For example the 18-24 year old male soldier had to complete 42 correct push-ups and 63 sit-ups in 2 minutes and complete a timed 2 mile run in 14 min 58 seconds. The female soldier in the same age bracket had to do 12 push-ups and 43 sit-ups in 2 minutes and run the 2 miles in 19:58.
I could do that, .....30 years ago. Now it would involve wearing breakfast to try.
On The Other Hand,
After the cops are cleaning up the crime scene tape and latex gloves, the firemen are rolling up the hoses, the EMTs are LONG gone with their new customers, the wrecker drivers are sweeping up the last of the sorbant and glass, I can manage to give 'em a nod from the distance to let them know there's no charge when they get home and their driveway has been plowed or their garden tilled.
I can single handedly cover the neighbors drive with crushed stone, erect scaffolding the size of a house. Move a foot of snow from a road, till over the soil for 8"in large gardens and fields, and cut down whatever grows. Of course, I cheat. I'm a firm believer in the wonder of modern hydraulics and heavy material moving machinery. I have a forklift that will put a car on top of a house.
The big differance is, I usually have plenty of time to figure out what's ahead, wait 'til I have everything I need to start, can stop for a break when I want, and um,...no one is shooting at me, and nothing is likely to blow up next to me without warning. (maybe a compressed gas tank if I don't pay appropriate attention) The chances of what I'm standing on collapsing are nil and I have no worries about contracting a fatal disease, or a lawsuit, from the subject matter at hand. I don't expect to have to sort out anyones body parts unless I get too close to the brush mower.
I generally don't have to consider my immediate job future and income on the breeze of political whimsy and I don't have to keep in top physical condition just to survive my average workday. (I think my new gut will attest to that)
It wasn't always this way.
I was a rigger, flyman, fabricator and operator for the theater. Lowering, swinging, lifting, rolling, smoking, fogging, tons of scenery and people, over the heads of people not hip to the situation, AS IF BY MAGIC! Don't do this at home folks, it involves an astounding amount of astoundingly expensive stuff, and an astounding amount of preperation and practice (we wore the band aids so no one else had to) that no one else ever sees. You bet we spent a lot of time inspecting, maintaining, and cleaning. I know the attitude that there is NO "good enough", or "pretty close" when failure to play for the team guarantees someone else gets hurt. Maybe really bad.
Of course sometimes things go south.
When a really big heavy and recalcitrant item is threatening someone, the tried and true method for expediant response is get as much meat on it as possible and HEAVE. There's plenty of time for job description discussion AFTER the sirens are fading into the distance.
