army physical test

colm911

Ok have an army fitness test coming up in a week. Only exercise I do is a 3k walk 5 times a week. Formally a smoker (only gave up yesterday). Basically I have to be able to run 1.5 miles in 11 mins 40 seconds or under and then do 20 sit ups and 20 press ups both in under a minute. Is it possible?

lil-evil

IMO - Yes

If your fit-ish the pressups & situps wont be an issue. Even if you do 5 then stop take a breath then and other 5/breath and so on you will be able for them

As for the run thats going to depend on how fast you walk regularly ... From today try run til you have to stop then walk fast then when you get your breath back run some more. Try not start off too fast coz if you jog the longer you'll last running and less walking....

Hope this helps ??

endacl

colm911 wrote: »

Ok have an army fitness test coming up in a week. Only exercise I do is a 3k walk 5 times a week. Formally a smoker (only gave up yesterday). Basically I have to be able to run 1.5 miles in 11 mins 40 seconds or under and then do 20 sit ups and 20 press ups both in under a minute. Is it possible?

Surely they gave you more than a week's notice to prepare and get in shape...?

helimachoptor

endacl wrote: »

Surely they gave you more than a week's notice to prepare and get in shape...?

Thinking the same, hardly a model defender of the country if the prep you put into joining up is just 7 days

Hammar

colm911 wrote: »

Ok have an army fitness test coming up in a week. Only exercise I do is a 3k walk 5 times a week. Formally a smoker (only gave up yesterday). Basically I have to be able to run 1.5 miles in 11 mins 40 seconds or under and then do 20 sit ups and 20 press ups both in under a minute. Is it possible?

How many press ups and situps can you do?
Can you run 1.5 miles?If so how fast can you do that now???
You need to find out those two things,before any of us can help you.
I done the Army Physical Fitness Test about 5/6 years ago,They did the Sit-ups/Press ups indoors and the run around the square afterwards. It is not exactly difficult for anyone who is physically active.

colm911

helimachoptor wrote: »

Thinking the same, hardly a model defender of the country if the prep you put into joining up is just 7 days

No it was my error, didn't read my emails

RidleyRider

endacl wrote: »

Surely they gave you more than a week's notice to prepare and get in shape...?

They probably did they just more than likely put it on the long finger.

OP, the push ups and sit ups shouldn't be a problem for you if you can manage a few in a row then grind out the rest. You need to be averaging a speed around 8mph/12.8km/hr which could be achieved but in a week to turn from a smoker to runner might be difficult.

ChunkyLover_53

Yep its very possible.

Map out a 1.5 mile route on Google Earth and run it at a nice pace everyday, except the day before the test.

Focus on controlling your breathing & lengthning your stride. Rest the day before the test.

On the day of the test run like the Devil himself is behind you.

Also practice the Sit Ups & Push Ups. Lots of people struggle with the Sit Ups so Practice at least twice a day.

You have one week to pass this test. Set this as your 1st of many goals.

Use whatever you can to motivate yourself eg Music, Energy Drinks

Your motivation should be a getting a chance to join the Defence Forces. You'll see & do things you could have never imagined & make friends for life with people you would normally cross the street to avoid

Braver & Fitter people have failed this test due to poor preperation.

Get of your ass & get moving. Good Luck.

colm911

Hammar wrote: »

How many press ups and situps can you do?
Can you run 1.5 miles?If so how fast can you do that now???
You need to find out those two things,before any of us can help you.
I done the Army Physical Fitness Test about 5/6 years ago,They did the Sit-ups/Press ups indoors and the run around the square afterwards. It is not exactly difficult for anyone who is physically active.

Going to time myself tomorrow. Does it matter if it's on grass or tarmac or will it make difference? And do they do the press ups and sit ups before or after the run?

Skinnykenyan

Cadets or general service?

ChunkyLover_53

colm911 wrote: »

Going to time myself tomorrow. Does it matter if it's on grass or tarmac or will it make difference? And do they do the press ups and sit ups before or after the run?

Tarmac

and prepare for both.

Why are you still at the keyboard? You have at least 1 hour of light left outside. No time like the present.

Hammar

colm911 wrote: »

Going to time myself tomorrow. Does it matter if it's on grass or tarmac or will it make difference? And do they do the press ups and sit ups before or after the run?

Do it on tarmac as that is the surface which you do the run for the test, The press ups and situps were before the run when i done it. Look into the correct form for the sit-ups which the defence forces want,it should be listed somewhere on the website. It might be slightly different from the way you would normally perform them.

colm911

Skinnykenyan wrote: »

Cadets or general service?

Cadets

Skinnykenyan

PT in the curragh I assume? If it is the road that they use for it is 1.2 km long so it's a run down it and back up I usually aim to do the 1.2 in 5mins or less which gives ya plenty of time left over if your having a bad day.. Don't sprint off at the start find a nice pace you can handle and stick to that same pace throughout the run

Press ups are normal just practice your technique you have to keep straight from the shoulders down so no arse sticking up. Sit ups are not the normal way you lie with your back on the mat feet planted and your knees come up to form a triangle look it up on the website.

Just get out and practice the 1.5 miles ul be grand. Best of luck

colman1212

To be honest I'm really really surprised thats the fitness test for the cadets. Would have thought it would be a hell of a lot harder.

Outkast_IRE

colman1212 wrote: »

To be honest I'm really really surprised thats the fitness test for the cadets. Would have thought it would be a hell of a lot harder.

Its like the minimum, I know a few lads who went for it 2 years back and because they have loads of applicants now they saw they watch like hawks to try and pick out who genuinely is fit and who is just lashing into it on the day with minimum prior training.
Its a multistage recruitment process, this being one of the first hurdles.

ChunkyLover_53

colman1212 wrote: »

To be honest I'm really really surprised thats the fitness test for the cadets. Would have thought it would be a hell of a lot harder.

As previously said its one of a few hurdles. Its used as a tool to gauge fitness

You also have to pass a Medical & Interview with flying colours.

PT gets a lot harder if you get selected for the Cadetship.

Once you're in uniform they can PT you til you puke

colm911

Thanks for all the advice lads. Managed a 14 minute time, bear in mind I was smoking 20 cigarettes a day 4 days ago so not too bad. I feel I can push a bit more especially at the start. I'm 6.2 so I've got a long stride. Talking to a pt today and he said a pass is a pass. It doesn't matter if it's 11.39 or 7 minutes so that's good to hear. Press ups and sit ups are still a bit of an issue but I'm getting there

LuckyLloyd

Force yourself to get a good 8 hours a night between now and the test.
Do the distance twice every day - morning and evening. Ideally take a nap in the afternoon.
Do 40 Push Ups and 40 Sit Ups three to four times a day. Try to do them fast but, really, get the volume out. Also be mindful of quality reps. Take videos of the pushups and situps and post them here (this sounds silly but a second opinion is important).
Eat well.
Rest the day before the test - do nothing on that day.

This is doable but you'd want to hustle up and work your ass off. Very best of luck.

Oh and log every bit of prep on here - it will help to keep yourself accountable.

John Mongo

colm911 wrote: »

Thanks for all the advice lads. Managed a 14 minute time, bear in mind I was smoking 20 cigarettes a day 4 days ago so not too bad. I feel I can push a bit more especially at the start. I'm 6.2 so I've got a long stride. Talking to a pt today and he said a pass is a pass. It doesn't matter if it's 11.39 or 7 minutes so that's good to hear. Press ups and sit ups are still a bit of an issue but I'm getting there

Exactly.

The PT Test is the first and in fairness, the smallest hurdle involved in the Cadetship process. Just concentrate on getting through it and don't concern yourself with specific times or amount of push ups and sit ups, since you'll be stopped at 20 on both anyway.

colm911

went again this morning and managed a 13.20 for 2.6kms so should be okay on the running end. Taking the advice from here has been a great help especially with the push ups and sit ups. Im up to 13 press ups and 15 sit ups and still have 4 days to get it right

LuckyLloyd

Volume mate, just get reps of both exercise in and it will become easier.

Are you sure your pushup and situp form is acceptable?

xgtdec

colm911 wrote: »

Formally a smoker (only gave up yesterday).

So when you say formally a smoker..you mean you have not smoked today??

Sugar Free

From memory (and experience) unless they've changed the format, the press ups and sit ups come first, before the run. So you should be fresh for them rather than out of breath after a run.

If it's the same road they always use then it has a gentle gradient on it. Something to be aware of on the out lap as you're slightly going downhill and it might feel a bit easier than expected.

As others have said, stick to the pace that you know you can manage. Some people pelt away at the start and then fall back hopelessly as they tried to keep up with the serious runners and athletes who clock in at well under 9 minutes.

discus

colman1212 wrote: »

To be honest I'm really really surprised thats the fitness test for the cadets. Would have thought it would be a hell of a lot harder.

I know, I don't get this with armies lately. Take in people who struggle with simple physical activity, and then wonder why they back-class a generous percentage for injuries typical of people who have been sedentiary for a large portion of their lives!

colman1212

My gym buddy at home came through the cadets and was working in the barracks in rathmines. He used to come train with me in a gym in town as the army gym was poor apparently. He was saying that the very few of the irish boys lift weights but when they shared a base with some of the Americans in Kosovo, the americans had an unreal weight lifting facility and a lot of them were massively into weight training. Just a cultural difference I guess...

Don't get me wrong though, some of the stuff they do while training in the cadets sounds very heavy going. Its just more focussed around running and hiking in full gear. press ups, sit ups etc.

nice_guy80

It's a pass or fail test

you are not awarded marks for doing better than the minimum (the cadets will get you fit once you go to the Curragh)

I did it years ago

colm911

Still off the smokes, just at doctors for a clearance stamp to do the medical then it's off for anothe set of sit ups and press ups and a jog. Will post my time later. Thanks lads.

LuckyLloyd

colman1212 wrote: »

My gym buddy at home came through the cadets and was working in the barracks in rathmines. He used to come train with me in a gym in town as the army gym was poor apparently. He was saying that the very few of the irish boys lift weights but when they shared a base with some of the Americans in Kosovo, the americans had an unreal weight lifting facility and a lot of them were massively into weight training. Just a cultural difference I guess...

Don't get me wrong though, some of the stuff they do while training in the cadets sounds very heavy going. Its just more focussed around running and hiking in full gear. press ups, sit ups etc.

There's a guy in the army training in CFI, absolute bull of a man - great capacity at all the lifts and cardio work. It seemed somewhat strange to me at the time why he would need to be down there but this thread makes more sense of it!!

Tom_Cruise

Pretty easy test to do if you are anyway active.

Although when i was doing it, out of the 5 doing it with me 3 failed the press-ups and sit-ups.

Vegeta

colman1212 wrote: »

My gym buddy at home came through the cadets and was working in the barracks in rathmines. He used to come train with me in a gym in town as the army gym was poor apparently. He was saying that the very few of the irish boys lift weights but when they shared a base with some of the Americans in Kosovo, the americans had an unreal weight lifting facility and a lot of them were massively into weight training. Just a cultural difference I guess...

Don't get me wrong though, some of the stuff they do while training in the cadets sounds very heavy going. Its just more focussed around running and hiking in full gear. press ups, sit ups etc.

Different friends different experiences I suppose. One of my friends is currently in the army and himself and a lot of his friends train at least once a day.

Showed me pictures of the camp/base in Lebanon and it looks very well kitted out for weights. They even had a strongman/fitness competition over there.

John Mongo

colman1212 wrote: »

My gym buddy at home came through the cadets and was working in the barracks in rathmines. He used to come train with me in a gym in town as the army gym was poor apparently. He was saying that the very few of the irish boys lift weights but when they shared a base with some of the Americans in Kosovo, the americans had an unreal weight lifting facility and a lot of them were massively into weight training. Just a cultural difference I guess...

Don't get me wrong though, some of the stuff they do while training in the cadets sounds very heavy going. Its just more focussed around running and hiking in full gear. press ups, sit ups etc.

It's more down to education and not adapting to what has been seen to work.

Where a lot of armies are starting to embrace and appreciate S&C training having realised that a soldier needs more than just a quick 10k time, the DF is still behind the curve. Weight training is seen more as something that is for "beach muscles" rather than something that transfers directly into the job.

Most lads just hit the gym on their own time, as they won't get to do it in work.

There's still a need for runs and a major need for Battle PT's, it's just the S&C side of things that the DF hasn't picked up on. You take a Platoon of lads coming out of Recruit Training or a Cadet Class just after finishing their Cadetship and I guarantee you none of them will know how to squat, deadlift etc.

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

There's a guy in the army training in CFI, absolute bull of a man - great capacity at all the lifts and cardio work. It seemed somewhat strange to me at the time why he would need to be down there but this thread makes more sense of it!!

The standard of equipment you'll find in a gym in barracks and somewhere like CFI are worlds apart.

Same goes for the programming, or lack of in the case of the barracks.

Vegeta wrote: »

Different friends different experiences I suppose. One of my friends is currently in the army and himself and a lot of his friends train at least once a day.

Showed me pictures of the camp/base in Lebanon and it looks very well kitted out for weights. They even had a strongman/fitness competition over there.

Overseas is a different story altogether. Especially with the Finn's over there with them.

There's nowhere else to go really except for the gym.

rainbow kirby

Tom_Cruise wrote: »

Pretty easy test to do if you are anyway active.

Although when i was doing it, out of the 5 doing it with me 3 failed the press-ups and sit-ups.

I did the cadets test a few years ago, quite a few of the women failed a 13+ minute run requirement... :rolleyes:

BigDuffman

colman1212 wrote: »

My gym buddy at home came through the cadets and was working in the barracks in rathmines. He used to come train with me in a gym in town as the army gym was poor apparently. He was saying that the very few of the irish boys lift weights but when they shared a base with some of the Americans in Kosovo, the americans had an unreal weight lifting facility and a lot of them were massively into weight training. Just a cultural difference I guess...

Don't get me wrong though, some of the stuff they do while training in the cadets sounds very heavy going. Its just more focussed around running and hiking in full gear. press ups, sit ups etc.

Different focus, the Irish mentality is geared towards "Battle PT" which is high intensity cardio wearing up to 45lbs in a day sack with a lot of drag, pull carry type exercises from friemans lifts to log runs etc. So focused towards what the soldier will be doing out on the ground. The focus has shifted in recent years though to Circuit training which is good to see. But as is the way the depots press out cardio beasts as opposed to " fancy Dishco Muscles".

OP check the DF website for videos on the correct form on P/Ups and Sit ups. On Press ups your knee / elbow cannot hit the ground or you will be disqualified. With sit ups your arms are locked out, palms must be kept on thighs and reach over the knee cap fingers must go over the knee cap itself.

Its a pass or fail test so don't be caught up in the "they're watching me" buzz. But if you're lucky enough to get to interview stage I'd start pushing the fitness out now as the PT sessions really ramp up once you're in uniform. Not for the faint hearted!

Stench Blossoms

rainbow kirby wrote: »

I did the cadets test a few years ago, quite a few of the women failed a 13+ minute run requirement... :rolleyes:

So?

Some people aren't cut out for running. At least they tried.

BigDuffman wrote: »

Its a pass or fail test so don't be caught up in the "they're watching me" buzz. But if you're lucky enough to get to interview stage I'd start pushing the fitness out now as the PT sessions really ramp up once you're in uniform. Not for the faint hearted!

My OH is training recruits at the moment. I'd say half of them wouldn't have joined the army if they knew what kinda sh!te they'd be put through.

BigDuffman

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4MNrDmKi3Q&feature=player_embeddedThe army have even given a handy video on how to do the specific types of push ups (inc. modified for females). There you go OP