Latest Fitness Rumour

[MontyPlumbs]

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I just wish everyone would stop bleating about fitness test levels. They are the levels that are laid down, meet them or face the consequences. It's as simple as that. In other words get your fat, lazy asses out of your chairs and do some fecking phys.DT_Xtremez_30: ::/: :: DT_Xtremez_15:

I've read the past few pages with interest, and here's my take:

Red, the above is your opinion and you are perfectly entitled to it, but I am sick of the same old sh1te being trotted out everytime someone has a complaint. The old "its what you signed up for" or the even more popular "if you don't like it, bang out" lines are just wearing so thin everytime someone has a legitimate complaint. If we are all taking it and accepting its part of life in a blue suit etc then why are record numbers of personnel banging out? The current FT is just the crowning turd in the water pipe as far as I'm concerned.

Don't get me wrong, I agree there are too many fatties in the RAF and we should all do more fitness, but as I've stated before, I think the major gripe people have is the way it is being implemented (yet again).

The RAF seems to be doing everything it can to squeeze its remaining personnel, and giving barely anything back.

Note: All of the above is my opinion and consequently no warranty is given or implied. Your statuatory rights are not affected.

 

[tats]

What I'm mainly curious about is this test is apparently twice a year, is it really that bad to be able to do this once every 6 months?

I freely admit that I don't know what the levels used to be and how much they have changed but I am curious to why this is such an issue. Some guys I know that are serving refuse to go to the gym because 'their job keeps them fit' others have to work their ar$es off to keep at a level, one spent the last few of months beasting himself to be able to deploy.

 

[MontyPlumbs]

What I'm mainly curious about is this test is apparently twice a year, is it really that bad to be able to do this once every 6 months?

I freely admit that I don't know what the levels used to be and how much they have changed but I am curious to why this is such an issue. Some guys I know that are serving refuse to go to the gym because 'their job keeps them fit' others have to work their ar$es off to keep at a level, one spent the last few of months beasting himself to be able to deploy.

I think many of the issues come from flying squadrons were we simply cannot "shut up shop" for a few hours whilst we all go down the gym to keep fit. Most people I work with would happily do fitness during work time in order to stay healthy, but we all have lives outside the service, people need to spend time at home etc etc and doing a circuit before or after a busy shift doesn't isn't appealing to the majority of people, except the sport and fitness billies that love it all!

 

[Cooheed]

You don't need to worry Tatties. Even when you are old, yours will still only be a brisk walk DT_Xtremez_15:

 

[Red-Rock]

I've read the past few pages with interest, and here's my take:

Red, the above is your opinion and you are perfectly entitled to it, but I am sick of the same old sh1te being trotted out everytime someone has a complaint. The old "its what you signed up for" or the even more popular "if you don't like it, bang out" lines are just wearing so thin everytime someone has a legitimate complaint. If we are all taking it and accepting its part of life in a blue suit etc then why are record numbers of personnel banging out? The current FT is just the crowning turd in the water pipe as far as I'm concerned.

Don't get me wrong, I agree there are too many fatties in the RAF and we should all do more fitness, but as I've stated before, I think the major gripe people have is the way it is being implemented (yet again).

The RAF seems to be doing everything it can to squeeze its remaining personnel, and giving barely anything back.

Note: All of the above is my opinion and consequently no warranty is given or implied. Your statuatory rights are not affected.

Monty I am sure that record numbers aren't banging out due to the constantly changing FT standards but I see your point about the crowning turd.

Those at the top are bringing the fitness tests up to the levels they should be to help personnel cope with the increasing stresses placed upon them by the environments they are currently deployed in. If you are fitter then your body is able to cope with the stresses of working in higher and lower temperatures . If you are fitter then you are less likely to have days off sick, therefore less of a burden will be placed upon your workplace.

As for the implementation, what is the problem?? They have given plenty of notice haven't they for people to get up to the required standards. Its not as if they told you on a monday and you had to be up to spec by the friday.:0

 

[MontyPlumbs]

Monty I am sure that record numbers aren't banging out due to the constantly changing FT standards but I see your point about the crowning turd.

Those at the top are bringing the fitness tests up to the levels they should be to help personnel cope with the increasing stresses placed upon them by the environments they are currently deployed in. If you are fitter then your body is able to cope with the stresses of working in higher and lower temperatures . If you are fitter then you are less likely to have days off sick, therefore less of a burden will be placed upon your workplace.

As for the implementation, what is the problem?? They have given plenty of notice haven't they for people to get up to the required standards. Its not as if they told you on a monday and you had to be up to spec by the friday.:0

But mate, it won't matter how much notice we are given, people on flying squadrons will simply not be able to get time off to go down the gym, it just doesn't work like that! The two-winged master race won't stop flying for anything! I'd be quite happy to go on an organised squadron run 3 times a week (isn't this the kind of thing they do on Reg Field Sqns?).

I know all about the increase in FT levels for additional stresses during deployed ops, but to be fair, it's a crap excuse for the majority of service personnel. How the hell will running an extra 2 levels on some poxy bleep test help anyone out in theatre? If so, why does a 18 year old bird have to do the same as a 40 year old guy? It's crazy. I work with guys who have completed Gulf detachments into double figures, some of which will struggle with the new levels, but none of them have ever had any issues when they go OOA (they just happen to love beer, and probably got ruined by RAFG as youngsters....).

You are missing what I was trying to say about PVR rates - I wasn't implying people are leaving because of FT, I was saying it's yet another load of bollox a maxed-out RAF is having to deal with, there are countless more important issues facing us, yet the Brass at the top are carping on about a trivial issue like Fitness Testing.

For the record, I have never failed a fitness test in 5 years, I agree it is relatively easy, but I'm damned if I am spending my off-duty time down the gym just so the RAF gets a tick in the box and some Rodney can get his Air Rank out of it.....

Rant over...DT_Xtremez_28:

 

[Red-Rock]

But mate, it won't matter how much notice we are given, people on flying squadrons will simply not be able to get time off to go down the gym, it just doesn't work like that! The two-winged master race won't stop flying for anything! I'd be quite happy to go on an organised squadron run 3 times a week (isn't this the kind of thing they do on Reg Field Sqns?).

I know all about the increase in FT levels for additional stresses during deployed ops, but to be fair, it's a crap excuse for the majority of service personnel. How the hell will running an extra 2 levels on some poxy bleep test help anyone out in theatre? If so, why does a 18 year old bird have to do the same as a 40 year old guy? It's crazy. I work with guys who have completed Gulf detachments into double figures, some of which will struggle with the new levels, but none of them have ever had any issues when they go OOA (they just happen to love beer, and probably got ruined by RAFG as youngsters....).

You are missing what I was trying to say about PVR rates - I wasn't implying people are leaving because of FT, I was saying it's yet another load of bollox a maxed-out RAF is having to deal with, there are countless more important issues facing us, yet the Brass at the top are carping on about a trivial issue like Fitness Testing.

For the record, I have never failed a fitness test in 5 years, I agree it is relatively easy, but I'm damned if I am spending my off-duty time down the gym just so the RAF gets a tick in the box and some Rodney can get his Air Rank out of it.....

Rant over...DT_Xtremez_28:

I did understand your point about the PVR levels mate, I probably worded my reply the wrong way.

As for the reason behind why running an extra 2 levels will make a difference, well, by running the extra levels you will have improved your aerobic capacity. This will, in turn, improve the body's ability to with the stresses placed upon it. It will improve the overall condition of the muscular system, the skeletal system and the respiratory system improving your overrall health and wellbeing meaning you are less likely to be off on the sick. You will generally have more energy, sleep better and be able to cope with stress a lot better meaning you are less anxious and less worried about the events occurring around you. All in all you become a calmer, healthier person who is more productive in the workplace reducing the problems of manning levels because you spend less time on the sick.

Does that answer your question mate??DT_Xtremez_28:

I must add though that the female standards are a fecking joke. I thought they wanted to be equal. Equal pay should mean equal standards. ::

 

[tats]

I did understand your point about the PVR levels mate, I probably worded my reply the wrong way.

As for the reason behind why running an extra 2 levels will make a difference, well, by running the extra levels you will have improved your aerobic capacity. This will, in turn, improve the body's ability to with the stresses placed upon it. It will improve the overall condition of the muscular system, the skeletal system and the respiratory system improving your overrall health and wellbeing meaning you are less likely to be off on the sick. You will generally have more energy, sleep better and be able to cope with stress a lot better meaning you are less anxious and less worried about the events occurring around you. All in all you become a calmer, healthier person who is more productive in the workplace reducing the problems of manning levels because you spend less time on the sick.

Does that answer your question mate??DT_Xtremez_28:

I must add though that the female standards are a fecking joke. I thought they wanted to be equal. Equal pay should mean equal standards. ::

Stop reeling off your work blurb RR DT_Xtremez_35:

 

[Red-Rock]

Stop reeling off your work blurb RR DT_Xtremez_35:

He asked, I toldDT_Xtremez_14: DT_Xtremez_30:

 

[Tashy_Man]

All in all you become a calmer, healthier person who is more productive in the workplace

And all the time you spend down the gym most techies are thinking how am i gonna make up this lost time when i get back to work, therefore increasing stress, probably more likely to make errors while doing tasks faster and maybe even taking short cuts to make up the lost rectification time which in the end leads to BAD things.

So we need to be fitter to rush our proper job....i see now.....
Crack on...................DT_Xtremez_09:

 

[MontyPlumbs]

As for the reason behind why running an extra 2 levels will make a difference, well, by running the extra levels you will have improved your aerobic capacity. This will, in turn, improve the body's ability to with the stresses placed upon it. It will improve the overall condition of the muscular system, the skeletal system and the respiratory system improving your overrall health and wellbeing meaning you are less likely to be off on the sick. You will generally have more energy, sleep better and be able to cope with stress a lot better meaning you are less anxious and less worried about the events occurring around you. All in all you become a calmer, healthier person who is more productive in the workplace reducing the problems of manning levels because you spend less time on the sick.

Okay, to use real life examples. There are no people on my trade desk that have been off work sick in the last two years. We all agree, come the new levels, only two out of 10 of us are likely to pass the FT without any remedial PT (I must add I will be one of the two). Most people are knackered old snecs, for example the Chief is going from 6.40 to 8.3 (the same level he did nearly 10 years ago?).

The manning levels are fcuked anyway, we have a 1/3 of the manpower we had 18 months ago, so it matters not whether people are there or not - we are used to covering other peoples jobs!

What really grips my sh1t is downgraded malingering wasters get signed up having passed the FT when all they did was go down the gym sit on a bike for a bit and get their heart rates monitored. These are the people who will never go OOA, don't do guard and get out of other duties like parades due to exciting injuries such as "shin splints" and twisted socks etc.

I can see the thinking behind fitness perfectly well, hell I might even agree with some of it, but the way it is being forced through when the RAF is on it's knees as it is, is just farcical.

Incidentally, is it standard Regiment policy to do squadron PT? I only ask because several guys on remedial are gunners from our resident field sqn.

 

[Cooheed]

Incidentally, is it standard Regiment policy to do squadron PT? I only ask because several guys on remedial are gunners from our resident field sqn.

Nice one MP. No idea how to reply to that. Bear in mind though, they do have to do ROFA (Regt Op Fit Assess) along with the RAFFT. Maybe they were fcuked after that as Sqn's generally do all their assessments in the same week. And if you ain't done ROFA (17 - 55 same standards) you don't know how much it hurts the older you get. Sqn PT has always been the norm BTW, guess some are more aerobic than others..

 

[MontyPlumbs]

Nice one MP. No idea how to reply to that. Bear in mind though, they do have to do ROFA (Regt Op Fit Assess) along with the RAFFT. Maybe they were fcuked after that as Sqn's generally do all their assessments in the same week. And if you ain't done ROFA (17 - 55 same standards) you don't know how much it hurts the older you get. Sqn PT has always been the norm BTW, guess some are more aerobic than others..

It was a genuine question mate, not intended to be sarcastic. I did not know anything about the ROFA (you learn something new every day). Maybe the rest of the RAF should adopt a separate test for those being deployed on operations with the same standards across the board for all ranks, ages and BOTH genders.

I'm not sure as to the proper answer to the problem, but the current "improvement" certainly isn't the way to go...

 

[Tashy_Man]

Maybe the rest of the RAF should adopt a separate test for those being deployed on operations with the same standards across the board for all ranks, ages and BOTH genders.

Great one MP......yet another useless test....so this "Ops" test, what happens when you fail ? No Ops ?

Crack on..............DT_Xtremez_09:

 

[MontyPlumbs]

Great one MP......yet another useless test....so this "Ops" test, what happens when you fail ? No Ops ?

Crack on..............DT_Xtremez_09:

It was only an idea, based on the fact I've just learned the Regiment do the ROFA. At least it wouldn't impact so much on UK flying schedules, as only people going OOA would have to do it.

Like I said in my last post, I don't have the answer, nor do I pretend to have. One thing is for sure, the current path we are going down is going to be a disaster.

 

[Cooheed]

It was only an idea, based on the fact I've just learned the Regiment do the ROFA. At least it wouldn't impact so much on UK flying schedules, as only people going OOA would have to do it.

Like I said in my last post, I don't have the answer, nor do I pretend to have. One thing is for sure, the current path we are going down is going to be a disaster.

ROFA for OOA? No MP. Every gnr has to do it annually no matter where they are... (As well as the swim test)...

 

[rest have risen above me]

It was only an idea, based on the fact I've just learned the Regiment do the ROFA. At least it wouldn't impact so much on UK flying schedules, as only people going OOA would have to do it.

Like I said in my last post, I don't have the answer, nor do I pretend to have. One thing is for sure, the current path we are going down is going to be a disaster.

Where do the squadrons do their gulf work ups? So as well as practising the core tasks. (Which includes us techies being placed under a little more pressure to simulate what we have to cope with on ops). We'd have another tick to get. More for less, More for less ...want want want. Let's face it we've got to do it and unfortunately it's at a time when we're really stretched but hey if you don't like it or can't do it then there's a JPA option about to go live in the near future. "Early termination " I think its called.

Not a good response but it's all that is available in the present climate where the officers ho are trying to make things better are being shot down by penny pinching bean counters and a top level that are evermore confused in their direction.

 

[MontyPlumbs]

....

Not a good response but it's all that is available in the present climate where the officers ho are trying to make things better are being shot down by penny pinching bean counters and a top level that are evermore confused in their direction.

I certainly can't argue with that, guess we are truly fcuked then....DT_Xtremez_42:

 

[Captain Gatso]

This thread is getting a little heated at the moment. What I can read into this is the lack of understanding between people of different trades. What we seem to have at the moment are the Regiment folks on one side who have to do fitness as part of there core duty, and on the other side are the Techie+ associated trades in which fitness, up until now did not form part of that core duty. I can understand how important fitness is, especially to the regiment blokes amongst us. If fitness was not built in to your daily duty tasks, the regiment would not cope on ops. However you have to understand what day to day life is like on the other trades. Montyplumbs and the other techie folks are only trying to explain to blokes like Red Rock etc that there trades are experiencing so much stress and upheavle with trying to maintain an aircraft fleet with only half the manpower ,while the pilots are still having to maintain flying hours to that of around ten years ago. That planning fitness into thier work time is near enough impossible at the moment. At the end of the day we are here to support the flying squadrons and what they do comes first, planning for fitness has to be worked around that fact.

 

[BillyBunter]

This thread is getting a little heated at the moment. What I can read into this is the lack of understanding between people of different trades. What we seem to have at the moment are the Regiment folks on one side who have to do fitness as part of there core duty, and on the other side are the Techie+ associated trades in which fitness, up until now did not form part of that core duty. I can understand how important fitness is, especially to the regiment blokes amongst us. If fitness was not built in to your daily duty tasks, the regiment would not cope on ops. However you have to understand what day to day life is like on the other trades. Montyplumbs and the other techie folks are only trying to explain to blokes like Red Rock etc that there trades are experiencing so much stress and upheavle with trying to maintain an aircraft fleet with only half the manpower ,while the pilots are still having to maintain flying hours to that of around ten years ago. That planning fitness into thier work time is near enough impossible at the moment. At the end of the day we are here to support the flying squadrons and what they do comes first, planning for fitness has to be worked around that fact.

I think thats a valid point well presented overall Captain G. I Will say as a techie with a line building about 400 yards to 2000 yards from the aircraft dispersals, we are getting used to walking that 4-5 times a day, with constant lifting,running around and walking round a line building like the pentagon , you would think it would improve fitness hehehe Im sure it does but its a lot easier with an LDV

Anyway bottom line is we are stuck with it , I guess ive got to do it and thats it. It still stinks in my view,poor old knees gonna take another hammering , i feel an OOA get out clause DT_Xtremez_17: Just kidding !!! Im not a ******