Physical Tests

You may think that you do not need to be terribly fit to be a musician. In other spheres that maybe so, but a Royal Marines Musician has to be fit. You will undergo a series of physical tests during your audition to assess your current fitness, your potential and your determination to keep on going when it hurts. - THE FITTER YOU ARE WHEN YOU COME TO THE AUDITION, THE EASIER THE TESTS WILL SEEM.

DAY 1

Gym Test

After warm-up exercises you will attempt all the following exercises:

1. Press Up

2. Trunk Curls (Sit ups)

3. Burpees

4. Sprint (300 yards)

The aim of each exercise is to complete as many repetitions as you can to score higher points. On completion of these five tests the accumulated points are added together to give a total mark on which your overall fitness is assessed. Remember, more repetitions, more points.

1. PRESS UP

These are done as a pair from a front support position lowering the body with the elbows tucked in to the side when the arms are bent until your chest touches the clenched fist of your partners who is counting your repetitions. One full press up is as shown on the left.

The female version of the press up (bottom) is using the knees as the pivot.

TARGET:

Average 27 before placing knees down or better

2. TRUNK CURLS (Supported Sit ups)

These are done on a mat, with someone holding your ankles. Lying on your back with your knees bent, hands behind your head you sit up until the elbow touches the knees. Your shoulders must touch the floor for the Trunk Curl to count.

TARGET:

47 in 2 minutes or better

3. BURPEES

This is a co-ordination and general body exercise involving a certain amount of agility. This exercise commences from (1) the standing position, (2) through the crouch, (3) adopting the press-up front support position, (4) back to the crouch and (5) stand up. From standing position to standing position is one repetition.

TARGET:

28 in 1 minute or better.

4. SHUTTLE RUN (300 METRES)

This is performed over a measured distance of 60 metres in which you sprint 5 legs. Points are awarded on a sliding scale, so the faster you run, the more Points you achieve.

TARGET:

As quickly as possible.

DAY 2

1.5 Mile Timed Run

INDIVIDUAL TIMED RUN

After a series of warm-up exercises you will attempt an individual best effort timed run over a distance of 1.5 miles (2.4km = 6 laps of a running track). You will start by running the route as an introduction with the PTIs in 15 minutes; this will be a walk and jog on a flat course. On completion of the course introduction, you will then run the route again, this time individually, and as fast as you can.

TARGET:

DAY 3

VO2Max Bleep Test and Swimming assesment

BLEEP TEST

This assessment will take place in the gymnasium. It is designed to test your oxygen uptake (VO2 Max) or maximal aerobic power. Generally, the greater the VO2 Max the better the performance in endurance exercises. This is because more oxygen can be supplied to the working muscles allowing a larger workload to be performed before there is significant buildup of anaerobic metabolites (lactic acid).

Over a distance of 25 metres, you will shuttle back and forth, steadily gaining speed over a period of time. Audio tape is used to ensure this is done.After a series of warm up exercises you will attempt the VO2Max Bleep Test.The 'bleep' test involves running continuously between two points that are 20m apart. These ‘shuttle’ runs are done in time to pre-recorded ‘bleep’ sounds on a pre-recorded audio cassette. The time between the recorded ‘bleeps’ decrease after each minute.

The audio tape used for this test gives a single ‘bleep’ at intervals, which indicates the end of a shuttle, and 3 ‘bleeps’ indicates the start of the next level.

The test starts with your foot on or behind the starting point. If you arrive at the end of a shuttle before hearing the beep, you must wait for it before starting to run again.You must carry on running for as long as possible, until you can longer keep up with the speed set by the tape. If you fail to reach the end of the shuttle before the beep, you will be allowed to try two further shuttles to try and make up the pace before your test is ended.

TARGET:

SWIMMING ASSESMENT

This is not a test, only an assessment. You will jump from the 4M board into the water and swim to the side. You will then try to retrieve a brick from the deep end (4M) of the pool from a 'Duck' dive on the surface. Following the brick retrieve you will swim 2 widths of the pool to complete your assesment. Non swimmer are encouraged to learn to swim to attempt this assesment as it is a requirement for you to pass out of training to be able to pass the 'Basic Swimming Test'. Non swimmer will be taught and coached by the PT staff until they reach the standard of swimming required to pass the test.