Deputy Whit Bristol and Yours Truly have an important article in the latest Issue of Police Magazine. It covers how patrol officers should approach their exercise programs specifically to improve job performance and health, while reducing risk of injuries, and other benefits to both the officer and PD:
The Patrol Athlete
A strong, fit, flexible, explosive, and well-conditioned police officer is a better police officer. Improved physical conditioning is correlated with lower officer injury and death rates, lower sick leave usage, lower civil liability, fewer civilian complaints, lower suspect injury rate, lower suicide rate, improved mental health, lower uses of force, and lower officer-involved shooting rate.
The first rule is to work hard and train consistently. Athletes from different sports train differently, but successful athletes follow this rule. The best program in the world won’t work if you don’t train consistently and put effort into your training. But you need to focus on the right type of training for your line of work.
A couple years ago our SWAT team got with Ironman and they developed a work-out program for us. We rarely do bench press or curls, but lots of squats, dead-lift, cleans, and prowler pushing. Most of the guys already had a pretty decent work-out routine on their own so after a year they all dropped out. I’m lazy and need a trainer to tell me what to do so I’ve been sticking with it and still enjoy the functional aspect of it.
As far as the physical aspect of things, work no longer feels like work compared to what we’re doing at the gym.
I believe cardio is paramount. But strength, flexibility, and power are all apart of being a well round athlete (on patrol). Rotational power is also great to have (pulling people out of cars, takedowns, etc).
I’ve never looked back in retrospect after a fight or foot pursuit and thought “man I’m in too good of shape”.
Being in good physical condition is a huge plus for a LEO. I highly recommend incorporating physical training that involves physical contact, i.e. judo, krav maga, boxing or another contact activity. I’ve seen a few people in terrific physical condition fold under pressure when a confrontation became physical, because they were not accustomed to dealing with resistive physical contact from a person they were trying to arrest.
Being in good shape both physically and mentally is very important.
The article tries to narrow down however where the best efforts and focus should be so to be most effective as a patrol LEO. Some may be in great condition, just not in the ways it will be most beneficial to them when it matters. The guy who runs 10 miles per day but has the grip strength of a 12 year old girl, would be considered in good shape, just not for being a patrol athlete per se
I’m sure you’re trying to get clicks on the link so I won’t quote it. It absolutely adds unnecessary stress to joints. How can a weighted vest, which according to the article would be between 30lbs and 50lbs, not? Its ridiculous to take the position that it doesn’t add joint stress. There are MUCH better ways to gain strength and endurance. If someone is 50lbs overweight isn’t that extra stress on their joints? So with police officers, many of whom are overweight, adding more weight to them isn’t sound practice.
Read carefully, I said unnecessary stress to the joints. Picking up a mug coffee, technically adds stress to the joints. Two, it’s about improving work capacity vs strength per se. As always, how it’s applied, when, and why is what matters there. Improving work capacity in responses the weight carried on the job, can reduce injuries and improve work capacity for the job.
LEOs following such programs are unlikely to be 50lbs overweight. An obese LEO is another matter and topic.
Finally, I don’t own Police Magazine so clicks there don’t impact me one way or another. Deputy Richtmyer and I wanted to get some info out to patrol LE that we felt would be of value to improve outcomes to patrol LEOs.
Feel free to submit your own articles if you feel you have info that will benefit them.
