Army Officer Selection Board (AOSB) Physical Preparation and the Fitness Assessment Syllabus

Define fartlek training.

"Speed play" (Swedish) — continuous running with unstructured, spontaneous changes of pace and intensity. It blends aerobic and anaerobic stimuli and builds the ability to surge and recover, useful for variable physical-task demands.

Define continuous (steady-state) endurance training.

Prolonged exercise at a constant, mostly low-to-moderate intensity (conversational pace). It builds aerobic base, capillary density, mitochondrial volume and fat-oxidation efficiency that underpins all other endurance work.

Compare tempo runs, fartlek and continuous runs by intensity and purpose.

Continuous: low-moderate, constant — aerobic base. Tempo: high-steady at threshold — raises lactate threshold. Fartlek: variable bursts — develops both systems and pace-change ability. They sit on a rising intensity/specificity spectrum.

What is the lactate threshold and why does it matter for the bleep test?

The exercise intensity above which blood lactate rises faster than it can be cleared, forcing eventual fatigue. A higher threshold means a candidate can hold faster bleep-test speeds aerobically before fatigue, achieving higher levels.

What is a taper, and what is the goal during board week?

A taper is a planned reduction in training volume (typically $40$–$60\%$) over the final $1$–$2$ weeks while keeping some intensity. The goal is to dissipate fatigue and supercompensate so the candidate peaks — fresh, strong and rested — on assessment days.

During a taper, what should you reduce and what should you keep?

Reduce total volume/mileage substantially. Keep some short, high-intensity efforts to maintain sharpness and neuromuscular readiness. Avoid introducing any new exercises or heavy loads that could cause soreness or injury.

Define functional strength training.

Training that develops strength through multi-joint, multi-planar movement patterns resembling real tasks (squats, lifts, carries, pulls). It improves transfer to occupational demands like loaded carriage and lifting rather than isolated muscle hypertrophy.

Give examples of bodyweight strength exercises useful for AOSB preparation.

Press-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups, squats, lunges, planks, burpees and dips. They build the muscular endurance and core stability needed for the physical tests while requiring no equipment.

Why is core stability important for loaded military tasks?

A stable core transfers force between upper and lower body, maintains posture under load, protects the spine during lifting and carrying, and improves running economy — reducing injury risk and energy waste during RMTs and marches.

Define loaded carriage (rucking) conditioning.

Training that involves walking/marching while carrying a weighted pack (bergen). It conditions the legs, back, shoulders and aerobic system specifically for the load-bearing demands of military tasks and the loaded marches in selection.

State a sensible progression principle for building rucking load.

Increase load or distance gradually — typically no more than about $10\%$ per week — and not both at once, to allow tendons, joints and the aerobic base to adapt and to minimise overuse injury (e.g. stress fractures, shin splints).

Why should rucking pace be controlled rather than maximal early in training?

Carrying load greatly raises joint and connective-tissue stress; early sessions build a structural base. Excessive early pace or load spikes outpace tissue adaptation, causing blisters, shin splints, knee/back strain and stress fractures.

What is the purpose of a warm-up, and what should it include?

To raise core/muscle temperature, increase blood flow, mobilise joints and prime the nervous system, reducing injury risk and improving performance. It should include light aerobic work, dynamic stretches and movement-specific drills (rising in intensity).

Contrast dynamic and static stretching, and state when each is appropriate.

Dynamic stretching (controlled movement through range) is best before exercise — it primes muscles without reducing power. Static stretching (holding a lengthened position) is best after exercise or for flexibility work, as pre-exercise static holds can transiently reduce power output.

What is the purpose of a cool-down?

To gradually lower heart rate and intensity, aid clearance of metabolic by-products, prevent blood pooling/dizziness, and begin recovery. Typically light aerobic activity followed by static stretching/mobility.

Define mobility training and how it differs from flexibility.

Flexibility is the passive range of motion of a joint/muscle; mobility is the ability to actively control movement through that range. Mobility training combines range and control (e.g. controlled articular rotations), improving movement quality and injury resilience.

What is overtraining syndrome, and how does it differ from normal fatigue?

A maladaptive state from chronic excessive training without adequate recovery, causing prolonged performance decline. Unlike normal fatigue (resolved by days of rest), overtraining persists for weeks/months and impairs systemic function.

List common warning signs of overtraining.

Persistent performance decline, chronic fatigue, elevated resting heart rate, disturbed sleep, loss of motivation, mood disturbance/irritability, frequent infections, persistent muscle soreness, and loss of appetite.

How can overtraining and overuse injuries be avoided?

Apply progressive overload gradually, schedule rest and recovery (deload weeks), vary training stimulus, ensure adequate sleep and nutrition, monitor resting heart rate/mood, and respect early pain signals rather than training through them.

Name three common overuse injuries in running/rucking preparation.

Shin splints (medial tibial stress syndrome), stress fractures (often tibia/metatarsals), and tendinopathies (e.g. Achilles or patellar). They arise from excessive load progression, poor recovery or biomechanical issues.

What are the three macronutrients and their primary roles in training?

Carbohydrate — the main fuel for moderate-to-high-intensity exercise (stored as glycogen). Protein — tissue repair and muscle adaptation. Fat — a dense fuel source for low-intensity/long-duration work and essential physiological functions.

Why are carbohydrates emphasised before and on assessment days?

Carbohydrate replenishes muscle and liver glycogen, the primary fuel for high-intensity efforts like the bleep test and loaded tasks. Adequate glycogen delays fatigue and maintains power and cognitive function during multi-event days.

State a general daily protein guideline for someone in heavy physical training.

Roughly $1.4$–$2.0\ \text{g}\cdot\text{kg}^{-1}\cdot\text{day}^{-1}$ of body mass, spread across meals, to support muscle repair and adaptation under high training loads.

What should a pre-assessment meal look like, and when should it be eaten?

A familiar, carbohydrate-rich, moderate-protein, low-fat and low-fibre meal eaten about $2$–$4$ hours before, to top up glycogen while avoiding gastrointestinal discomfort. Nothing new should be trialled on the day.

How does dehydration impair physical and cognitive performance?

Even a $\sim 2\%$ loss of body mass from fluid reduces blood volume, raises heart rate and core temperature, impairs thermoregulation and endurance, and degrades concentration and decision-making — harmful for both physical tasks and command tasks.

What is a practical way to monitor hydration status?

Urine colour — pale straw indicates good hydration, dark yellow indicates dehydration. Drinking to thirst plus monitoring colour, and replacing fluids (with electrolytes for heavy sweating) maintains adequate status across multi-day events.

Why is sleep critical for athletic performance and recovery?

Sleep is when most physical recovery and adaptation occur — growth-hormone release, glycogen restoration, tissue repair and memory consolidation. Poor sleep raises injury and illness risk and degrades reaction time, mood and decision-making.

How much sleep is generally recommended, and why protect it before board week?

Around $7$–$9$ hours per night for adults (often more during heavy training). Protecting sleep before and during board week preserves the cognitive sharpness and physical freshness needed to perform across multiple demanding days.

How should a candidate manage fatigue across a multi-day board?

Pace effort across events, prioritise sleep and recovery between days, maintain consistent fuelling and hydration, use down-time to rest mentally, and avoid burning out energy or emotional reserve early so performance is sustained to the end.

Why is consistent fuelling and recovery between days more important than any single session at a multi-day board?

Because performance must be repeated day after day; under-fuelling or poor sleep causes cumulative glycogen depletion and fatigue, so later events (and command/leadership tasks) suffer. Steady recovery sustains physical and cognitive output across the whole board.