Latest Fitness Rumour

[Soon To Leave]

The thing is it can't be policed properly and the hierarchy know this. I'm sure it's only targeted at the ones that obviously need to get fitter and also to get a gong for whichever airship recommended it. On that subject, has anyone seen one of our airships doing a fitness test??

At the end of the day, someone (probably a civil servant) got a tick in the box for suggesting how the RAF can become as fit as the army by devoting half a day a week towards 'compulsory' fitness training. As usual, this idea has been championed in isolation without considering the wider implications. What they didn't consider was:

Overstretch - the LEANing process has left us without any 'excess fat' to cover for the increasing number of OOA commitments.

PVR's - the rate of PVR is high, particularly in areas of overstretch which in turn exacerbates it.

Morale - Overstretch and other factors (including fitness directives) affect morale levels and trigger PVR's further increasing overstretch.

Jointery - If I wanted to run around all day with the army, I would have joined the army and left at age 40 at rank of WO with a good pension.

Time - Running around and keeping fit are part of army life and this is built into the working week (which from my experience appears shorter than ours). Many of us are working 10-12 hour days on a regular basis so were is the rationale for extending them even further.

 

[mc_Dudley]

The thing is it can't be policed properly and the hierarchy know this. I'm sure it's only targeted at the ones that obviously need to get fitter and also to get a gong for whichever airship recommended it. On that subject, has anyone seen one of our airships doing a fitness test??

By Airships, do you mean the old fellas with blue piping or are you refering to the larger members of the airforce? either way the answer is No!DT_Xtremez_42:

 

[MontyPlumbs]

Here at Wittering, the guy's have been given 1 hour of their choice per week during the working day. The other 2 hours are to be done outside of the working day. I'm wondering wether I could aggregate it and just include my time Walking/Cycling to and from work each morning. It takes me about 10 mins to walk and around 5mins to cycle so if I cycle home for lunch (and I do) I should tott up 2 x 50min sessions accross the week!DT_Xtremez_15:

Shame our winged master race don't give two hoots about us actually getting time off during the flying day to go and do compulsory PT!

It may work for some of the RAF, but anyone who works around a flying programme is stuffed.

 

[DrunkenMonki]

Yeah, gotta admit my current job has no problems with an hour a day in the gym, essentially my 'lunch hour', i work with Civvies now so i get some bonuses! Do remember being on a Tonca Sqn though, not a prayer of getting to the Mess, never mind the gym!

 

[Realist78]

At the end of the day, someone (probably a civil servant) got a tick in the box for suggesting how the RAF can become as fit as the army by devoting half a day a week towards 'compulsory' fitness training. As usual, this idea has been championed in isolation without considering the wider implications. What they didn't consider was:

Overstretch - the LEANing process has left us without any 'excess fat' to cover for the increasing number of OOA commitments.

PVR's - the rate of PVR is high, particularly in areas of overstretch which in turn exacerbates it.

Morale - Overstretch and other factors (including fitness directives) affect morale levels and trigger PVR's further increasing overstretch.

Jointery - If I wanted to run around all day with the army, I would have joined the army and left at age 40 at rank of WO with a good pension.

Time - Running around and keeping fit are part of army life and this is built into the working week (which from my experience appears shorter than ours). Many of us are working 10-12 hour days on a regular basis so were is the rationale for extending them even further.

There is no rationale, it's just stats, stats and more stats. In my experience, nobody on the commissioned side of the fence has given a hoot about excessive working hours, unless...it has a direct effect on their career.DT_Xtremez_17:

 

[True Blue Jack]

I've just been reading a paper titled "RAF Fitness Strategy". I won't bore you with all the detail but wef 1 Oct 07 the RAFFT will be current for 6 months only. Pass standards will be increased from 1 Apr 08. Girls will have to do full press-ups. Everybody will have a waist circumference and Body Mass Index check.

I especially like the way they have presented it as them doing us a favour: "Blue Zone, Very Good - you are minimising your risk of premature illness and mortality." :S

 

[Comms_Lad]

I've just been reading a paper titled "RAF Fitness Strategy". I won't bore you with all the detail but wef 1 Oct 07 the RAFFT will be current for 6 months only. Pass standards will be increased from 1 Apr 08. Girls will have to do full press-ups. Everybody will have a waist circumference and Body Mass Index check.

I especially like the way they have presented it as them doing us a favour: "Blue Zone, Very Good - you are minimising your risk of premature illness and mortality." :S

You got a link to this fella, and if they are finally making the wrafs do full press ups, are they gonna make them run as long as well. Instead of giving them a fitness test the average 5yr old could do.

 

[True Blue Jack]

You got a link to this fella, and if they are finally making the wrafs do full press ups, are they gonna make them run as long as well. Instead of giving them a fitness test the average 5yr old could do.

I've only got it hard copy. And no, a 45 year old man still has to run further than a 17 year old girl. Also, although the girls will do full press-ups from 1 Oct they are not subject to pass/fail on this element until 1 Apr 08.

 

[DrunkenMonki]

whats the threat if you fail then?

 

[True Blue Jack]

whats the threat if you fail then?

There are no threats of administrative discharge or anything else of that nature (yet!). Reading between the lines they are trying to engender "culture change" whereby we keep fit because we want to. A bad fail comes with the line "you are 8x more likely to suffer chronic illness and premature death than someone in the green zone. You need to change your lifestyle NOW."

 

[Tocsin]

The doc is on Airspace (the top secret part of the RAF Internet site) - if I can't attach it here, that is!

As that didn't work (file is too big at 700Kb) - there's a link to Airspace from the main RAF Internet site, and there's a front page link to the fitness strategy, and the whole doc is available there as a download...

 

[Tocsin]

And as for comment...

I have the same beef about aged males having to perform (ooh, err!) at the same level as a young female. Try the MSFT values for a 54 year old male (7.01) and 18 year old female (7.02)!

Also, as a reservist, I have a particular issue with the "station will support you" in your three times a week (I wish!) training. None of that for the auggies! Just paid £320 to my local council for access (unlimited, I admit) to the sports centre - to try and reach the new goals, in the limited time away from my day job. :S Oh, bugg@r!

 

[jack brew]

Good thread on Pprune about this

RAF Fitness Test - Soon to be twice a year!
Excellent news! Allegedly from Oct 07, maybe some muscle-mechs can comment?

I'm all in favour of us being a fit fighting force, but we really don't need any extra admin burdens like this.

Not only do I have to CCS, IRT, PME, FMT600, Airfield Driving, Compulsory PT, Live fire, WHT but I've now got a second fitness test to do!

Now, I appreciate it's only half an hour down the gym, but in reality it's a whole sight more hassle than that. Especially given the three months (plus) a year in the sandpit and numerous other nights/days/weeks away during the year, it's just an extra pain in the arse...It's just another period of time when I can't be doing my primary or secondary duty, or when I need to be in work when I could be stood down following weekend tasking or an OOA. It's also another period of time that I have to programme the lads to be away from their primary/secondary duties, because you can bet your bottom dollar that they'll be on the CO's s**t list if they're not in date.

Bet you that the PTIs won't be in at weekends, or late nights to support our 24 hour ops (and no, I'm not moaning about PTI's as a group)

Now, given that our PTI cadre is being reduced and the fact that between them and SHQ noone can record the successful (or not) completion of the current RAFFT, this strikes me as another admin burden for the already busy Sqn to take on and another ill thought through retention-negative policy.

Given that last year, due to a randomly generated policy, I managed to do 3 fitness tests in a 4 month period and still be recorded as out of date on the system, will this mean I will need to do six next year in order to be recognised as fit? Our stn has an on arrival, as a Sqn and on Birthday policy, so frankly we might as well just do it every other week! Luckily, we'll be able to use our locally trained Sqn PT man, but wait: He can't do directed PT! Simply brilliant...

Anyone else spot a last minute attempt at branch justification by AMP?

Anyway, it's been a long day...

http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=282807

 

[Chilliboy]

There are no threats of administrative discharge or anything else of that nature (yet!). Reading between the lines they are trying to engender "culture change" whereby we keep fit because we want to. A bad fail comes with the line "you are 8x more likely to suffer chronic illness and premature death than someone in the green zone. You need to change your lifestyle NOW."

The procedure as laid down is that you are given 4 chances to pass and then Admin Discharge becomes an option. The idea is that if you have had 3 periods of remedial PT and still can't pass then you are out. I would imagine that if after remedial you are improving but still not passing you will be given some slack but if you show no signs of getting fitter then you are not putting in the effort.

The problem will be if a male is discharged for failing but has exceeded the female pass level before he stops. He is then being discharged because of his gender which is in breach of the Equal Ops Act. The MOD will again have an embarrassing court case and end up paying through the nose to compensate the dischargees as per pregnancies and gays a few years back.

 

[Kernow]

The procedure as laid down is that you are given 4 chances to pass and then Admin Discharge becomes an option. The idea is that if you have had 3 periods of remedial PT and still can't pass then you are out. I would imagine that if after remedial you are improving but still not passing you will be given some slack but if you show no signs of getting fitter then you are not putting in the effort.
The problem will be if a male is discharged for failing but has exceeded the female pass level before he stops. He is then being discharged because of his gender which is in breach of the Equal Ops Act. The MOD will again have an embarrassing court case and end up paying through the nose to compensate the dischargees as per pregnancies and gays a few years back.

I believe it is an attitude issue. You fail the FT and do not put the effort into the remedial and then fail again that is when they look to get rid. 4th attempt then you are gone. It will be interesting to see the first one to be discharged for it and what will happen afterwards as you say.

 

[FOMz]

The female level is a joke. My daughter is in year 8 at school and has to reach that fcuking level....................

 

[tommo9999]

Someone will challenge it. Just like Maternity, Equal Ops etc.

 

[Kernow]

The female level is a joke. My daughter is in year 8 at school and has to reach that fcuking level....................

Shame you can'tDT_Xtremez_42:

My lad is the same, at 13 he is running at around lvl 9.

The fitness levels will be reviewed again to bring everyone into line, but not until the first bloke is kicked out of the RAF for failing. Could be a good money spinner for that 1st person!

 

[FOMz]

Might just be worth being that bloke....................

 

[Woodja]

Good thread on Pprune about this


Quote:
RAF Fitness Test - Soon to be twice a year!
Excellent news! Allegedly from Oct 07, maybe some muscle-mechs can comment?

I'm all in favour of us being a fit fighting force, but we really don't need any extra admin burdens like this.

Not only do I have to CCS, IRT, PME, FMT600, Airfield Driving, Compulsory PT, Live fire, WHT but I've now got a second fitness test to do!

Now, I appreciate it's only half an hour down the gym, but in reality it's a whole sight more hassle than that. Especially given the three months (plus) a year in the sandpit and numerous other nights/days/weeks away during the year, it's just an extra pain in the arse...It's just another period of time when I can't be doing my primary or secondary duty, or when I need to be in work when I could be stood down following weekend tasking or an OOA. It's also another period of time that I have to programme the lads to be away from their primary/secondary duties, because you can bet your bottom dollar that they'll be on the CO's s**t list if they're not in date.

Bet you that the PTIs won't be in at weekends, or late nights to support our 24 hour ops (and no, I'm not moaning about PTI's as a group)

Now, given that our PTI cadre is being reduced and the fact that between them and SHQ noone can record the successful (or not) completion of the current RAFFT, this strikes me as another admin burden for the already busy Sqn to take on and another ill thought through retention-negative policy.

Given that last year, due to a randomly generated policy, I managed to do 3 fitness tests in a 4 month period and still be recorded as out of date on the system, will this mean I will need to do six next year in order to be recognised as fit? Our stn has an on arrival, as a Sqn and on Birthday policy, so frankly we might as well just do it every other week! Luckily, we'll be able to use our locally trained Sqn PT man, but wait: He can't do directed PT! Simply brilliant...

Anyone else spot a last minute attempt at branch justification by AMP?

Anyway, it's been a long day...

http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=282807

On the plus side - apparently CCS is having a massive overhaul - to be announced in September. Rumours currently flying around our Regt Flt are that it will be linked to your readiness state - with those on the lower states (R5+) only having to do it every 2 years, and apparently it will lose NBC (or CBRN) as this will only be trained if you need it for a specific det/unit role. There will be a far greater emphasis on firing - with the nice Army style 100m/200m+ shoots.

Welcome to the Army folks, Air Wing DT_Xtremez_21: