Physical Fitness and Medical Screening
What this domain tests
Physical fitness and medical screening assess whether you can meet the endurance, strength, mobility and health demands of officer training. Selection standards vary by intake and are published by the recruiting authority; train to exceed the published minimum comfortably, not to guess.
Core rules
- Use progressive overload: increase volume or intensity by a small amount each week, then take a lighter week.
- Train specifically: endurance run, press-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups or flexed-arm hang, shuttle run and mobility as listed in the current notice.
- Build recovery: sleep, hydration, adequate iron and protein intake, and at least one rest day per week.
- Practise the test order, because press-ups after a run feel different from press-ups in isolation.
- Declare medical history honestly. Hidden asthma, heart conditions, fractures or vision problems can cause collapse or discharge.
Worked example
A candidate can do 20 press-ups and needs 30. An eight-week plan: weeks 1 to 2, 3 sets of 8 to 10 with 90 seconds rest; weeks 3 to 4, 3 sets of 12 to 15; weeks 5 to 6, 4 sets of 15 to 20; weeks 7 to 8, test sets of 25 to 30 with one easy week before selection. Check progress weekly, and stop any session with sharp joint pain.
Traps
Overtraining and arriving injured; peaking three weeks early; training only the run and neglecting upper-body strength; wearing new boots or shoes on test day; and hiding a medical condition to appear tough.
Screening facts
Expect height, weight or BMI, vision, hearing, dental, blood pressure, urine and general medical examination, plus a declaration of past injuries. Bring spectacles or hearing aids if prescribed, and correct documents.