Physical Fitness Requirements from the German Military

Bundeswehr - Physical Fitness Test

Picture by Lumen-Digital on Stock Adobe

This is the other physical fitness test for the German Military. This test used to be the standard for the German Military until it was replaced by the Basis Fitness Test in 2010. Click here for more information about the B.F.T. There are some places such as the K.S.K. Entry Test and Officer School, where a modified version of the P.F.T. is used for their respective entry or yearly requirement test.

Motto: "Schützen, helfen, vermitteln, kämpfen" *
"To protect, help, moderate, and fight"

Established in: "1955"

German Oath : „Ich schwöre, das Grundgesetz für die Bundesrepublik Deutschland und alle in der Bundesrepublik geltenden Gesetze zu wahren und meine Amtspflichten gewissenhaft zu erfüllen, so wahr mir Gott helfe.“

ENG: I swear to protect the 'Basic Law of the Federal Republic of Germany' and all German laws, and will fulfill all my official duties with good conscious, so help me God.

Standards P.F.T. Bundeswehr

#	Exercises	Pass	Good	Great	Gold
1	Suicides	- 9.79 sec	- 9.19 sec	- 8.89 sec	- 8.60 sec
2	Sit-Ups	+ 27 reps	+ 34 reps	+ 37 reps	+ 40 reps
3	Broad jumps	+ 217 cm	+ 238 cm	+ 247 cm	+ 257 cm
4	Pushups	+ 18 reps	+ 22 reps	+ 25 reps	+ 27 reps
5	Cooper test	2126 meter	2526 meter	2676 meter	2850 meter

Bundeswehr PFT Workout

Some Units still use this test in the German Bundeswehr. You start with suicides in between cones at a 9-meter distance, followed by sit-ups within 40 seconds. Then you are to broad jump 3 times. Only the furthest attempt count. The next discipline is an unconventional pushup. You have to push yourself off the ground, clap with your right arm onto your left elbow, come down to the ground, clap your hands together on the back, and repeat. This discipline is followed by a 12 min run on the track, called Cooper Test.

Physical Requirements - other units

For all units on MsigWarrior, click here
Bundeswehr	KSK	Minentaucher
Kampfschwimmer	ZUZ	GSG 9
SEK	Polizei	Feuerwehr
Jakdo	Bundesheer	U.S. Army
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Bundeswehr 4 Safety Rules

1. Every weapon is to be considered loaded. There are no exceptions.
2. A weapon is never to be pointed at something that you do not want to hit.
3. The trigger finger is only allowed to touch the trigger when the sight is aimed at the target
4. You have to be certain of your target. The soldier is responsible for every shot fired.

P.F.T. Bundeswehr Video

Einzelkämpfer Bundeswehr

The German Commando Course of the Bundeswehr also called Combat Survival Course, used to be mandatory for every aspiring officer. It is considered one of the hardest survival schools in the world. Only an average of 50 % makes it through the 4-week course. The candidates face lots of rucking, lots of training periods in Krav Maga under extreme pressure, endless hours of orienteering through night and day, and limited hours of sleep. Candidates face "Hunger Week", where they have to survive on one food ration for a week. The soldier needs to pass an initial ruck run of 3000 meters within 19 minutes. Secondly, 100-meter swimming with clothes needs to be mastered within 4 minutes. They have to pass the Sportabzeichen upfront and have to show their abilities to handle Day and Night Marches, as they will have to endure several survival sessions within the commando course. Some of those will stretch up to 72 hours non-stop. The load of the ruck is usually 70 lbs + throughout the course and distances traveled in single marches could go up to 70 KM.

Bundeswehr - Training

Bundeswehr - Rucking

In former times, soldiers had to accomplish 30 km (18 miles) in a max time of 5 hours with or without 10 - 15 KGs. This was very usual in Basic Training. Usually, those were then repeated every year after basic training. There were also other ruckings in 10KM, 20KM, and 25KM distances with various weighted rucks.

Times have changed and soldiers in Basic Formation do not need to accomplish the above-listed requirements. Now they have to accomplish different "Stufen", which equates to Levels. Stufe I = 6 km in 60 minutes. Stufe II = 9 km in 90 minutes. Stufe III = 12 km in 120 minutes. The ruck weights 15KG (33 lbs). Soldiers who are going to the Marines do not have to ruck but have to perform fully dressed swims.