Are you fit enough?
The tests below are a guide to test yourself to see if you already posses the cardiovascular fitness and strength to become a firefighter. Go ahead and test yourself. Ensure to carry out a sufficient warm up and cool down before carrying out any of the following tests.
ARE YOU FIT ENOUGH?
Cardio fitness
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As a guide, you likely have the minimum level of cardiorespiratory fitness for UK firefighting if you can achieve/complete any one of these tests listed below. The minimum requirement is to have a VO2 max score of 42. The tests listed below are equivalent to a minimum level of 42VO2 max:
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Run 1 kilometre (0.62 miles) in 4 minutes, max effort
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Run 5 kilometres (3.1 miles) in 23 minutes, max effort
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Achieve at least level 8.8 in the 20m bleep test.
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Run on a treadmill at 7.5mph (12km/h) for 12minutes.
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Run 1.5 miles (2.4 kilometres) continuously in 12 minutes or less (equivalent to running 6 laps of a 400m outdoor running track in 12 minutes).
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Strength fitness
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As a guide, you likely have the minimum level of physical strength for UK firefighting if you can:
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Shoulder press 35kg barbel once in an overhead, upright-seated position.
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Rope pull 28kg of static weight 23 times without rest from a seated position.
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Rope pull 60kg of static weight once from a seated position.
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Deadlift 55kg
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Farmers walk – either a 35kg Barbell or 2 x 17.5kg dumbbells – walk for 100 meters with no rest.
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