Making the Cut, Episode 6: Lights, Camera... Fitness Tests?

The show opens with a brief recap of last week's action. Well, I did that for you here, so I'll just remind you that injuries have depleted the teams a little, so some of the Black Aces got promoted. Four more players (#68 Pohl, #67 Fortier, #48 Leveiller and #14 Weir) were cut.

Day 6 continues. We are reminded that 33 of 68 players have been cut so far - almost half. Today will feature the dreaded physical tests. It's now 7:30 PM and the players are all discussing the tests nervously, and a lot of speculation is tossed around. Several players hope they are not going to throw up - me too! I refuse to write detailed recaps of barfing!

Day 7 arrives - test day. The following tests will be performed:

• Skin Fold test - measures body fat percentages
• Balance Squat and Hold Test - gauges balance
• Agility Foot Speed Test - tests agility and quickness
• Core Stability Test - evaluates strength
• Whole Body Power Test - tested by a medicine ball throw
• VO2 Max Test - analyzing oxygen use
• Wingate Test - analyzing anaerobic thresholds and lactic acid buildup

The last two are generally considered to be the toughest. Only the sick and injured are excluded. Call them the lucky ones.

At the top level, conditioning is considered another skill, as important as shooting or skating. Some of the players are going to get a wake-up call. Literally, it turns out.

We follow #11 Brown and #61 Wires through the tests. Brown finds out his weight is more than he'd thought. Core Stability is quite a strain, and leaves everyone prostrate on the floor. On Agility, Brown has trouble but for Wires, his feet are flying like he's a tap dancer on speed.

Profile: #54 Lou Dickenson. Lou's father is from Bahamas, and he fell in love with the grace of skating when he first saw it. He passed this love on to Lou. Lou was once a legitimate prospect, he played at the Ontario Major Junior A level for the Mississauga Ice Dogs and then the Ottawa 67s. In Ottawa he fell under the influence of coach Brian Kilrea, who taught him to play all-out, and Lou developed into a dominant player. He was drafted by the Oilers, but it didn't work out due to maturity and confidence issues. He sees Making The Cut as his second chance.

Back to the tests. Power Ball looks like fun, especially compared to the VO2 test. A higher VO2 Max rating means you recover quicker from physical exertion. In this test, they strap a headgear on you to control and measure airflow while you rapidly pedal a stationary bike. Did I mention someone is screaming, "Faster, faster!" in your ear the whole time? It's grueling, and the legs are burning well before the test is over.

But the worst one is surely the Wingate Test. Those waiting outside can hear screaming and hollering from inside. In this one you cycle at sprint pace as resistance is continuously added for the 45-second duration. By the end, most of the players can barely keep the pedals moving. Measurements are taken post-test as well. Again, someone with the vocal skills of curler Russ Howard is screaming "Harder, harder" in your ear as the test goes on.

Wires is pedaling like a demon, although way less head movement is recommended. Brown is all too happy to sit in the chair when it's over, even offering to sit there much longer than is required. Ha!

Yes, identifying those not in shape will become obvious as the test scores are evaluated.