Physical Fitness

[MJS]

Obviously being a Police Officer, you're faced with varying situations on a day by day basis. Some situations that you find yourself in, unfortunately, will be physical ones. Struggling with a suspect you're trying to arrest or chasing after someone. Sometimes it can seem like hours are going by, when you're in that struggle. Being in shape is, IMO, a big asset to the job. Strength and cardio are certainly important.

So my questions are as follows:

-How much emphasis do you place on your own personal fitness?

-How much emphasis is placed on the overall departments fitness?

-Do you feel that the standards for new police officers are too low?

As a reference, here are the standards that the CT. State Police use for their fitness test for new troopers. This same standard is also used by many other depts. in CT.

As another part of this discussion, I was discussing with a co-worker last night, this very subject. He has been trying for a while to get on a PD, yet the one thing that he can't seem to pass is the run. Of course, it would help if he actually ran more than he does. He commented on the difference in requirements between male and female recruits. Of course, thats something that I often wonder about as well. Once you get on a department, male and female officers are going to face the same situations. You'd think that requirements would be a bit closer.

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

Hey Mike,

I remember going through the MELOTC pre academy physical fitness test and also the physical fitness in the academy and thinking that hey this is too easy. Now mind you I place first or second in every physical activity but in the grand scheme of thing's. These test's are to simple. I have no problem with the way they are set up for men and women because in general we are built differently.

One of the things I would like to see in the LEO world is continuing LEO education similar to the medical world and other fields. One of these things would be a physical fitness maintenance program with test's say ever five to ten years to recertify. Age, sex, etc. would have to be factored in but still it would motivate the unmotivated to stay in shape, work out and stay current on their defensive tactic's. Heck you could give continuing credit for those that attend defensive tactic's courses, martial arts or say run in races, etc. Also the same with tests regarding legal procedures, etc. I do not think after graduating the academy that someone should just be able to slide by and while this is generally I imagine not the case in big city departments it certainly is more of the case in small city departments.

 

[MJS]

Hey Mike,

I remember going through the MELOTC pre academy physical fitness test and also the physical fitness in the academy and thinking that hey this is too easy. Now mind you I place first or second in every physical activity but in the grand scheme of thing's. These test's are to simple. I have no problem with the way they are set up for men and women because in general we are built differently.

Actually, if you think about it, the requirements really aren't that far off from male/female. Of course, when doing that run, there were more than a few times when I wished I had those extra minutes. I've put testing on the back burner for now though.

Speaking of things being too easy...I always found it interesting to 'people watch' while I was waiting for my turn. You'd see people who looked like the only exercise they've had in the past 2 months, was lifting the fork to their mouth. I'm standing there thinking, "How the heck is this guy going to pass?" And sure enough, they'd get bumped from the process during the situps! They must have forgot that you need to prep for this well in advance, not two weeks before. And of course, you also had the people there who seemed like the energizer bunny. They'd breeze thru things in no time. I guess it all comes down to desire and how bad you want something.

One of the things I would like to see in the LEO world is continuing LEO education similar to the medical world and other fields. One of these things would be a physical fitness maintenance program with test's say ever five to ten years to recertify. Age, sex, etc. would have to be factored in but still it would motivate the unmotivated to stay in shape, work out and stay current on their defensive tactic's. Heck you could give continuing credit for those that attend defensive tactic's courses, martial arts or say run in races, etc. Also the same with tests regarding legal procedures, etc. I do not think after graduating the academy that someone should just be able to slide by and while this is generally I imagine not the case in big city departments it certainly is more of the case in small city departments.

Personally, I think thats a great idea! Many PDs have gym equipment. I've popped into the gym at the PD that I dispatch for. The equipment is top notch. Now...how many people actually make use of it is another story.

 

[Drac]

The entrance exam to get hired is simple, but too much emphasis is placed on the running portion...Some cities will pair it down according to the officers age...Experience should count for somthing...

Personally, I think thats a great idea! Many PDs have gym equipment. I've popped into the gym at the PD that I dispatch for. The equipment is top notch. Now...how many people actually make use of it is another story.

Not too many...

 

[MJS]

The entrance exam to get hired is simple, but too much emphasis is placed on the running portion...Some cities will pair it down according to the officers age...Experience should count for somthing...

In your opinion, what do you feel should be change, if anything at all?

Not too many...

Some may do things on their own, some may join a gym. I just figured that if the stuff was there free of charge, people would take advantage of it. Then again, who the hell wants to stay after work to work out?

 

[Drac]

In your opinion, what do you feel should be change, if anything at all?

The running for sure...I personally held my own with the sprint...They need to adjust the strenght portion...I dont care how fast you run, can to stay in there against someone your size or better????

Some may do things on their own, some may join a gym. I just figured that if the stuff was there free of charge, people would take advantage of it. Then again, who the hell wants to stay after work to work out?

All GREAT points...AT 2:00pm I am outta there..8 hrs of my life in that toilet is enough..

 

[Archangel M]

On a scale of importance, I would say that muscular endurance would be more important than CV endurance. I would also say that power movements would be more important than raw strength.

The current philosophy seems to be either "high reps low weight" or "high weights low reps". I think that moving progressively heavier loads for progressively more reps, cycled accordingly, coupled with power movements and middle distance CV training (800M vs. long slow distance) is the way to go for combat sports/combat applications.

 

[redfang]

In North Carolina the test that all officers must pass before they can get their certification, the POPAT, is ridiculously easy. It goes like this:
Begin sitting in a patrol car, belted in. An instructor gives you two street names to remember. The test begins when you take your hands off of the wheel.
Get out of the car, run 100 yards.(you are not in full uniform, but have on a duty belt with about half your normal gear.)
Remove a person who is within 5 lbs of 150, from the passenger seat of a car, belted in, drag them fifty feet.
go up and down a set of three stairs, three times.
go through a door weighted with 25 lbs.
20 push ups/ 20 sit ups
stairs as before.
crawl through a tunnel about three feet in diameter, about 50 ft long
20 push ups/ 20 sit ups
run 100 yards
drag victim 50 ft
tell instructor your cross streets. if you forget run another 100 yards.

the test has to be done on 7 min 20 sec. There is no allowance made for age or sex.

Mostly, once you do it and graduate, you never have to do any physical testing ever again. There was talk about making officers do it yearly, but there was a huge uproar from older officers and the union.

 

[Drac]

In North Carolina the test that all officers must pass before they can get their certification, the POPAT, is ridiculously easy. It goes like this:
Begin sitting in a patrol car, belted in. An instructor gives you two street names to remember. The test begins when you take your hands off of the wheel.
Get out of the car, run 100 yards.(you are not in full uniform, but have on a duty belt with about half your normal gear.)
Remove a person who is within 5 lbs of 150, from the passenger seat of a car, belted in, drag them fifty feet.
go up and down a set of three stairs, three times.
go through a door weighted with 25 lbs.
20 push ups/ 20 sit ups
stairs as before.
crawl through a tunnel about three feet in diameter, about 50 ft long
20 push ups/ 20 sit ups
run 100 yards
drag victim 50 ft
tell instructor your cross streets. if you forget run another 100 yards.

the test has to be done on 7 min 20 sec. There is no allowance made for age or sex.

Mostly, once you do it and graduate, you never have to do any physical testing ever again. There was talk about making officers do it yearly, but there was a huge uproar from older officers and the union.

I did all that once when attempting to leave my current toilet, I mean department...Did all the above PLUS climed a ladder to a one story bldg and go over a 6' chain link fence..It was done in segements...

One department here has a yealy voluntary program, ya run the same test as you did as a hopeful and ya get paid..They do pair it down according to age..

 

[terryl965]

Question here and I mean no dis-respect to anyone especially since I'm overwieght here. But why doe people believe you must be this or that on a test to be effective in the job?

 

[Drac]

Question here and I mean no dis-respect to anyone especially since I'm overwieght here. But why doe people believe you must be this or that on a test to be effective in the job?

Don't ask me...I never saw the reason...These are city officals who have no clue about martial arts or anything else..They saw all those foot persuits in the old movies and figured that's a good idea..

 

[jks9199]

There are actually PT tests that are based on documented job tasks. Others are based on documented standards, like Cooper's aerobic fitness tests.

And then there are the ones that were created because someone thought that'd be cool... They're harder to support.

 

[Adept]

Mostly, once you do it and graduate, you never have to do any physical testing ever again. There was talk about making officers do it yearly, but there was a huge uproar from older officers and the union.

Which is fair enough, really. It would be a crying shame to see some of the excellent coppers we have being excluded or sacked because of their physical fitness. To my mind (not speaking as an LEO) being a cop is much like being a bouncer; being fit and strong is always a plus, but the most important thing is always your brain.

 

[Drac]

Which is fair enough, really. It would be a crying shame to see some of the excellent coppers we have being excluded or sacked because of their physical fitness. To my mind (not speaking as an LEO) being a cop is much like being a bouncer; being fit and strong is always a plus, but the most important thing is always your brain.

Bravo Adept.. Well said..

 

[MJS]

Question here and I mean no dis-respect to anyone especially since I'm overwieght here. But why doe people believe you must be this or that on a test to be effective in the job?

Don't ask me...I never saw the reason...These are city officals who have no clue about martial arts or anything else..They saw all those foot persuits in the old movies and figured that's a good idea..

Which is fair enough, really. It would be a crying shame to see some of the excellent coppers we have being excluded or sacked because of their physical fitness. To my mind (not speaking as an LEO) being a cop is much like being a bouncer; being fit and strong is always a plus, but the most important thing is always your brain.

Seeing that all 3 of these posts are related, I'll address them in one post. Now, looking at a few posts, the consensus seems to be on physical strength over cardio. Now, IMO, the idea, or at least one of the ideas, of the agility tests, is much like you'd see at your average BB test in a MA school. Push the student as far as they can go, to see what their breaking point is. Now, if you were 250lbs and in shape compared to 250lbs of not being in shape, IMO, I think theres going to be some difference. Look at it this way. If you exerted yourself for 5 min before catching the suspect, is the lack of cardio going to hinder, in any way, the ability to restrain the person, even if your strength is above average? The struggle isn't necessarily over once you grab the guy.

I guess in Martial Arts viewpoints, it could go like this. Tank Abbott is not in the greatest shape, but the man has some massive KO power. Yet, if he doesn't get the KO soon, he runs out of gas. Randy Couture is both in shape and seems to have endless energy. So, in the perspective of a UFC fight, IMO, Randy is going to last longer.

 

[kyosa]

Lets face it-most of us who have been doing this for long are out of shape. However, my butt and everyone elses butt is potentially on the line whenever were on duty. I have a responsibility to myself and my fellow officers to be in good enough shape to get to where the action is and OFFER GOOD ASSISTANCE ie deal with whatever is going on. If anyone in law enforcement is winded after a short run they need to get in and start working out. We don't have physical fitness requirements after you're hired but i think we should. It would motivate me and other officers to get into shape. We are currently working on contract negotiations and were trying to implement the Cooper standards of physical fitness for pay increase. If you meet the stand once you get 1% of your gross pay(not including OT holiday pay etc) and if you meet it twice you get 2%. Testing is done every 6 months. Hmmm I get extra pay if I'm in shape? That will get some people working out.

I'm just curious if any other dept. have incentive pay for meeting physical fitness requirements? Any of your dept's have physical fitness requirements yearly for officers or only for SERT/SORT?

 

[Archangel M]

SWAT has yearly mandated tests.

Patrol has optional yearly tests with a $$ reward if passed. Even with the $$ few take it.

 

[trainable]

A great philosophy for the combat professional, right down to the sedentary office guy is becoming more and more popular every day. Crossfit. Check out www.crossfit.com and see some of the awesome workouts in there. I transformed my office at the house to a simple crossfit training facility.

Its low-tech, high intensity, varied, and it blends with combatives training perfectly. Lots of videos on philosophy and techniques and tactics. I am still not able to do the workout of the day.

The rising tide floats all boats.

 

[Imminent]

Just curious but has anyone been traiing with kettlebells? I started a few years ago and nothing I have EVER trained with through university ball, national level powerlifting, olympic lifting, etc has EVER kicked my *** and driven my strenght and cardio up as quickly. If anyone is around my area and wants to play with them to see get in touch, be more than happy to show you. I dropped a marathon runner over a bucket in less than 6 minutes on these things...

 

[kyosa]

I have seen the Kettleballs in various stores but have never tried them. Theyre that good? If anyone else has used them and found them to be that good please post-I may have to give em a try. Also if anyone has a good web site or info for getting started please post it. I have a S.O.R.T. physical coming up and have been working out fairly hard-I dont want to just pass but be at or near the top which isnt so easy when youre mid 40's and the oldest person on the team.