Cadetships 2013

Topper Harley

Max Manus wrote: »

Anyone have any idea what the fitness test is like? I heard a rumour that you score more points if can do more push ups?

1.5 mile run within 11:40 (males) or 13:10 (females);
20 push-ups (modified for females - i.e. knees on the ground) in 60 seconds;
20 sit-ups in 60 seconds.

MickJB1989 wrote: »

although I believe they are simply pass/ fail tests, no extra points for excellence (though I imagine it may not go unnoticed!)

Yes, they're pass/fail. For the push-ups and sit-ups, once you complete the 20 it's marked down as pass. Any more and you're really only wasting energy for the run which you do afterwards.

KVA115

On line aptitude tests next.....should be fun...:)

tomato1988

what is the best way to prepare for the aptitude tests?

Max Manus

tomato1988 wrote: »

what is the best way to prepare for the aptitude tests?

By practicing aptitude tests. You can get a book in Easons with loads of practice tests.

tomato1988

Max Manus wrote: »

By practicing aptitude tests. You can get a book in Easons with loads of practice tests.

good man fair play to you

Max Manus

tomato1988 wrote: »

good man fair play to you

God bless

paulmcgrath

Stupid question.

What is the irish armys defination of a 'situp', because as ye all know.

There are numerous and numerous techniques called 'situps'. What is the real mc coy according to them?

It wasn't me!

paulmcgrath wrote: »

Stupid question.

What is the irish armys defination of a 'situp', because as ye all know.

There are numerous and numerous techniques called 'situps'. What is the real mc coy according to them?

Feet on the ground, not anchored, hands flat on thighs. Lift from the waist while sliding the hands up the thigh until the palms cover the kneecaps. Lower backwards the same way. Feet must remain in contact with the ground.

paulmcgrath

It wasn't me! wrote: »

Feet on the ground, not anchored, hands flat on thighs. Lift from the waist while sliding the hands up the thigh until the palms cover the kneecaps. Lower backwards the same way. Feet must remain in contact with the ground.

Couldn't have asked for a better reply.Cheers

Topper Harley

paulmcgrath wrote: »

Stupid question.

What is the irish armys defination of a 'situp', because as ye all know.

There are numerous and numerous techniques called 'situps'. What is the real mc coy according to them?

Lying on mat, soles of feet flat on the ground, arms straight out in front on top of your legs. You then sit up until your knuckles pass the bend in your knee. Your feet can't come off the ground and there's no one holding you feet down.

Morpheus

its sort of like this

situp

lie on your back, shoulders and head on the ground

bend knees so that you have pulled your heels as close to your ar$e as you can

place hands palm down flat on your thighs

Begin the situp by engaging your abdominal muscles to raise yourself 45 degrees at the hips, lifting your entire back off the floor

as you lift your will also slide your hands up the legs towards the knees, your hands will travel over the knees as you continue to raise your body and will end up cupped over your knees so that your fingers tips are just beyond your knee caps

lower your body in a controlled manner to return to starting position.

That is one full sit up

paulmcgrath

Thanks for all the replies guys.

I hope you understand It may not be as silly a question as it seems.

goldie fish

paulmcgrath wrote: »

Thanks for all the replies guys.

I hope you understand It may not be as silly a question as it seems.

Its actually a very good question. Lots of otherwise fit people have failed the situps because they have been practicing the wrong way all along.

It wasn't me!

goldie fish wrote: »

Its actually a very good question. Lots of otherwise fit people have failed the situps because they have been practicing the wrong way all along.

Yeah, I've been doing a different style daily in training and got down to try the DF ones there and found it very hard. Going to have to work on that.

neilled

http://www.military.ie/careers/fitness-testing-centre/defence-forces-fitness-tests

Max Manus

How many pilots are they taking on this year?

RuinedEye

As far as I have heard its:
Air Corps 5
Army 18
Equitation 2
Navy 14

tomato1988

Would it be useful/recommended to do a prep course for the psychometric tests? If so, can anyone recommend one?

donegaldude

Topper Harley wrote: »

Yes, they're pass/fail. For the push-ups and sit-ups, once you complete the 20 it's marked down as pass. Any more and you're really only wasting energy for the run which you do afterwards.

I would disagree there, surely if a lad bangs out 50 pushups he would get the nod over the lad that only does 20 if it came down to it. I know in the annual tests you can do it differently.

I did them before with the RDF, we needed a grade x to pass for a course. So say it was 40 push ups for a grade x and 50 for a grade y, one would stop after the 40. And save energy for the sit ups/run.

paulmcgrath

donegaldude wrote: »

I would disagree there, surely if a lad bangs out 50 pushups he would get the nod over the lad that only does 20 if it came down to it. I know in the annual tests you can do it differently.

I did them before with the RDF, we needed a grade x to pass for a course. So say it was 40 push ups for a grade x and 50 for a grade y, one would stop after the 40. And save energy for the sit ups/run.

Wether you get the gig or not will most defiantly not come down to your performance in the physical test you can rest assure.

As mentioned previous. This is a pass fail test. And once passed, your performance will not be looked at again.

choppy1988

Well guys,

I am 24, and I just applied. I have a degree and a masters so hopefully that kinda stuff does help.

Just wondering when do they usually have you doing the online interview/tests? And do they email you well in advance so you can start studying or getting help on preparing for such?

eyescreamcone

Does anyone else think that the pass standard for the "fitness" test is particularly low?

I personally wouldn't regard someone who scraped a pass as being a physically fit person.

Just my opinion.

Ardennes1944

the run should be longer in my opinion, i like to run
i am finding it hard to do the sit ups without my feet coming off the floor though!

It wasn't me!

choppy1988 wrote: »

Well guys,

I am 24, and I just applied. I have a degree and a masters so hopefully that kinda stuff does help.

Just wondering when do they usually have you doing the online interview/tests? And do they email you well in advance so you can start studying or getting help on preparing for such?

I got an email detailing the next step in the process, which is apparently an online psychometric test, an interesting change from last year. The email said the link to the test would be sent out on the 27th, along with the details on when it would need to be completed.

eyescreamcone wrote: »

Does anyone else think that the pass standard for the "fitness" test is particularly low?

I personally wouldn't regard someone who scraped a pass as being a physically fit person.

Just my opinion.

Yeah, it's very low. Presumably they're just looking to ensure you're not in danger of being killed by the initial training. Personally, I wouldn't like to be borderline going in, not because it might affect your chances, but the lower your fitness, the shíttier time you're going to have getting dragged up to standard.

It wasn't me!

Ardennes1944 wrote: »

the run should be longer in my opinion, i like to run
i am finding it hard to do the sit ups without my feet coming off the floor though!

You've to focus hard to isolate only your core musculature. If you don't, you'll transfer some of the work to your upper thighs and then your feet come up. It's actually a very good challenging exercise like that. I have a routine when getting down to do them though that keeps the feet in a good place which lets them sit easy. Heels end up about 10-12" forward from my arse and it lets my legs stay relaxed.

paulmcgrath

eyescreamcone wrote: »

Does anyone else think that the pass standard for the "fitness" test is particularly low?

I personally wouldn't regard someone who scraped a pass as being a physically fit person.

Just my opinion.

A cleverer person will go further as an officer than a fitter person.

Morpheus

eyescreamcone wrote: »

Does anyone else think that the pass standard for the "fitness" test is particularly low?

I personally wouldn't regard someone who scraped a pass as being a physically fit person.

Just my opinion.

You're there to be an officer, not a ranger.

They want to ensure you all have a basic level of fitness that they can work on.

More importantly will be your academic prowess and ability to think outside the box, work as a team, be creative, follow orders, LISTEN TO SUBORDINATES ADVICE / SUGGESTIONS (alien to a lot of peoples opinions of what officers do) and most importantly LEAD inspiringly and diligently.

Its very rare to find very intelligent, academic super fit, individuals who can inspire leadership whilst working as a team all under intense pressure and usually in VERY life threatening environments, whether with high explosives on a range or on a patrol far from immediate support, in all kinds of weather and circumstances, who will be required to make decisions and give orders on the ground, sometimes without higher input or further advice, which will most likely result in OTHER people around them risking their lives to follow .

They need someone who sort of ticks most of these boxes and who almost certainly has the potential to tick the rest by the end of the cadetship.

so in short, yes the fitness test is simple enough for some of us, for others though its a steep mountain to climb, they however may excel at the other tests where the fit person may falter. welcome to life.

Miceail22

Morpheus wrote: »

You're there to be an officer, not a ranger.

I had to laugh at that, Sound advice though

eyescreamcone

Morpheus wrote: »

You're there to be an officer, not a ranger.

They want to ensure you all have a basic level of fitness that they can work on.

More importantly will be your academic prowess and ability to think outside the box, work as a team, be creative, follow orders, LISTEN TO SUBORDINATES ADVICE / SUGGESTIONS (alien to a lot of peoples opinions of what officers do) and most importantly LEAD inspiringly and diligently.

Its very rare to find very intelligent, academic super fit, individuals who can inspire leadership whilst working as a team all under intense pressure and usually in VERY life threatening environments, whether with high explosives on a range or on a patrol far from immediate support, in all kinds of weather and circumstances, who will be required to make decisions and give orders on the ground, sometimes without higher input or further advice, which will most likely result in OTHER people around them risking their lives to follow .

They need someone who sort of ticks most of these boxes and who almost certainly has the potential to tick the rest by the end of the cadetship.

so in short, yes the fitness test is simple enough for some of us, for others though its a steep mountain to climb, they however may excel at the other tests where the fit person may falter. welcome to life.

The personal qualities needed for a candidate to win in this competition are of an extremely high standard.

It seems to me that the physical fitness standards required are set very low in comparison to the other qualities required.

btw
I think that there are officers in the ARW also

Morpheus

It seems to me that the physical fitness standards required are set very low

You would be surprised at the amount of young men and women who will fail this.

There are officers in the ARW, but they were all cadets once and not necessarily the fittest. You seem focused madly on fitness, its probably the easiest component to "fix" in a candidate.

For example, many if not most corrective actions on the first part of the course will consist of PT or exercise related tasks of some sort.

combine this with the physical demands of the daily course routine whilst still a junior and you become fit very quickly.

so long as you go in with a basic level as above you will do okay fitness wise.

If you are a hero and can do 60 pushups 70 situps and run the distances in x amount of minutes etc, so be it, it wont make you any better a cadet than the guy who does the bare minimum. The army has been recruiting people for almost 100 years now, I think they know what they are doing.