Royal Navy · Serving
Royal Navy fitness test: what is the in-service Physical Employment Standard?
The Physical Employment Standard replaced the old RNFT 2.4 km run on 2 September 2024. It's seven exercises, wearing a 20 kg weighted vest for part of the circuit, all completed within 15 minutes — with no age or sex variation.
Verified 2026-09-07 against Royal Navy — Scottish reservists prove high fitness levels, passing new test in abundance.
The pass mark
Kettlebell carry (start)
2 x 20 kg over 60 m
20 kg lift
18" box to 48" box, x 20
Deadlift
40 kg x 12
Rope pull
60 kg over 6 m
A 20 kg weighted vest (firefighting equipment) is put on after this exercise and worn for the rest of the circuit.
Kneel/stands
12, holding a 7.5 kg dumbbell
Casualty drag
80 kg over 15 m
Kettlebell carry (finish)
2 x 20 kg over 60 m
Same exercise as the opening kettlebell carry, repeated at the end of the circuit.
Good to know
All seven exercises, within 15 minutes
There's no per-exercise time limit published — the standard is completing all seven exercises inside a single 15-minute window, with the weighted vest worn from after the rope pull onward.
This replaces the run entirely — it doesn't sit alongside it
The PES is not an alternative to a run test: the old RNFT 2.4 km run was retired on 2 September 2024, not kept as an option. It also doesn't affect the Pre-Joining Fitness Test used at entry, which is a separate test (see the entry-test page) — the PJFT itself switches from a 2.4 km run to a 20 m bleep test on 1 October 2026.
Common questions
What's the pass standard for the Royal Navy (PES)?
Kettlebell carry (start): 2 x 20 kg over 60 m.
When do I take the Royal Navy (PES)?
Annually, once serving. Replaces the old RNFT (2.4 km run) entirely — not a variant of it.
How many attempts do I get?
Not publicly published.
Train it yourself
Some of Royal Navy (PES) doesn't fit a normal training session. Here's what to do for each part.
Vargr builds a plan back from your test dateandSteelRep logs your lifting.
Kettlebell carry (start)
A loaded carry over a set distance is a grip-and-shoulders test, not something your other sessions train directly.
Twice a week, carry two heavy kettlebells or dumbbells for 60-100 m, 3-4 rounds with full recovery. Build the load toward two 20 kg bells and keep your pace brisk, not a shuffle.
20 kg lift
Repeatedly lifting a load box-to-box for reps is a conditioning-under-load skill your strength sessions don't cover on their own.
Once a week, lift a 20 kg bag or plate from a low box to a high box, 15-20 reps for 2-3 sets, resting between. Box step-ups carrying a light load build the same leg-and-lift pattern.
Deadlift
A for-reps deadlift at a fixed weight is a strength-endurance skill, different from a single heavy lift.
Once a week, deadlift a moderate load, around 40 kg to start, for sets of 10-12, focused on unbroken technique rather than a single max effort. Build the weight only once the reps feel easy.
Rope pull
Pulling a heavy rope hand-over-hand is a pulling-strength skill your other sessions don't specifically train.
Twice a week, add heavy rope pulls, sled rope pulls or seated cable rows for 4-5 sets of 8-10 reps. Without rope-pull kit, heavy battle-rope work or towing a loaded sled by rope builds the same pattern.
Kneel/stands
Standing up from kneeling, repeatedly and under load, is a specific leg-and-core skill, not a normal squat or lunge.
Twice a week, hold a moderate dumbbell at your chest and do 3-4 sets of 12 kneel-to-stand reps, alternating legs. Weighted lunges or step-ups build the same single-leg strength if you don't want to isolate the exact movement.
Casualty drag
Dragging a heavy dead weight for a short distance is a specific strength-endurance skill, not something a normal lifting session covers.
Once a week, drag a loaded sled or a heavy bag across 15-20 m, 4-6 reps, resting fully between. Sled drags or towing a loaded tyre build the same posterior-chain strength — work up toward an 80 kg-equivalent load.
Kettlebell carry (finish)
This is the same carry as the opening station, repeated at the end of a fatigued circuit — the fatigue is the real test, not the carry itself.
Train the carry as above, then once a week try it at the end of a hard conditioning session so you feel what it's like to carry under fatigue. Keep your grip and pace honest even when you're tired.