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ELITE FORCE FITNESS TEST

PREMIER FITNESS TEST FOR ELITE FORCES

The Elite Force Fitness Award is based on a range of objective health and fitness tests, the aim being to provide a reliable and valid measure of body system health, physical fitness and operational function.

The fitness tests which form the basis of the assessment have been chosen because they

 The outcome of the assessment is an award based on overall performance.

Having completed the assessment you will be rated against a standard,

    ■   Gold for achieving an overall score above 90

    ■   Silver for scoring over 80

    ■   Bronze for scoring over 70.

The Bronze standard is readily achievable by all healthy, trained officers employed by services organisations, irrespective of gender or age. If at first you find you don't meet the expectation, train and then try again.

The supreme test of fitness is the Platinum Challenge.

The tests are of such a nature that you can train at doing the same activity as the test and measure your performance at home

The test booklet includes

    ■   Fitness Assessment Readiness Questionnaire (FAR-Q)

    ■   Statement of Risk

    ■   Indemnity form

ELITE FORCE FITNESS TESTS

The Elite Force Fitness Award is based on the following tests

1.      Systolic blood pressure

2.      Diastolic blood pressure

3.      Body composition – percent body fat

4.      Flexibility

5.      Lower body strength

6.      Upper body strength

7.      Functional mobility

8.      Aerobic fitness.

Participants are awarded points out of 10 in each parameter.

Test scores are multiplied by a coefficient depending on the importance of the test in elite force preparation. The most highly rated tests are

               •              lower body strength

               •              upper body strength

               •              functional mobility

               •              aerobic fitness.

The test protocols are outlined in detail and a description of the exact type of fitness being measured is outlined.

With the exception of flexibility and body fatness the tests require a mandatory pass. The flexibility and fatness test results are taken into account in the overall award.

Flexibility

There are a lot of very fit people who are not particularly flexible. Lack of flexibility will usually not hamper them in elite force situations.

Overweight

Being overweight per se is not a criteria for failing the Elite Force Fitness Test. For people who are overweight, the extra weight is usually a symptom of lack of fitness, plus being overweight makes the aerobic test standards that much harder to achieve.

Blood pressure

Blood pressure scores may be taken with a small amount of discretion. Our advice is that anyone scoring over 150/105 be excluded from the aerobic fitness assessment. Elevated blood pressure is a good indication of poor health. By implication this means they have failed the test.

We are disinclined to accept people for the assessment who are on blood pressure medication as the medication is masking an underlying body system dysfunction.

Pass mark

A score of 7/10 is the pass mark for all tests.

Scores are rated in importance, (hence the multiplier) with aerobic fitness scoring the highest rating. You'll need a rating of 7 or more on the first six tests, and a score of 70 or more overall, to achieve the Elite Force Fitness Award. A satisfactory score is readily attainable by people in the workforce who train on a regular and systematic basis, regardless of age and gender.

THE ELITE FORCE FITNESS PROFILE

Give yourself a score out of ten, appropriate for your performance on each of  the 8 questions below. A good score is a high score. A bad score is a low score.

The pass-mark on each item is 7/10.

Add the appropriate co-efficient (based on the rating of importance of the item in an elite force fitness profile) to your score.

													Score	X	Ttl	ýþ
1.	Systolic blood pressure Taken under clinical conditions prior to the fitness test, after 5 minute relaxation period. Best of 3 scores to count. Normal is said to be 120 for men and 110-120 for women. Score 0 if on medication.   Score ......
	>155				<155	<150	<145	<140	<135	<130	<125			x1		o
	0				4	5	6	7	8	9	10
2.	Diastolic blood pressure Taken under clinical conditions prior to the fitness test, after 5 minute relaxation period. Best of 3 scores to count. Normal is said to be 80 for men and 70 - 80 for women. Score 0 if on medication.   Score ......
	>105				<105	<100	<97	<95	<90	<87	<85			x1		o
	0				4	5	6	7	8	9	10
3.	Body composition Are you carrying a lot of extra fat around your body? Scores based on percent body fat - measurable on Tantia scales.   Weight Kg ........  Percent body fat ........
	Men >30				<30	>28	<26	<24	<22	<20	<18			x3		o
	Women >40				<40	<38	<38	<34	<32	<30	<28
	0				4	5	6	7	8	9	10
4.	Leg strength - squat How many times can you squat down, bottom close to heels, and stand up in 30 seconds.   No. ........
	<12			12	14	16	18	20	23	26	30			x3		o
	0			3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
5.	Lower body strength - test of front of body stregth How many situps can you do in 60 seconds. Lie down on your back with feet flat, knees bent at 90 degrees and fingers on ears. Sit up to touch the knees with your elbows. Shoulder blades need to touch the floor at the commencement of each new situp.       No. .......
	<20			20	25	30	35	40	45	50	60			x3		o
	0			3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
6.	Flexibility - pass not obligatory In a sitting position, with legs outstretched in front of you, see how far down past your toes you can reach with your fingers. Keep your knees straight. Score 4 if you can get your fingers to your toes (F) 5 for the first knuckle, 6 for the second and 7 if you can get to the palms (P). Score 10 if you can get your wrists past your toes (W). 8 and 9 are between start of palm and wrist   No. .......
	Can't touch toes				Fingers			Palm		Wrist				x1		o
	0				4	5	6	7	8	9	10
7.	Upper body strength How many pressups can you do in 60 seconds; women on the knees and men on the toes. For women make sure your knees, bottom and shoulders are in a straight line; ie your backside shouldn’t be sticking up in the air. Don’t count those pressups where the body flops onto the floor.   No. .......
	<20			20	25	30	35	40	45	50	60			x3		o
	0			3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
8.	Aerobic fitness 20m run. How many laps can you run in 5 minutes.   No ........
	Men		<37	37	39	41	43	45	47	49	51			x5		o
	Women		<33	33	35	37	39	41	43	45	49
			0	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
										Total  /200
										Total /100						o

YOUR ELITE FORCE FITNESS IS ASSESSED AS: -

Did you score over 70 on all compulsory items?     No  o  Yes  o

■   Excellent if you scored over 90     o

■   Very good if you scored over 80    o

■   Good if you scored over 70           o

■   Not up to the mark - if you scored less than 70 and scored less   o

     than 7/10 on any of the compulsory items

If you scored less than 70 we suggest you put your shorts and sandshoes on and get outside the front door more often.*

*Robert DeCastella was once asked what was the hardest thing he had to cope with while training. He said 'to put my shorts and sandshoes on get outside the front door.'