Army Officers are amongst the most integral and well trained professionals within the national service. Officers command teams of up to 30 soldiers, and therefore it’s essential that you have a number of qualities. These qualities include: great leadership skills, discipline and fitness. In this blog, we’ll be concentrating on the latter, and the army officer fitness test.
Why do Army Officers need to be fit?
If you want to become an Army Officer, fitness is an essential attribute. When applying to become an Officer, your fitness will be tested in a number of different ways. You’ll have to sit a series of gruelling fitness assessments, to prove that you are worthy of the role. The real question, however, is why? Why do Officers need to take such difficult assessments? Well, there are a number of reasons for this:
- The nature of the role. Working in the army is an extremely demanding job. It is unlike any other position, in that most of your time will be spent moving around, training and performing physical activities. You’ll be on your feet most of the day, and this is especially the case if you are an Officer. Imagine that you were called into duty. Do you think the Army would want someone who is unfit and unable to mobilise?
- Lifestyle benefits. In order to be a good army officer, you need to be the right type of person. You need to be motivated, happy with your job and productive. Studies have shown that having a good level of fitness plays a key role in all of these aspects. Fitness is also scientifically proven to keep you mentally sharp and focused.
- Setting an example. As an officer, it is also your job to set an example for those under your command. You cannot do this if you are unfit. In order to lead and gain the respect of the soldiers in your team, and your fellow officers, it’s essential that you are in good physical shape and can keep up with the demands of the job.
What does the Army Officer Fitness Test involve?
In order to become an Army Officer, there are a number of different fitness tests that you’ll need to pass. These are:
- The Bleep Test.
- Sit-ups & Press ups.
- An Obstacle course.
- A 2400 metre timed run.
- Another Bleep Test.
Now, let’s look at these tests in more detail.
Army Officer Bleep Test
The first stage of the Army Officer fitness test is the ‘multi-stage fitness test’, or bleep test, as it is better known. This is a fairly simple exercise, but is extremely challenging to complete.
During the test you will be required to run between 2 markers, which are set 20 metres apart from each other. Whilst you run, a beep will sound at regular intervals. Your task is to reach the opposite marker before the next beep sounds. As you progress through the assessment, the time between each beep will be reduced, meaning you need to run faster in order to reach the opposite marker in time. Once you are no longer able to reach the next marker before the beep sounds, you will be eliminated from the test, and scored by the level you were ruled out at.
In order to pass this stage of the assessment, you will need to reach a minimum of level 10.2 for men, and 8.1 for women. There are 21 levels of difficulty, with each level lasting around 62 seconds. While level 10 is the minimum expectation for passing, you will be expected to achieve a higher mark than this.
Sit-Up Assessment
The next stage of the Army Officer fitness test is the Sit-Up Assessment. This test will require you to perform a number of sit-ups within a specified period of time. The Sit-Up Assessment is designed to measure your abdominal and trunk strength.
In order to pass this assessment, you will need to complete 50 sit-ups within 2 minutes. Successful completion will depend upon your ability to perform the sit ups correctly, as well as your ability to match the allocated number within the time frame. The 50 sit-up minimum applies to both male and female candidates.
Press-Up Assessment
The third stage of the Army Officer Fitness test is the Press-Up Assessment. This test will require you to perform a number of press-ups within a specified period of time. The Press-Up Assessment is designed to measure your upper body muscle strength, and overall upper body strength.
In order to pass this assessment, you will need to complete the minimum amount required for your gender. Men must complete 44 press-ups in 2 minutes, whereas women must complete 21 press-ups in 2 minutes. Successful completion will depend upon your ability to perform the press-ups correctly, as well as your ability to match the allocated number within the time frame.
Obstacle Course
The fourth stage of the Army Officer Fitness test is the Obstacle Course. This is a course which measures a combination of your strength, speed, ability and endurance. In order to complete this course, you will need to overcome obstacles including:
- 2 high standing hurdles.
- A long jump.
- A rope swing.
- A high wall.
- Carrying a heavy object.
You will be scored against how many circuits you are able to complete within the time frame, which is 3 minutes long. Completing 2 full circuits is considered a good achievement, whilst 3 is very good, and 4 is extremely impressive.
2400m Timed Run
The penultimate stage of the fitness assessment is the 2.4km timed run. This run will be carried out on a track service, and will have a strict time limit. In order to pass, you will need to complete the run in:
- 10 minutes and 30 seconds, for men.
- 13 minutes, for women.
Finally, you’ll complete the bleep test again, and then you are done!
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If you are interested in becoming an Army Officer, then make sure you attend our 1-Day Army Officer training course! This course will provide you with an incredible insight into the selection process for Army Officers, and is designed to teach you how to pass the Army Officer Selection Board! Alternatively, apply to join the British Army via their official website.
