Royal Navy fitness test: The intense regime needed to pass the pre-joining challenge, could you conquer it?

Whether you’re applying to be an Engineer, Chef, Rating, or other role, the force puts people into high intensity situations on a regular basis. Many of these are in challenging environments while on deployment, where quick-thinking and confidence are necessary to carry out any task required.

These mental qualities are aided by a strong backbone of physical fitness, as well as a health diet and lifestyle. In order to Pass Out and be assigned to your first ship, you will need to complete the Pre-Joining Fitness Test (PJFT). If you’re confident enough to take on the challenge, scroll down to find out what’s required.

What is the Royal Navy fitness test and what do I have to do?

Each person will be asked to run 2.4km around an athletics track in a specific timeframe. This is dependent on how old you are and what your gender is.

The Royal Navy said on its website: “Life in the Royal Navy is wide-ranging and incredibly varied, and therefore requires a good level of physical fitness. That doesn’t mean you have to be an athlete to start the recruitment process. In fact, many of our applicants are already capable of achieving the physical standards we require, while others may simply need to do a little training.”

How fast do I have to run?

A calculator has been set up on the Royal Navy website to give the target lap times depending on your age and gender. These have been listed below:

Men

• Aged 15-24: 12 minutes and 16 seconds

• Aged 25-29: 12 minutes and 46 seconds

• Aged 30-34: 13 minutes and nine seconds

• Aged 35-39: 13 minutes and 37 seconds

Women

• Aged 15-24: 14 minutes and 29 seconds

• Aged 25-29: 14 minutes and 58 seconds

• Aged 30-34: 15 minutes and 29 seconds

• Aged 35-39: 16 minutes

If you’re applying to become a diver, you need to complete the test in 10 minutes and 30 seconds.

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How can I beat the Royal Navy fitness test?

The force’s advice on completing the challenge at the right time is: “If you’re going to excel at the PJFT (and in your initial training), it’s critical that you get in the best possible physical condition. We’ve put together a training schedule to get your fitness levels to where they should be. Ideally you need to follow the programme for the full eight weeks prior to joining, so you can get the most out of it – and increase your chances of success.”

The mantra of the pre-joining regime is “train smarter, not harder”. Its schedule is split across three sessions a week for four weeks. A complete programme is available here, but as a taster, these are the instructions for your first week.

Session One - Muscular Strength and Aerobic Conditioning

Five rounds of the following exercises:

• 200m run
• 10 wide arm press
• 10 sit up twists
• 5 burpees
• 5 squats

Session Two - Aerobic Conditioning

• 6 x 400m run
• 1 min plank
• 30 seconds left side plank
• 30 seconds right side plank - rest between each movement and repeat five times.

Session Three - Muscular Strength and Conditioning

Every minute complete the following exercises for a total of four rounds:

• Minute One – 15 air squats
• Minute Two – 15 press ups
• Minute Three – 15 sit up twists
• Minute Four – 15 squat thrusts

The PJFT is completed at various Candidate Preparation Course (CPC) sites across the country. Further advice on how to complete it - including healthy eating and training tips - is available here. If you wish to join the Royal Navy as a Rating, you also need to complete the Candidate Preparation Course (CPC) and the Initial Navy Training regime.