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Criminal Investigation Special Agent Physical Fitness Standards Assessment

The Criminal Investigation Division of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) implemented Physical Fitness Standards (PFS) for all GS/GL-1811 Special Agent positions. All who enter into or occupy these positions must demonstrate their ability to successfully complete the established PFS within the prescribed timeframes.

Sequence for Fitness Tests

The IRS Special Agent Physical Fitness Standards assessment includes a Vertical Jump, Bench Press, Illinois Agility Run, Sit-Ups, and a 300-Meter Run.

The sequence for the fitness tests are crucial for standardized testing. This sequence allows the participant to recover from events and perform at their best on each event.

Event	Time	Fitness Standard	Passing Score
Weigh In		No	N/A
Warm up	10 Minutes	No	N/A
Vertical Jump		Yes	12 Inches
Bench Press		Yes	Lesser of 90 lbs or 51% of Bodyweight
Warm up Activities		No	N/A
Illinois Agility Run		Yes	20.3 Seconds
Sit up	1 Minute	Yes	26 Repetitions
Warm up Activities		No	N/A
300 Meter Run		Yes	82 Seconds
Cool Down	5 Minutes	No	N/A

Vertical Jump

The Vertical Jump will be the first event performed. It is a measure of lower body explosive power, and is important for pursuit tasks that require jumping and vaulting. The sequence allows additional warm up of the muscles to be used in this event and prepares the participant for a maximum attempt. The Vertec will be used to measure the Vertical Jump. Participants will be allowed three attempts to reach their maximum height. The minimum passing score is 12 inches.

Procedural tasks with a Vertec

1. Participant stands under the Vertec and reaches up as high as possible, keeping bicep against the ear. Coordinator adjusts the frame to mark participant’s standing reach (see Figure 1).
2. Participant takes one warm up jump.
3. Participant takes one step back with either foot, steps forward, and then jumps as high as possible, hitting the highest vane (see Figure 2). OR participant may jump with both feet and not take a step forward (see Figure 3).
4. Coordinator moves tabs to one side to reduce resistance after each jump. Score is the inches to the nearest 1/2 inch.
5. Participant makes three jumps. The best of three (3) jumps is the score.
   
   

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Bench Press – One Repetition Maximum

The Bench Press – One Repetition Maximum, will be the second event performed. This test measures the amount of force the upper body can generate, and is important for performing tasks requiring upper body strength, such as use of force situations. The minimum passing score is the lesser of 90 pounds or 51% of the participant’s bodyweight.

Procedural tasks

1. If the participant is lifting 51% of their bodyweight, the participant will be weighed.
2. Three spotters will be used (see Figure 4).
3. Participant will be asked if he/she has any idea how much weight he/she can press in one maximum effort.
4. If the participant has an estimated maximum weight, start with about one-half of that estimated maximum weight. If not, for males start with one-half of body weight; and for females, start with 45 lbs. (the weight of the bar).
5. The participant performs 3- 5 repetitions with that weight as a warm up.
6. The participant receives a "lift off" by the spotters, or the participant may remove the bar from the uprights by him/herself.
7. For each repetition, the participant lowers the bar until it is just touching their chest and holds it in this position (see Figure 5). The instructor says, "Ready, lift." (This will be conducted on a 1-2 cadence.) On the command "Lift", the participant pushes the weight up to arms length, exhaling as the movement is performed.
8. The Coordinator will increase the weight in ten pound or more increments to the maximum weight. The first three to four repetitions serve as warm-up lifts in order to prevent muscle injury and to prepare the person for a maximal lift on the fifth or sixth effort.
9. The score for this test is the maximum number of pounds lifted in one repetition.
   
   

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Illinois Agility Run

The Illinois Agility Run will be the third event performed. This test is a measure of coordinated movement and speed, and is important for performing tasks requiring quick movements around obstacles. Participants will be allowed two trials for this event. If a participant is disqualified for any reason (i.e. misses a turn or knocks over a cone), the participant must restart. This “false” start does not count as a trial. The passing time for this event is 20.3 seconds or less.

Procedural tasks

1. Participant lies on the ground with fingertips behind the start line (see Figures 6 & 7).
2. At the command "GO", the participant gets up, sprints to the other line (30 feet away), places one foot over the line (see Figure 8), then sprints back to the start line.
3. Participant makes left turn around the first cone, then zigzags in a figure eight fashion around the four cones, and returns back to the start line.
4. Participant then sprints up and back as described in (b) above.
5. Score is time measured in seconds and tenths of seconds.

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Sit-Up Test

The fourth event is the Sit-Up test. This test is a measure of abdominal muscle endurance, an important area for many physical tasks and injury prevention. Participants will perform the maximum amount of sit-ups that they can in one minute. The standard for the Sit-Up test requires the applicant to complete 26 or more repetitions of knee bent sit-ups. Crunches do not qualify.

Procedural tasks

1. The participant starts by lying on his/her back, knees bent, and heels flat on the floor. Finger tips stay behind the ears.
2. A partner holds the feet down.
3. In the up position, the individual must touch or pass the knees with the elbows (see Figure 9), then return the shoulders to the mat before starting the next sit- up.
4. The participant cannot raise the buttocks from the ground and when returning to the down position, the shoulder blades must touch the ground (see Figure 10).
5. The participant then performs as many correct sit-ups as possible in one minute. Incorrect sit-ups will not be counted.
6. Score is total number of correct sit-ups in 1 minute.

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300 Meter Run

The fifth event is the 300 Meter Run. This is a test of anaerobic capacity, and is important for performing short intense bursts of effort, such as in pursuit tasks. The passing score is 82 seconds or less.

Procedural tasks

1. Allow five minutes to warm up.
2. At "GO", participant runs the 300 meter course as fast as possible.

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