Nahal Brigadeחטיבת הנח״ל
How to get into the Nahal Brigade, and what its training looks like
An infantry brigade of four regular battalions and a reconnaissance battalion, trained at the Nahal training base.
Profile 82+about 10 monthsMenLight green
The Nahal Brigade asks for a medical profile of 82 and up and a Hebrew score of 5.
The medical profile runs from 21 to 97.
The Hebrew score runs from 1 to 9.
- Open to
- Men
- Medical profile
- 82 and up
- Hebrew score
- 5
- Body mass index
- 17 to 32
- Training
- about 10 months
- Where it serves
- Training at the Nahal training base.
Training takes 10 months: 4 of basic training, 3 of advanced training to Rifleman 07 and 3 in the track company.
The reconnaissance battalion holds a reconnaissance company, an anti-tank company, a signals company and an engineering company.
The way into the Nahal Brigade runs through 2 steps.
- 1A first call-up with profile 82 or higher.
- 2Rating Nahal high in the preferences questionnaire.
Training at the Nahal Brigade lasts about 10 months.
- Basic training
- Advanced training to Rifleman 07
- The track company
The IDF's guides say what to train for before the screening.
An infantry brigade asks for profile 82 and a body mass index between 17 and 32. The IDF's guide builds up running and strength over weeks, with push-ups, sit-ups, planks, squats and lunges two or three times a week.
- AerobicSun
- StrengthMon
- AerobicTue
- StrengthWed
- AerobicThu
- RestFri
- RestSat
An example week at the lowest the IDF's guide suggests: 3 aerobic sessions and 2 of strength, the kind changing from day to day.
The full guide to preparing: profile, Dapar, Yom Sayarot and a training routine
The role has its own page on the IDF's site for future soldiers.
- Nahal Brigade spearhead combat soldierInfantry
Units to read about alongside the Nahal Brigade.
Kfir Brigadeחטיבת כפירAn infantry brigade of four battalions and a reconnaissance unit that fights in towns and in open ground, from Lebanon through Judea and Samaria to Gaza.Profile 82+about 7 monthsMenCamouflage
Givati Brigadeחטיבת גבעתיAn infantry brigade that serves mostly in the south and along the Gaza border, with battalions Shaked, Tzabar and Rotem and a reconnaissance unit.Profile 82+about 7 monthsMenPurple
Golani Brigadeחטיבת גולניAn infantry brigade that fights in every sector, with ambushes, patrols and special missions, and that specialises in fighting from the Namer armoured personnel carrier.Profile 82+about 7 monthsMenBrown
Frequently asked questions
What does the Nahal Brigade ask for?
The IDF's page asks for a profile of 82 and up, a Hebrew score of 5 and a body mass index between 17 and 32.
How do you get into the Nahal Brigade?
A first call-up with profile 82 or higher. Rating Nahal high in the preferences questionnaire.
How long is training at the Nahal Brigade?
About 10 months: Basic training; Advanced training to Rifleman 07; The track company.
Can women serve in the Nahal Brigade?
The IDF's page names men only. Women fighters can choose other units, and the IDF commits to give a woman fighter one of her first three choices.
This page was written from the IDF's pages for future soldiers, read on 6 November 2026.
- The IDF's page for the role: Nahal Brigade spearhead combat soldier
- Preparing the body for Yom Sayarot
- Try-outs
- The medical profile
The requirements and screenings change from time to time, and the IDF's page for each role is the one that counts.
Photo credits
- Gadi Yampel / IDF Spokesperson's Unit, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Israel Defense Forces, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Israel Defense Forces, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Israel Defense Forces, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons