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Fitness Advice to Help Pass the Selection Tests

Any person, whether they be male or female, will need to exhibit a reasonably high standard of fitness when applying to join the British Armed Forces – but what level of fitness will depend on whether the Potential Recruit wants to join the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, Army or Royal Air Force?

Fitness criteria for the Army will vary depending on what type of employment an individual wishes to carry out. For example, a male wishing to join The Parachute Regiment will be expected to meet a higher fitness standard than a person wanting to join the Royal Corps of Music. Likewise, a person wanting to join the Royal Air Force Regiment would be expected to achieve higher scores than a person who aspires to maintain aircraft.

There can be no doubt that fitness is a ‘frame of mind’ and that the individual who wants to join the Armed Forces must have a ‘Will Do’ attitude as far as fitness is concerned. Also, the saying ‘ ‘From Little Acorns Big Oak Trees Grow’ is very apt.

As far as fitness is concerned we all have to start somewhere. Some will find it relatively easy to go to the gym or ‘pound’ the pavement (go for a run) but there are others who will find it quite a challenge! The ‘watchword’ here is ‘Self Discipline’ – something every member of the Armed Forces should have in abundance and something the Potential Recruit should instil in himself from the outset!

So what do we mean by a ‘ ‘Will Do’ attitude and ‘ ‘From Little Acorns Big Oak Trees Grow’? A‘ ‘Will Do’ attitude is a frame of mind where no matter what – rain, hail, wind, sleet or snow – the Potential Recruit will ‘commit’ to a training regime even when they don’t feel like getting all sweaty and ‘orrid or their mates want them to go down the pub for a pint! No matter what, you have made the decision that your personal fitness is going to move to the top of your agenda – this need not mean that a drink with the lads is a thing of the past but it will mean keeping things under control and in moderation.

Let us now deal with the ‘ ‘little acorns’ and ‘ ‘big oak trees’!! Members of Elite and Special Forces units all started their careers at the same place as you will – by applying to join the Armed Services as a Potential Recruit. They didn’t all of a sudden achieve high levels of fitness overnight – they started by exercising sensibly and over a period of time achieving the levels of fitness that enabled them to reach their own specific goals. However, high levels of fitness are not confined to Elite and Special Forces. A fit body produces a fit mind and in today’s technical age a fit and agile mind is needed by technicians, mechanics, drivers and storemen – we could go on because the list is endless. And you should ask yourself – WHY? The answer – because they are expected to be soldiers first and tradesmen second.

Warming-up before Training Sessions

There are many levels of fitness training but it is worth remembering that prior to a training session it is advisable to warm-up – and on completion you should cool down. There is no hard and fast rule about how long warming-up sessions should last but as a guide they should take no more than 10 to 15 minutes.

Warming up exercises mobilise and generally prepare the body for the coming training session by raising breathing and heart rates as well as raising muscle temperature. Stretching exercises prepare muscles, tendons and body tissue and is a very important part of warming-up as it will help to reduce the possibility of muscle damage and injury.  

Cooling Down after Exercise

All too often we fail to understand that the body is a finely tuned piece of machinery. Periods of intense activity make the body work harder – therefore the need to cool the body down and return to its normal state cannot be overstated, in fact, it is a necessary part of fitness training to give the body a chance to cool down. Similar to warming-up there is no hard and fast rule about how long these sessions should take – but as a guide should take no more than 10 to 15 minutes.

After a training session it is advisable to ‘take on’ fluids to replace those lost during periods of intense activity as well as carrying out pulse reducing exercises and stretching and mobility exercises that can be found in the following tables.

What Exercises Should I Use?

So what exercises should be used during a warm-up session? In general there is a need to GENTLY rotate and mobilise the joints throughout the body to ensure the body is warm and the following tables contain details of some warm-up exercises. These exercises can also be used to cool down.

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Go to: Military Fitness Advice

Fitness Advice to Help Pass the Selection Tests

Basic Training Fitness Requirements
British Army Entrance Fitness Requirements
RAF Entrance Fitness Requirements
Royal Navy Entrance Fitness Requirements
Royal Marines Entrance Fitness Requirements

Tables of Fitness advice:
British Army Basic Training Fitness
RAF Basic Training Fitness
Royal Navy Basic Training Fitness
Royal Marine Basic Training Fitness