Who is/was in the Armed Forces?

I'm 27 and in the RAF. I have to run to level 9.10 in the bleep test. We start from level 0 as we always have done. The levels have gone up recently. This time last year I only needed level 8.10. Not that 9.10 is massively difficult though. The last one I ran I kept running just to beat a baby officer who was trying to prove that he was fitter than his troops. Poor lad was knackered by level 12

Originally Posted by Dangerous Dave

Yeah, you start at level four now I believe for the 'bleep test'.


Yeap, many people do this and it seems to work for them. As already mentioned the Med Centre will help you out with that.


Isn't the RAF at a walking pace behind everybody else anyway???

I think the new start is = to what used to be level 4, its about that pace but we still go to 9.10 as head said... thing is one shuttle more is level 10... so its pretty much level 10... why I said that.

Originally Posted by Heed

I'm 27 and in the RAF. I have to run to level 9.10 in the bleep test. We start from level 0 as we always have done. The levels have gone up recently. This time last year I only needed level 8.10. Not that 9.10 is massively difficult though. The last one I ran I kept running just to beat a baby officer who was trying to prove that he was fitter than his troops. Poor lad was knackered by level 12

Im happy that you are a good runner.

With me being stocky (not fat, muscular) and small 5' 6" and get pain from shin splints im pretty crap at running, probably because I don't do much running due to the pain. I can push press ups out till the cows come home though. I did 70 in 50 seconds last time...

Why the RAF associates fitness with running a shed load of shuttles I don't know. I cant say as I've had to do any running to do with my job other than for the blasted fitness test. tsh.

Originally Posted by ThEGr33k

I think the new start is = to what used to be level 4, its about that pace but we still go to 9.10 as head said... thing is one shuttle more is level 10... so its pretty much level 10... why I said that.



Im happy that you are a good runner.

With me being stocky (not fat, muscular) and small 5' 6" and get pain from shin splints im pretty crap at running, probably because I don't do much running due to the pain. I can push press ups out till the cows come home though. I did 70 in 50 seconds last time...

Why the RAF associates fitness with running a shed load of shuttles I don't know. I cant say as I've had to do any running to do with my job other than for the blasted fitness test. tsh.

Did you have Flat feet when you joined up? If so WTF did they let you in for??

Now i am not saying you dont suffer from Shin splints but in my experiance people dont understand them and use them as an excuse for bing cr*p at running and used by malingerers to get out of PT, not saying you are doing that though. As they are usualy caused by over exersising rather than just appearing from the start.

Also its a muscular problem that in most cases gently increasing the ammount of exersise in stages and stretching will ensure you dont suffer from them. As will avoiding to much tarmac and hard surface running. I have genuinly had them once in my Army career, they lasted about 2 weeks and i just rested and stretched and got back into running gently. They have never come back. A lot of people get a slight pain in their legs during exersise and cry off claiming shin splints.

TBH you sound like you have the wrong attitude to be in the Forces regarding fitness. The Fitness test in all 3 services is designed to showa BASIC leval of all round fitness, which includes CV, and as such can only be maesured by testing a CV exersise such as runing. Be that the MSFT or the 1.5mile timed run, which i prefer TBH.

Surely you signed up knowing fintess would be involved?? And yes recently the RAF has bought its fitness closer in line to that of the Army. IMO about time as well.

All serving people need to havea certain leval of fitness regardles of trade or job due tosome of the situations we could find ourselfs in.

Now i dont claim to be the fittest in the world, infact i am not. However i am resoanbly fit can do the mile and a half in probably 9min 30 which i think is ok at almost 30 . I have to train at it to keek fit but accept that it is part of my job and get on with it rather than bleet about not needing to be fit to do my job. Right now in this post it could be as you clainm that i dont need to be fit, i sit at a PC all day. However my next posting will probably see me back in the proper field army on tour and needing to be fit. Hence i keep a good alround basic leval of fitness up now.

I singed on the line take the money and accept i need to keep my side of the deal up by being ready to do any job the Army ask of me now and in the future.

Originally Posted by ThEGr33k

I think the new start is = to what used to be level 4, its about that pace but we still go to 9.10 as head said... thing is one shuttle more is level 10... so its pretty much level 10... why I said that.



Im happy that you are a good runner.

With me being stocky (not fat, muscular) and small 5' 6" and get pain from shin splints im pretty crap at running, probably because I don't do much running due to the pain. I can push press ups out till the cows come home though. I did 70 in 50 seconds last time...

Why the RAF associates fitness with running a shed load of shuttles I don't know. I cant say as I've had to do any running to do with my job other than for the blasted fitness test. tsh.

Yes it isn't good when anyone has shin splints. I have never had them but do know people who have and have been in pain with them and find it a struggle when running etc... Fitness is very different in the RAF to the Army, I take it you are a gym person weights etc... rather than a runner. Most people I know in the RAF just turn up at the bleep test on the day and pass without any problems or any prior training .

Good luck

Originally Posted by Heed

I'm 27 and in the RAF. I have to run to level 9.10 in the bleep test. We start from level 0 as we always have done. The levels have gone up recently. This time last year I only needed level 8.10. Not that 9.10 is massively difficult though. The last one I ran I kept running just to beat a baby officer who was trying to prove that he was fitter than his troops. Poor lad was knackered by level 12

What level did you get to? Or did you drop out after the baby Officer once you had beaten them ? I bet you felt great .

Originally Posted by neio79

the MSFT or the 1.5mile timed run, which i prefer TBH.

The trouble with the 1.5 miler is that it also tests your ability as a middle distance runner. Some people inevitably c*ck it up by going off too fast. Or not fast enough. The MSFT is uncockupable.

Originally Posted by Heed

I kept running just to beat a baby officer who was trying to prove that he was fitter than his troops.

Perhaps you'd prefer your officers to just quit at the bare minimum pass point? I know who I'd rather go into battle with.

Originally Posted by neio79

Did you have Flat feet when you joined up? If so WTF did they let you in for??

No longer a valid excuse, plus all the services have been short of staff for many years now. All our lot are long servers with real experience.

Originally Posted by neio79

the RAF has bought its fitness closer in line to that of the Army. IMO about time as well.

+1, now lets bring the Armys up.

Originally Posted by neio79

I have to train at it to keek fit but accept that it is part of my job and get on with it rather than bleet about not needing to be fit to do my job. Right now in this post it could be as you clainm that i dont need to be fit, i sit at a PC all day. However my next posting will probably see me back in the proper field army on tour and needing to be fit.

+1, you should be ready for what is around the corner and not what is happening now. Some aspects of the services need to be on constant readiness, you can't take a month off of your fitness regime.

Originally Posted by neio79

I singed on the line take the money and accept i need to keep my side of the deal up by being ready to do any job the Army ask of me now and in the future.

+ 1, well apart from the Army bit.

Originally Posted by Tiger 55

Perhaps you'd prefer your officers to just quit at the bare minimum pass point? I know who I'd rather go into battle with.

I would never go into a combat situation with the service I am in now with an Officer.

Originally Posted by foxyinleather

Yes it isn't good when anyone has shin splints. I have never had them but do know people who have and have been in pain with them and find it a struggle when running etc... Fitness is very different in the RAF to the Army, I take it you are a gym person weights etc... rather than a runner. Most people I know in the RAF just turn up at the bleep test on the day and pass without any problems or any prior training .

Good luck

Yes, I did power lifting for about a year. Stopped doing that though as my lifting buddy went onto days so wasn't about at all while I was.

Originally Posted by neio79

Did you have Flat feet when you joined up? If so WTF did they let you in for??

Now i am not saying you dont suffer from Shin splints but in my experiance people dont understand them and use them as an excuse for bing cr*p at running and used by malingerers to get out of PT, not saying you are doing that though. As they are usualy caused by over exersising rather than just appearing from the start.

I dont know why they let me in... perhaps they are that desperate that they just let anyone in these days... I dont know. LOL

The shins usually start playing up at about the 5 mins of running stage, I can run through it but it feels like some thwait it cracking my shins with a bat every step, not so great. So unfortunatly there is no way to properly ease myself back into running.

Originally Posted by neio79

Also its a muscular problem that in most cases gently increasing the ammount of exersise in stages and stretching will ensure you dont suffer from them. As will avoiding to much tarmac and hard surface running. I have genuinly had them once in my Army career, they lasted about 2 weeks and i just rested and stretched and got back into running gently. They have never come back. A lot of people get a slight pain in their legs during exersise and cry off claiming shin splints.

I still do the training, but we dont have compulsory PT like you do so I can do what I like which is mostly the bike and the rower both of which I can do for a long time. No pain YAY!

Originally Posted by neio79

TBH you sound like you have the wrong attitude to be in the Forces regarding fitness. The Fitness test in all 3 services is designed to showa BASIC leval of all round fitness, which includes CV, and as such can only be maesured by testing a CV exersise such as runing. Be that the MSFT or the 1.5mile timed run, which i prefer TBH.

I am getting out, so maybe you are right. IMO getting to level 10 on the bleep test is much harder than the 1.5 mile run, the turns Grrr hate them. Also on the run you can choose your own pace and generally start faster finish slower where on the bleep test its pre set speeds and it gets faster.

What pressups do you have to do? Isnt it 35 in 2 min? We have 20 in one min. Id say ours was harder there too. Not that doing either amount should take more than 30 seconds...

Dont get me wrong i think there should be fitness in the forces but I think it should be a little more individually based. Expecting me to be able to run as well as someone who is a lanky 6'+ is stupid yet they do. Also why is it that ladies have to do so much less, is it that bullets dont chase them as well as Blokes so they dont have to run as far? If them getting to level 6 is good enough then me getting to level 6 should be good enough! Equal ops and all that?

Originally Posted by neio79

Surely you signed up knowing fintess would be involved?? And yes recently the RAF has bought its fitness closer in line to that of the Army. IMO about time as well.

All serving people need to havea certain leval of fitness regardles of trade or job due tosome of the situations we could find ourselfs in.

Id love to know when ill be needed to run? Chase sheep about maybe?

Originally Posted by neio79

Now i dont claim to be the fittest in the world, infact i am not. However i am resoanbly fit can do the mile and a half in probably 9min 30 which i think is ok at almost 30 . I have to train at it to keek fit but accept that it is part of my job and get on with it rather than bleet about not needing to be fit to do my job. Right now in this post it could be as you clainm that i dont need to be fit, i sit at a PC all day. However my next posting will probably see me back in the proper field army on tour and needing to be fit. Hence i keep a good alround basic leval of fitness up now.

I singed on the line take the money and accept i need to keep my side of the deal up by being ready to do any job the Army ask of me now and in the future.

Aye. im glad you enjoy it, you seem to be the typical type that enjoys all the crap that comes with the job and enjoys making everyone else feel unworthy by saying we should love the core. I for one dont enjoy the poor pay the being treat like a prisoner, which is how it feels often and being treat like a child at school... Id love to say the money was worth it but it isnt, my brother who is 2 years younger is on twice my wage and he doesnt have to put up with this rubbish.

Cheers, rant over

Originally Posted by ThEGr33k

Yes, I did power lifting for about a year. Stopped doing that though as I got fed up with it plus my lifting buddy went onto days so wasn't about at all while I was.




I dont know why they let me in... perhaps they are that desperate that they just let anyone in these days... I dont know. LOL

The shins usually start playing up at about the 5 mins of running stage, I can run through it but it feels like some thwait it cracking my shins with a bat every step, not so great. So unfortunatly there is no way to properly ease myself back into running.



I still do the training, but we dont have compulsory PT like you do so I can do what I like which is mostly the bike and the rower both of which I can do for a long time. No pain YAY!



I am getting out, so maybe you are right. IMO getting to level 10 on the bleep test is much harder than the 1.5 mile run, the turns Grrr hate them. Also on the run you can choose your own pace and generally start faster finish slower where on the bleep test its pre set speeds and it gets faster.

What pressups do you have to do? Isnt it 35 in 2 min? We have 20 in one min. Id say ours was harder there too.

Dont get me wrong i think there should be fitness in the forces but I think it should be a little more individually based. Expecting me to be able to run as well as someone who is a lanky 6'+ is stupid yet they do. Also why is it that ladies have to do so much less, is it that bullets dont chase them as well as Blokes so they dont have to run as far? If them getting to level 6 is good enough then me getting to level 6 should be good enough! Equal ops and all that?



Id love to know when ill be needed to run? Chase sheep about maybe?



Aye. im glad you enjoy it, you seem to be the typical type that enjoys all the crap that comes with the job and enjoys making everyone else feel unworthy by saying we should love the core. I for one dont enjoy the poor pay the being treat like a prisoner, which is how it feels often and being treat like a child at school... Id love to say the money was worth it but it isnt, my brother who is 2 years younger is on twice my wage and he doesnt have to put up with this rubbish.

Cheers, rant over

Ha ha yes they do tend to let almost anyone in nowadays, some are keen and green and some are not. I think the majority are not and join up for a trade and security rather than the green stuff and most stay in as they will get a decent wage, good pension, cheap living and not be affected by redundancy etc...

With your quals and experience you are most definitely sure to find a job that is more than twice your current wage .

However Neio is, very disciplined in his training regime especially as he doesn't have organised PT as in a normal working unit so does well to keep up his level of fitness. It is hard for anyone to drag themselves out for a run or to the gym when they could easily just sit there and surf the net instead. Having run with Neio I can say his fitness level is pretty good

When I left the RAF in 86 I had to have a leaving medical, apparently I had flat feet, a heart murmur and was apparently too short to have been in the mob in the first place, makes you think dunnit ?