I am set for meps on the 28th of June, and I am extremely close to passing or failing tape.

Of those who were taped, did they measure you at the thinnest spot or did they try and fail you by taking love handles into it?

Any help and personal experience would be helpful.

The regulation (AR 670-1) states they must measure with tape around the navel, no higher or lower.

WOW! What a brain fart. I meant AR 600-9. Sorry!!

I know what the regulation is, I was just curious about personal experiences. The difference between the bottom half of the belly button and the top half are somewhat large on me.

Also, with the ARMS test (should I have to take it). Id it just that you have to do the step up and down thing for 5 minutes and keep heart rate under 180bpm? I can do 40 push-ups in two minutes so I am not concerned about that portion of it.

So here was my experience. They measured me around the widest part of my torso, about an inch and a half above my pubic bone. He measured as tightly as possible around my neck and as loosely as possible around my torso, almost hanging it there. Because of that I failed the tape test. I have another go at it in September. I guess I'll lose 20 more lbs and try again.

just like Spc Deisel said it should be even with the navel all the way around. Search 600-9 print it and bring it in there. I Personally never heard of the step up and down to keep your heart rate up for a tape test. If your doing 40 push ups in 2 minutes keep working on it because when you get into the the real army it will take more than 40 to pass..

Damn Pahncrd, you failed it and theyre making you wait 3 months? :S Insane!

I failed my tape test on May 23rd, because i was 29% bodyfat and couldnt pass the tape test, and I went back on June 14th, and passed it. Was at 25% bodyfat.

By the way, i doubt it was 2 inches above your pubic bone :P thats awful low. Do you mean 2 inches above your Illeum?

maybe he meant pelvic bone?

Also, if you know they are taping wrong, why not say something???

Preperahation H + Glad Wrap...

Soak your midline...w/ Preperahation H (yes...preperation H)...and cover it/seal it up with Glad Wrap....for 24HRS STRAIGHT...PRE-TAPE TEST...

You will loose AT LEAST 1" (usually 2" or more) around your midline.

It's a localized duirect, which for the short term will pull extrastitual fluid away. (make your tummy sweat, and lose "water weight"

Umbilicus, navel, belly button, innie/outie...thats where they measure.

Now obviously this wont make you any more fit, and there ARE quite a few people who can knock out 280+ on their APFT...however are VERY CLOSE to borderline on the TAPE TEST. I believe that is mainly due to the army ONLY measuring the neck and midline ONLY and no where else. (not very accurate) However, thats a differant topic...and obviously one NOT worth fighting that fight.

However, besides this which is obviously a SHORT TERM fix. It wont do you any good if you are POOR fitness, when you ship out. (im not saying u are, as i dont know). But that would be in a sence "setting you up for failure" ya know. But somepeople just have big midlines and small necks, hence I brought up the Preperation H.

Side Bar: I would ensure, or try to get at LEAST 60 PTS in the RUN, PUSH UP and SIT UP...before you SHIP!!! If you can do this you will be good TO GO. As 60 pts in the minimum army standard...however...if you can pass the APFT before you go, then you will ONLY GET MUCH MUCH better during BASIC (and AIT).

Best of luck...
and with 3 months...of training you should be RIPPED BY THEN....and ready to kick *** and prolly wont need preperation H!!! As if your that close, ya know...it's not a GOOD thing. Knowledge is meant to be shared, i dont have much...but i dont mind to share what i do know.



(i am not a doctor)

http://www.jmu.edu/rotc/cadets/pt_files/pt_score.htm

There is the US ARMY APFT scoring standands...
so you know (if u dont yet) how each even is scored.

A lot of spas will do that wrap for you, too. It's important to have someone else wrap you, otherwise it will be too loose.

Good Point about wrapping it tightly.

But, The SPA costs a LIL bit more for Joe than the 3.99 tube of Preperation H.

Oh, fo' sho', fo' sho'...

Well......just b/c you go to the "day-man-spa", doesn't mean the all the other soldiers have to.