Are Cameraman fit or unfit?

[EDV]

I've noticed some of my fellow cameramen are definitely fit people... even athletic in some cases. After all, carrying all those things ( carry cases, tripods, camera gear in general ) does build up some strength. Also your endurance has to be pretty good. But then, a well known cameraman recently commented on how worn out his body is after 20 years of shoulder mount camera work. Another one even talks about chronic back pain as not uncommon in this industry. What gives?

 

[Jon Starr]

I've noticed some of my fellow cameramen are definitely fit people... even athletic in some cases. After all, carrying all those things ( carry cases, tripods, camera gear in general ) does build up some strength. Also your endurance has to be pretty good. But then, a well known cameraman recently commented on how worn out his body is after 20 years of shoulder mount camera work. Another one even talks about chronic back pain as not uncommon in this industry. What gives?

What is the question exactly? Back pain and worn out bodies have no direct relation with being fit or unfit. In fact athletes are very prone to injuries and body problems because it's easier to wear out your body when you put it under all kinds of physical stress. Same would go for a fit cameraman.

 

[eiker_ir]

i'd say overall they are pretty fit people, even if it wouldn't seem like it at first sight.

Just like some football players look fat, their endurance, cardio and overall physical abilities are way above average. I've known camera men that look overweight yet can operate a Steadicam for hours and hours with no problems and with excellent technique.

 

[David Jimerson]

I think there's a misperception about what where the fitness comes from -- for cameraman, for an athlete, etc. Fitness comes first, then performance. The fitness doesn't come from the performance.

Or, shouldn't, anyway.

It's sort of like wondering why someone works out so much when they're "already" in great shape. ("Why do you need to run? You're really thin.")

 

[paulears]

The word for the requirement is stamina, which is a bit different to being fit. I'm getting heavier around the middle, but I'm still strong - however, despite being quite fit, my stamina is less than it was, so I get tired more quickly.

 

[EDV]

What about the dreaded chronic back pain? Is that "not uncommon" in cameramen? Any way to prevent it?

 

[David Jimerson]

Added lumbar support wouldn't kill ya.

 

[Postmaster]

I´m pretty heavy, but I have no problem to hulk around cameras, tripods, lights, heavy cases and even a 120 pound dolly all day long.
The only annoying thing is, I´m sweating as a sponge. But it was the same when I was 20 and had 80 pounds less on the ribs.
(I probably was a polar bear in my last life - the only situation I don´t sweat is, in a t-shirt, at temperatures under 60F ).
So my stamina goes quite for a while and I´m also pretty strong. For my weight and age (45), I have way less back problems than more athletic and sport minded colleges.

 

[EDV]

Some people are just naturally stronger. What amazes me is seeing women doing shoulder mount work... or even steadicam

 

[maranfilms]

What about the dreaded chronic back pain? Is that "not uncommon" in cameramen? Any way to prevent it?

About 7 out of 10 people have back issues. I think it has a lot to do with what we sleep on. Comfort (soft mattresses) can cause back issues over time. We spend 1/3 of our lives lying down on a bed. Cultures where people sleep on the floor, or on bamboo mats have the lowest rates of back issues. Plus people dont always pick up heavy items correctly. I mean there's lots of things that contribute to bad back. It's the way we live, work, exrcise, sleep, ect...

 

[LbSand]

I would actually look at sitting as your biggest culprit. Poor posture, tight hip flexors, and weakened glutes don't lead to a positive. Most Westerners spend 2/3s of their day in that position.

 

[EDV]

I gave up video games years ago when I realized almost all of my work and non-work related activities involved sitting down.

 

[OldCorpse]

These things are not directly related. You can exercise a lot, but if you have bad form, you will be trading off fitness for injuries. That's the paradox that took me a long time to grasp. I naturally never had weight problems and had good muscle tone without exercise - I was simply lucky. I would always marvel at how my friends who exercised "for health and fitness" were constantly either injured or recovering from injury, so I smugly looked on. Then middle age struck and I put on 30 pounds. I realized I had to do some exercise or I'd end up an invalid. And sure enough I started accumulating injuries. It took me awhile with the help of professionals (doctors and trainers) to get my ducks in a row - proper form while exercising, proper equipment (shoes!) and so forth. My injuries gradually went away, and I can exercise and be fit without injuries now. Exercising is not enough - you must pay attention to form.

Same here. Sure, camera people might be fit from work-related effort, but unless they have good form, they'll sustain injuries. Improperly loading joints will lead to them wearing out - your back, your whole spine, your shoulders, your wrists, your elbows. Just because you run around with a lot of weight doesn't make you healthy. There probably are ways of working that minimize improper stress - though, let's face it, it's work. Work has certain requirements that have to be met - it's not exercise in your free time where you are welcome to structure the load any way you want. That's why it's important to rest after work, because a lot of physical labor is going to be inherently unhealthy, no matter what you do. But you should do what you can to minimize the problem - after all, stunt work can be extremely damaging, and there are whole protocols for keeping safe... shouldn't a camera person also pay attention to potential injury workflows?

 

[Doc Bernard]

Pshaw, camera operators have it tough......:happy:

Try being a boom op AND a mixer at the same time..... LOL, I don't get "locked off" shots on sticks. I still have to fly the boom and sling my bag, when the cam op can stick his camera on a tripod.

And yeah, after 12 hours, I am pretty sore.

 

[Postmaster]

Yeah is was once helping out booming for a friend a whole day, the mixer around my neck killed me and at the evening I couldn´t really use my arms for a few hours.
Since that day I have deep respect for the sound guys.

 

[Fluoro]

Cultures where people sleep on the floor, or on bamboo mats have the lowest rates of back issues.

Yes but is that because of the mattress or other factors in their life? I think it's a bit of a myth that a hard mattress is better for you. It depends on many factors. The bigger you are the firmer the mattress should be because you will sink into it. Also the way you sleep matters. Those who sleep on their side need a softer mattress so their shoulders and hips can sink in a little to help keep their spine straight. My next mattress is hopefully going to be a latex mattress... they seem perfect in that they retain firmness but form to your body.

 

[mcbob]

I thought most camera guys were pudgy bearded men? They constituted almost the entire photog staff of two news stations I've worked at or with, local filmmaker groups look like Zach Galafinakis impersonator conventions, I see them everywhere in things like the Zacuto shoot-offs, James Wong Howe, Sven Nyqvist, Conrad Hall, Vincent Laforet, Philip Bloom, etc. I know it's the first thing I really nailed as a professional videographer.