The FBI Physical Fitness Test was reintroduced as testing criteria for aspiring agents in 2015 after a 16-year absence, in order to ensure agents were up to the physical demands of job, which go well beyond desk work.
"The lives of your colleagues and those you protect may well depend upon your ability to run, fight and shoot, no matter what job you hold," said James Comey, FBI director at the time, when talking to The New York Times back in 2015.
According to the app, there are some strict minimum requirements for men hoping to join the elite force, including the following 5 benchmarks with 5 minutes break between each:
- A minimum of 58 sit-ups in one minute
- 300 metre run in under 41 seconds
- Complete 71 push ups
- Run 1.5 miles (2.4 kilometres) in under 9 minutes
- Complete a minimum of 20 pull-ups
Applicants are scored on the above fitness tests, and while successful completion of all the tasks would produce a score of 50, don’t fret if you can’t complete them all. You only need a minimum score of 12 to be considered for employment, and the benchmarks decrease as age increases.
While fitness goes a long way to creating a covert agent, this is only one step towards becoming the next Jason Bourne. Let’s just say it takes more than big ‘guns’ to be a top agent.
According to CBS hopeful agents must also hold a bachelor degree, a 3 grade point average and be aged between 23 and 27. That’s some pretty strict criteria, but what else would you expect from the toughest covert operatives in the world (hi again!).
Keen to determine whether you’re FBI-fit or not? Short of downloading the app, you can give this sample circuit workout a crack, provided by the FBI specifically for the purpose of training for their Physical Fitness Test.
FBI Preparedness Circuit
- Run for 90 seconds
- Maximum sit-ups in 30 seconds
- Run for 90 seconds
- Maximum continuous push-ups
- Run for 90 seconds
- Maximum continuous pull-ups
- Run for 90 seconds
- Maximum body weight squats or lunges in 30 seconds
Note: Repeat entire circuit three to five times with one minute of rest in between repetitions.
