Functional Fitness: Volkswagen Style

V-W Ja (pronounced YA in my best German accent) has implemented what I see to be a pioneering fitness tactic in the manufacturing industry. At Volkswagen's new Chattanooga, Tennessee manufacturing plant the company is requiring its assembly line employees to partake in a daily functional fitness program on top of their three week orientation. In an attempt to prepare their workers for the physical demands of their new manufacturing job, VW has the new assembly workers participating in two hour long workout sessions that focus on pushing, pulling, cardiovascular endurance, grip strength and other various movements specific to their job.

Volkswagen Chattanooga spokesman Scott Wilson said the workouts are aimed at better product quality when the German automaker starts building a mid-sized sedan at the plant, which is expected to create about 2,000 jobs. He said time in the classroom, hands-on training and fitness training are all "focused on getting each and every one of us, no matter what our job is at the plant, prepared to show up and perform at the highest level of professional excellence." - Associated Press

 
Apparently VW's employee fitness program is the only one of its kind in all VW plants across the globe. Employees were quoted to have been suspect of the program at first, but after a couple weeks in the program they started losing weight and feeling better. One employee claims to have lost 60 pounds in the Volkswagen sponsored program!

I couldn't be happier to see a program like this being put into action. I hope this inspires a new trend among many American companies who will hopefully take a better look at what they can do with healthy and well employees, rather than over worked, over stressed and under active ones. If you're looking for a company that is looking to change the way companies do business, look no further than my friend Luke Sniewski and his LEAF Lifestyle venture.

LEAF Lifestyle Link