ADF Pre-entry Fitness Assessment: a preparation guide

Identify your assessment

Check the official fitness requirements for your exact role. Separate pre-entry testing from requirements during initial training and ongoing service. Different stages can use different exercises, standards and terminology.

Learn the movements

Use clear demonstrations and official technique instructions. Pay attention to what counts as a repetition or a completed shuttle. If you need individual feedback on movement, get qualified coaching rather than relying only on a video.

Plan from your current level

Choose an appropriate supplied program and record your sessions. Build gradually rather than copying an advanced routine or testing to exhaustion every day. Your schedule should leave room for recovery and normal life commitments.

Review before assessment day

Know the practical arrangements and equipment instructions. Avoid making last-minute changes to a familiar routine. If illness, injury or a health concern affects your readiness, seek suitable professional guidance and contact the recruitment team about your appointment.

Translate the requirement into a preparation brief

Begin with the exact assessment that applies to your role. Record its source and keep the instructions alongside your planning notes. Then list what you need to understand: exercise technique, equipment, the assessment setting and any questions for your recruitment contact. Do not confuse this research brief with a personalised exercise prescription.

Your starting point also matters when choosing support. Someone familiar with structured training may be able to use a self-directed course effectively, while someone who needs technique assessment or individual adaptation may need a qualified coach. Choose help according to that need rather than assuming a single program is appropriate for every applicant.

What to put in a training record

Record the date, planned session, session completed and any technique questions. If you follow a program, use its terminology consistently. This makes the record easier to discuss with a trainer and easier to compare across weeks. A note about why a session changed is more useful than silently rewriting the plan afterwards.

Avoid using your record only for best-ever results. A consistent picture includes ordinary sessions and changes in routine. This guide does not set a progression rate or prescribe a workload; its purpose is to help you organise the information you need when following an appropriate plan.

Assessment practice is not every training session

A practice assessment can show how you perform under the instructions you use, but it is not a substitute for the rest of a structured program. Label a technique session, a training session and an assessment attempt differently in your notes. That keeps the purpose of each session clear.

When comparing results, ask whether the conditions and movement standards were comparable. If they were not, record the difference rather than treating the numbers as a simple trend. Seek qualified feedback if you are uncertain about technique. An exercise video can demonstrate a movement but cannot confirm that your own repetitions meet a standard.

Prepare the practical details before the day

Use your appointment message to check the time, location, clothing and any items requested. If anything is unclear, resolve it beforehand. Do not replace current instructions with a saved social-media checklist or another candidate's experience.

If your circumstances change, contact the relevant official team for guidance about your appointment. Keep the conversation factual and follow their directions. The purpose of PFA preparation is to arrive informed and appropriately prepared; it is not to pursue an internet target without regard to your actual role, instructions or individual circumstances.