"Fan Dance" | World's Oldest Special Forces Test | Brecon Beacons, Wales

Thanks again for all the support guys. You guys are all awesome!!! 🙏 👊

The SAS do this AFTER a full week of getting absolutely beasted on numerous long hikes with heavy gear, so they are already in bits BEFORE they do the fan dance. Simply insane...

I am ex British Army and whilst serving I did the Fan Dance on a couple of occasions. However, that was nearly 30yrs ago ..but, despite breaking my back in 2014 which caused nerve damage in my right leg and destroying my right ACL, I am still trying to strive to stay strong...The last 6yrs I have been fighting throat cancer (never smoked) as well, had 7 operations and radiotherapy..but again, soldiering on and not letting it get me down...instead, I have just restarted training and am going to enter the Fan Dance event in January. I am glad I found your channel...its great...keep up the good work ..excellent information.!! Thank you ...stay frosty👍

I did my SAS selection ( Fan Dance ) in February 1977 aged 19 years old in deep snow. I got in within 1 minute of the time. Though considering the weather I achieved it. With an injured knee that 48 years later still plagues me. I only managed 25 days of the 28 days though for a 19 year old I was proud of that achievement. My injury meant I could never go back!

I'm in the Mountain Rescue Team for that area - our twice yearly fitness test is from the kissing gate at the first little ascent, then straight to the summit of Corn Du (the peak you skirt around to the right before Pen Y Fan) - full rescue kit, all weathers, the muckier the better. Also something to bear in mind, it's only relatively recently that all the paths have been 'paved', before it was just muddy trails in rag condition. Well done and glad you appreciated the area.

I did the Pen Y Fan 3 times in 1964 when I was training as a Parachute Regiment recruit. The 2nd time I went up the cloud closed in & we couldn't see a bleeding thing. Then I "sensed" the edge, got down on my hands & knees & crawled until I reached it. The trot down was easier after that.

Love your intro to Wales video. Cardiff, Caerphilly and Brecon. Great castles and views.

It’s actually insane to think some of the real selection times are between 2-3 hours. With Bergen, weapon, already fatigued, sometimes worse weather, no watch on them .. crazy fitness and determination levels. That’s why they are SAS!

Love seeing so any older lads smashing this. Very inspiring

Brilliant! An ex squaddie on YouTube creating content rather than pulling a confused face in a thumb nail and reacting to other people content! Love it!

Well done Sir! Like you said Its no joke!. I did the fan dance 4 times during my Army career and certainly felt your pain going up Jacobs Ladder. Just to note - the fan dance is the LAST test after enduring 4 weeks of 30+ mile timed Marches for SF selection. Again, well done!!

So cool to see you get prepared for and excited for the fan dance to you actually going and killing it

Great to see this of the event, will be back for winter, hope to see you there!

Awesome work mate and it is really cool to see the spirit in which you did it and how humble you are as a person. Fantastic stuff.

Well done,Dan! Way to stay gritty. Jacob’s ladder is no joke. You’ve got an international following,it seems.

Excellent! laughing at jacobs ladder, brings back painful memories from 2017! well done

Kicking ass Gritty! Thanks for your leadership!

Outstanding

Excellent job out there. Proud of you man with all the preparation… Appreciate that you let us dig deep into it. Keep on pushing!

Good effort, welcome to the Brecon Beacons and you’re lucky the weather was kind.👍