The Police Fitness Test

Stage 4 In the Police Recruitment Process: The Police Fitness Test

Typically you will be asked to undertake the police fitness test after you have successfully passed the assessment centre. Many candidates have the impression that once you have passed the assessment centre the recruitment process is complete but there are still a number of stages to go before you are offered a contract of employment.

While the main assessment does take place in the previous stage the fitness test is just as vital as failing this means failing the recruitment process and having to wait another 6 months before being able to apply again.


At this point in the police recruitment process you would have:

- Submitted a successful application form

- Attended and passed the assessment centre

You are now about to undertake the next stage which will usually involve:

- The Fitness test, an eye test and a medical examination

The final stage in the process are the background and financial checks that are carried out as part of the vetting process (this is covered in a different section of the website)


The Police Fitness Test

The police fitness test is designed to ensure you reach the level of fitness required to undertake your duties as a police officer. Since 20th May 2003, the following changes were made to the police test: The speed/agility test (which involved you running round cones, etc.) has been dropped. The bleep test pass level was reduced from 8.1 to 5.4.

The three elements of the police fitness test are as follows:

1) Dynamic Strength - Push 34kg, Pull 35kg
2) Grip Strength of 32kg
3) Endurance (the bleep test) reaching level 5.4

Why was the test changed?

Home Office figures have shown that around 50% of all female applicants failed the test, making it discriminate against female applicants. In an attempt to increase the number of female officers in the police force the Home Office have decided that the elements that most female applicants had difficulties with should be adapted to make a fairer non-discriminate test.
 

The Police Fitness Test Explained

A candidates performance on each of these tests is used to give an indication as to their ability to undertake and perform day to day police tasks. The test elements are run consecutively and minimum standards need to be achieved on each.

As with the other parts of the police application process, if you fail the police test then you fail the process as a whole and will have to wait another 6 months before applying.

However, unlike the other parts of recruitment process the fitness test differs in that you can re-take the test should you not meet the minimum standards first time. In fact you can fail the fitness test 2 times but if you fail the test after three attempts your application will be halted.

This is not the situation you want to be especially after you have passed the most difficult stages already!


1. Dynamic Strength Test

The dynamic test involves a Push of 34kg and a Pull of 35kg

In the first part of the test, you are pushing against the machine, in the second part, you are pulling against it. You will typically undertake 3 warm ups attempts and then 5 maximum force pushes and pulls. You must reach at least 34 kg push strength, and 35 kg pull strength to pass this section of the test. Imagine a rowing machine, with seats at either end one for pushing and one for pulling. In fact some gyms will have one of these machines or machines that are very similar.

How to improve your Dynamic Strength

The best way to improve your upper body strength is to perform resistance exercises using body weight, free weights or resistance machines. You can use weights and resistance machines your local gym or you can practise with press-ups.

2. Grip Strength Test of 32kg

This part of the police fitness test measures the applicants grip strength in your hand using a device called a dynamometer. You grip it in your preferred hand and and start off with it above your head and then bring it all the way down. Each candidate is allowed two attempts to record the maximum grip you can. The pass mark for this part of the fitness test is currently set at 32 kg.

How to improve your Grip Strength

If you do not use the gym or have access to gym facilities the you can improve your grip strength by undertaking a number of training exercises to build your grip strength. Common exercises include holding a squash ball or a tennis ball in your hand and crushing it as hard as you can for six seconds before releasing it. You then rest for around 4 seconds before repeating the process. The more you practise this the stronger your grip will become and this will increase your chances of passing the grip test.

Alternatively exercises such a press ups and pull ups and the use of free weights can help build your upper body strength. If you have access to a gym or maybe you are a regular gym user then consult a trainer and ask them to show you exercises that can increase your grip strength and upper body strength. You can then build these into your regular routine.


3. Endurance Test (also known as the bleep/beep test/shuttle run test)

The police endurance test involves the use of the bleep test (or shuttle run) to test the candidates fitness levels and consists of a shuttle run over 20 meters. The test will take place on a flat surface and is a progressive level test, which means it starts easy and gets increasingly harder, starting at level 1 and finishing at level 23.

Applicants typically undertake the fitness test after they have completed the assessment centre and will a high level of fitness is not required to pass the bleep test you still need reach the level required to carry out the daily duties of a police officer.

To join the police force in the UK you must pass the police fitness test and this requires you to obtain level 5.4 on the bleep test.

Many candidates do not take this part of the recruitment process seriously but underestimating the importance of the bleep test can be a vital mistake. Failing the bleep test means failing the recruitment process and you will then have to wait at least six months before being able to apply again.

If you have come this far then why leave anything to chance? Ensure you can reach the level required to pass before you turn up and guarantee your success at this stage by investing in a copy of the bleep test.

Rules of the test

- The candidate must place one foot on or beyond the 15 or 20m marker at the end of each shuttle.

- If the athlete arrives at the end of a shuttle before the beep, the athlete must wait for the bleep and then resume running.

- The athlete keeps running for as long as possible until he/she can longer keep up with the speed set by the tape or CD at which point they should voluntarily withdraw.

- If the athlete fails to reach the end of the shuttle before the beep they should be allowed 2 or 3 further shuttles to attempt to regain the required pace before being withdrawn.

- Record the level and number of shuttles completed at that level by the athlete.

- At the end of the test the athletes conduct a warm down program, including stretching exercises.

How To Conduct The Bleep Test

The test involves continuous running between two lines 20m or 15 m apart in time to recorded bleeps. The time between recorded bleeps decrease each minute (level). There are several versions of the test, but one commonly used version has an initial running velocity of 8.5 km/hr, which increases by 0.5 km/hr each minute.

First of all to undertake the bleep test you need the following:

- A flat, non slippery surface at least 20 meters in length

- Marking cones

- Pre-recorded audio tape or CD (Download the Beep Test)

- Tape recorder, CD Player or Laptop

Step 1 - Measure out a 15 or 20 metres section and mark each end with a marker cone.

Step 2 -The athlete/candidate carries out a warm up program of jogging and stretching exercises.

Step 3 - The test is conducted


How to improve your Endurance Fitness

To improve your stamina, take part in sporting activities that last 30 minutes or more and make you out of breath, such as football, netball or squash. You can also make rapid improvements through activities that create a large aerobic demand, such as jogging, cycling, swimming and rowing. Try jogging for 20 minutes or more and, as you improve, try to increase the distance covered in that time. Alternatively, jog a set distance from home and back again and try to reduce the time taken to cover the distance.


During this element you have to run to and fro along a 15 metre track in time to a series of bleeps which progressively become faster as the level increases. You have to run as long as you possibly can until you reach the point where you can no longer maintain a pace to keep up with the beeps.

In order to pass the police fitness test you need to reach level 5.4 in order to pass the fitness test. The total running time is about 3 minutes, 40 seconds.

The bleep test involves running continuously between two points that are 20 metres apart (also found in 15 metres). These runs are synchronised with a pre-recorded audio tape, CD or laptop which plays bleeps at set intervals. As the bleep test proceeds, the interval between each successive bleep reduces, forcing the athlete to increase velocity over the course of the bleep test, until it is impossible to keep in sync with the recording.
 

What you need for the bleep test:

- A flat, non slippery surface at least 20 meters in length

- Marking cones or indicators

- Pre-recorded Beep Test on CD

- CD Player or Laptop to play the bleep test

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