Latest Fitness Rumour

[MrMasher]

Its all well and good wanting us to be fit/fitter, but why?
Has anyone failed to do their job because of their fitness or lack of?
And did anyone ask the aircrew if we could adopt a more flexible flying program so that the groundcrew can go down the gym?
For a 50 minute session in the gym we'd need at least an hour and a half off shift, by the time we have washed and scrubbed ourselves clean enough to go into the wonderful white palace!

First thing in the morning wouldnt work - getting cabs ready and see offs.
Lunchtime - nope. Everyone knows aircrew land at the start of lunch so we always have to work then doing T/R's and fixing snags.
1600-1700 - Nope, shift handover. Aircrew always land then to provide another spanner in the works, usually with snags and a "hurry up chaps or we'll miss the next sortie".
You cant drop the manning down too much when they are flying. Always need some sort of cover for see ins, snags and crash cover. Oh, and we dont have the manpower to drop our manning down anyway! We dont usually have enough on shift for a game of 5 a side FFS!!!

In principle I am all for it but, in practice, it aint gonna work is it?? Not unless you do it in your own time............

 

[norfolkred1]

Our MQ's are 20 miles from place of duty, we have a small on-site gym, our parent Unit is some 30 miles from place of work. Luckily we have been given gym passes at our local sports centre. We are now left to get ourselves fit. Just waiting for the remedial fitness training and all the expence that goes with it. I can see some bizarre JPA claims for a 60 mile round trip for duty. Seems to be a lot of thought gone into this, maybe not!

 

[DrunkenMonki]

I've got my NEW fitness test 2 days before i deploy out to Oman. If i fail it (as expected) will i be unable to deploy? Or will i just do remedial in Oman?

 

[vim_fuego]

I'm not long back from the gym (signed myself off the Goat this time!) and with this new remit in mind of attempting to do it in work time I did a bit of time and motion during my gymnasium experience:

Walk from desk to changing room - 7 mins
Get changed and walk into gym - 5 mins
Stretch - 3 mins
Run - 20 mins
Breather and drink - 2 mins
Cross train - 30 mins
transit back to changing rooms whilst having drink - 2 mins
Undress, shower now buffed body and dry - 5 mins
Get back into uniform - 4 mins
Walk back to desk - 7 mins

So thats 1 hour 25 mins for the basic workout...It doesn't take into consideration being stopped by a colleague whilst in transit for a chat (It does happen), queueing for a shower or a machine in the gym or any other little niggles that can drag it out further...

So lets up it to a round 1hr 30 mins and times it by 3 = 4hrs 30 man hours a week lost if you are to follow the new fitness remit abd your boss sanctions you to do it in working times...

A section of 30 peeps would mean 135 man hours lost a week...

Dream on...

 

[DrunkenMonki]

They just need to make an RAF wide Wednesday (or whatever day) afternoon fitness session. Do a fitness test, then bomb burst to do whatever sport you want (gayball then...DT_Xtremez_28: ). Only absolutely essential staff to cover, no flying blah blah. Its only one session a week, but if you fail the fitness test you redo it Friday morning, then monday morning etc etc. We would be fit, and get an afternoon off. Sounds harsh but it used to work in the army!

 

[Bill Bones]

*GEN*

Female pressups are on the wy out apparently. All to be done the same. From the mouth of an SNCO muscle mech.

 

[True Blue Jack]

They just need to make an RAF wide Wednesday (or whatever day) afternoon fitness session. Do a fitness test, then bomb burst to do whatever sport you want (gayball then...DT_Xtremez_28: ). Only absolutely essential staff to cover, no flying blah blah. Its only one session a week, but if you fail the fitness test you redo it Friday morning, then monday morning etc etc. We would be fit, and get an afternoon off. Sounds harsh but it used to work in the army!

It used to work for us too, but that was before fitness testing. The focus now is on structured fitness programmes, i.e., circuits. Could you imagine somwhere the size of Marham trying to fit all the servicemen into the gym on a Wednesday aftenoon.

Also, once you give people the "essential duties" get out you will find an awful lot of people are suddenly essential (usually the lardy ones).

 

[norfolkred1]

*GEN*

Female pressups are on the wy out apparently. All to be done the same. From the mouth of an SNCO muscle mech.

They are looking at getting rid of the female press-up but are awaiting ratification, the only thing certain is the new shuttle timea are acoming on the 1st July

 

[Max]

Well the fitness test obviously has no bearing on ability to do the job or the Female test would be the same level

 

[cockneyrock]

To those who plan to avoid fitness at all costs, here is a quote from a letter distributed by the powers that be:

The AFBSC has endorsed the implementation of the revised RAF Fitness Strategy (RAF FS). The Board gave unequivocal support to the need for improved fitness throughout the Service and recognised that this will only be achieved by effecting a change in culture, rather than by introducing an additional test. To that end the RAF FS will seek to improve on the level of health and fitness currently monitored by the RAF Fitness Test (RAFFT) whilst also assuring Force Comds and stn cdrs that the personnel under their command are physically fit for assigned tasks. To affect the change in culture the Board has affirmed the need for people to understand and then embrace the requirement to undertake regular exercise. In addition, to reinforce this change in culture, AMP has directed that personal attitude to fitness and a commander’s attitude toward his subordinates’ fitness will be commented on meaningfully in their OJAR, F6000 or SJAR. Moreover, where an unacceptable attitude is demonstrated commanders at all levels are to exercise the authority afforded them by QR1027 and the extant P1 policy to bring recalcitrant individuals to book.

In other words, the Air Force Board has authorised administrative action against those that continually fail to take make any effort pass the RAF Fitness Test and improve their overall fitness. It has also authorised the use of QR1027 at all levels if personel fail to get fit, or support personnel who are trying to get fit.

Looks like P45s for a lot of fat, lazy, disinterested wastes of rations. Not a day too soon in my opinion.

 

[True Blue Jack]

In other words, the Air Force Board has authorised administrative action against those that continually fail to take make any effort pass the RAF Fitness Test and improve their overall fitness. It has also authorised the use of QR1027 at all levels if personel fail to get fit, or support personnel who are trying to get fit.

Looks like P45s for a lot of fat, lazy, disinterested wastes of rations. Not a day too soon in my opinion.

That's always been the case since the fitness test came in. To start with the 1st RO had to put a line in stating whether the fitness test had been passed and that degraded over the years so that it was only mentioned if the subject had a poor attitude to fitness, i.e., it didn't matter if you couldn't pass it as long as you had tried.

This was also reflected in the stats the muscle mechs have to produce. Initially their performance indicator was a 95% pass rate; this quickly degraded to a 95% attempt rate. At my last unit, which was very top-heavy with senior officers, the PTI had a good year if he could get more than 70% of people to do it. Cmd PEd never did anything about it.

You won't see anyone being kicked out because they're unfit (that's why the operational fitness test was scrapped before it started). It will just be noted on their annual appraisal, which may or may not have an effect on their promotion prospects.

So the only real difference is that where last year I was able to just turn up and do it, I will now have to do some fitness test specific training to be sure of passing the higher level.

 

[Scaley brat]

Looks like P45s for a lot of fat, lazy, disinterested wastes of rations. Not a day too soon in my opinion.

A shame then that these people normally have all the knowledge huh ! A lot of the "fit" people I have worked with are more guilty of being work shy than any of the "fat" people. All they want to do is get up the gym and work out, then fcuk about showering and meandering back to the work place. Now I'm not going to imply they're all work shy or addicted to endorphins, but at least the "fatties" back at the coal face are doing the job they're bl00dy paid for.

Anyone remember a certain S**** J**** used to work on Tombs at Saints and ran for the RAF, represented Britain internationally too, he was hardly ever there and probably wouldn't have recognised a Phantom if it ran over him !

 

[cockneyrock]

A shame then that these people normally have all the knowledge huh !

A bit generic wouldn't you say? Fit people are normally lacking any knowledge then?

A lot of the "fit" people I have worked with are more guilty of being work shy than any of the "fat" people. All they want to do is get up the gym and work out, then fcuk about showering and meandering back to the work place. Now I'm not going to imply they're all work shy or addicted to endorphins, but at least the "fatties" back at the coal face are doing the job they're bl00dy paid for.

Sounds like jelousy to me. I could apply a similar statement to a lot of unfit people I have met/worked with. Always off to the med centre to get their latest downgrading. coming up with reasons not to do CCS/RAF Fitness Test/deployment

So the unfit, who have always moaned that they don't have time to get fit, are now provided, through directives issued by the powers that be, with time during work to get fit. What do they do moan.

Anyone remember a certain S**** J**** used to work on Tombs at Saints and ran for the RAF, represented Britain internationally too, he was hardly ever there and probably wouldn't have recognised a Phantom if it ran over him !

Dragged that out of the dim and distant past aren't we? He propbably left the RAF before the end of the cold war. The man is 52 now and hasn't been a top class international athlete for over 20 years!!! I think if you go back that far, you'll find a lot of people who were successful and did something similar. Kind of thing that could happen when the RAF was over 80,000 strong.

 

[norfolkred1]

The new fitness ragime sounds all well and good if put into practice. A colleague of mine was on remedial last year with a number of the Officer branch, however as keen as he was to pass he never saw our leaders in the Gym the whole time. Rules are Rules for us ALL to follow, yeah right.

 

[MrMasher]

The Board gave unequivocal support to the need for improved fitness throughout the Service
To that end the RAF FS will seek to improve on the level of health and fitness currently monitored by the RAF Fitness Test (RAFFT) whilst also assuring Force Comds and stn cdrs that the personnel under their command are physically fit for assigned tasks

Am I being daft? Who failed to do their job through being unfit then?
Don't get me wrong, I think it's a great idea to improve the fitness levels of personnel, but it's a bit of a lame reason behind it isn't it?

 

[Scaley brat]

A bit generic wouldn't you say? Fit people are normally lacking any knowledge then?

Not at all, they know when the gym opens DT_Xtremez_15:
What I'm saying is fat or fit doesn't affect a techies abilities to do his job, unless he works in fuel tanks. An unfit rock could slow his mates down, it's a different thing

Sounds like jelousy to me. I could apply a similar statement to a lot of unfit people I have met/worked with.

I refer you to my previous answer

Dragged that out of the dim and distant past aren't we? He propbably left the RAF before the end of the cold war. The man is 52 now and hasn't been a top class international athlete for over 20 years!!! I think if you go back that far, you'll find a lot of people who were successful and did something similar. Kind of thing that could happen when the RAF was over 80,000 strong.

Just the first example that came to mind. SJ was a Phixer that didn't spend much time Phixing, so his team would have had to pick up the slack !
When the RAF had 80,000 people you could afford to indulge a few people SJ was seen as a recruiting aid. We don't have that luxury any more.

 

[tommo9999]

Things have changed an awful lot. Sport used to be seen as a perk; time off during the week to play/train/meetings etc. Add on sports tours and stuff and it was a positive retention factor in my opinion. We should always try to get people off to play sport for the station and other representative levels.
The RAF FT is just about trying to ensure a decent level of fitness for all. Does it work/Has it worked? Probably not, but if we expect our pers to deploy fully fit (Med, Dent etc etc), we must try to find the time. Not easy I know, but worth the effort.

 

[cockneyrock]

Not at all, they know when the gym opens DT_Xtremez_15:
What I'm saying is fat or fit doesn't affect a techies abilities to do his job, unless he works in fuel tanks. An unfit rock could slow his mates down, it's a different thing.

So you are suggesting that fitness should be trade specific? Where do we stop? Techies don't do guard, they only fix particular parts of an aircraft? When deployed on ops only RAF Regt and RAFP provide guarding/force protection capability, the other trades can do their shift and knock off to the "recreational area"? As you said, when we had 8000 we could probably have afforded this luxury, today, with manning and ops commitments as it is, we all have to multi task. That might mean that we have to be prepared to carryout tasks outside of our normal expertise. Dare I say that some of these tasks might be physical in nature and require a high level of fitness than required for say a sparky or electrician.

 

[Scaley brat]

So you are suggesting that fitness should be trade specific? Where do we stop? Techies don't do guard, they only fix particular parts of an aircraft? When deployed on ops only RAF Regt and RAFP provide guarding/force protection capability, the other trades can do their shift and knock off to the "recreational area"? As you said, when we had 8000 we could probably have afforded this luxury, today, with manning and ops commitments as it is, we all have to multi task. That might mean that we have to be prepared to carryout tasks outside of our normal expertise. Dare I say that some of these tasks might be physical in nature and require a high level of fitness than required for say a sparky or electrician.

To a point yes I am, these guys primary job is to fix Aircraft and there are less and less of the to do it. All I'm saying is some folk like to excersize and some folk genuinely feel they don't have the time !
As a aside, no I don't think Techies should be on the gate, I never have and I never will. They should be fulfilling their primary role.

 

[cockneyrock]

To a point yes I am, these guys primary job is to fix Aircraft and there are less and less of the to do it. All I'm saying is some folk like to excersize and some folk genuinely feel they don't have the time !
As a aside, no I don't think Techies should be on the gate, I never have and I never will. They should be fulfilling their primary role.

All of a sudden, Churchill springs to mindDT_Xtremez_15: