Health & Fitness


Many ADF roles involve outdoor activity, and a reasonable level of fitness is required. Regular exercise is an important part of service life, so you'll get paid to keep fit.


How fit must I be to apply?

During the application process you’ll be assessed through completion of a questionnaire relating to your medical history, a physical examination, and depending on your role you may need to do a Pre-entry Fitness Assessment (PFA). During the PFA you’ll need to be able to complete a specified number of exercises:


Female


Sit ups (feet held): 45

Push ups: 8

Shuttle run score: 7.5

Sit ups (feet held): 20

Shuttle Run score: 5.1



Male


Sit ups (feet held): 45

Push ups: 15

Shuttle run score: 7.5

Sit ups (feet held): 20

Shuttle run score: 6.1



Navy

To join the Navy, it's important that you meet the necessary medical and physical requirements. Regular exercise prior to joining will set you up for success as it is an important part of training and service life.

Once you join, Navy will support your physical conditioning to ensure your prepared to serve, along with fitness with physical training instructors, chef-made meals, access to gyms, sports and PT sessions. Throughout your Navy career you will be expected to conduct an annual fitness test which includes a plank and run/walk.

A Pre-entry Fitness Assessment (PFA) is a requirement for Navy Divers which consists of 30 push ups, 25 sit ups and a shuttle run to level 10.1.

Please refer to the Navy - Health and Fitness page for further details.

Army

The exercises listed in the table above are relevant for General Entry Combat roles and Officer Entry roles.

General Entry Combat Support roles have different fitness requirements. Visit the Army Health and Fitness page to see the specified number of exercises you’ll need to complete during the PFA.

Special Forces must achieve 40 push ups, 60 sit ups, 6 over-grasp heaves (pull-ups) and shuttle run to level 10.1.

Air Force

Ground Defence Officers and Physical Training Instructors must complete push ups, sit ups and shuttle runs and achieve higher standards than those outlined above. For further details, visit the information pages for these roles at the links above.

We’ve created a guide to help you to get started on your fitness journey, including practising correct techniques for your PFA.



What about weight What about weight
What about weight?

The maximum allowable BMI for entry to the ADF is 32.9. BMIs of less than 18.5 are considered too low as they present a risk of injury during training.

Your BMI will be measured on Assessment Day and again on the day of entry to the ADF. You will not be able to join if you are outside the specified range so check your BMI well in advance and if necessary, talk to your doctor about any lifestyle changes you may have to consider.


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Please note that the BMI result is indicative only, and there may be other factors that affect the result. An initial adverse BMI result or failing the pre-entry physical fitness test may not necessarily preclude you from into the ADF. However, some career paths apply stringent standards. For example some aircrew occupations must have a BMI between 18.5 to 29.9, however must have a body weight between 55kg and 105kg (in underwear).


Get fit enough to serve

Attaining the fitness required to join the Navy, Army or Air Force is well within most people's capability. The new ADF Active mobile app is the smarter, more efficient way to reach that level.

Initial Assessment

Take the Pre-Entry Fitness Assessment to see how close you are to ADF requirements. You can also check out your Body Mass Index.

Personalised Program

From your results, ADF Active creates a personalised program designed to get you to the required fitness level in time for your interview.

Technique Training

You'll be shown the correct way to do push-ups and sit-ups, and complete a shuttle run (beep test), with step-by-step instructional videos.

Tracking & Guidance

Check how you're travelling with stats, graphs and badges, and along the way receive in-app advice and motivation from ADF PT Instructors.

 

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Articles & Podcasts

Learn tips as you go on everything from recovery techniques to staying motivated.

Helpful Videos

Instructors demonstrate the most effective techniques.

Personalised Program

Workouts are tailored to your fitness level.



Health & Fitness Health & Fitness
What if I do not pass the assessment?

If you have the attributes and personal drive we’re looking for in the Army, but would benefit from additional physical and mental preparation, you may be eligible for the Army Pre-Conditioning Program (APCP).

This program assists in improving your fitness, confidence and resilience to help you unlock your potential and assist with your Initial Military Training.

You can find more information on our flexible enlistment pathways on our Women in the ADF page.

In the Navy, depending on the job role, you may be required to do a Pre-entry Fitness Assessment (PFA), once you join the Navy will support your physical conditioning to ensure your prepared to serve.


How fit must I be to serve?

For many recruits into the Navy, Army and Air Force the physical exercise they do – which can be quite demanding during training – is all part of the fun. They enjoy improving their health in a supportive team environment.

The actual level of fitness you will be expected to reach varies greatly according to the role you've chosen. For instance, in combat roles the highest level is required while business-related roles require less.

It's also important that you maintain good levels of medical and dental fitness. Therefore, regular medical checks, dental treatment and inoculations are compulsory, and all are provided free of charge to full-time personnel.