I used to think people who claimed they were going to throw up after exercise were just attention seekers.
But on a visit to RAF Lossiemouth I learned two key things:
- I am very unfit.
- I was very, very wrong.
With P&J/ Evening Express colleagues Lottie Hood and Ross Hempseed in tow, I was put through my paces to see if I’d have what it takes to join the ranks of the RAF.
What’s in the test?
There are three elements to the RAF fitness test, and you need to pass all of them if you want to sign up.
A multi-stage fitness test – affectionately known as the bleep test – or a 1.5 mile run on a treadmill, followed by some press-ups and sit-ups.
The running time and number of exercises you have to complete vary depending on your age and gender.
Unfortunately for me, as a 29-year-old male, I landed squarely in the toughest category.
Getting ready to take your fitness test? Here's the standards that you'll need to meet for the Bleep Test: pic.twitter.com/EOPhCVlTx5
— RAF Recruitment (@RAF_Recruitment) December 17, 2018
If you’ve never done a bleep test before, I’d strongly encourage you to keep it that way.
We were faced with two markers laid out 20 metres (65ft) apart, and our job was simply to run between them before the next tone played from a booming speaker beside us.
The gap between the sounds grows shorter and shorter over time, forcing you to run faster to keep up with it.
Miss three markers in a row, and you’re out.
It started off fairly simply – although the fact it was described as a “leisurely pace” and “a good warm-up” set alarm bells ringing.
A pass for me was to reach the ninth “level” of beeps, and 10th beep of that stage.
For a brief moment, it almost seemed feasible.
The three of us easily kept pace, even having a second or two to catch our breath as we beat the beeps to the next marker.
But a couple more rounds and I was done for – struggling to get my breathing right between sprints.
I also started to feel some pain in my back from a injury I picked up two years ago (yes, I am playing that card), adding extra strain as I huffed and puffed my way across the gym.
It was somewhere around level five when I tapped out, the others seemingly taking it in their strides.
Lottie made it well into the seventh level – a pass for her category – while Ross ended just a few beeps short of his goal.
After a five-minute rest (thankfully the clock for this only starts when the last bleep tester finishes, giving Lottie and I some extra recovery time), it was onto the second half of the test.
Helped by some of the RAF Lossiemouth physical training instructors, we had to do as many press-ups as we could in one minute – again, the goal number dependent on our age and gender.
Following that, it was a minute of sit-ups, with strict rules about what would and wouldn’t count as acceptable.
Miraculously, all three of us found these parts easier and either passed, or came very close to it.
While I didn’t come anywhere close to completing the bleep test, there is still hope for me.
Generally, you’re allowed to try again after a certain length of time to demonstrate that you’ve improved since your first attempt.
And the RAF offers a 12-week training programme for people looking to take the fitness test, even if they’ve never exercised before.
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