How Fit Do You Need To Be For The Royal Canadian Mounted Police?

​If you're looking to get into the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), you probably already know that a primary requirement is being in good physical shape, including strength, stamina and agility to carry out your duties.

In this article, we'll give you an overview of what they will expect of you if you'd like to apply for a position in the RCMP.

Base Physical Fitness Requirements

The training to become a Royal Canadian Mounted Police takes place in the Training Academy in Regina. Please note that this is not where you go to start the process of being fit. The training program is for when you are already in shape. 

The reason for being in shape is pretty straightforward: you need considerable physical and mental stamina to cope with the physical and mental demands of the program. If you entered the academy without the required base fitness levels, you would struggle with the training and may have to drop out. 

The base physical fitness requirements for joining the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Training Academy are as follows:
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Men

• Run 2.43 kilometres or 1.5 miles in 10 minutes and 45 seconds 
• Run 4.86 kilometres or 3 miles in 22 minutes
• Run 8.1 kilometres or 5 miles in 40-45 minutes
• Be able to do at least 25 push-ups and 6 pull-ups 

Women

• Run 2.43 kilometres or 1.5 miles in 12 minutes and 45 seconds 
• Run 4.86 kilometres or 3 miles in 24 minutes
• Run 8.1 kilometres or 5 miles in 40-45 minutes (same as for men)
• Do a minimum of 25 push-ups and 3 pull-ups

As you can imagine, that level of fitness usually doesn't just exist unless you have been working at a physical job for some time or have been working out regularly with those specific fitness goals in mind. If you are currently planning to join the RCMP, see if you can meet those requirements and if not, get started with your training ASAP.

The RCMP training academy requires these bare minimums because of the demands of police work and the rigours of the training program at the academy. Candidates will have to undergo a Physical Abilities Requirement Evaluation (PARE) within the 2 weeks of commencing the Training Academy and again at the end of their training. The idea is that you already have the base physical fitness to train you specifically during your training at the academy to pass the PARE.

What is Physical Abilities Requirement Evaluation (PARE)?

The PARE is a series of scenarios enacted at the RCMP Training Academy or "Depot" to mimic real-world events that you may face during a typical day on the job as a Royal Canadian Mounted Police Officer. Candidates get to chase, control, and apprehend a suspect.

If a candidate fails the first time, they get to try again in 72 hours. When a candidate fails the second attempt, they are told to leave the camp as they'd have proven that they don't meet the physical requirements of the job. This is one of the reasons why you need to be in excellent physical condition.   

What Does the PARE Involve?

There are three stages (officially known as Stations) in the evaluation process, and you'll have to complete them all.

Station 1 – Obstacle Course
This scenario presents a series of possible challenges that the candidate has to overcome while heading to the scene of an incident. 

Station 2 – Push/Pull
This scenario requires the candidate to solve a problem at the scene of an incident.

Station 3 – Weight Carry
The scenario mandates the candidate to carry or remove an object or an individual from a scene.

Each candidate will be required to complete Stations 1 & 2 in 5 minutes 30 seconds max at the beginning of their training at the academy. In the final evaluation at the end of the training, the candidate should be able to do the same two stations in less than 4 minutes.

How Should You Train for the Training Academy and the PARE?

The critical requirements for the Physical Abilities Requirement Evaluation are good cardiovascular fitness and muscular strength. Two fundamental approaches that will help you through this evaluation are strength and cardio training. 

So, if you've been doing one without the other, you need to remedy that and start doing both. For example, if you're great at running but struggle with weight lifting, you have to start lifting weights if you want to finish and graduate from the RCMP Training Academy. 

A good rule to follow is:

• 3 to 5 cardio sessions per week
• 2-3 strength workouts per week

If you are currently unsure of your fitness, you might want to train for a minimum of 6 weeks before applying to the RCMP Training Academy. If you'd like to discuss your current fitness levels and how you can get to the base physical fitness requirement to get into the Training Academy, feel free to get in touch!