I'm thinking about enlisting next year but I'm worried about the fitness requirements. I do cardio a few times a week but nothing serious. Should I be doing specific training beforehand, or do they get you in shape during basic? Also, what happens if you fail the fitness tests on day one?
The actual fitness standards vary by branch, so look up the specific requirements for whichever one you're considering - you can find the minimum test scores online and test yourself now to see where you stand. A few times a week of cardio won't cut it if you're not meeting the standards; you'd want to train hard for the next several months hitting running, push-ups, sit-ups, and whatever else they test. They do condition you during basic, but you're starting from whatever fitness level you show up with, and struggling on day one makes the whole thing harder on you mentally and physically. If you actually fail the initial tests, most branches give you a chance to retest after some time, but you're in recovery mode instead of progressing with your unit, so showing up prepared saves you a lot of headache.
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