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Workplace Fitness Assessments

It is not uncommon for workers to be required to undergo health checks and fitness assessments in order to gain employment. Such assessments can be known as workplace fitness assessments, recruitment testing, pre-employment functional capacity evaluation and many other variations of these. Whatever the name, for entry into most defense force units or the police or fire department, you are usually required to pass a physical fitness test of some sort.

Sometimes this assessment will just involve being able to run a certain distance under a certain time, and perform exercises such as a certain number of sit ups or push-ups. However, some departments have developed a more specific testing protocol, which can include such things as requiring you to perform an obstacle course which involves climbing over things and carrying objects, which more closely resemble the demands of the occupation.

There are many people who believe that the testing that is conducted is wrong or should be different. We have discussed whether fitness assessments should be conducted at all.

defence force push-up test