Life in the Australian Army can be physically demanding, as soldiers are often required to march for long distances, remain standing for hours, and lift and move heavy loads. For soldiers to have the required strength and endurance to succeed at their many tasks, they not only undergo rigorous physical training as new recruits, but are expected to maintain what the Australian Army refers to as a "lifestyle of fitness" throughout their army careers.
Initial Assessment
New recruits in the Australian Army are required to pass a pre-enlistment fitness assessment called the Initial Recruit Fitness Assessment before they can begin basic training. This assessment consists of 15 push-ups for male recruits and eight push-ups for female recruits, 45 sit-ups for both males and females, and a shuttle run consisting of 56 back-to-back 20-meter sprints. The shuttle run, also called the "beep test," involves a series of beeps sounded at the end of each 20-meter sprint, by which time you must have crossed the finish line.If you can't keep up the speed and miss two consecutive beeps, you will not pass the beep test. If you are unable to pass any components of the assessment, you'll be retested within 24 hours, and if you fail again, you'll receive two weeks' worth of remedial fitness training. If you cannot achieve this baseline fitness level after the two weeks' training, you will be discharged from the service.
FITT Principle -- Aerobic
FITT is an acronym for frequency, intensity, time and type. According to the Australian Army FITT principle, soldiers are expected to perform aerobic exercise at a frequency of three to five times a week and at an intensity of from 60 percent to 90 percent of maximum heart rate.You can determine this rate by subtracting your age from 220, then calculating the required percentage of the resulting number. You should exercise for 20 to 60 minutes at a time. Types of aerobic exercise recommended by the Australian Army include running, walking, biking and swimming.
FITT Principle -- Muscular
Aerobic exercise can build your endurance, but strength training is also an important component of the Australian Army's physical fitness program. According to the FITT principle for muscular strength, you should train at a frequency of two to three times a week, and at an intensity of 10 to 15 repetitions of each exercise or for each muscle group. These exercise sessions should last from 20 to 60 minutes at a time, and the types of strength training you should incorporate include free weights and machine weights as well as exercises using your body's own weight as resistance: sit-ups, push-ups and squats.
Combat Fitness
Australian Army units within 90 days of deployment to a combat zone must undergo a combat fitness assessment. The first part of the assessment involves a run, dodge and jump course that must be completed in 50 seconds by all soldiers under age 41, and in 70 seconds by all soldiers 41 and older. Female soldiers have a slightly shorter wall to climb and a narrower ditch to jump, but the time requirement is the same as for male soldiers. The second part of the assessment is a 15 km endurance march. Noncombat troops must complete the march in two hours and 45 minutes while carrying a weapon, with the total weight carried not exceeding 20 kg. Combat troops also have two hours and 45 minutes to complete this march, but the weight they carry may be up to 35 kg.
Lifestyle of Fitness
The "lifestyle of fitness" promoted by the Australian Army can benefit you whether or not you are Australian or plan a military career. The Australian Army's personal fitness program, distributed to potential recruits to prepare them for the initial fitness assessment, recommends 30 to 45 minutes of walking or biking or a 1.5 to 1.8 km run four to six times a week. Three sets each of push-ups and sit-ups should be performed three times a week, each set consisting of 10, eight and six reps, and one or two days a week should be rest days.
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