Joining the SAS reserves with a full-time job
By Deepak Shukla · Historical account and source-led commentary
Preparing for military reserve service alongside a full-time job is a serious time and energy commitment, not just a weekend fitness project. I experienced this tension while undertaking preparatory Army training in 2015–2016 and ultimately chose not to attempt SAS selection. Get the current training and attendance expectations directly from the Army before committing your own schedule.
Where the hours come from
For me, scheduling training around self-employment forced honest choices about which commitments could move and which could not. I have written about early mornings and routines, but that is an option I used in my own life, not a requirement or a sustainable solution for everybody. Your available time needs to include work, sleep and recovery.
What it costs the rest of your life
Any substantial reserve commitment affects family, work and relationships as well as exercise. Ask the recruiting unit what regular attendance, courses and possible deployment may involve, then discuss the consequences with the people affected. The terms and expectations in my 2015–2016 diary should not be treated as today's timetable.
A schedule must fit your real responsibilities
My old habits included organising endurance training around ordinary work, but I cannot reconstruct a reliable week-by-week SAS preparation programme from those memories. A current applicant should start with the Army's training commitments, then build a realistic routine with appropriate coaching and recovery. Doing more is not automatically a better answer.
The mental side of doing it alone
Some training requires personal consistency, but you do not need to imitate selection conditions alone or in unsafe settings. Seek experienced coaching and supportive company for difficult outdoor activities, respond sensibly to injury and fatigue, and remember that military service involves collective obligations far beyond individual determination.
A note on accuracy
Entry criteria, standards and selection dates are set by the Army and change over time. Take anything current from the Army's own UK Special Forces Reserve pages; take everything below as one applicant's experience.
Sources and current requirements
My experience dates from 2014–2016. Eligibility, fitness standards and the selection process change, so for anything current use the Army's own pages:
- British Army Jobs — SAS Reserve role, entry requirements, selection and locations
- British Army — UK Special Forces Reserve overview and recruiting contact
- British Army — 21 and 23 Special Air Service Reserve
- Soldier magazine (October 2025) — SAS Reserve recruiting feature
Rechecked 7 November 2026. The Army Jobs listing and the October 2025 Soldier article use different age wording — ask the recruiting unit rather than picking the convenient figure.
Read next
Get my 21 SAS application and preparation guide
What I actually did during Army preparation, what I learned, and a general twelve-week fitness framework informed by endurance sport. It is not a military selection programme; current standards come from the Army.