If you are applying for military or emergency services job after years of relative inactivity and lots of time in an office the prospect of training for and passing the required fitness tests can be quite daunting.

Many people attempt a practice entry test and become concerned when they only achieve a fraction of the required number of pushups, situps or beep test levels.

While initially this may present as a serious problem the reality is that there is normally nothing to worry about.

The good news is that the human body is highly adaptable to training and when you start at a low level of fitness you will see rapid improvements in strength, flexibility and aerobic fitness.  In the same time it takes a well conditioned athlete to go from level 11.5 to 12.5 a beginner could realistically improve 2, 3 or even 4 full levels from level 2.1 to over 6.1!

In fact I’ve had several clients who initially scored down in the 2.5 to 4.1 range who were able to pass at level 6.1 after only a few weeks of training.

So if you are starting from scratch don’t be disheartened, just follow these tips to give yourself the best chance of passing the test.

Start now

Too many people put off starting their training until they have only a few weeks left and typically this is when they contact a trainer in a massive panic.  Even though a trainer is a great way to get results we are not miracle workers! If you need to add 5 levels to your score in 2 weeks chances are you’ve left your run a bit late.

As soon as you find out that you’ll need to pass a beep test get off the couch and get moving.  It might be as simple as a 20 minute walk after dinner but start straight away before life gets in the way.

Get a plan

In the Army there is an old saying “Failure to plan is planning to fail” and this is certainly the case with training for specific fitness goals.

Even if you don’t purchase my book on beep test training make sure you sit down and write out your plan on paper.  Set aside time at least 3 times a week to train and try to figure out a progression that starts with easy workouts and leads to more challenging sessions.  It takes about 8 weeks of training to achieve a basic level of fitness and if you need to reach  the higher levels of the test (above 7.5) you’ll need to factor in another 4-8 weeks as well.

Of course if you want to take the guess work out of planning just hit up the link at the top of the page for my new book on beep test training.

Don’t neglect recovery

If you’ve been inactive for a while chances are your first few workouts will cause some stiffness and soreness.  To minimise your discomfort and allow you to continue training you’ll want to make sure that you are eating a healthy diet, stretching after each session and getting enough sleep.

Work with a partner

One of the major factors in the success of a training program is maintaining the motivation to keep training when things start to get tough or life gets in the way.  Enlisting a friend or family member to train with you will provide a major boost in motivation and accountability plus you’ll doing your training partner a favour by helping them get fit too!

So if you’ve just discovered that you’ll have to pass a beep test in the future the message is clear. Get a plan, get started and get help to stay on track!

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