Hey you fat@ss patrollers and instructors out there

[shera]

Your days are numbered, at least at Vail Resorts. There's a hire/rehire fitness requirement now. Maybe this will become a ski industry trend.

"Fit to Ride" Program

The Fit to Ride Program covers all ski patrol, ski and ride school and mountain safety positions at Vail, Beaver Creek, Keystone, Breckenridge, Heavenly and Northstar-at-Tahoe resorts (collectively referred to as "covered positions"). These positions were chosen because they are among the most physically demanding at our resorts and the risks posed to employees and guests are considerable if individuals do not have the physical ability to perform essential job functions.

Components

FITNESS CERTIFICATION
The Fitness Certification is a series of seven distinct assessments replicating the physical demands involved in the covered ski and ride positions including but not limited to actually skiing and riding.

It includes the following tests:
Five-Minute Step Test
Push-Up Test
Curl-Up Test (Sit-Ups)
Quadrant Agility Test
Lift Test
Balance Test
Flexibility Test

FUNCTIONAL MOVEMENT SCREEN

Test #1: Deep Squat
Test #2: Hurdle Step
Test #3: In-Line Lunge
Test #4: Shoulder Mobility
Test #5: Active Straight Leg Raise
Test #6: Trunk Stability Push-Up
Test #7: Rotational Stability

And finally the medical evaluation:

Baseline medical tests are only given to applicants seeking employment at Colorado Resorts. The medical professional uses the completed medical questionnaire to establish and record the applicant's baseline functional abilities and/or limitations. The baseline information collected will consist of knee and shoulder range of motion but may also include other physical assessments based on the Occupational Physician's review of the medical questionnaire and/or test results as it relates to the covered position.

http://www.vailfittoride.com/main.cf...TypeID=1&fID=0

[bendtheski]

Just so long as there's still unlimited free donuts and crispy bacon before line-up, I don't see a problem...

[Tap]

How about a coke test? That'd fly in vail.......people be passing with flying colors.

[HuckSolo]

How about a coke test? That'd fly in vail.......people be passing with flying colors.

que disco music

[Lone Star]

I think if I wanted my patrollers to remain in shape I'd be testing them on things like how fast they can walk up a bootpack with a sled or heavy pack and skis, skating on a flat traverse, postholing uphill for a few hundred yards.. but that's not as macho?

[L7]

Maybe they should apply a similar test to the senior management and mitigate health issues impeding work where they actually pay real salaries.

I think it's not a bad idea in a lot of ways but always hate the negative implementation. How about a subsidized gym pass to help them achieve the standard instead of just a punishment for failure.

I hate seeing fat out of shape instructors especially. I don't think they represent what the sport is about at least to me. Emphasis on fat AND out of shape. A guy/girl can carry some extra weight and still be physically capable. Maybe not prime but still a capable representative of the sport for lots of students. Huffing and sweating or lounging and resting all the time do not represent our 'sport'.

[volklpowdermaniac]

I think it's not a bad idea in a lot of ways but always hate the negative implementation. How about a subsidized gym pass to help them achieve the standard instead of just a punishment for failure.

Bingo. I always thought this was so reactive, like a bunch of people started getting hurt, SO THEN, they made the changes, rather than encouraging/helping prior to the rash of work related injuries. Anyways... I'll just never get why these companies don't offer a gym membership.

[smartyiak]

Did I miss it...what is pass/fail on the specific test?

-Smarty

[Meadow Skipper]

Ha. Where I work they did away with the physical and now they just drug test.

I'd welcome a physical test like the OP, but I think there'd be some openings.

[neufox47]

Must say I give them props for using the FMS. This is not for work load measurement but it is a great indicator of how susceptible to injury a person is.

It's amazing what they can tell you about yourself just by doing that screen (with no other background or questions asked)

Like - You get knee tendinitis on long runs, you have lower back pain, frequently pull hammies, etc. When the person is good, you feel like you are talking to a freaking psychic.

[SILENCER]

You know who would be the single least likely person to get employed at Vail resorts?

A 320LB SHARPSHOOTER

[Game Over]

Huffing and sweating

no matter how in or out shape i am i almost always huff (but not sweat-> try hard not to do that) at the top of a boot pack. i like to push myself and love that endorphin rush mixed with the happy happy joy joy of being at the top and it being time to ski this sick run you just worked so hard to get too.

[My Pet Powder Goat]

I seemed like there already was a test; ski, operate the sled, drudge through waist deep powder on avy mornings.

what am I missing?....must be a Vail thing.

[powdork]

the heave had a patroller die on the chairlift several years ago of heart failure. he likely would not have passed many of these tests as he was quite round.
while they don't give out gym passes they have started fit to ride programs which are similar to your standard fitness boot camp.

[leroy jenkins]

Too bad police departments don't do this.

[bendtheski]

Maybe they should apply a similar test to the senior management and mitigate health issues impeding work where they actually pay real salaries.

Maybe require senior management to actually get out and ski the mountain once a week. Check out the snow, chat with people on the lift...
Might provide more real-world feedback than just looking at numbers.

I'm with My Pet Powder Goat. I don't really care how many push-ups/sit-ups a patroller can do, or what they look like for that matter, as long as they can get to my broken carcass and haul it down the mountain safely. FMS prolly not a bad idea though.

[Meadow Skipper]

I'm with My Pet Powder Goat. I don't really care how many push-ups/sit-ups a patroller can do, or what they look like for that matter, as long as they can get to my broken carcass and haul it down the mountain safely. FMS prolly not a bad idea though.

There's more to it. Other patrollers care when it comes to hauling fence and 'boo and rope and pads and sleds and digging things out and shit. Sucks when the person that's supposed to be helping you can't. But yeah, first things first. [/selfish whining]

[Buzzworthy]

Anyone else pretty positive this was done for $$ off insurance for the company by doing these tests?

Granted they need to be in shape, but like Lone Star said, they need to do that stuff. These tests point directly to cost of insurance of the corporation and keeping cost down as much as possible. It is that age of economic times.

[bklyn]

Anyone else pretty positive this was done for $$ off insurance for the company by doing these tests?

Granted they need to be in shape, but like Lone Star said, they need to do that stuff. These tests point directly to cost of insurance of the corporation and keeping cost down as much as possible. It is that age of economic times.

Ding Ding Ding

[MTT]

Maybe they should apply a similar test to the senior management and mitigate health issues impeding work where they actually pay real salaries.

I think it's not a bad idea in a lot of ways but always hate the negative implementation. How about a subsidized gym pass to help them achieve the standard instead of just a punishment for failure.

I hate seeing fat out of shape instructors especially. I don't think they represent what the sport is about at least to me. Emphasis on fat AND out of shape. A guy/girl can carry some extra weight and still be physically capable. Maybe not prime but still a capable representative of the sport for lots of students. Huffing and sweating or lounging and resting all the time do not represent our 'sport'.

There are alot of discminination laws about Apperance.

So the assumption might be that if the Instructor can pass the fitness tests they will by default be Younger and fit. (No Old Fat Ugly People)

[My Pet Powder Goat]

There's more to it. Other patrollers care when it comes to hauling fence and 'boo and rope and pads and sleds and digging things out and shit. Sucks when the person that's supposed to be helping you can't. But yeah, first things first. [/selfish whining]

I know I was oversimplifing it, but honestly I've never seen a pro patroller at a legit mountain that was terribly out of shape.

healthy combination of exercise and being paid peanuts = skinny

[paj]

Too bad police departments don't do this.

no joke. I've seen some pretty fuckin fat cops around lately. But I also live in the south where fat is the rule; not the exception. only 10 more weeks until I live in Ut thank GOD!

[TahoeJ]

I'll just never get why these companies don't offer a gym membership.

I asked this question to my magic 8-ball and it answered: "money" - funny, never knew that one was on there.

[Meadow Skipper]

Anyone else pretty positive this was done for $$ off insurance for the company by doing these tests?

Granted they need to be in shape, but like Lone Star said, they need to do that stuff. These tests point directly to cost of insurance of the corporation and keeping cost down as much as possible. It is that age of economic times.

I don't know if the up-front insurance premiums would go down, my guess is that it's got to be about reducing workman's comp claims.

[neufox47]

Anyone else pretty positive this was done for $$ off insurance for the company by doing these tests?

Granted they need to be in shape, but like Lone Star said, they need to do that stuff. These tests point directly to cost of insurance of the corporation and keeping cost down as much as possible. It is that age of economic times.

Doubt any insurance company is giving premium reductions for implementing this plan. Now if employee injuries are down over the next two years as a result, yes they will get a premium reduction.