###### Abstract  
Physical fitness and motor skills are considered important attributes for the military, affecting their professional performance. The high physical and psychological demand that the special forces are subjected to requires the acquisition of a set of volitional skills such as resilience, effort, perseverance, or resistance to frustration, which are worthy of further research. This study aimed to analyse the perception of the special troops (commandos) in physical fitness, motor control and psychological skills. A total of 35 male soldiers that ended the commando recruit training program (21.69 \(\pm\) 2.36 years old) were investigated. A questionnaire was applied to verify differences in perception of physical fitness, motor capacity, physical effort and military training during recruit training according to age, education, work experience and sports background. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize the participants. All data collected were analysed using IBM-SPSS Statistics, version 24. Our results revealed differences in the importance given to the training of motor skills within military training (\(\chi^{2}\) = 19.284; \(p\) = 0.023), conditional motor skills - speed (\(\chi^{2}\) = 17.378; \(p\) = 0.043), coordinative motor skills--motor control (\(\chi^{2}\) = 20.616; \(p\) = 0.014), psychological skills in a military context (\(\chi^{2}\) = 13.730; \(p\) = 0.008), volitional skills--resistance to frustration (\(\chi^{2}\) = 21.568; \(p\) = 0.043) and volitional skills--psychological resistance (\(\chi^{2}\) = 29.144; \(p\) = 0.004). The participants highlighted the importance of instructors having scientific knowledge in physical education to provide military physical training to be better prepared for this purpose. We concluded that motor skills and psychological abilities tend to be equally important in the context of military training. Physical fitness and motor skill development can be considered essential in military training for most of the inquired participants. commandos; military training; motor skills; psychological skills +
Footnote †: journal: _Sciences_  
0000-0001-9900-0001-9900]C.M.M. The aspects of physical fitness and motor skill in military training have increasingly received attention in the literature [2; 3; 4]. On this basis, there is a tendency to assess the physical fitness and motor skills of military personnel according to the tests they have to perform within advanced training [5]. Most military institutions tend to establish the practice of exercise, which is the basis for some training methodologies [5]. Therefore, physical fitness and motor skills are regarded as important within the military context and in future professional performance [6; 7; 8]. Military training is different from other training methods, as it is extremely demanding, rigorous and disciplined [9]. According to [PERSON] and [PERSON] [9], discipline is essential within military instruction and training at various decision levels. Operationally and within military training, [PERSON] [4] notes that it is necessary to take into consideration the development of cardiovascular, respiratory, and circulatory skills, which later impact the aerobic and anaerobic responses to exercise. Accordingly, it also seems important to consider aspects such as motor coordination [10] and psychological resistance, which may be equally important to overcome the adversities that these troops face [3]. [PERSON] [11] describes a specific military training where marching, running, motor efficacy and anaerobic work are promoted. The author [11] advocates circuit training where the simultaneous development of anaerobic work and motor efficacy (e.g., completing a course rapidly and efficiently) occurs along with speed and endurance running, jumps, dynamic balance over obstacles, and strength work, among other suggestions.