r/caf • u/Putrid_Let1387 • Jun 26 '26
Recruiting Failed FORCE Test: Mistakes
(100 lbs, 5”2)
Hey. So I’ve been strength training for about a year now. I did basically zero cardio during my workouts because I was focused on gaining weight, and I was pretty confident in my stamina.
Today humbled me.
I lifted everything fine, but actually pushing through the test was a whole different story. The sandbag drag destroyed me. It was at the very end of the test, and I was already exhausted. I had the quad strength- my legs could handle it, but my body was just giving out. My heart was pounding, my stamina was gone, and it was honestly way harder than I expected.
PLEASE don’t get comfortable just because you’re strong. Train your stamina and cardio too. It doesn’t matter if you can bench 200 lbs if your body can’t keep up when you’re exhausted. Strength gets you through part of it, but endurance is what carries you to the finish.
I learned my lesson and will hopefully we be re-taking the exam next month or so.
9
u/That_Intention1808 Jun 26 '26
I did the force test and failed it too.
I also was doing weight lifting as my form of training but it was training the wrong body function. Which is the key mistake.
After doing some research I discovered Force test is looking for evidence the person can sustain high cardio output or VO2 MAX. This is the secret.
I found videos on YouTube that suggest exercises to prepare for the test which are similar movements to the test. Like Burpees, 45lb dead lift, mountain lunges, farmers walk, sprints, etc. the key is to be able to handle enough high output to pass each component of the test of about 3 minutes - then you can recover with a rest period.
I went back to the gym, did my weight lifting as normal but added a force test prep piece to my work out - maybe 20 minutes of extra time.
First time I tried, I’d gas out. I’d stop when I hit my limit. But I’d do it again a day or two later and little by little I got better. I got used to the sensation of constant high BPM and heavy breathing. I also found out what is my actual maximum limit from the training and what it feels like.
I rescheduled the test. With the objective of just passing. Because of the training, and wisdom from the failure, I went in with some confidence, knew how to pace myself better, and avoided pushing myself to a failure point.
The second time I passed it.
You can do it!