Recruits Attempt Military Swim Test | British Army | Pirbright 

👍🏽 Fabziy, you’re demonstrating true Selfless Commitment & Leadership with the extra work you do by making these videos! Big yourself up, your audience big you up and maybe Army will big you up one day that we all are waiting for!

Big shoutout to Fabziy for this opportunity. Had a great time with Harry as well. A day I’ll never forget. Let’s all support Fabziy for all his time and sacrifices behind The scenes just to give us these contents and insights. Salute fam 🙌🏿✊🏿🙌🏿

I really love how you did it with the guys giving them this experience. And you can get a truly authentic opinion of them. They must be buzzing now.

Coming from someone who is in week 25 of Infantry training at Catterick, swimming is important. You do need it to participate in a lot of the adventure training activities, however not being able to swim properly or even at all does not hinder you joining any regiment of the army.

A few lads tried to be heros on our swim test in Pirbright. Went out far too fast and were in absolute clip after the first 30 meters 😂

hi fabziy thanks for all the amazing content you really motivate me to train ( i am looking to join the royal marines in a year) i love what you are doing keep it up man

Having done two army swim tests both where different. The first in jnr Para coy early 70,s was tread water then two lengths of the pool. Caught looking to the side to see the depth and you where held under the water until nearly drowned. The second was up in Catterick with the RAC training Regt. We turned up for our swim test and wearing overalls told to jump in. We had done the tread water and noticed the water was a grey colour and tasted awful. As we where getting instructions Re the other parts of the test this civvy appeared screaming get them out. It turned out the swimming baths where closed for 3 days as huge amounts of cleaning fluid had been put into the water hence the colour and test!! A rather shamed face corporal told us to get changed and back on the 4 tonner. To save face we had all passed lol

Christ that brings back horrible memories. As a non swimmer with a fear of water joining the old guards depot. Mon to Fri every morning at 6am swimming lesson with Pat an ex Mick swimming instructor.. Hobbies every Wed was swimming. When my platoon did swimming for PT I would have to jump off the top diving board and swim to the shallow end whilst the other 51 guys of the platoon stood at the shallow end creating waves. (Diving boards gone now I noticed) If I managed to get to the end the platoon got a free swim. Finally, after 9 months basic training as a jnr gdsm, i passed my swimming test the day before my passing out parade. Joined my battalion, did helicopter underwater escape training twice, white water rafting, went off a bridge in a canoe, but still to this day have a fear of deep water. Strange

Good to see the old blocks are still there by the parade square. That was our accom in 2006 over on the far side near sandys. Concrete hill still looks as beastly as i remember. Great job guys thanks for your service at this hostile time. God bless 👍

Damn Fabziy, this is an extremely rare but useful content! Brilliant idea! I bet you’ve put the mind at easy of those who knew about a swim test and opened the eyes who didn’t even know about it 👍🏽

It is quite understandable that if one is unable to pass the swimming test, it may not be advisable to join the navy.

Fabziy, thanks for that, you are a pioneer!

Never had this in my day .78. Think it's a great idea. Well done lads.

Yes Mate! Love videos Dabzy! When I did it, we had to wear uniform, Lightweights.

I am so glad there isn't a swim test element for the RAF, but I'm making myself get into swimming again as I feel I should strive to do it all the same (Regiment do a swim test and I think it should just be a solid foundation anyway) Clarification; used to be a good solid swimmer, but 14 years absent from a pool and sailing has made it surprisingly (or maybe not so surprisingly :P )tough to reacclimatise too! These videos are always helpful for an old man (34) who is joining up soon hah.

Navy swim test was in overalls that were too big. I’m a crap swimmer so I struggled a fair bit

Good thing I just learnt how to swim :O head down to pirbright on the 12th Jan :D ! great channel man ! good insight

good luck guys, glad you chose to join the Royal Regiment of Artillery. Take each day as it comes, get through the training and its all rosie after that..

I love ur videos I passed the tst and the maths just have to get thru medical appeal so I do one last chance it’s my dream to serve my country ur lucky chaps.

Remember the green coverall days anyone ?

We failed our swim test if you used your knees to get out of the pool, straight onto your feet.

I’m in my last year of high school and I’m looking to join the army when I leave college but I’m confused with the sign up process. So you apply online then you have interviews and go to the assessment centre is that right?

So, bit embarrasing, but can you join the army if you can't swim? Would they teach/train you to?

Niceeee always love these videos

I’m off on phase one in February now. I best get practicing my swimming didn’t know I had to do a swim test😂 this video definitely helped. Just like all the videos you do.

Nice choice of cap badge from the 2 lads, Royal Artillery , tell them its a great cap badge to be in as thats what I was in and enjoyed every minute of it, although my basic training was done at the Woolwich RA barracks as it was known as a depot back in the 80s, and thats where all the RA recruits did their basic training, and back then there was no phase one, phase two etc, it was just a straight 14 weeks basic training, pass out, home leave then off to regiment for me back then it was 22 air defence Regt at the Napier Barracks in Dortmund enjoy my stay there from the summer of 1980 to around 1992

Great motivation on a Sunday morning

I know this is 2 yrs ago but your camera handling is just 👌👌

How does this work if you can't swim? (I can't swim at all)

Serving Fusilier here getting deployed this year; start pre deployment training at the beginning of February

Cannot wait to see part 2!

Nice to see the pool again 30 yr later. Wheres the high platform gone from the deep end? spent many hours in there getting beasted by Pat the slap on all 4's crawling round the edge. Loved the beastings in the pool, beat the sand hill hands down. :)

Big man Harry. The beast

What happens if you cant swim. I never learned because i had a fear of water but i want to join the army

Good luck to em in the future

A weird question but when they say any stroke is allowed are you allowed to do your own stroke or does it have to be the standard breasstroke or front crawl? Because personally my arms to do the breast stroke and my legs do the front crawl and its far more efficient for me. Before pools closed I could do about 17/18 lengths of the 25m pool in roughly 30 mins (no stopping either, but a constantly crowded pool means having to swim sideways quite often)

Fabziy do they teach you to swim?

is this same for the royal navy? i want to a submariner

The swim test is really easy but I guess they dont need strong swimmers in the army

Strange to see this pool and concrete hill after 20 years 👍👍👍 good look to all the recruits in the future

I have a question, what if you still can’t swim when they teach you in Basic Training? I literally HATE swimming!

Do all regiments or roles have to do a swimming test

My first day of pirbright started today

Up that first hill 4 times every time we went past it, best effort with bergan+ webbing and weapon. Drop bergan, go again. Drop webbing, go again Twice with just weapon. Naughty hill.

the place of nightmares with pat the instructor the terror of crows

Try battle swimming test at ctcrm Lympstone jump of top board combat jacket trousers 58 pat webbing with weight in pouches rifle swim 2 lengths take off rifle and webbing hand it to someone then tread water for 3 minutes must not touch sides or bottom this was back in 83

i wanna go to harrogate afc when i’m 16 and knew about a swim test. i’ve never liked the water tho n lose breath in it quickly. we swim every monday in a small private pool tho where i can take the hour to practice these things. i’ve improved a bit but still can’t last that long 😂😅 and i also can’t swim without goggles because of sensitive eyes although i’ll hopefully be attempting to get used to it. are we allowed goggles for the swim test tho? that would be much more practical and less harsh on my eyes if anyone knows?

Nothing critical or me trying to be a bummer Fabziy but in the title of the video you spelt Pirbright as Pirnright other than that fab video again keep them coming man

So it is tread water for 2 minutes then swim 100 m with any forward stroke. I think I could do that

Hi, at what point do you do a swimming test? I’ve just passed my Assessment Centre, and I’m wondering whether swimming is something I should work on before my basic training.

I can’t swim or last time I swam was like 10 year ago so wouldn’t feel comfortable joining reserves is swimming still a test with covid restrictions please advise thanks

How much practice did you have before

Does it matter how you swim the 50 meters and is threading water hard

well done boys

Hi I'm joining the reserves and can swim but tred water I can't, would I still be ok or do I need to tred water is it a fail if I can't do, thank you

Is that it??

How did you open your eyes underwater? Does it sting or hurt?

Do you have to do a swimming test in the army because I don’t know how to swim

Great insight for would be recruits. Is the Army still doing the swim test wearing combats? Great video...........

What do I do Fabz, can’t swim and I start basic training exactly a month from today

I can’t swim 🙆🏿‍♂️😫

You probably won’t see this as it’s an older video but you recently replied to a comment I made about pushups if I can’t swim can I still join and will I be taught how to or is that an instant write off 😬?

that swim instructor ill never forget his face... Fucking hated him going through basic. Hahah

What regiment is this?

@kyron started phase 1 already?

Good day Fabziy my name is zimron Humphrey I am waiting for a assessment date to come join the army can u can be when they are goin to call the next assessment

Anyone else starting basic at pirbright February 23rd?

I can't swim.. what am i supposed to do?

Fabziy What happens if you fail the test. Or if you .ca B&B swim, let me know please. Thanks

As there isnt a time limit what are they looking at when you do this test?

From st.vincent assessment 28th April

What happens if you can’t swim??

Can’t swim what do I fo

Oh damn I’ll be seeing that Harry Holmes if he’s at Pirbright 😂 Ah Fabziy a mate of mine that did Harrogate says he had to jump in with his gear and burgan and tread water, then do a full lap. Is that bollocks, different or something that wasn’t shown here?

Does anyone know if this is still the swim test or has it been changed?

Is there any Recruitments for common wealth countries mate?

We did it in denims and jacket and jumped off the diving board, it was the 80s though

I did a selection course where the DS broke the ice on a EWS. The fruit and veg went into hiding that morning........

I’m hoping to join the army but I can’t swim at all and I panic in the water. Does this mean I will have to learn how to swim during the application process? Thanks great content and very motivating

talking to my dad about when he did basic he uh he threw up in that pool in 92 yeah

Please help me i cant fill on uk army site

Is this test for those who are joining the army reserves as well?

Is swimming compulsory ??

Do I have to know how to swim before I can join the Army?

I had no idea you have to do a swim test! I applied today and it said nowhere about swimming lol. I can only do an unsymmetrical breast stroke 😂 also I’m wanting to do dog handling but on the application on the part where you can list aspirations it wasn’t an option so I left it blank, thoughts?

Is the army swim test mandatory coz I can barely swim

swimming easy, trust ur body and ur body will take over

how are the boys getting on?

You gotta swim to join the army???

Wow that was super easy

How important is the swim test?

Hey bro I am coming your side 28 April to start assessment

I thought you had to wear jammers not trunks?

Do these lads live in the camp?

Wat if you can't swim

Why are they swimming in a square? This is ridiculous. They should simply do 4 laps of the pool. Come on!

I wanna join next year but I cant swim

Damnit, I can't swim 😣

Wot...call this a swim test...where’s the one piece cotton drill coveralls, webbing with rubber weights, 303 Rifle and tin lid...two lengths in that lot, then tread water for two minutes, then ditch equipment whilst in the water (deep end), then climb out, up to 4 metre board, jump back in and retrieve you kit from the bottom, then climb out again...now that was a swim test...!

In my day the swim test was fall uniform not shorts