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Special Forces Fitness Test

Special Forces Fitness Test: Overview

The Special Forces Fitness Test is a comprehensive and challenging physical assessment designed to measure the fitness level and readiness of individuals interested in joining the elite Special Forces community.

The Special Forces Fitness Test has six events done in a specific order and is a race against yourself.

  1. Push-ups
  2. Sit-ups
  3. Pull-ups
  4. 1 run Run
  5. 1000-meter swims
  6. 12-Mile Ruck March: 

The Six Special Forces Fitness Test Events

Pushups

  • Goal: 80 pushups with perfect form.
  • Recommendation: Complete within 2 minutes 

Let’s start with pushups. You have to do 80. You can do them in sets of 1020 40, whatever you can do. But know that if you want to be a part of the prestigious Special Forces community, I recommend being able to do 80 pushups in two minutes.

Make sure you have perfect form all the way up and down until your elbows are at 90 degrees or less. Don’t cheat yourself. Night stalkers don’t quit. 

Situps

  • Goal: 80 situps
  • Technique: Fingers interlocked behind the head, move all the way up and down.
  • Recommendation: Complete within 2 minutes 

Next, we have situps. You have to do 80 situps. You can have someone hold your feet. Your fingers must be interlocked behind your head. Move all the way up until your biceps touch your knees, and then all the way down again. Every PJ I ever knew was in fantastic shape and, for sure, could do 80 situps in two minutes.

Pull-ups

  • Goal: 15 perfect-form pull-ups
  • Technique: Chin above the bar, lower yourself down until your arms are straight, palms facing away.

We then move on to pull-ups. The requirement is 15 perfect-form pull-ups. Every single Marine Raider can easily do 15 perfect pull-ups in one set. But feel free to break them up if you have to—all the way up until your chin is above the bar. And then lower yourself down until your arms are straight and your palms are facing away from you—unconquerable spirit.

1-mile run

  • Goal: Fastest possible time
  • Comparison: 6:30 miles is a good standard for Special Forces; 7:30 miles is below average 

Now it’s time for the run. A 1-mile run. Do it as fast as you can, but for comparison, 630 miles is a good standard for anyone wanting to join Special Forces. A seven-minute mile is dangerously borderline, and 730 miles is below average. Free the oppressed.

1000-meter swim

  • Goal: Swim 1000 meters using any stroke.
  • Comparison: Special Forces heroes complete this in 20 minutes in full uniform 

After you finish the run, it’s time to get in the water—at a lake, the ocean, or your local pool. Make sure you have a lifeguard. The requirement is 1000 meters. Swim whatever stroke you want. Wear whatever you want, but know that your Special Forces heroes do this in 20 minutes in full uniform. The only easy day was yesterday. 

12 Mile Ruck March

  • Goal: Complete with a 45-pound rucksack
  • Technique: Stride, don’t run, to minimize joint impact.
  • Average time: 3 hours for the military 

And finally, we have the ruck march—a twelve-mile ruck march. You must have a 45-pound rucksack. Do not run. Stride it out to minimize the impact on your joints. The military average is 3 hours. Rangers lead the way.

Special Forces Fitness Test Conclusion

The Special Forces Fitness Test will be demanding, but take heart. This is all in a day’s work for a special operator who swims to shore or rocks all night to get to his objective and begin his real mission. Let me know how you did in the comments below. Life is a special operation. Are you ready for it?

George N.