General

Peter MacKay introduces new fitness testing for Canadian Forces

Members of the Canadian Forces will have to pass a new, and likely harder, annual fitness test starting in April 2014.

Defence Minister Peter MacKay said the new test, called the Fitness for Operational Requirement for Canadian Armed Forces Employment (FORCE) Program, is meant to more closely replicate scenarios soldiers might face during actual military operations.

Currently, Candadian Forces members must pass a yearly EXPRES test, which was developed in the mid ’80s. It includes a shuttle run, sit ups, push ups and a grip test — all useful for fitness, but not exactly field activities.

The four components in the new FORCE test are: repeated 20-kilogram sandbag lifts, a shuttle run carrying a 20-kilogram sandbag, 20-metre sprints and dragging a 20-kilogram sandbag 20 metres without stopping. The new test will also have one goal for everyone. The older test has different standards, based on age and sex.

The new test will be rolled out in April 2013 and will be mandatory for all service members as of April 2014.

Here are some CF members to demonstrate how it’s done:

The FORCE Evaluation from CFPFSS on Vimeo.

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