What are the RCMP fitness requirements before Depot?

On its official physical standards page, the RCMP says applicants must begin cadet training with an adequate level of fitness and publishes two self-assessment benchmarks: a 5 kilometre run and a push-up test.

What is the RCMP 5 km run standard?

The RCMP lists a minimum 5 kilometre run standard of 30 minutes, a target range of 23 minutes 30 seconds to 26 minutes 30 seconds, and a superior range of 20 minutes 20 seconds to 23 minutes.

How many push-ups do you need for the RCMP?

The RCMP lists a minimum push-up standard of 10 continuous repetitions, a target range of 25 to 40, and a superior range of 40 to 60 continuous repetitions on its physical standards page.

Is Depot training meant to get you into shape?

No. The RCMP says its Police Fitness Training program at Depot is not a boot camp or a novice fitness program, and that applicants need to arrive comfortable running, lifting, carrying, and doing daily moderate to intense physical exercise.

How often does the RCMP say to repeat the fitness self-assessments?

The RCMP recommends performing the self-assessments and recording the results every 6 to 12 weeks, or more often if you are struggling with your fitness level.

RCMP Fitness Requirements: The Official Physical Standards Before Depot

The RCMP does not want beginners showing up to Depot cold, and it publishes clear self-assessment benchmarks.

If you are asking about RCMP fitness requirements, the official answer starts before Depot. The RCMP says successful applicants must arrive at cadet training with good fitness habits and an adequate level of fitness, and it publishes two self-assessment benchmarks to help applicants gauge readiness: a 5 kilometre run and a push-up test.

This is where a lot of applicants get mixed up. Some people think the RCMP fitness standard is just the PARE. Others assume Depot will get them into shape after they arrive. The RCMP's own recruiting page says otherwise. Depot is not a beginner fitness program, and applicants are expected to build a base before training starts.

What the RCMP Officially Says About Fitness Before Depot

On its Physical standards to become an RCMP officer page, the RCMP says police physical fitness is a discipline that develops over time and that applicants should start working on fitness today. It also says successful applicants will be invited to the Cadet Training Program prior to employment and are required to begin cadet training with an adequate level of fitness.

The RCMP adds an important line that many applicants miss: the RCMP Police Fitness Training program at Depot is not a “boot camp” or a novice fitness program. To begin cadet training, the page says you need to be comfortable running, lifting, carrying, and performing daily moderate to intense physical exercise.

The 2 Official RCMP Fitness Self-Assessments

The RCMP says recruiters will ask applicants to perform basic fitness self-tests to help gauge readiness for cadet training, and recommends recording results every 6 to 12 weeks.

1. 5 kilometre run

Minimum standard: 30 minutes
Target standard: 23 minutes 30 seconds to 26 minutes 30 seconds
Superior standard: 20 minutes 20 seconds to 23 minutes

The RCMP says to mark out a 5 kilometre route using a GPS or odometer and, where possible, avoid using a treadmill.

2. Push-up test

Minimum standard: 10 continuous repetitions
Target standard: 25 to 40 continuous repetitions
Superior standard: 40 to 60 continuous repetitions

For the push-up self-test, the RCMP says to lower until your chin touches a folded towel, fully straighten your elbows at the top of each rep, keep your thighs off the floor, and only count continuous repetitions done from the standard position.

What These Standards Mean, and What They Do Not Mean

The RCMP explains that the minimum standard is the lowest fitness level where you have a reasonable chance of successfully completing the physical demands of cadet training. It also says that falling below the minimum increases your risk of failure in the program.

The target range represents an average level of fitness compared with the cadet population, and the superior range reflects a level that should help applicants perform comfortably during training.

Just as important, these published benchmarks are framed as self-assessments for readiness. They are not presented on the page as a separate public hiring stage in the same way the PARE is. The safer interpretation is this: the RCMP wants you showing up to Depot already fit enough to handle the work.

What Applicants Usually Get Wrong

Thinking Depot will get you ready from scratch. The RCMP explicitly says it is not a boot camp or novice fitness program.
Treating PARE as the whole story. PARE matters, but the RCMP also publishes separate pre-Depot fitness benchmarks and readiness guidance.
Only testing once. The RCMP recommends tracking exercise and repeating self-assessments every 6 to 12 weeks.
Ignoring the “comfortable running, lifting, carrying” part. The official page makes clear that general physical capacity matters, not just one test result.

Bottom Line

The RCMP fitness requirement question is really a readiness question. Officially, the RCMP wants applicants building fitness before cadet training, not after arrival. The clearest public benchmarks are a 5 km run and continuous push-ups, backed by the RCMP's broader warning that Depot is not designed for beginners.

If you are serious about the RCMP, do not treat fitness like a box to check later. The official recruiting guidance is clear: build the habit now, track it, and show up to Depot ready.

If your immediate hurdle is still the first screening stage, you can start with our free RCMP Online Entrance Assessment sample while you build the physical side in parallel.