Police Academy: Physical fitness

[DontBurnMyFlag]

I am getting ready for the police academy. I should be entering by late 06. I will lay out my preparations and abilities and I ask for some suggestions, tips on what to expect and some answers to some questions. I know a few of us THR members are LEOs or military, and even if you are not, I would still appreciate anyones advice.

My preparation and ability

I am 21, 170lbs
I take martial arts 3x a week and hit the gym 3x a week and I play paintball which is great at conditioning
I take kung fu and systema. My experience is great in reality fighting and disarming of weapons.
I run a 8:00 min mile and my situps are great. My pushups could use some work.
Im an B student in college for criminal justice. Math is hard for me
I have no criminal record
I can shoot pretty darn well and my experience and knowledge of firearms is above average. I Always hit the target, im just not a match competitor by far


My questions

I know each departments physical fitness requirements are different. Realisitcally, what am I expecting?

If I pass, do they continue testing you? Or do they train you physically?
I mean, will they kick you out right away, or let you work on your fitness.

I dont know which way to go into the academy. Should I do civil service, alternate route (pay) or take the chiefs test and get hired by that department and have them send me?

What type of running excersises are recommended before going to the academy?

What type of diet is recommended? Im a college kid, I eat horribly. I cut out candy and soda though to make up for the fried food.


There ya have it. Sorry for the long post, but I thought I should cover all the bases. Any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[riverdog]

I run a 8:00 min mile and my situps are great. My pushups could use some work.

I'm not a cop, ex or otherwise, I'm retired Navy and just looking at the numbers you could stand some improvement. "Kung fu and systema" are probably great skills, but physical conditioning is a separate issue. How many 8 minute miles are you running? That's not a great pace unless you're running 3 or more miles. What are you doing when you "hit the gym 3x a week"? If your push-ups could use some work, start doing push-ups and pump some iron while you're at it. Don't settle for "good enough to pass".

While you'd probably pass the tests I had to take, those tests weren't exactly a benchmark. As a comparison, at 21yo I was running a 6'30" mile, 28 dips and 18 pull-ups -- nothing to alert the media about but I was in okay shape. For work-outs I ran, swam and pumped serious iron. At 41yo I was running 4.4 miles in 36 min, 3 times a week. Semi-annual testing was over 1.5 miles and I did that in 10'45", max'd sit-ups at 100 and max'd push-ups at 67 (consistently, year after year, at 39 I was under 10min in the run). At 53yo (now) I've cut back on the running but can do 140 sit-ups and I'm doing a lot more resistance training, squats, military presses, lat pulls, et al. While I'd like to think I'm in okay shape for my age, my 21yo self would whip my butt. A lot of young guys I see in the gym are disappointing, they go through the motions but they don't push it. I should have worked out today, but I took a day to veg out. I'll work out tomorrow, Tuesday and Thursday.

BTW, check out crossfit.com Cross training is the way to go for overall fitness. Once I started working on leg strength with squats, leg presses, extensions and curls, I added muscle and my running and cycling improved.

For a real challenge, another website to check is Navy SEALs Workout Go a bit down the page to "SUGGESTED STUDENT PREPARATION" and take it from there. You don't need to be a BUDs applicant to use the work-out regimen. The goal is physical conditioning. I wasn't a SEAL, but these guys take fitness very seriously, so why not use the resource. There's an good paragraph on "NUTRITION" too.

Diet is crucial and isn't going to be answered in a quick BB post. But quickly, my diet is simple, chicken/beef/fish, green veggies, home-made chili (lean, I know what's in it), snack on nuts and treat myself to a protein shake after I work-out. No junk food -- soda, potato chips, corn chips and candy are not in the house. Beer/wine very rarely, never away from home.

$.02, YMMV

 

[DT Guy]

Find out what your state standards are. In Illinois they use the 'Power Test', and while I'm not certain of the current standards, they used to be (for someone your age): Press 98% of your body weight once; run 1 1/2 miles in 13 something minutes and do ~35 situps in a minute. They also use a test called the 'sit and reach', where you sit on the floor with your legs straight out in front of you and reach a specific distance (maybe a couple inches?) past your toes.

The point is, find out the state standards and train yourself beyond them. In Illinois, many academies administer the power test the first day, and those who fail go home.


Larry

 

[WT]

Here is a link to the NJSP requirements.

http://www.njsp.org/recruit/pqt.html

I don't believe county academies are less stringent.


From what I understand, one must pass the physical test before entering the academy. Fail and someone else will get the opening. There are lots of people in line trying to get a cushy, high paying NJ police job.

 

[Oldtimer]

It sounds like you MAY be "over-qualified"! You don't need to achieve "Superman" status, but your martial arts background will come in handy.

The overall "rules" and "standards" have gone through continuous changes through the years for ALL law enforcement agencies.

In 1971, when I joined the LAPD, you had to be (A) male, (B) between age 21 and 35, (C) have an appropriate height/weight, (D) NO previous drug usage, (E) NO previous criminal history, (F) pass all of the psychological testing procedures, (G) pass all background investigations, and (H) have all of your natural teeth! I'm missing a few items that were required back then, but I think that you can see that the "times have changed". OH, it just dawned on me that you could NOT be a homosexual!

Military background was NOT a requirement, but there WAS a 10-point bonus on the oral interview for veterans. My "raw" interview score was a 97 (out of a possible 100), so my military service boosted it to a 107.

My academy class started out with 116 recruits. During the first week, 9 people QUIT! Six of those were FORMER Marines! I spoke with all of those former Marines, and asked why they were giving up.
"I already went through this crap, and don't have to do it AGAIN!" was the basic answer that I got from all of them. By graduation day, the 116 had whittled down to 85....and one recruit was FIRED on that last day (long story regarding "honesty" and "defrauding").

The academy was TOUGH, both mentally AND physically! I wasn't the "best" in my class, but I certainly wasn't the "worst"! What got me through was a vow that I had made to myself. That vow consisted of knowing that the LAPD had about 7,000 officers at the time....and I knew that I was JUST as good as them, if not BETTER than some of them!
I had to PERFORM, and to ACHIEVE my goal....and what a glorious day it was when I graduated!

You need to compete with YOURSELF, but without stepping on anyone else. The term "camaraderie" is something that you need to digest and believe in.
LISTEN to your instructors, for they have "been there/done that", and are merely imparting their knowledge and expertise on the recruits. Sure, they may seem like "A-holes" every so often, but they're doing it for a good reason. One of the physical education/combat fighting instructors that I had seemed to be a FULL-TIME "A-hole", but upon graduation, and being assigned to a patrol division, all of the training he gave came in extremely handy in the REAL world!

 

[Blue Line]

Why don't you speak to someone at the Academy you plan on attending or the Department you would like to work for and find out what their standards are? Sometimes the Department standards may be more stringent than the Academy’s. You should be in the best possible shape you can be not only for your job but your life. I would work on sit-ups, push-ups, chin-ups (both over and under handed), running and aerobic fitness.

Sounds like you know nutrition plays a big part of fittness so work on that too.

Also if you join a local gym that usually include a free Fittness Profile as a base line so you know where you stand and can work on the weak elements.

I would suggest getting a physical if you haven't really worked out previously to make sure all is in order.

 

[DontBurnMyFlag]

thanks guys. diet is a big part of fitness and I try to improve where I can. I run 1 mile 3x a week at 8 mins to answer riverdog. I do sprints and other excersises too. When I go to the gym its not training to get big, its just basic stuff. I do machines, free weights and body weight excersises along with riding the bike. Ill look into all the info you guys gave me. Thanks.

also, does anyone have any advice on what workouts to do or any place they can reference me too

I have little experience in weight training and whatnot, I only know the basics

 

[trickyasafox]

i'd say hit the eliptical too for cardio. im 21 but have trouble running consecutive miles because of a reconstructive ankle surgery. but if you buck up on the eliptical you can still get a good cardio workout. the pool is a great idea. you dont have to be in phenominal shape to bench your bodyweight. and that goes for ANYONE regardless of size. i dont care if your 5'2 100 lbs or 6'4'' 330. with a moderate work eithic its very attainable. it's always easier to hit the gym then to do cardio, remember that, cause my bet is it's gonna be the cardio that holds most people back once your in.

 

[riverdog]

I run 1 mile 3x a week at 8 mins to answer riverdog. I do sprints and other excersises too. When I go to the gym its not training to get big, its just basic stuff.

In my opinion your running needs to be faster and longer -- 3 miles a week at an 8 min pace isn't even a maintenance schedule. "Basic stuff" doesn't mean anything other than you don't plan your work-outs. I don't go to the gym to get big either, I work-out to increase strength and endurance, getting bigger is a by-product of getting stronger.

For me it's a lifestyle thing. I'm not a competitive athlete, but when I've allowed myself to get out of shape I found myself unable to do things I felt I should have been able to do. You don't necessarily need to get big, but you do need to get stronger and faster.

The SEAL work-out page has a good preparation work-out schedule. I may start to work toward the "Category I" work-out goals simply because it's something to do. If I were applying to an LE academy I'd want to start out in outstanding condition. There's no such thing as "over-qualified".

 

[Jenrick]

First off good luck with everything, I start the academy on the 14th of November myself.

Quick question first: are you asking about what kind of physical shape you should be in to get through the hiring process or throught the academy? They are different beasts.

If your worried about the hiring process, the best thing you can do is make a lifestyle change. Cut out the bad food, cut out the empty sugar, the fats, etc. Eat your vegtables, drink water. It sounds radical I know, but honestly it'll do more then almost anyone thing. You'll drop fat, feel better, etc. If you do this before you get into the academy or even to involved in the hiring process you'll have the habits in place before the time crunches and the stresses hit.

Beyond that find out exactly what the specific agency wants in terms of PT. Then shoot for 25% better at a minimum. Do not accept that you need a 13 min 1.5 mile, and you can run a 12:45 mile. I can guarentee you that your run will be on a track that's all uphill, etc, and your time will not be good enough. If you can run an 11 min 1.5 mile you should be good to go. Since you're worried/not impressed with your pushups, do a lot of them. Do them all the time. When you find yourself going "hmm, what to do?" drop and start pushing (how many is determined by your fitness level, but I'd say at least 30 unless you can't do that many yet. In that case go to fatigue).

Most places will give you a chance to retest if you fail the PT test, but it may be for a later academy cycle or something. If you're right at the start of the next hiring cycle then you can probably still be in the current class.

Once you make it through the hiring PT, keep working on improving your times another 20% at a minimum. The exit standards for the academy will almost always be more difficult then the hiring PT standards. Once you get to the academy they will work you hard. However if you come in at a 25% better then hiring standards you'll be about in the middle of the pack of cadets. This means you'll have to work, but you won't be puking and ready to die after PT every time.

In terms of what you're doing right now: If you can bench your BW, leg press twice your BW, your good. Don't worry about adding mass, as a matter of fact try and take some off, and lean out. It'll really help your run times, and running will keep your legs good and strong. Free weight bench can also help your pushups if you varry your grip around, try narrow grip.

The martials arts is a good start, however if you guys don't work full contact it's not that helpfull. If possible add some ground work, I don't recall systema as having to much ground fighting (beyond breaking something on the way down). You'll be doing a lot of that, also remember even if you do work your ground game a lot, you're probably not training for things like biting and eye gouging. Also be prepared to be told your way is wrong, and to forget it. Might happen, might not, just don't get hung up on your way of doing things. That goes for your shooting too.

That's about all I've got, best of luck,

-Jenrick

 

[DontBurnMyFlag]

thanks alot Jenrick. Actually systema does alot of groundwork and outside of classes I have 3 sparring partners I work with. That is a full body workout on a whole other level. I am definatly not shooting for bare minimum. I dont want to draw attention to myself I just want to assure myself victory. In the martial arts class, we work full contact and go to the ground alot. Cardio and conditioning are also focused on.

I am in the process of changing my diet. Im not afraid of hard work, so im taking everybodys advice seriously. thanks

 

[riverdog]

. . .In terms of what you're doing right now: If you can bench your BW, leg press twice your BW, your good. Don't worry about adding mass, as a matter of fact try and take some off, and lean out. It'll really help your run times, and running will keep your legs good and strong. . .

Leaning out also helps pull ups -- a lot. Getting rid of unnecessary body fat is almost always a good thing. Shedding lean muscle mass however is not a good thing and that's where proper nutrition comes into play.

Running is a harder exercise than most folks realize. The pounding on your knees and shins doesn't build your legs up, it breaks them down. Proper nutrition is critical. Bicycling and weight lifting (squats, leg presses, extensions and curls) are much better for building leg strength. Every time my knees went out it was because the muscles that support the knee went south during a run and I didn't know until much later. A bicycle doesn't have the same effect, you can build up without the pounding/shock. You still need to run too.

It might seem like there's lots of time between now and late '06 but really it's only a year from now. Good luck.

 

[tater_salad]

I'd say it's about as simple as training like your life depended on it, because one day it may. I wouldn't be worried to much about standards or department tests, if you can pass those now, good, but you should never train to reach a plateau and then just sit there because it's 'good enough.' I'd say that to get 'fighting fit' you need to look primarily to stamina/endurance, after all if you get into a fight or a chase, you have to be able to finish it and not just sit there bent over gasping for air, you'll get killed that way. Running is a great way to build up endurance, but not the only one. Look at cardio activities and get creative, other ones that are easy are biking and swimming. Find a local park that's hilly, throw on a pack, and start running, do hill sprints, ladder drills, crawl with weight on your back, drag dead weight around, do some weighted jumps/leaps. The more creative you get, the more you'll want to train because you'll be switching it up. The few things I just mentioned will not only help with endurance but agility as well. Strength training is fairly important, but probably not as important as you'd think. If you can do sixty or seventy pushups in a row, you're probably good. Same thing with fifteen to twenty pullups. Don't forget core or lower leg strength either, squats and deadlifts are great exercises to put on large amounts of muscle mass because of the many different and large muscle groups used. Think real world strength. I would say dips/chinups, pushups/bench press, and squats/deadlifts remember, curls are for getting girls, do exercises that use more than one muscle group and lift heavy. You will start putting on muscle on in no time. Don't forget nutrition either, you can lift all the weight in the world, but that's only half the equation, if you're not giving your body the proper fuel (and rest) your muscles can't rebuild. Think lean chicken, turkey, fish, whole grain pastas and rice, lots of fruits and vegetables. Some extra protein powder never hurt either. That's just a starting point, but I think you get the idea.

 

[Michael Courtney]

I am 21, 170lbs

Knowing your height makes the weight easier to evaluate. If you're over 6' tall, the weight is fine, but if you're 5'8", you need to drop a few pounds. Losing weight if necessary will make just about everything easier.

I take martial arts 3x a week and hit the gym 3x a week and I play paintball which is great at conditioning
I take kung fu and systema. My experience is great in reality fighting and disarming of weapons.
I run a 8:00 min mile and my situps are great. My pushups could use some work.

Do a google search on cardiocascular conditioning. There are ways to determine quantitatively how good your current cardiovascular conditioning is, but an 8:00 min mile suggests there is room for improvement.

Im an B student in college for criminal justice. Math is hard for me
I have no criminal record

There are lots of ways to avoid math and get by with a mediocre academic record in a law enforcement career. You'll probably need to steer clear of the forensic science side of law enforcement, which might make finding a job harder to find. The trend in law enforcement is toward new hires who are better in math and science because forensic science looks to play an increasing role in law enforcement.

What type of running excersises are recommended before going to the academy?

Your running speeds for distances over 100 yards are often best improved by better cardiovascular conditioning than by particular running exercises. If you only train by running to improve your cardio performance, this can be rather rough on your joints. Low-impact aerobics, bicycling, and swimming can all be used to improve cardio with minimal risk of joint injury.

What type of diet is recommended? Im a college kid, I eat horribly. I cut out candy and soda though to make up for the fried food.

Youth can be pretty forgiving of bad diet as long as the overall weight is in a good, healthy range and you're getting enough fruits, veggies, and protein to supply needs.

Michael Courtney

 

[DontBurnMyFlag]

thanks alot. Ive revised a workout routine, sought help in nutrition and Im still learning reading and all that jazz. Thanks for the advice.

 

[Adept]

Knowing your height makes the weight easier to evaluate. If you're over 6' tall, the weight is fine, but if you're 5'8", you need to drop a few pounds. Losing weight if necessary will make just about everything easier.

I'm 5'10" and 220 pounds. And a bodyfat of 12%...

Height to weight ratios are meaningless in isolation. You need your bodyfat percentage as well.

 

[Working Man]

Pushups, pushups, pushups,..... I use to do 10 groups of 50 as part of my
daily exercise regime. Pushups are great at telling you where else on your body
you need help. You will start feeling other areas fatigue before your arms and
chest do (stomach, legs, or back) after you pushup endurance builds.

You can also mix it up with one set of 50 then cycle a mile then do another
set of 50 and cycle a mile and so on depending on your goals. I did this on a
recumbent bike M, W, & F and straight pushup sets on T, Th, & Sat. The
object is make it a fast mile to keep the heart rate up.

Find out what you can comfortably do and go from there.

I need to quit working so much and get back to it myself.

 

[Skoob]

I've never understood.......

Why do they make police-officers-to-be meet all these physical requirements, but then seem to throw the requirements out the window after that.... If I had $1 for every LEO I've seen that is at least 50+lbs overweight, I'd be retired. Do they have to meet any conditioning requirements later on?

About 4 years ago, I saw an LEO on foot yell at a guy to stop... the guy (in good shape) said, "Why? You can't catch me fat man." and he was right!

 

[stevelyn]

Run Forrest......Run.

Seriously. The academy environment is similar to the military and stamina wins everytime. Everything you do will be done either fast or faster. Don't neglect the upper body workouts, and work on abdominals, but running is what you need to concentrate on. Not because you're particularly out of shape, but because most injuries to legs, knees, and ankles are due to overuse.
A lot of recruits make the mistake of getting ready for the academy a month or so before they go. They'll usually keep up for awhile, but the injuries start catching up when they start increasing the PT load.

 

[riverdog]

Agree. If you look at the preparatory running schedule in the SEAL work-out

RUNNING SCHEDULE I

WEEKS #1, 2: 2 miles/day, 8:30 pace, M/W/F (6 miles/ week)
WEEK #3: No running. High risk of stress fractures
WEEK #4: 3 miles/day, M/W/F (9 miles/wk)
WEEKS #5, 6: 2/3/4/2 miles, M/Tu/Th/F (11 miles/wk)
WEEKS #7,8: 4/4/5/3 miles, M/Tu/Th/F (16 miles/ wk)
WEEK #9: same as #7,8 (16 miles/ wk)

The time off during week #3 is to avoid injury and let the body do some repair work before increasing the work-load. The guys who build up quickly without scheduling down-time can easily hurt themselves and be put back weeks recovering. With a year to go I'd take twice as long getting to week #9 above and then try to pick up speed on those runs while working upper body and abs.

Start out at the academy well rested.