• Thanks for stopping by. Logging in to a registered account will remove all generic ads. Please reach out with any questions or concerns.

Somehow a Fitness Thread from a "Kiwi shoe polish" Thread

That’s because it’s usually the old and the bold complaining about the loss of what they perceived to be very important in 1975
In 1975 many of the Sgts and WOs were trained by Korean and WW2 Vets....therefore the attachment to the "old ways". Just an observation from someone who was there in 1975. Which makes me a dinosaur

Video Game City GIF by CAPCOM
 
It’s strange that you argue that RCAF needs more cardio and strength, but dismiss the FORCE test, which was a far better test of strength than the EXPRES test.

I don't dismiss it, I find it rather easy to achieve the incentive levels, as I did with the express test when I was younger. Given all the negativity I hear around the force test and it's favoritism towards taller or larger framed individuals, along with real-world applicability, I wouldn't be surprised to see changes to it in the near future. We are in the world of equality afterall...
 
If we get ourselves into a high intensity war and the fast air community shows up, we could absolutely need our ground crews to head with hauling casualties, moving heavy degree, and handraulically doing a lot of tasks that in other, more comfortable times might involve mechanical assistance. You can be your ass Ukraine’s Air Force has had grounds crews doing all these things when their airfields have been hit. If Canada commits our fast air assets to a real war, you would not, in all likelihood, have a bored infantry platoon standing around to deal with all these things if the bad day happens. Hell, even in Afghanistan there was more than one instance of a complex attack on a FOB where aircraft ground crews took up arms and helped fight it off. It might be reasonable to think that a casualty drag and load could happen.

Failing to imagine these realistic possibilities that could be faced by very nearly any trade is a leadership failure. And the fitness of the troops is a leadership responsibility.
 
The sandbags are representative of a simple 20 kg load. For the Army, it could represent a real sand bag, ammo, water cans or rations. For the Navy, ropes or rum. For the Air Force, luggage at the hotel.
You joke, but the airline definition of “heavy bag” is 53lb, or about 22-ish kg.

I would suspect that an FE or Loadie regularly lifts that weight on and off flights.
 
I don't dismiss it, I find it rather easy to achieve the incentive levels, as I did with the express test when I was younger. Given all the negativity I hear around the force test and it's favoritism towards taller or larger framed individuals, along with real-world applicability, I wouldn't be surprised to see changes to it in the near future. We are in the world of equality afterall...
Of the tasks, the drag is the one that arguably can be changed. The “fireman carry” isn’t what we do - and what we do doesn’t make sense because it takes both arms, negating the use of a weapon. You would drag the casualty using the Handle By their neck.

 
And the fitness of the troops is a leadership responsibility

Would be nice to see some PT time during work hours - Majority of the RCAF line units.

Of the tasks, the drag is the one that arguably can be changed. The “fireman carry” isn’t what we do - and what we do doesn’t make sense because it takes both arms, negating the use of a weapon. You would drag the casualty using the Handle By their neck.

You could arguably change the drag to a weight that's a percentage of your own body weight, and the lift to a height that's relative to your waist. But then again, you don't choose how heavy a casualty is, or how high the wall of sandbags is in a live situation so you're hooped in that regard.
 
I don't dismiss it, I find it rather easy to achieve the incentive levels, as I did with the express test when I was younger. Given all the negativity I hear around the force test and it's favoritism towards taller or larger framed individuals, along with real-world applicability, I wouldn't be surprised to see changes to it in the near future. We are in the world of equality afterall...
Taller and larger people tend to have that evened out in the dashes. Simply takes longer to get down and up.
 
Would be nice to see some PT time during work hours - Majority of the RCAF line units.
Absolutely it would. Nonetheless, fitness is both an individual and leadership responsibility regardless.
 
Didn’t you get the memo, dressing well isn’t a requirement to do your job. Even when you look homeless, you can still accomplish the same tasks as someone who ‘looks’ professional.
Dressing professional builds team work and cohesion, it also keeps safety at the forefront of our minds. Wear a suit and tie to welding shop and go to work, see how that goes for ya.
Did we relax fitness standards? Or did we just decide that walking for two hours wasn’t really a great test of combat fitness?
The boys in 1 RCHA when they deployed C Bty to Afghanistan in 2001 may have asked for more walking training, Walking with a heavy load is the basic fundamentals of what Soldiers can and will do. Up and down the mountain.
In what way does lifting sandbags, carrying/dragging sandbags, duck and covering apply to the RCAF.
It doesn't and that is why the fitness test needs to be better served to each element, then each sub element. Unless you compare dragging a fuel line across the tarmac to fuel the jet, lifting tries/ brake assemblies or the best one is contort your hand, lower arm, and upper arm inside of a small space and use your pinky and thumb to screw a nut onto a bolt. Don't worry these big forearms that can lift sandbags all day dont fit so not my problem.
Universality of Service is a thing.
It is until it isnt. each element and each trade within has their own actual requirements. The basics can be said, the overall day to day jobs are not very universal for most.
So you're arguing that the RCAF needs an even lower standard?
Maybe lower then a Infantry standard in cardio and weight, most Techs need more dexterity and hand stamina along with hand eye coordination close up then others. There are other trades in similar. Having big arms and legs are detrimental in some cases.
If lifting sand bags and getting up off the floor are not applicable, I fail to see how sprinting, push-ups, and grip strength are.
Not applicable at all in my opinion. But crawling around on knees, lifting overhead, finger and forearm use are more important. Unless your a Weapons guy then get to the gym and lift heavy.
Dragging sand bags is a casualty extraction - believe it or not in major combat operations the RCAF could take casualties, or alternatively any number of vehicle or work place accidents can occur in which you ought to be able to move your fellow aviator to safety.
you might need to drag a pilot or crew out of a wreck. But in that case it isnt as simple of a drag requires skill and strength to make it go properly.
Similarly the dashes, not sure how you got ducking out of that but we shall carry on, reflect the ability to move to cover. We had RCAF pers on KAF when it got attacked, including by ground forces, I presume we want those personnel to be fit enough to seek cover.
Anyone can run to the bunker when required, or hide behind the big army tanky looking thing.
Sand bag pick up are about loading stores… like I dunno ammunition or other heavy stores. I’m assuming AVN techs do that? Or anyone does that when they get resupplied.
They usually use a fork lift, or other apparatus. Work smarter not harder. When all else fails sorry gotta fix that jet so can you do that. 😅



As for the loss of KIWI polish, it sucks. I still polish my boots and iron my uniform and stay clean shaven to this day for work.
I know for Young men and women joining Cadets, getting a good shine on your boots was one of the first a sense of accomplishments you could make.

Kiwi polish is part of the water repellency of leather boots so there goes that one.
 
Dressing professional builds team work and cohesion, it also keeps safety at the forefront of our minds. Wear a suit and tie to welding shop and go to work, see how that goes for ya.

The boys in 1 RCHA when they deployed C Bty to Afghanistan in 2001 may have asked for more walking training, Walking with a heavy load is the basic fundamentals of what Soldiers can and will do. Up and down the mountain.

It doesn't and that is why the fitness test needs to be better served to each element, then each sub element. Unless you compare dragging a fuel line across the tarmac to fuel the jet, lifting tries/ brake assemblies or the best one is contort your hand, lower arm, and upper arm inside of a small space and use your pinky and thumb to screw a nut onto a bolt. Don't worry these big forearms that can lift sandbags all day dont fit so not my problem.

It is until it isnt. each element and each trade within has their own actual requirements. The basics can be said, the overall day to day jobs are not very universal for most.

Maybe lower then a Infantry standard in cardio and weight, most Techs need more dexterity and hand stamina along with hand eye coordination close up then others. There are other trades in similar. Having big arms and legs are detrimental in some cases.

Not applicable at all in my opinion. But crawling around on knees, lifting overhead, finger and forearm use are more important. Unless your a Weapons guy then get to the gym and lift heavy.

you might need to drag a pilot or crew out of a wreck. But in that case it isnt as simple of a drag requires skill and strength to make it go properly.

Anyone can run to the bunker when required, or hide behind the big army tanky looking thing.

They usually use a fork lift, or other apparatus. Work smarter not harder. When all else fails sorry gotta fix that jet so can you do that. 😅



As for the loss of KIWI polish, it sucks. I still polish my boots and iron my uniform and stay clean shaven to this day for work.
I know for Young men and women joining Cadets, getting a good shine on your boots was one of the first a sense of accomplishments you could make.

Kiwi polish is part of the water repellency of leather boots so there goes that one.
I’ll simply refer you to my post 25 minutes ago. You’re out to lunch about what physical tasks anyone in any military environment may have to do. The point of lifting sandbags isn’t to assess literally lifting bags of sand.
 
The boys in 1 RCHA when they deployed C Bty to Afghanistan in 2001 may have asked for more walking training, Walking with a heavy load is the basic fundamentals of what Soldiers can and will do. Up and down the mountain.

I don’t think walking 12k with a light load for time was going to help there. Testing does not equal training.

It doesn't and that is why the fitness test needs to be better served to each element, then each sub element. Unless you compare dragging a fuel line across the tarmac to fuel the jet, lifting tries/ brake assemblies or the best one is contort your hand, lower arm, and upper arm inside of a small space and use your pinky and thumb to screw a nut onto a bolt. Don't worry these big forearms that can lift sandbags all day dont fit so not my problem.

Honest question is English your first language?

It is until it isnt. each element and each trade within has their own actual requirements. The basics can be said, the overall day to day jobs are not very universal for most.

Maybe lower then a Infantry standard in cardio and weight, most Techs need more dexterity and hand stamina along with hand eye coordination close up then others. There are other trades in similar. Having big arms and legs are detrimental in some cases.

Could you please explain, from a fitness perspective. What “hand stamina” is.

Not applicable at all in my opinion. But crawling around on knees, lifting overhead, finger and forearm use are more important. Unless your a Weapons guy then get to the gym and lift heavy.

you might need to drag a pilot or crew out of a wreck. But in that case it isnt as simple of a drag requires skill and strength to make it go properly.

No but we need to establish a baseline and ensure our members are capable of achieving it.

Anyone can run to the bunker when required, or hide behind the big army tanky looking thing.

No, no they can’t they think they’ll rise to the occasion. But they will not. They will fall to their fitness. Making people training to get up and sprint is important. Much more important that mindless 5 k runs.

They usually use a fork lift, or other apparatus. Work smarter not harder. When all else fails sorry gotta fix that jet so can you do that. 😅

Well that was constructive
 
Would be nice to see some PT time during work hours - Majority of the RCAF line units.
I recall that when I did my Command Team course that the CDS Guidance to Commanding Officers made it a hard requirement to allow for PT during work hours, subject, of course, to operational requirements. But, at what point do "operational requirements" (the catch all for any reason to cancel something, with PT always being close to the top of that list) result in your personnel becoming unfit to the point that they can no longer meet those requirements?
You could arguably change the drag to a weight that's a percentage of your own body weight, and the lift to a height that's relative to your waist. But then again, you don't choose how heavy a casualty is, or how high the wall of sandbags is in a live situation so you're hooped in that regard.
One of the big advantages of FORCE over EXPRES and BFT is that it is gender, environment and trade blind. As MJP mentioned, L1s can impose their own higher standard but the one that will be tabled as a minimum in a human rights challenge or grievance where someone's career is on the line will be the FORCE test or Common Military Tasks test, not some made up local test regime.
 
I’ll simply refer you to my post 25 minutes ago. You’re out to lunch about what physical tasks anyone in any military environment may have to do. The point of lifting sandbags isn’t to assess literally lifting bags of sand.
I don't think lifting sand bags has anything to do with most jobs in the Military. Unless most of your job is going to be lifting sand bags into the back of truck. It is strength test that looks miliartarish nothing more. But it actually has little to do with most job aspects if that is what the physical test is suppose to do to rate fitness.

A company I worked for had us do the Step test, grip strength, body drag, tool box carry and a piss test at the end. Had nothing to do with actually being fit, it had everything to do with passing the piss test and looking for injuries.

Another company performed echocardiogram, Spirometry, grip tests along with proper sight, hearing and blood tests. Those gave a better sense of where a person was at. Best testing I have ever done for any group.
 
I don't think lifting sand bags has anything to do with most jobs in the Military. Unless most of your job is going to be lifting sand bags into the back of truck. It is strength test that looks miliartarish nothing more. But it actually has little to do with most job aspects if that is what the physical test is suppose to do to rate fitness.

A company I worked for had us do the Step test, grip strength, body drag, tool box carry and a piss test at the end. Had nothing to do with actually being fit, it had everything to do with passing the piss test and looking for injuries.

Another company performed echocardiogram, Spirometry, grip tests along with proper sight, hearing and blood tests. Those gave a better sense of where a person was at. Best testing I have ever done for any group.

Ok, so again, this has all been covered. There was a reply farther up exploring the structure of the FORCE test and how DRDC actually assessed common military tasks, and identified proxy tasks that could be done with minimal equipment, and assess a troop’s fitness to the minimum necessary standard.

A sandbag is just a proxy for weight. It could be ammunition, jerries of fuel because the FFAR got hit, the upper half of your buddy whose lower half lost a fight with a Tochka, a major piece of FOD that’s obstructing the ramp/runway, or what have you.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top