General Requirements
The entry testing for admission to various military special forces, like the British and Australian SAS and the Navy SEALs and Delta Force, is exceptionally rigorous. Physical strength and endurance, combined with extraordinary mental resilience, are crucial for these roles.
This guide provides an overview of the physical fitness and training standards required to prepare for selection testing for these elite forces. For the most relevant and updated information, you should contact the units directly.
Fitness Standards
High-level fighting forces, such as the U.S. and U.K. Marines, U.S. and British paratroopers, and Australian commandos, are renowned for their exceptional physical fitness standards. Covert forces like the SAS, SEALs, and Delta Force often require additional skills and psychological profiles.
Below are fitness standards to target for elite special forces selection:
Aerobic and Endurance Standards
- Beep, multi-stage or shuttle test: Level 14
- Three-kilometer run: 11.5 minutes
- Five-kilometer run: 20 minutes
- Ten-kilometer run: 42 minutes
- Twenty-kilometer run: 88 minutes
- Marathon (42.2 km): 3 hours 15 minutes (or Olympic distance triathlon: 2 hours 30 minutes)
- Swim two kilometers: 40 minutes
- Walk 40 kilometers with a 20-kilogram pack: 7 hours
Strength and Endurance Standards
- Push-ups, full body: 80
- Sit-ups, standard military: 100
- Pull-ups (to proper hang and chin standard): 12
Meeting these standards indicates excellent upper and lower body strength, endurance, and aerobic fitness. These benchmarks are derived from my experience in reserve military service, marathon and triathlon training, and weight training.
Weight Training
Balancing endurance activities with strength training is challenging but essential. Each type of training develops specialized physiology and biochemistry, so you must find the best compromises to excel in both areas.
Lower Body
Running, especially hill running and fast intervals, will develop leg strength. Supplement this with regular squat and deadlift workouts to build core and lower-back strength.
Upper Body
Focus on developing the back muscles (latissimus dorsi), shoulder muscles (deltoids), and traps (trapezius). Also, build the arm muscles (biceps and triceps).
Key weight training exercises include:
- Barbell bench press
- Barbell or dumbbell bent-over row
- Barbell military press (overhead)
- Cable row machine
- Lat pulldown machine
- Barbell hang clean or power clean
- Pull-ups (overhand and underhand grip)
- Bicep curls
- Tricep cable pushdowns, overhead extensions, or dips
In addition to these exercises, incorporate many push-ups, sit-ups, and pull-ups to exhaustion in multiple sets.
30 Day Strong Legs & Toned Butt Fitness Challenge
Preparation for special forces selection trials should not be underestimated. While some training programs suggest a 3-month preparation period, experts recommend at least 6 months, ideally 12 months, of regular training to achieve the necessary physiological and biochemical changes for enhanced aerobic and strength conditioning.