal. The plank change was driven by injury prevention research and alignment with functional fitness standards across the military.

Wrap-up

Conclusion

The plank became a crunch alternative in 2019 and the only core event after 31 December 2022, scored on one table from 1:10 (40 points) to 3:45 (100 points). Crunch-era training does not prepare you for that hold.

Rebuild around timed planks, strict form, and progressive volume. Stack your hold time with the other events in the USMC PFT calculator, and read how PFT scoring works when you need the math behind your points. The event changed — your prep should too.

Score your plank Current standards

Keep reading

Continue with these articles — each covers a different angle of USMC fitness scoring.