Does Anyone Know What The Strength Requirements Are?

I had my physical yesterday and today I went to a physical therapist's office to do some heavy lifting. They can't tell me how well I did or even if I passed but I'm hoping I did all right - I lifted and walked 50 feet with 40lbs in one arm, next, did the same with 60lbs. Did some stair-stepping for a minute, 10 squats, lifted 55lbs from floor to waist height and placed it on a counter 5 times. Lifted the same from waist to chest 5 times. They measured my pushing strength (70-80lbs) and my pulling strength (200lbs). It wasn't just about your strength, either. They took my heart rate over and over and my blood pressure at least twice. My resting heart rate before the test was 65 and only went up to 112 after the stair-stepping. BP was never over 110/70 and my heart rate was 112 beats per minute after the stair-stepping but stayed between 70-85 during the other exercises...

I'm pretty sure I did all right but I was just wondering if anyone knew what the standards were...

-mountain girl

Those are going to be standards that Conway has set, not the D.O.T.

I doubt it is like a pass/fail situation. I think it is more of a general assessment they are trying to make of you. If you could just barely do most of it that would give them a clue that "hey this gal can't handle the demands of the job". It sounds to me like you did great - take a deep breath - you've got this!

Righton. Thanks for the explanation, OS.

Flatbed looks like a heck-of-a workout! I wonder if you can eat more than the average bear. THAT would make it rewarding!

-mountaing girl

I think Old School is right mountain girl. I rarely ever have any physical lifting demands running dry van , just the standard demands of raising and lowering the landing gear is about as physical as it gets for me.

I sat and watched a flatbed driver tarp a load in 100 degree heat one afternoon, and after an hour of watching, I knew that flatbed would never pay enough to make it worth the effort, at least not for me.

Yeah, it's all good. This was a test I was required to take to get hired on. If you fail whatever the standard is, you have to go elsewhere. And the lifting was only half of it. If your heart rate and blood pressure go up too high, there's a standard for that. The physical therapist was not allowed to tell me whether or not she thought I passed or failed. I think I'll be fine. I was just wanting to know what their parameters were in most companies, if anyone knew ...but this stuff is a requirement at Con-way.

-mountain girl

Those heart rates and BP are pretty good. The other stuff, no clue. However, it sounds like you could do flatbed work if you wanted. The key in this line of work is pacing and efficiencies. You have to work smarter. Wrestling tarps is as much technique as strength most of the time. At a scrawny 150 I can get it done without too much trouble.

As for eating more, the simple answer is yes. I ended up at 135 due to the work, stress and not eating/missing meals. Wasn't getting sick or trouble with being tired, but my family and Dr. Got on my case. I think I'm south of 150, but working on it.

You should eat ice cream or high-calorie smoothies, when you're short on time to eat, etc. It helps keep the pounds on.

I think flatbed would be fun.

...And just fyi out there: I'm not masculine or manly. Nothing like that... I'm feminine, actually ... ...just sometimes freakishly strong for a girl. LOL. The physical therapist said she'd never seen anyone make the strength gauge go all the way around the dial like that. LOL. Yep. That's me. Chuckle.

On the subject of food: food is good. Don't mind a little extra workout to support my chocolate habit. LOL.

-mountain girl