Medical & Fitness Requirements

Other Ranks (Non Technical)

Service as a Clearance Diver is physically and mentally demanding and requires a high level of individual robustness, strength and endurance. Training can extend over 18-hour days and seven-day weeks, and involve very heavy physical activity. Therefore, you must be medically and physically fit to undertake Clearance Diver training.

Medical. Your medical fitness will be assessed by a doctor, prior to enlistment. This assessment will require you to complete an extensive questionnaire covering your medical history and it will be followed by a comprehensive physical examination.

Applicants must pass a diving medical before being able to join the CD category. Certain illnesses and disabilities relating to diving, particularly pulmonary complaints such as asthma, will normally disbar applicants.

Physical. You will also be required to successfully pass a Physical Fitness Assessment (PFA) before enlistment. This PFA requires you to achieve a higher standard than the general entry fitness level for the Navy. You must be able to complete:

• 6 heaves;
• 30 push ups;
• 25 sit-ups; and
• Beep test (shuttle run) to level 10.1.

Heaves / Chin-ups

Candidates are required to conduct chin-ups with a pronated (overhand) grip to simulate pulling themselves and their equipment free of the water.

The procedure for the chin-up is as follows:

Start position. The chin-up bar/beam must be grasped with the hands facing forward (pronated overhand grip), and the body is to be fully extended to a hanging position with the feet free of the ground (not crossed). The position of the hands may not be changed during the activity.

The body is then pulled upwards with the arms until the chin is over the bar/beam, then lowered until the elbows are fully extended and the body is again in the hanging position. This comprises one repetition.

Slight kicking motions are permitted provided the knees do not rise above the waist and the chin-up activity remains a vertical action. The feet at no time are to be crossed. The body may be kept from swinging by an assistant holding an extended arm in front of the individual at knee height.

Each repetition must be fully completed to be counted.

Resting during performance may be permitted in the starting position only and without dismounting or the aid of a support.

For further details on medical and physical standards, click on 'Additional Information' on the toolbar at the top of this page and refer to 'Physical Fitness Standards for Entry into the ADF' and 'Medical Process for Entry into the ADF'.