To become a Special Agent in the FBI, you must pass the Physical Fitness Test (PFT). According to the FBI, all “Special Agents must be mentally and physically prepared for their work”.
To help potential applicants train for the drill-based test, the national security agency developed the FBI FitTest — an app that provides video instruction on proper technique and form to prepare for the PFT.
The FitTest app can be downloaded via Apple’s App Store or from Google Play, which means that us regular folks are also able to give the PFT a go.
The app has two modes, one which allows you to practice each workout as many times as you like and another that takes you through a mock FBI PFT.
The test involves four elements — a maximum number of continuous situps in one minute, a timed 300-metre sprint, a maximum number of continuous push-ups and a timed 1.5-mile run (roughly 2.4km). You must complete these exercises back to back with no more than a five-minute break between each.
The better you do in each exercise, the more points you’ll score. According to the FBI, a passing score requires a cumulative 12 points, with at least one point from each of the exercises.
According to Men’s Health, the PFT was phased out in the late ’90s but brought back in 2015 to make sure that Special Agents were able to meet the physical demands of the job.
And, just in case you’re feeling a little unsure about downloading an FBI-created app on your phone, the app won’t collect your data.
“The FBI does not collect personal user data from this app; the information remains stored on the device in accordance with FBI.gov’s privacy policy,” reads the FBI website.
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