PCA/Fitness test

gmck26 · 28-01-2014 2:23pm

CallTheCobra wrote: »

Thanks, one more question if you don't mind? Iv read about people having difficultly with the starting and stopping element? I thought it was a continuous 3 laps of the course then 20seconds on the push pull?

Unless its changed from when I completed it, it is three continuous laps followed by push pull. Unless you make a mistake - then you stop.

gmck26 · 28-01-2014 2:24pm

CallTheCobra wrote: »

How did you find it for time when you done it?

I found it fine. They difficulty with time was that you were not permitted to wear a watch and were given no indication of how much time you had left. But if you go at a steady pace being careful not to make mistakes it should be good enough.

Job4life · 29-01-2014 8:34am

Does anyone know if the PCA is just pass/fail or do we get ranked on times and push/pull results?

gmck26 · 29-01-2014 8:59am

Job4life wrote: »

Does anyone know if the PCA is just pass/fail or do we get ranked on times and push/pull results?

From what I understand its simply a case of meets standard or fails. Although I suppose there is nothing to stop them using it as a way to split people on the merit list.

Given01 · 31-01-2014 2:54am

Job4life wrote: »

Does anyone know if the PCA is just pass/fail or do we get ranked on times and push/pull results?

It's a simple pass or fail, unless they have changed it this campaign!

CallTheCobra · 31-01-2014 1:41pm

Is anyone going to head to the familiarisation day for the PCA? Would be really nice of them to let us get a practice run lol

Jb12345 · 31-01-2014 2:22pm

CallTheCobra wrote: »

Is anyone going to head to the familiarisation day for the PCA? Would be really nice of them to let us get a practice run lol

Yep I am heading early. I was at the information action day before applications went live so have a fair idea but want to make sure I don't miss anything. Def would like a proper go just for timing. If not will try each obstacle and try get a good feel for it.

Homer01 · 31-01-2014 2:38pm

I went to the initial info session before applications went out. Changed into track bottoms, top and shoes hoping to get a trial run.

I was one of very few to dress like this; the rest were jeans or suits.

The whole PCA was squashed into a meeting room so no proper practice.

picture987 · 31-01-2014 2:45pm

I'm hoping to go to the earliest session. I will probs wear gym/ running gear in the hope of getting to attempt some elements of the PCA. I went to the familiarisation session prior to the recruitment drive but they were unable to let us attempt anything other than the push/pull machine.

wanadrum · 31-01-2014 2:56pm

CallTheCobra wrote: »

Is anyone going to head to the familiarisation day for the PCA? Would be really nice of them to let us get a practice run lol

Yes - I'm heading to the late session, would hate not to go and then mess up having not had a practice.

CallTheCobra · 31-01-2014 7:37pm

Jb12345 wrote: »

Yep I am heading early. I was at the information action day before applications went live so have a fair idea but want to make sure I don't miss anything. Def would like a proper go just for timing. If not will try each obstacle and try get a good feel for it.

Will be heading up too it as well, I went to the info day and the only thing you could try out was the push pull. Like you say, it will be good to get a feel for the obstacles and what to expect!

Job4life · 31-01-2014 9:34pm

I'm heading to the PM session too. Will wear my running gear just incase we get a dry run. Can't imagine they estimate the session will last 2 hours if we don't get to try the course

Jb12345 · 31-01-2014 10:28pm

I was at the information day and we were allowed to try everything. Apart from the wall climb. All seems simple enough, I'm 6ft 4, so just have to be careful in the tunnel and land rover doors...

CallTheCobra · 31-01-2014 11:51pm

Jb12345 wrote: »

I was at the information day and we were allowed to try everything. Apart from the wall climb. All seems simple enough, I'm 6ft 4, so just have to be careful in the tunnel and land rover doors...

At 6ft 4 you could step over the wall climb lol

Shield · 01-02-2014 6:26am

CallTheCobra wrote: »

At 6ft 4 you could step over the wall climb lol

Yeah but height has its disadvantages. You'll need to keep that tail nice and low when you're crawling under the bars, remembering that if you knock a bar off, it's a 10-second time penalty that you have to wait for before you can start again. There's been argument that you should be allowed to continue the course, but that 10 seconds is just added to your time at the end.

What do people think is fairer? Wait for your 10 seconds to expire during the PCA, or add on 10 seconds at the end? Bear in mind that not only is it a 10-second time penalty, but you also have to start that particular obstacle all over again, so you could be on your last cone, move it, and have to go back to the start, which isn't really 10 seconds if you think about it. It's 10 seconds PLUS the time it takes you to get to the last cone. They don't account for that.

Let the respectful exchange of opinions begin...

Dekkers · 01-02-2014 11:14am

Anybody else thinking a 10 second penalty is a bit harsh? Regardless if it's included or added on at the end there's not much room for many of them!

wanadrum · 01-02-2014 11:15am

I suppose in some ways it seems a bit unfair to have to stop for 10 second and go back to the start of the obstacle, but on the other hand, this way the time taken to get back to the start of the obstacle will be during the 10 seconds whereas if you just add all the penalties at the end you also add however many seconds it takes to get back to the start of the obstacle. As long as they are consistent, does it really matter?

wanadrum · 01-02-2014 11:18am

Dekkers wrote: »

Anybody else thinking a 10 second penalty is a bit harsh? Regardless if it's included or added on at the end there's not much room for many of them!

I haven't had a chance to try it but I presume each onstacle in and of itself is not difficult to complete without getting the penalty, so this could be their way of making sure you are careful rather than just hammering on.

Would you suggest simply repeating the obstacle?

Dekkers · 01-02-2014 11:25am

wanadrum wrote: »

I haven't had a chance to try it but I presume each onstacle in and of itself is not difficult to complete without getting the penalty, so this could be their way of making sure you are careful rather than just hammering on.

Would you suggest simply repeating the obstacle?

No I think a time penalty is fair enough but would suggest that 5 seconds would be plenty. 10 seconds out of 3:24(?) is a good chunk.

But as you say the obstacles are simple enough to complete without erring. Tried most of them at the familiarisation day and it's pretty straight forward.

TDA2 · 01-02-2014 11:26am

I think it should be more real. Cover the stuff in razor wire and folks won't make any more than 1 mistake!

CallTheCobra · 01-02-2014 11:28am

wanadrum wrote: »

I haven't had a chance to try it but I presume each onstacle in and of itself is not difficult to complete without getting the penalty, so this could be their way of making sure you are careful rather than just hammering on.

Would you suggest simply repeating the obstacle?

As the PCA is pass/fail best just going at a steady pace and being careful instead of hammering on and knocking everything over! Think the familiarisation day will give us a chance to see what pace to go at, if we get a go on some of the obstacles that is.

Dekkers · 01-02-2014 11:34am

CallTheCobra wrote: »

As the PCA is pass/fail best just going at a steady pace and being careful instead of hammering on and knocking everything over! Think the familiarisation day will give us a chance to see what pace to go at, if we get a go on some of the obstacles that is.

There seems to be a lot of variation in the familiarisation days they've had before. Some people saying they weren't allowed to do any of the pca but at the 1 I went to we had free reign pretty much (everything apart from the wall).

Hopefully theres a chance to complete one circuit of it at least

Sthm · 01-02-2014 11:52am

I was at one of the first familiarisation events and we were allowed to try everything (bar the wall and not allowed to witness any results on the push/pull).

Seems they have changed their tune as it was suggested no one would get to see or try the course again until/if the PCA stage was reached, there would be no practice run and the 3:43 time was up in the air as to whether they were changing it. That was the information given on the day anyway.

TDA2 · 01-02-2014 12:14pm

Sthm wrote: »

I was at one of the first familiarisation events and we were allowed to try everything (bar the wall and not allowed to witness any results on the push/pull).

Seems they have changed their tune as it was suggested no one would get to see or try the course again until/if the PCA stage was reached, there would be no practice run and the 3:43 time was up in the air as to whether they were changing it. That was the information given on the day anyway.

When you talk of the wall, do you mean what was the gate... about 5ft with a few horizontal bars?

Sthm · 01-02-2014 12:46pm

After the balance beam bit, you used to have to vault over the middle bit of the stairs if I recall? That's been changed to a 6ft(?) climb instead.

TDA2 · 01-02-2014 1:47pm

Sthm wrote: »

After the balance beam bit, you used to have to vault over the middle bit of the stairs if I recall? That's been changed to a 6ft(?) climb instead.

Is it just like in the video... http://youtu.be/5GkfDxbfI_A
Shouldn't be too bad if there is something to grip. Would be more worried about getting round 3 times. 300m roughly in under 4min with obstacles. Could be hard concentrating on each obstacle by not getting too far ahead of ourselves.

Homer01 · 01-02-2014 6:19pm

I could be wrong but that is an old video. The new 'wall' obstacle is new so I don't think you'll be hopping over it like in the video.

Dekkers · 01-02-2014 7:23pm

Homer01 wrote: »

I could be wrong but that is an old video.

What gave it away? The graphics or the music?

He does the circuit in 56 seconds by the looks of it x 3 = 2m48s

Tim89 · 01-02-2014 8:09pm

Dekkers wrote: »

What gave it away? The graphics or the music?

He does the circuit in 56 seconds by the looks of it x 3 = 2m48s

Fatigue = minimum of ten seconds onto each extra lap, would bring it up to 3m18s , not a lot of room for error !!

TDA2 · 01-02-2014 8:51pm

Ok so the video which is a bit naff bears some resemblance and isn't accurate in time. Only difference appears to be the illusive wall. So it may be safe to assume that 3m48s might now be increased with the amended course. A 6ft wall is going to take around 10secs to clear each lap. Also if the ac is delivering low numbers and with the prospect of further recruiting they might allow more time - I'm not saying we are going to be given a horse to get carried round on by the way, but they may be forced into making it slightly easier. Question is will the time be decided after everyone is through or will it be pass/fail on the day?

PCA/Fitness test

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