Question re: physical fitness test

[dalredane]

I have heard a lot on these forums re: the step test and the pushups, chinups etc....

But a couple pieces of info I couldn‘t find. Hoping someone could help me with it.

1. When you do the pushups, chinups, step-test etc... do you do them rapid-fire one after another with no breaks in between? Or do they give you 30 secs or a minute to recover?

2. I realize the step-test is where they play progressively faster music etc...but how long in TOTAL are you on the step-test? 3 minutes? 15 minutes? I would like to know so I can practice at home.

Thanks for your time.

 

[md200]

When i went for testing i was in a group of about 12 other people.We did the step test in pairs.While people were doing the step test the people waiting did the grip test.After the group was done the the step test everyone did pushups seperatly.I waited for about 5 mins after my step test before pushups.The situps were done in pairs aswell and you had your partner count them.

I believe i did the step test for 12mins.The music plays in 3 minute intervals,getting quicker each time..

No chinups were done during my testing.

 

[RJG]

Quite the opposite here. I was in a group of three, including myself. We started with the step test and he started it at level 5, then about 5 minutes later we did consecutive pushups, and a minute later the situps. We did the grip test somewhere in there, not sure where exactly. Don‘t worry about it, just paractice as much as possible.

 

[GrahamD]

I did mine in a group of 3 the first time, and alone the second time (there were 3 no shows. Can you imagine? Simply not bothering to show up for your PT test? and 3 on the same day?)

With the group we did the step test all at once, then we each did our pushups in order of who was strongest on the step test and descending. Then we did situps in the same order.

When I was alone, they are supposed to take your heart rate 5 minutes after the step test (resting heart rate) but he basically let me walk over to the chair and then said "sit down" and he took it. So maybe 45 seconds. Then he asked if I wanted a minute before doing my pushups, I was like "Ok sure" Then about 15 seconds later he said "ready?" and I did them right away. The situps were immediately after that.

So obviously it depends on how many people are present on your testing day.
In my case I did better when I was alone, but it‘s because I changed my pushup routine to include doing the pushups correctly.
I actually think I would have done better if people were there, because when I went the first time we all gave motivational support to each other, something that was missing this time.

 

[dalredane]

thank-you for all your answers. It seems it will vary according to how many people are there. I have been training in circuit so it should be no problem.

 

[Andyd513]

I did my entire fitness test solo.

8 minutes total step test time, 4 minutes phase 1 4 minutes phase 2. Didn‘t make it to phase 3 (but phase 2 is a pass).

Situps, chinups, and grip test were all rapid fire directly after for me but they will wait until your pulse drops below 100 for each portion. Depending on your condition this could be about a 5 min wait and my test was actually conducted while the tester waited for another persons pulse to drop after the step test.

 

[CWeb26F]

Graham, your resting heart rate is the one they take before you do anything at all- the guy who did your second eval. followed procedure- see the link below under ‘Final Post- Exercise HR‘- they are supposed to let you sit down then take your pulse.

According to this the order should be- Step Test, Grip Test, Pushups, then Situps.

 

[CWeb26F]

Sorry, here‘s the link:

www.psphalifax.ns.ca/FleetFitness/expres.asp

 

[GrahamD]

Ya I‘ve seen that before, but things change really quickly in regards to procedure for the fitness test.
There were noticable differences within the 6 months between my tests.

As a matter of fact, when I did my last test they took a bunch of pictures of me for a presentation they were putting together for a review of the fitness testing that was going to be looked at by some senior officers.

An example would be, during my first test the guy was really extreme about my hand placement on the pushups, and he made me touch my chest and chin to the floor on each rep.
The second test (conducted by the same person) there was a mat doubled over and I only had to touch my chin to it, and my hands were allowed to be spaced a little further apart (under my shoulders).

 

[CWeb26F]

Cool, it will be interesting to see what happens on the 30th, I will post the nitty-gritty details

 

[rdschultz]

I also did my entire fitness test solo as well. My CFAT was solo too, which seemed surprising.

Anyways, yeah I only did the first two phases of the step test (I wasn‘t nearly as prepared for the test as I should‘ve been, but if I were to take it today, I‘d do a great deal better). So, if thats a minimum pass, is that all that matters. Do the results of my fitness test go to the selection board, and do they say "well, he passed, but he wasn‘t superior". Or is it just for competitive selection? Or does the board even care how well you do, and is meeting the minimum simply good enough?

I was told that university grades (mine weren‘t super fantastic, but they were decent) only matter for competitive selection (i.e. if its you against someone else, and somebody did better, then they‘ll pick that him/her) so I‘d guess fitness is the same, but I‘m curious if anybody knows the actual ins and outs.

 

[BDTyre]

When I did my fitness test, I was alone. Here in Vancouver, the administering of the fitness test is contracted out to a civilian fitness trainer, and it takes place in a small room. While waiting he squeezed one guy in halfway through another‘s test, but the room at the CFRC here isn‘t big enough to hold more than the three people.

 

[GrahamD]

Anyways, yeah I only did the first two phases of the step test (I wasn‘t nearly as prepared for the test as I should‘ve been, but if I were to take it today, I‘d do a great deal better). So, if thats a minimum pass, is that all that matters. Do the results of my fitness test go to the selection board, and do they say "well, he passed, but he wasn‘t superior". Or is it just for competitive selection? Or does the board even care how well you do, and is meeting the minimum simply good enough

Yes the physical fitness portion of selection is competetive, especially in the combat arms trades. I was told that 30-40 were good numbers for infantry candidates in regards to push ups and situps.

I wouldn‘t worry though, because everything is taken into consideration, and having university behind you is a major bonus.

As for the solo CFAT, that does seem strange, I would imagine that it would be slightly unnerving. When I took mine there was about 25 people.

 

[Northern Touch]

Hmm, it seems everyone has sort of done in differently. I did my CFAT with a group of maybe 10-15 people. I did my fitness test with one other person, a girl actually, and it was done by a civilian doctor who was contracted to do it. I did my grip test while she was doing the step test. Then I believe i did my sit ups, rested, my step test, levels 5-6-7, 3 minutes each for a total of 9, then my push ups after I had rested a bit, and that was that.

 

[koach]

If you pass the PT test, all Borden sees is "pass". This means that you meet the minumum requirements for entry into the CF.

 

[CWeb26F]

Koach, can you meet the minimum requirements for entry into the CF (same as the minimum yearly requirements once you‘re in) by using the shuttle run instead of the step test?

This would involve traveling to a nearby base gym and having the test conducted by certified PSP personel, of course at one‘s own expense