SNAKEBITE Posted October 3, 2006 Report Share Posted October 3, 2006 What is involved in a "Battle Fitness Test"? What is involved in a "Combat Fitness Test"? Cheers. (And no, I'm not joining up. I don't think they are that hard up yet!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baldrick Posted October 3, 2006 Report Share Posted October 3, 2006 The BFT was re-branded to become the Basic Personal Fitness Assessment (BPFA): press-ups and sit-ups in an allotted time, and a 1.5mile/2.4km run in under 10m 30sec. The CFT is a load-carrying march against the clock. Weight (including weapon, webbing and helmet) and carried varies with the Arm you are in, and the distance/time of the march is dependent on whether you are a Regular or a TA soldier/officer, i.e., 8 miles in 2 hours for Regulars, and less for TA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
claybreaker88 Posted October 3, 2006 Report Share Posted October 3, 2006 From my time with the army BFT was a piece of p*** after a night on the juice this was done once twice a year for basic fitness the CFT was slightly different in which you had to cary 40lbs army back pack filled with sand and carry a SA80. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baldrick Posted October 3, 2006 Report Share Posted October 3, 2006 Yep, the BPFA is easy, but of course results are graded. Whilst you have 10m 30s to complete the 1.5 miles, a fit soldier should be aiming for less than 9m 30s. Supremely fit men can shave more than a minute off and so it in less than 8m 30s. Also, if any of you reckon that the 8 miles in 2 hours for the CFT sounds simple, bear in mind that you are running in combat boots, wearing (possibly soaking wet) uniform, and carrying a weapon and a helmet tied to your webbing. None of it is designed to be comfortable. And you have a PTI running with you, saying things like, "The beast needs feeding, Platoon. What does the beast feed on, Platoon?". The answer is of course "IT FEEDS ON PAIN, STAFF"....... Happy memories. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SNAKEBITE Posted October 3, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 3, 2006 Thanks guys. What is the amount of press ups/sit ups etc involved and in what time? Just curious, I was reading about it in a book and now want to know exactly what is involved! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
banditboy Posted October 3, 2006 Report Share Posted October 3, 2006 i am joining up to the british army and have passed my fitness tests. i had to run a mile and half in 10:30sec, and i was marked on how many pull-ups i could do (17). and also you had to lift weighs to neck hight. i am join up to the royal engineers C-3 systems. i cant wait! BB. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baldrick Posted October 3, 2006 Report Share Posted October 3, 2006 The BPFA requires a minimum of 44 press-ups and sit-ups in two minutes, done to a set technique, i.e., if the PTI reckons you don't have the right technique, you can end up with zero press-ups scored. The Royal Engineers is a superb Corps - good choice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldBill Posted October 3, 2006 Report Share Posted October 3, 2006 Don't forget that the BFT consisted of a 1 1/2 mile squadded run completed in exactly 15 mins 30 secs, then immediately (ie the next step) into the individual effort 1 1/2 mile run which was to be completed in 10 mins 30 secs (11.30 in boots!) There were also a few bastardisations of the CFT including a very fast 3 mile one which were not popular!! When I was a lad, my best 3 mile time was 18 mins followed by an hours weights. I now complete 1 1/2 miles in 12 mins and I've still got 3 years left to do for the Colours!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baldrick Posted October 3, 2006 Report Share Posted October 3, 2006 3 miles in 18 mins is good going..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lancs Lad Posted October 3, 2006 Report Share Posted October 3, 2006 3 miles in 18 mins is good going..... I hated the BFT......................prefered the CFT in all honesty...............I was **** at running but could tab the bolloxs off most of the lads in the troop. Had a nice achillies tendon injury after a CFT,,,,,,,just kept going and going and going,,,,,,,ended up nearly a month on the sick after it to "recover". First CFT I did.........oh how I wished I knew about zinc oxide tape..........my feet were a right mess...........and we all know what happens to blisters dont we................ So, if your joining up, before your CFT powder your feet up, wear 1 thin pair of socks inside your standard wooly ones, Tape your feet up with zinc oxide tape...........heels, toes, ankles, ball of your feet and right down the middle.....I had a blood blister the size of my ring finger going down the ball of my foot..... Good luck........ With the BFT wasnt there pull ups, press ups, sit ups aswell or was that something else........ Oh........the beep test..............bloody horrible thing............Its bringing back memories now...........Army......the only place you can sweat in a swiming pool... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lurcherboy Posted October 3, 2006 Report Share Posted October 3, 2006 Hats of to you lads LB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baldrick Posted October 4, 2006 Report Share Posted October 4, 2006 Zinc oxide tape was almost used as a form of currency when I was at Sandhurst. Stupidly, in the absence of zinc oxide tape, some people even resorted to using gaffer/duct tape to remedy blisters, usually resulting in the loss of a lot of skin when the tape was removed. Depending on how human the Colour Sergeant was, we were also allowed to wear Pro Boots instead of the issue assault boots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zapp Posted October 4, 2006 Report Share Posted October 4, 2006 Thanks guys. What is the amount of press ups/sit ups etc involved and in what time? Just curious, I was reading about it in a book and now want to know exactly what is involved! It is 44 Press ups in 2 mins, followed by (I think) 50 sit ups in 2 mins, followed by an 800m ish warm up and 1.5 mile best effort run. They may say you get more than 10.30 in training, but be below this or you will suffer once you get to your unit. As someone said, be careful with the press ups. Some places wont let you do "wide arm" (ie hands more than shoulder width apart) press ups. Best to assume your PTI will be a ******* and practice for the worst case scenario, the dreaded "tricep press up" . Lie down, face down. Put your hands palm down on the floor, directly under your shoulders. Keeping your elbows pinned to your sides, fully extend your arms, and then lower your chest to about an inch or so from the floor. That is one complete exercise. Now do 44 in 2 mins... it hurts! These are the kind of press ups you may have to do if you are really unlucky, so get practicing. My best ever for the wide arm press ups was 77 in one minute on a BPFA (you soon becomoe VERY good at press ups in tha army if you are as prone to making mistakes as I was! ), but I used to struggle lots on the elbows in variant. Mind you, I ALWAYS used to struggle on the run. I totally agree with Lancs Lad, give me the CFT ANY day! ZB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baldrick Posted October 4, 2006 Report Share Posted October 4, 2006 When I was on RowCo at RMAS, our CSgt used press-ups as part of his pain-assisted learning policy. We all got very good at them, very quickly. I far preferred the short-term pain of the BPFA than the CFT. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimjim Posted October 4, 2006 Report Share Posted October 4, 2006 Hey all, i was in the Queens UOTC there for while aka the drinking reg everynigth we spent in the barracks was spent in the officer mess not so good when the drinks are dirt cheap!! so easly to down a few to many!! the end of the nite came the CO stood up told us we had the BPFA the next morning haha many of still MONGED!! (some slang for ya bantiboy) pretty easly to be fair you could do more in a normal PT session just your timed to do it all in, sit ups, push ups timed mile and a half run. Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baldrick Posted October 4, 2006 Report Share Posted October 4, 2006 You can get a lot more done in a PT session, depending on the ingenuity and sadism of the PTI. Jim, you didn't stick with the OTC? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimjim Posted October 4, 2006 Report Share Posted October 4, 2006 You can get a lot more done in a PT session, depending on the ingenuity and sadism of the PTI. Jim, you didn't stick with the OTC? Hey, i would love to have stock at it, i started my apprenticeship in engineering in a big firm an was always told from day one we wont be putting you onto shift work until you complete your second year, within the first year i was on shift work and it ment i couldnt get to training nights to inlist for the drinking i mean training weekends so i missed a ball of stuff , hopefully one of my many applications to different firms work out and i can get back into it Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baldrick Posted October 4, 2006 Report Share Posted October 4, 2006 It's worth persisting with, Jim, even though the OTC bears little resemblance to the regular Army. I don't doubt the comic and social benefits to be gained from being in the OTC. The really committed guys and girls at Uni ignored the OTC/URNU and joined the TA/RMR/RNR instead. Any of the Services will snap up a qualified engineer though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimjim Posted October 4, 2006 Report Share Posted October 4, 2006 yea defo the corps took us to kenya there last summer for 3 weeks to do are adventure training and that had to be the best thing ever, the otc is really laid back compared to the TA or regulars, we got the benifiets of using the officer messes, thou they were hard on us for appearance etc, i would like to get back into it and maybe someday head to RMAS it was mitey part time job Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baldrick Posted October 4, 2006 Report Share Posted October 4, 2006 I couldn't recommend trying for a Commission enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimjim Posted October 4, 2006 Report Share Posted October 4, 2006 yeah defo, did i hear a rummor that you now need to have your MTQ3 before going for commisson?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baldrick Posted October 4, 2006 Report Share Posted October 4, 2006 I hadn't hard that rumour, being out of the loop for a while. However, bearing in mind that ex-OTC Cadets have no official advantage at RMAS, it's worth getting a definitive answer on. In fact, the OTC people in my Platoon were picked on mercilessly by the CSgt. Join the TA - it will stand you in much better stead. I went through RCB and RMAS with a guy who was ex-4 Para, who had been on Op Telic. That's not something you're going to be exposed to in the OTC, and he had a huge advantage over the rest of us. It depends on what you want out of life, and whether the regular Army is a career that you are genuinely considering. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimjim Posted October 4, 2006 Report Share Posted October 4, 2006 yeah i had already left wen i heard that, when i was in the OTC it was RMAS that they were training us for, i was very nearly away to RMAS while i was with the corps, thou i came to my senses and decided on waiting until i had more experiecne but then i had to pack it in , its the TA that would interest me more nd there last weekend the local paper had an article on the 85 Signal Squd being set up not far from me so i have plans to investagate that for it has a sligth electrical engineering background to it. we have very few regiments over here now with the royal irish stepping down. if i was to join a reg it would be in england somewhere so maybe over seas. thanks for all your advice!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lancs Lad Posted October 4, 2006 Report Share Posted October 4, 2006 yeah i had already left wen i heard that, when i was in the OTC it was RMAS that they were training us for, i was very nearly away to RMAS while i was with the corps, thou i came to my senses and decided on waiting until i had more experiecne but then i had to pack it in , its the TA that would interest me more nd there last weekend the local paper had an article on the 85 Signal Squd being set up not far from me so i have plans to investagate that for it has a sligth electrical engineering background to it. we have very few regiments over here now with the royal irish stepping down. if i was to join a reg it would be in england somewhere so maybe over seas. thanks for all your advice!! Mate nowt wrong with the sigs............Im ex sigs, Tele Op Systems was my trade. If your after a techy trade then its worth a bash at. Or at least it was when I was in............. So lads,,,,,,,,,,,who were you with?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baldrick Posted October 4, 2006 Report Share Posted October 4, 2006 I was in RNR while at Uni, then Cav until I got injured. Always had a slight regret that I didn't opt for the Royal Engineers (I wanted to go for EOD) when the crunch time came at RMAS. Joining Sigs is a genuinely wise move - lots of intelligent soldiers and officers, some of which are female. And some of those females are hot. More importantly, as an ex-Sigs civvie your skills will be far more in demand by high-paying employers than those of an infantryman/tankie etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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