Starfleet Physical Fitness Standards

[2takesfrakes]

Throughout the STAR TREK franchise, we even see paunch on characters in the Command ranks. As well, some in Starfleet are beyond old. What about military preparedness? Combat readiness? Do no Physical Fitness Standards apply in the 23rd and 24th Centuries? Mister Scott, for example, couldn't (realistically) be expected to chase a Bad Guy through the corridors of the Enterprise, after TMP. He'd be winded, before he got 10 yards ...

 

[wayoung]

McCoy put Kirk on a diet in TOS after his (shirtless, because it's Kirk) physical.

Then the actors got ten, twenty, thirty years older. People weren't watching TOS movies for sex appeal, they were watching them for the actors and characters so the producers couldn't really say "lose 30 pounds or you're fired" (some of the TOS actors might have jumped at that out!) so their natural increase in body mass was just kinda ignored. Take it as a suspension of disbelief thing. Like how so many immortals age so much in TV shows.

 

[Tenacity]

By the 23rd century, Starfleet will realize that there's a difference between being fit and looking fit.

Kirk in TUC was health, strong, and capable of performing his duties. The fact that he also possessed a gut wasn't relevent. Starfleet wanted a competant and fit starship commander, not someone to pose for a recruiting poster.

Kirk pretty easily beat David to the floor in TWOK, and the beginnings of the gut was there.

 

[Cyfa]

I imagine that for the scientists and explorers, there may not be any strict physical fitness standards (after all, Starfleet's primary mission is one of exploration - I don't see it as a proper military, like the navy or air force), but perhaps for certain command officers and security staff, a stricter standard applies due to the nature of their duties?

 

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

Funny, for all the times they died, the red shirt ranks aren't filled with crew of an unhealthy weight.

The main characters cheat death all the time despite this. "Sorry, Captain, but you were one cheeseburger too slow."

 

[Kor]

Real space agencies have rigorous physical fitness standards for both strength and aerobic capacity. Starfleet should be no different.

Kor

 

[Jedi_Master]

Real space agencies have rigorous physical fitness standards for both strength and aerobic capacity. Starfleet should be no different.

Kor

There goes my dreams of being on a starship...

 

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

Given that different races have different concepts of what is permissible and what is not...and given that medical science can make up for a lot more than it can now...and given that somebody probably challenged Starfleet with an embarrassing discrimination lawsuit and won...I could see it.

 

[cultcross]

The standards expected of modern space agencies are largely because of the genuine physical toll their bodies will go through during launch, survival in a weightless environment, reentry, and the other possibilities such as survival if you miss your landing site. If you could successfully work for NASA with a BMI approaching your IQ, I'm sure they wouldn't waste their money and narrow their recruitment pool for no reason. Starfleet on the other hand can get you from your office on a planet to your office on a spaceship in seconds by teleportation. There are few appreciable g forces, artificial gravity, and their jobs largely involve sitting on plush chairs behind computers. The standard of fitness realistically required for most Starfleet roles seems to be quite limited.

Plus, we've seen that people stay in Starfleet into their old age. Applying fitness standards to what is called the 'ageless workplace' is something organisations are dealing with now, I'd hope it would be well established by the 23rd century.

 

[wayoung]

Kirk pretty easily beat David to the floor in TWOK, and the beginnings of the gut was there.

As in my first post I'm in agreement with your general position, that there are fitness requirements we just don't see them, but I don't think this is a particularly good example.

Kirk may be 50 and sporting a paunch, but he's still an expert in hand to hand combat with 30+ years of training and life or death experience. David may be younger but he's a 20 something scientist with no obvious physical training (and considering his hatred of "the military" and weapons it's likely he's avoided that sort of thing, not to mention his leisure activities consisting of bridge with his mom) holding a knife he doesn't know how to use in a situation he doesn't know how to handle.

I'd put my money on the well trained and experienced, albeit overweight, 50 year old man any day.

I'd say Kruge is a much better example of Kirk retaining "excellent" fitness and hand to hand combat effectiveness in later years, plus the entirety of TFF.

 

[Kor]

I like to think that the utopian vision of future people working to better themselves and the rest of humanity also includes striving for excellence in the area of physical fitness, whether they are in Starfleet or not. We as a society have really let ourselves go over the past half century or so.

Kor

 

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

No matter how much we can try to be better, there will always be those who ignore it or simply can't for whatever reason.

 

[wayoung]

I like to think that the utopian vision of future people working to better themselves and the rest of humanity also includes striving for excellence in the area of physical fitness, whether they are in Starfleet or not. We as a society have really let ourselves go over the past half century or so.

Kor

I just figure that all the "bad" stuff is edited out of food, leaving the taste but none of the ill health effects, like Synthol. So that automatically makes us much healthier in the future.

As for the physical side, I still say it is suspension of disbelief. The actor may weigh 280 lbs and get winded walking to the mailbox, but the character is still so in shape he can free climb El Capitain.

 

[Kor]

I just figure that all the "bad" stuff is edited out of food, leaving the taste but none of the ill health effects, like Synthol. So that automatically makes us much healthier in the future.

As for the physical side, I still say it is suspension of disbelief. The actor may weigh 280 lbs and get winded walking to the mailbox, but the character is still so in shape he can free climb El Capitain.

Yes, in-universe, the character may be a fighting champ. But behind the scenes, a stuntman does the hard stuff.

Kor

 

[2takesfrakes]

In THE FINAL FRONTIER, in fact, whilst Kirk is mountain-climbing, why ... he's got the physique of an Olympic Swimmer. But, when clinging to the rockface for his close-up, he instantly gains 3 stone, for no apparent reason. Perhaps, that's why he wears those jester shoes and pants, during his ascent of El Cap ... a wink has to be in there.

I'm in complete agreement with the above stating that in the future, if "Bettering Ourselves" is truly the aim and goal of every Human in Starfleet, then that should include being the best one can be, physically. But, hey, why not get fat? I'll just go to Dr. Phlox for my swollen ankles and diabetes, he'll give me 2 rat turds and I'll be over it, in the morning. It doesn't fit, you know? It doesn't fit ...

 

[cultcross]

instantly gains 3 stone, for no apparent reason.

Well, we've all been there.

 

[wayoung]

Well, we've all been there.

This weekend the reason was smoked ribs, mead, and beer.

 

[The Old Mixer]

There are few appreciable g forces, artificial gravity, and their jobs largely involve sitting on plush chairs behind computers.

But also being thrown violently out of those chairs and having those computers blow up in their faces.

 

[Nyotarules]

Throughout the STAR TREK franchise, we even see paunch on characters in the Command ranks. As well, some in Starfleet are beyond old. What about military preparedness? Combat readiness? Do no Physical Fitness Standards apply in the 23rd and 24th Centuries? Mister Scott, for example, couldn't (realistically) be expected to chase a Bad Guy through the corridors of the Enterprise, after TMP. He'd be winded, before he got 10 yards ...

'We are not soldiers, we are explorers so we can eat as much as we want and be as chubby as we like. The fact we have to defend the Federation from Klingons is irrelevant.'

 

[Nyotarules]

I like to think that the utopian vision of future people working to better themselves and the rest of humanity also includes striving for excellence in the area of physical fitness, whether they are in Starfleet or not. We as a society have really let ourselves go over the past half century or so.

Kor

In the 23rd century we discover we can make trillions selling sugar to the Andorians since they never put on weight. Or in the 22nd century the fat killler pill is invented, Weight Watchers goes bust overnight.