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Military Fitness Advice

If you serve in the Armed Forces you need to be fit to respond to the different physical challenges you may face in on operations. If you think you are fit enough to walk (or jog) into the Armed Forces you are ‘planning to fail’!
Ensure you know the fitness standards you need to achieve. One individuals’ definition of being fit will vary from person to person.

So how much exercise should you do to be fit enough to apply to join the Armed Forces? It depends on your ambitions, but being physically fit when you join the Armed Forces will make your journey through Basic Training that much easier.

Always seek advice from your doctor or a fitness instructor at your local Sports Centre before starting a vigorous exercise regime. Never assume that you can go for a three mile run if you haven’t done any serious physical activity for some time. Apart from putting your body under dangerous strain you will find it will really hurt the next day!

A fitness regime to get you fit enough to join any of the branches of the Armed Forces will need to include exercises to improve upper body strength as well as running which will increase lung capacity and lower body strength. Instructors at your local Sports Centre may well help you plan a fitness regime. At the very least, do not be too ambitious when starting a training programme. Increase your workload over a period of time and aim to go just that little bit further week by week. Also, don’t accept the bare minimum fitness standard to be accepted into the Armed Forces – go one step further and aim to succeed!

This section covers what you need to know to pass the entrance fitness requirements for each Service, but ensure you read the Basic Training Fitness Requirements at the end of this section to find out what you need to achieve to pass Basic Training.

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