Defence force reserves - fitness test

Edups

I'm just wondering what is the general jist of the test? To make sure I'm properly preparing.

Edups

Edups wrote: »

I'm just wondering what is the general jist of the test? To make sure I'm properly preparing.

Edups,
key things to keep in mind are your ability to run flat out for as long as you can, work on breathing and your mental aspect, your body will take you accross it is just your mind holding you back. Be careful of the sit-ups, some may think they are the easy part, but I have seen people getting caught on the sit ups.
Source- I passed all the stages of the Naval Cadetship competition.

Doctor14

Edups wrote: »

I'm just wondering what is the general jist of the test?

Which test? I am assuming you mean the Induction fitness test that you must do before joining?

BMI Test, 20 pushups, 20 situps and 2.4km miles in 11mins 40 secs (different if you are Female)

Nothing you can do in the short term about your BMI - you either pass or fail - 30 is the cut off. In the long term, lose weight. Google BMI to find out what it is if you don't know.

As for the rest of the test, unless you know for sure you can do it, don't assume you can - I have seen people claim to be able to do pushups easy only to struggle to get 3. Practise, Practise, Practise.
check out
http://www.military.ie/en/careers/fitness-testing-centre/defence-forces-fitness-tests/

BE SURE you can do them right - if you have been training incorrectly and doing the wrong type of push-up or sit up and only find out on the day, you will not get a second chance. Especially the situps, you need to cup your kneecaps with your hands, hands over the tops of the knees - anything else and it will not be counted and you will fail.

The run - measure it out and run it. Don't run 500 metres and assume you are ok for the rest, run the whole thing and time it. Train for 3km and you should be ok for 2,4km.

rkrk

failed me on the sit ups. i would consider myself well above average fitness wise. i wasnt reaching far enough down on my knee for the testers liking. i did 25 he counted 18 and failed me.
asked a corporal who supervises these tests to show me an example of one and he did the same as me. no further. i did 4 weeks of personnal training after that focusing on my core and after that i still couldnt go any further down on my knee. before i started the 4 weeks the trainer told me some people just have more flexability in their hips or have longer arms. he couldnt do it either.
its a bit of a stipid system because that extra inch on my kneww doesnt define your fitness level

John_D80

rkrk wrote: »

failed me on the sit ups. i would consider myself well above average fitness wise. i wasnt reaching far enough down on my knee for the testers liking. i did 25 he counted 18 and failed me.
asked a corporal who supervises these tests to show me an example of one and he did the same as me. no further. i did 4 weeks of personnal training after that focusing on my core and after that i still couldnt go any further down on my knee. before i started the 4 weeks the trainer told me some people just have more flexability in their hips or have longer arms. he couldnt do it either.
its a bit of a stipid system because that extra inch on my kneww doesnt define your fitness level

I'm sorry to her you didn't get the result you wanted. But do you mind me asking why you only did 25?

If you were well above average fitness levels you should have been able to do a lot more than 25 and hopefully there would have been at least two more good ones to get you the required 20 to get in.

Was your tester counting as you did them or did he only tell you how many good sit ups you had done when you were finished?

rkrk

John_D80 wrote: »

I'm sorry to her you didn't get the result you wanted. But do you mind me asking why you only did 25?

If you were well above average fitness levels you should have been able to do a lot more than 25 and hopefully there would have been at least two more good ones to get you the required 20 to get in.

Was your tester counting as you did them or did he only tell you how many good sit ups you had done when you were finished?

well you have a minute to do 20. he counted them individually as i was going along. he didnt count some and said that i wasnt cupping my knee fully.

so i kept trying to reach as far forward as i could. i went over the knee but not as far as where the knee joins the shin where he kept his hand placed as a target. so in the end i had done 25 by my count but he said only 18 were correct. i stopped during it too when he explained what he wanted me to do. i just couldnt reach there and trying to extend past my limit was tough. the minute ran out and i had 18 done by his standard.
he failed a polish lad too who was built like a machine and you could tell he was fit, for the same reason.we were the 2 oldest, both about 30 so mabye they just wanted 18-20 year olds.

arybvtcw0eolkf

rkrk wrote: »

he failed a polish lad too who was built like a machine and you could tell he was fit, for the same reason.we were the 2 oldest, both about 30 so mabye they just wanted 18-20 year olds.

Rubbish.

I'm sorry to hear you failed your test but sour grapes aren't going to help either.

The DF's sit up's aren't easy but they're tried and tested and the vast majority of us pass no problem.

Apply again and if you make it to the fitness test seek out a serving soldier to help you were you're weak.

Believe me no one is instructed to fail older candidates, that's just sour grapes on your half.

rkrk

Amira Easy Midget wrote: »

Rubbish.

I'm sorry to hear you failed your test but sour grapes aren't going to help either.

The DF's sit up's aren't easy but they're tried and tested and the vast majority of us pass no problem.

Apply again and if you make it to the fitness test seek out a serving soldier to help you were you're weak.

Believe me no one is instructed to fail older candidates, that's just sour grapes on your half.

How is it sour grapes or rubbish? i only said what happened. and i only said that may have been the reason.
i have since passed the test and had the exact same instructor supervising my sit ups. i did the exact same thing and reached the same level on my knee so that shows there was inconsistency in the supervision. dont think those instructors are qualified fitness experts anyway

Johnboner

Amira Easy Midget wrote: »

Rubbish.

I'm sorry to hear you failed your test but sour grapes aren't going to help either.

The DF's sit up's aren't easy but they're tried and tested and the vast majority of us pass no problem.

Apply again and if you make it to the fitness test seek out a serving soldier to help you were you're weak.

Believe me no one is instructed to fail older candidates, that's just sour grapes on your half.

Sour grapes? Really? Off to the gas chamber.

John_D80

rkrk wrote: »

How is it sour grapes or rubbish? i only said what happened. and i only said that may have been the reason.
i have since passed the test and had the exact same instructor supervising my sit ups. i did the exact same thing and reached the same level on my knee so that shows there was inconsistency in the supervision. dont think those instructors are qualified fitness experts anyway

What the f#*k do you know about the qualifications of Army PTI's? You're attitude absolutely stinks for someone about to become a recruit in the Defence Forces. Its just a shame you are not enlisting in the PDF as a recruit rather that the reserve because you would learn very quickly the level of expertise and qualification required to make an Army PTI.

You are the one that is not qualified to decide whether or not you did ''good'' sit ups so you do not have a clue whether or not there was inconsistency. Not even in a day yet and you already think you know more than the PTI's when is comes to fitness testing.

For what its worth you need to have a serious look at yourself if you struggled to make the grade in this test. If you previously could only do 25 (18 good) its obvious you have made some poor lifestyle choices to get yourself in such poor physical condition. Anyone young enough to enlist should have no problem at all passing that test. Maybe get yourself in order before you start slagging off others and questioning their qualifications.

arybvtcw0eolkf

rkrk wrote: »

How is it sour grapes or rubbish? i only said what happened. and i only said that may have been the reason.
i have since passed the test and had the exact same instructor supervising my sit ups. i did the exact same thing and reached the same level on my knee so that shows there was inconsistency in the supervision. dont think those instructors are qualified fitness experts anyway

Congrats on passing the test.

Now my best advice to you is to question the qualifications of your training NCO's, esp your section commander, the platoon Sgt (because they're always looking for critisim from their recruits) and the platoon commander ~ don't listen to them because you know best, keep this in mind and you'll be grand.

They'll realize their mistakes and won't give you a hard time at all, esp when you're on the ground and away from prying eyes :rolleyes:

Kat1170

Ah lads' in fairness every platoon needs a Heatseeker. I can see a great, if somewhat short, career for the OP as one :D

Morpheus

rkrk wrote: »

How is it sour grapes or rubbish? i only said what happened. and i only said that may have been the reason.
i have since passed the test and had the exact same instructor supervising my sit ups. i did the exact same thing and reached the same level on my knee so that shows there was inconsistency in the supervision. don't think those instructors are qualified fitness experts anyway

You couldn't initially do enough sit-ups - but instead of recognising your weakness and adapting to and overcoming it, you instead question the judgement and qualifications of those senior to you?

The instructor you had was under the supervision of a highly qualified PTI, the instructor may have themselves been a PTI or a lesser PTS or PTL level instructor / Leader... they will have to have, at the very least, completed 2 weeks full time training to become the entry level PTL (Physical Training Leader) which would have been completed probably in the Curragh, in the DFPES (Defence Forces Physical Education School) - reservists MUST also complete the same course for the same duration as Full time soldiers to get this qualification - as have I.

I can tell you that you may not think it, being so fit as you put it, but you did do a better sit up second time around, it's possible to reach the point on your knees that you're supposed to but fail to complete a sit up, this can be caused by stretching the arms whilst rounding the shoulders and performing a "bad form" or half sit-up. this doesn't qualify as a sit-up.

Crunching up and contracting the abdominals fully, with arms out straight, sliding the hands up to cup the knees and then over the top with the fingers extended down just past the knee caps and patella whilst the shoulders remain square IS a sit up as required. Maybe this is where you failed.

but then what do I know, I'm just a PTL who has supervised many fitness tests both PDF and RDF.

Either way, well done, and best of luck with your training, word of advice, continue to question your instructors and make sure you make every effort to stand out in your platoon - the rest of your comrades will thank you for it

rkrk

John_D80 wrote: »

What the f#*k do you know about the qualifications of Army PTI's? You're attitude absolutely stinks for someone about to become a recruit in the Defence Forces. Its just a shame you are not enlisting in the PDF as a recruit rather that the reserve because you would learn very quickly the level of expertise and qualification required to make an Army PTI.

You are the one that is not qualified to decide whether or not you did ''good'' sit ups so you do not have a clue whether or not there was inconsistency. Not even in a day yet and you already think you know more than the PTI's when is comes to fitness testing.

For what its worth you need to have a serious look at yourself if you struggled to make the grade in this test. If you previously could only do 25 (18 good) its obvious you have made some poor lifestyle choices to get yourself in such poor physical condition. Anyone young enough to enlist should have no problem at all passing that test. Maybe get yourself in order before you start slagging off others and questioning their qualifications.

jesus did i hit a nerve or something? here come the high and mighty know it alls. were you there? this is a public forum and i am entitled to my opionion, that instructor obviously had a problem that day it was very evident. other people being tested approached me afterwards and commented on how unfairly treated i was.
stop talking **** i never said i knew more then them i just said there was in consistency with the way he tested it. by the way i am not in poor condition, not one bit. i play rugby go to the gym at least twice a week do twice the amount of press uos required and can do the required run with over a minute to spare on average.i did 25 sit ups in a minute thats 1 every 2 seconds including being stopped to get a lecture more then once.
i dont think i need to get myself in order or am in such poor physical condition i think you need to get the stick out of your ass. i since learned that for my age that the requirements are actually more lenient then i did.
i posted that after i had failed and before i passed the repeat test. it was just a comment on the my experience with the sit ups no need to get your knickers in a twist

rkrk

Amira Easy Midget wrote: »

Congrats on passing the test.

Now my best advice to you is to question the qualifications of your training NCO's, esp your section commander, the platoon Sgt (because they're always looking for critisim from their recruits) and the platoon commander ~ don't listen to them because you know best, keep this in mind and you'll be grand.

They'll realize their mistakes and won't give you a hard time at all, esp when you're on the ground and away from prying eyes :rolleyes:

very good. so after i was failed and refused entry im not permitted to comment on a public forum about a blatant mistake. that doesnt mean im going to carry on the way you make out

rkrk

Morpheus wrote: »

You couldn't initially do enough sit-ups - but instead of recognising your weakness and adapting to and overcoming it, you instead question the judgement and qualifications of those senior to you?

The instructor you had was under the supervision of a highly qualified PTI, the instructor may have themselves been a PTI or a lesser PTS or PTL level instructor / Leader... they will have to have, at the very least, completed 2 weeks full time training to become the entry level PTL (Physical Training Leader) which would have been completed probably in the Curragh, in the DFPES (Defence Forces Physical Education School) - reservists MUST also complete the same course for the same duration as Full time soldiers to get this qualification - as have I.

I can tell you that you may not think it, being so fit as you put it, but you did do a better sit up second time around, it's possible to reach the point on your knees that you're supposed to but fail to complete a sit up, this can be caused by stretching the arms whilst rounding the shoulders and performing a "bad form" or half sit-up. this doesn't qualify as a sit-up.

Crunching up and contracting the abdominals fully, with arms out straight, sliding the hands up to cup the knees and then over the top with the fingers extended down just past the knee caps and patella whilst the shoulders remain square IS a sit up as required. Maybe this is where you failed.

but then what do I know, I'm just a PTL who has supervised many fitness tests both PDF and RDF.

Either way, well done, and best of luck with your training, word of advice, continue to question your instructors and make sure you make every effort to stand out in your platoon - the rest of your comrades will thank you for it

ok mabye you didnt read my posts. i said after i failed i did 4 weeks of personnal training which concentrated on my core so i did try to better myself. throughout this time i kept attempting the sit ups and couldnt reach as far as my shins where the instructor had pointed.
my fully qualified peronnal trainer and a corporal in the pdf who supervises fitness tests agreed the target he had set was unrealistic.
the second time i did the test with him i asked him to clarify where i had to reach and he pointed way higher then in the previous test.
thanks for your cv by the way

rkrk

Kat1170 wrote: »

Ah lads' in fairness every platoon needs a Heatseeker. I can see a great, if somewhat short, career for the OP as one :D

yeah over a comment about online,nostramadus here

rkrk

Kat1170 wrote: »

Ah lads' in fairness every platoon needs a Heatseeker. I can see a great, if somewhat short, career for the OP as one :D

yeah short, over a comment thats blown out of proportion. well done nostramadus

Morpheus

ok ok ok ... enough ripping - real question here, were there many potential recruits attending the fitness tests?

rkrk

the first test had about 15-20. the second test had about 6 or 7. im not challenging authority i dont know what qualifications he has it was a suggestive comment, and i reckon i will be do well when im competely in. just commented that it didnt seem right. he clearly deviated from whats done normally with me. no sour grapes or 10 posts intended it was a passing comment

John_D80

rkrk wrote: »

jesus did i hit a nerve or something? here come the high and mighty know it alls. were you there? this is a public forum and i am entitled to my opionion, that instructor obviously had a problem that day it was very evident. other people being tested approached me afterwards and commented on how unfairly treated i was.
stop talking **** i never said i knew more then them i just said there was in consistency with the way he tested it. by the way i am not in poor condition, not one bit. i play rugby go to the gym at least twice a week do twice the amount of press uos required and can do the required run with over a minute to spare on average.i did 25 sit ups in a minute thats 1 every 2 seconds including being stopped to get a lecture more then once.
i dont think i need to get myself in order or am in such poor physical condition i think you need to get the stick out of your ass. i since learned that for my age that the requirements are actually more lenient then i did.
i posted that after i had failed and before i passed the repeat test. it was just a comment on the my experience with the sit ups no need to get your knickers in a twist

You dont have the same qualifications that Army PTI's have, ergo you can not possibly be qualified enough to comment on inconsistencies. Also all new entrants must meet the same standard regardless of age. Age categories dont come into it until you have already enlisted. And you can do the mile and a half run with a whole minute to spare?? WOW you are quite the athlete. :rolleyes:

I have no stick up my ass, nor do i have my knickers in a twist mate. I've been where you are now and progressed far beyond that to forge an actual career from the military so I am talking from experience. But again by all means feel free to tell me I dont know what I'm on about.

With your attitude you are going to be a big hit in recruit training

John_D80

rkrk wrote: »

the first test had about 15-20. the second test had about 6 or 7. im not challenging authority i dont know what qualifications he has it was a suggestive comment, and i reckon i will be do well when im competely in. just commented that it didnt seem right. he clearly deviated from whats done normally with me. no sour grapes or 10 posts intended it was a passing comment

How can you possibly know this?

You have no qualification to evaluate Army PTI's and not only that, but besides having failed the test already, you have zero frame of reference to say that a qualified person was being inconsistent.

Sour grapes as was previously said by another poster.

rkrk

ok so this is turning into a competition on who is the fittest. i never said i was an olympic athlete i was commenting on the fact that i am in good shape. i have done the run while training myself in just over 10 minutes and i woud consider that fairly decent for somebody who doesnt do cross country running or anything of the sort.
i never said i was qualified but i know what i saw with my own 2 eyes on both occassions. a clearly different level of what was required, which i was why i asked him to clarify the level while i was on the mat before i began. i wanst the ony person that noted it, others who were watching (as i was last to do it) found it strange. i cant believe i have to explain this to somebody that wasnt there. you are basically saying i am lying and this almighty tester can never be wrong because of some kind of training he did that makes him a superman incapable of mistakes?
i have no attitiude problem and whos to say what i will achieve when inducted. you are commenting about me in a negative way because the topic of the fitness test was brought up and i posted on my experience. yes i have gotten annoyed because i came back on here to be slated and put down as someone that wont achieve anything by people who werent even there. if anything you have the attitude problem buddy
i never said you dont know what you are talking about you are putting a completely different slant on everything i said. mabye someday i will come across you and prove you wrong about me because training for that going from where i was in my life was no easy feat and not many people would have been able to achieve what i did for various reasons so without a doubt my attitude or putting my mind to something is not a problem

Morpheus

[MOD] @Rkrk - point made, you have to expect that if a potential recruit, questions the ability of a serving member, that people will be unhappy, maybe you were very correct in your assessment of the instructor, but my advice is that you cease to question the those you are subordinate to currently, at least until you have taken the oath and are wearing 3 stars on your chest. You have proven good enough to pass the fitness test, more power to you and best of luck wearing the uniform.

To everyone in this conversation, its time to shake your d**ks, this pi**ing contest is over, lets move on and get back to the point of the thread, before this descends into a Thermopylae-esque slaughter [/MOD]

the first test had about 15-20. the second test had about 6 or 7

That's quite shocking numbers, i was expecting to hear of maybe 50 - 75 .

rkrk

Morpheus wrote: »

[MOD] @Rkrk - point made, you have to expect that if a potential recruit, questions the ability of a serving member, that people will be unhappy, maybe you were very correct in your assessment of the instructor, but my advice is that you cease to question the those you are subordinate to currently, at least until you have taken the oath and are wearing 3 stars on your chest. You have proven good enough to pass the fitness test, more power to you and best of luck wearing the uniform.

To everyone in this conversation, its time to shake your d**ks, this pi**ing contest is over, lets move on and get back to the point of the thread, before this descends into a Thermopylae-esque slaughter [/MOD]


That's quite shocking numbers, i was expecting to hear of maybe 50 - 75 .

i think they hold them on a regular basis. i have heard of 4 tests in my area in approximately 6 months. could possibly have been more so a test every month or 2 with an average of 10/12 people mabye.
thanks you, i know i will do my best i have started do so already and have been fully commited and will be proud wearing the uniform

arybvtcw0eolkf

rkrk wrote: »

very good. so after i was failed and refused entry im not permitted to comment on a public forum about a blatant mistake. that doesnt mean im going to carry on the way you make out

If you get in you'll realize where I was coming from.

Now, if you get in I'll make this simple.. Keep your head down and your mouth shut, in army speak 'be the grey man'.

If at the end of week one and more than one NCO knows your name you're doing something wrong. In week four if they all know your name then you're the 'heat seeker'.

You might think we're slagging you off here but this is all good advice if you can read between the lines.

Surviving recruit training is about making life easy on yourself and others, and losing any chip you might have on your shoulder. And while you might have a moderator on a discussion forum to shelter you from harsh words the barrack square offers no such protection from hurt.

So seriously, keep your mouth shut, head down (means the same thing really whilst getting on with the hard work) and 'be the grey man'.

Never make a Monday morning decision (thats the morning most pull out and regret it on Tuesday) and never be the Friday fook up who has everyone's few hours off over the weekend taken back.

Best of luck.


*** just seen this is for an RDF recruit so 'week one, week four' doesn't apply, neither does MOnday morning decisions etc ~ but I'll leave those comments here in case a potential PDF recruit is browsing the forum.