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Out of interest what are the fitness tests being used by you guys?

Instead of galloping around a flat track, wouldn't it make more sense to run up and down stairs ? After I had my by-pass, the test for fitness to leave hospital was a 20 minutes walking up and down the emergency stairs.

I'd hope that service personel of any coloured uniform could complete a post bypass cardiac fitness test!!!

Having said that Ranulph fiennes ran a marathon on each continent (I think) post bypass.

Back to the "youth of today" when I was in, it was a mark of shame to be at the back of the pack never mind dipping phys completely.

The COs christmas present to the unit, a 7 mile xcountry was always the day before leave and every last man in camp had been ashore the night before.......Most returning to camp only hours/minutes previous to the route brief.

everyone still did it, green faced and puking wifebeater/babycham/baileys cocktails all the way round

BFTs if the CSM beat you you were F--Cked

Duty phys in the morning and most blokes did their own in the evening!!

Puking up and cracking on was one of the first and most memorable lessons of Lympschwitz

TheGimpMK2

Just been speaking with some Septics from the USN and they have a career 3 strikes and you're out policy. Fail 3 times in your career and you're a civvy. Sorts out the wasters and makes sure that everyone is fit for ops - radical but might get the message out!

Originally Posted by geoffrey

If you're in Her Majesty's Armed Forces but you're so fat you can't drag your lardy arse around in the generous times of the RNFT, then IMHO you are a disgrace to the uniform and an embarrassment to the RN.

Cant agree enough! To be a member of a "fighting force" you need to be physically fit, this also ensures(hopefully) that your mental fitness is of a sound level as well, which could well be tested in this day and age!

Given the amount of matelots who find themselves in theatre on dry land (even in landlocked countries) how can we consider anything to the contrary.

As well as the physical fitness aspect, there is education on diet and general well being to consider. Everyone enjoys a good drink and kebab every now and then, but when your diet consists of crisps, chocolate and a can of Irn Bru for your breakfast (witnessed first hand) then you can't have too many complaints if you are a 15 stone 5'5" killick wren that resembles a beach ball. The RN needs to become more robust in the pursuit of physical fitness and failing the RNFT for reasons other than genuine medical injuries should warrant the appropriate action.

I'm reading a few posts by people saying things like "When I was in" and making out that fitness tests were a biggie. Can't have done much time, chaps and chapesses, because fitness tests outside basic training are a relatively new phenomenon.

Whilst it is not difficult to run a mile and a half in something less than an hour, I was never particularly drawn to running. Indeed when I did the POLC at Royal Arthur I took great delight in not crippling myself running around in pussers DMS, despite the groans of the PTI and Staff. I don't believe that the RN ever suffered because of my presence and I could swim (a far more aerobic form of exercise) much more efficiently than most of my peers.

P2L3 is not a disqualifier for Command Course. That's what the BIFF's course is for.

If you want to run BFT, CFT, Old Uncle Tom Cobbly and All FT - join the freakin Army or RM, but when you croak at a relatively young age despite being able to do all the fitness tests in the world quicker than me, don't say I didn't tell you that being averagely fit was just fine!