[cjmewett]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
There should be a speed component, like 100m in under a certain time.

[/ QUOTE ]Except that speed and fitness have nothing to do with one another.

The Marine Corps Physical Fitness Test is a good one. Dead-hang pullups (hands either way, can switch midway so long as you don't dismount the bar), crunches (2 minutes), and a 3-mile run. A 300 (perfect score) requires 20 pullups, 100 crunches, and an 18 minute run. Obviously anyone who scores a 300 is in excellent shape, not just ok, average-adult-guy shape. Generally a 225 ("1st class") is considered "passing," though that's very much below average in the Marine Corps. Scoring works like this:

*5 points per pullup
*1 point per crunch
*-1 point for every ten seconds over 18:00 on run

So, for example, if I do 13 pullups, 85 crunches, and run a 22:00, that's (65) + (85) + (76) = 226.

[/ QUOTE ]

Jeebus, running 3 miles in 18 minutes sounds almost impossible. Seriously, you would have to be in peak physical condition to do that.

[/ QUOTE ]You would be shocked by the number of people who, training to this test, are able to score over a 285. In my experience, the vast majority of officers are running sub-20 3-miles and doing 17 or more pullups. In fact, I would suggest that >50% of Marine junior officers are 20/100/<22 min guys, and perhaps 20% of them are running 300s.

And to be fair, I did say that this would qualify you as essentially a fitness badass. I'm not saying that your average Joe should or can run three miles in 18 minutes, but you'd be surprised at the number of people who can meet these standards when consisten effort is applied.