OASC preparation advice needed

[Oxeagle]

Evening chaps,

Firstly I know that there is a sticky for recruitment-related threads, but I am looking for answers for my own personal circumstances, not a generic question, and I am rather desperate for good advice.

Ok, so basically I am in a right old pickle. I am due to attend OASC on the 21st of this month, 2 weeks time, and I don't feel that I am ready. The main problem I feel is my fitness. Because of a number of factors (illnesses, injuries and a load of personal issues) I havn't trained myself up to the level of fitness I need to be at for OASC :uhoh: Before you decide to criticise me, I know, I won't make excuses for it, this situation is completely my own doing but i'm here for advice not more criticism.

In terms of fitness, i'm fine with everything but the running. According to the OASC booklet in front of me, the minimum level on the Multi Stage Fitness Test (Bleep Test) is 8.6, which doesn't sound much but i've never been any good at running! I could probably just scrape my way through, but by the skin of my teeth. Just to help me get a few things cleared up, it would be of great help if someone could provide the answers to the following questions:

1. Although 8.6 is the official minimum pass level for the MSFT, is this a true minimum level or is there a higher acceptable minimum level? Basically, if I did just manage to scrape through would I still be failed on the fitness tests anyway?

2. Is there any way of deffering to a later OASC session to give myself time to properly prepare? Would I loose my chance to attend OASC completely if I asked to be deffered?

3. If I did poorly on the fitness test, but did well in most of the other areas would that be enough to redeem myself in the eyes of the selection board, or do they pick candidates who only excel in every area?

So, now you know the situation. A side effect of this is that, as I don't know what the hell to do in light of the current situation, my confidence is taking a battering, so I really need to your advice to help set things straight for me, for better or worse!

Thanks for your time,

A rather worried Ox :uhoh:

[airborne_artist]

I think you are being a big girl's blouse about the running thing. You've mentioned it in earlier posts. Get a decent pair of shoes and put in some training.

Interval training, eg 10 x 400m, preceded by 1000m jog/warm up and followed by a 1500m jog/warm down.

At your age you can do it twice a day, and you quickly get fit. If I can get fit again in six weeks aged 47 to run nine miles in 75 minutes then you can get fit enough to pass a bleep test for the Cr@bs in two, unless you've spent the last 18 years in bed.

Get a grip - it'll be harder if you get in, I can assure you.
If you like you can get the train to Cholsey and I'll take you through a training session. PM me.

[Safety_Helmut]

I looked at this thread to see what sort of muppet decides to not use the OASC (sticky) thread at the top of the forum. I was not disappointed, as AA said, you are being a big girls blouse. Your'e 18, and worried about getting to level 8.6, oh dear me !

Could someone put this where it belongs ?

S_H

[bad livin']

WTN, you have a PM.

Rgds
BL

[Oxeagle]

WTN - thanks for your informative reply, you've answered my queries. Cheers :)
AA - thanks for the offer, i'll PM you when I know what i'm doing
SH - ...Tell me one thing; are you, or have you ever been, a member of the armed forces?

BTW no more replies necessary, my questions have been answered, but thanks for looking!

[Safety_Helmut]

Just on my way out after 23 years in the RAF, BGB.

Don't take it personally, you are one of many, who post, what are quite frankly in many cases, pretty pathetic questions, (see the sticky for many more).

S_H

[will fly for food 06]

I got 11.4 when i did my oasc before joining the raf. Just remember if you are awarded a place to join the raf you may not have long to prepare fitness wise before your course. If you work hard now if may help in preventing you from getting injured during them. Oh and im leaving too cos its not as fun as it used to be.

[JAG3]

You still have plenty of time to correct your state of fitness. If you get out 2+ times a day doing around 3/4 miles you should be prepared enough for OASC. But also take a break twice a week incase of injury. The hard work I'm sure will be rewarded.

[Professor Plum]

A few months back when I went to OASC, the pass mark was 9.10 for males, and 6 or 7ish for females.

Are you sure your figure of 8.6 is correct?

Also, why don't you download a copy of the bleep test off the internet (limewire?) and have a go (if you can find somewhere suitable).

[will fly for food 06]

He must be out running.

[Flap62]

Presumably, he is actually trying to reply, but with a score of 8 and a bit, it takes his hand a few hours to put down the donut and reach the keyboard.

[Always_broken_in_wilts]

You have to wonder, I am a fat old knacker, aged 50 this year and can crack 8.0 with no training but f@ckin tons of determination and we have this handbag carrying Jessie bleating about struggling to get to 8.6 on entry to the RAF:rolleyes:

Put the Kebab down and get your feckin plimsolls on and sort your life you chuggy git:ugh:

[alex_holbrook]

Play squash. Trust me, it helps. And when you run the bleep test, alternate the legs that you push off with. At my AIB there was a bloke who got 6-5, and still passed :ooh: . Says a lot really doesn't it.:rolleyes:

[Mr C Hinecap]

Don't play squash. The only person to fail the streaming run when I started IOT had just played squash. Just get out and run - you can do nothing else. Run around a football pitch - vary between steady running and running harder on the short sides - interval training is really good - but you've probably ignored enough advice by now :rolleyes:

[teeteringhead]

Checking out Oxeagle's profile and "threads started" makes interesting background reading.........:E

[R 21]

teeteringhead

mmm indeed looks like he is all talk no b:mad: s

R21

[Neeps]

A rather worried Ox :uhoh:
Good job on leaving things to the last minute! Surely if you have been going though the application process, you should have been getting yourself fit in the meantime, before you even got your date?

If you don't feel ready, phone OASC and defer your selection as WTN said. Last years recruitment figures were apparently slim, and though I do not know this year's ones, do you really want to give yourself a reason not to be picked over someone else?

It's a shame, fitness is the one thing that YOU can control and you can make sure you excel at, and it sounds as though you haven't bothered. Are you sure you want to join?

Also remember that yes it is a minimum requirement, but it is also to gauge how well you could do at IOT. At IOT to want to be running much much better than 8.6.