0
Search
0
Search
0
NSCA Company Logo
Become a member Create Account
Become a member Create an Account

Physical Training Considerations for Police Academy Recruits

by Timary Malley, CSCS, Alyssa Yetter, and Tunde Szivak, PhD, CSCS,*D
TSAC Report June 2023
Vol 68, Issue 1

Share:

This article discusses the benefits of utilizing evidence-based training approaches supported by current strength and conditioning research with law enforcement officer recruits.

Introduction

Police academies often rely on historical methods of physical training (PT), such as calisthenics and running, which do not best optimize physical development for the occupational requirements of law enforcement officers (LEOs). PT instructors are typically LEOs who may emphasize physical training approaches experienced during their own time in the academy, but who often lack formal strength and conditioning expertise and fail to implement evidence-based strength and conditioning practices. The assumption also may exist that recruits are not “tough enough,” so PT methods are often used with the intent to build psychological resilience (20). Thus, PT programs often consist of extensive hours of training and lack evidence-based approaches or formal progression for new recruits to follow (4,17). However, research has shown that periodized training programs are favorable when compared to non-periodized physical training for improving muscular strength, muscular endurance, anaerobic power, and cardiovascular fitness (20). Specific adaptations to anaerobic training, such as increased muscular strength and endurance, hypertrophy, power, and motor skill development, are specific to the stimulus applied in the training program (4). It is important for police academies to better prepare recruits for their job as an LEO, which requires stepping away from past PT methods and utilizing evidence-based training approaches supported by current strength and conditioning research. In so doing, recruits may become physically stronger, faster, more resilient to injury, better prepared for the possible situations they may encounter while on the job, and better able to sustain health over the duration of a law enforcement career.

This article originally appeared in TSAC Report, the NSCA’s quarterly, online-only publication geared toward the training of tactical athletes, operators, and facilitators. It provides research-based articles, performance drills, and conditioning techniques for operational, tactical athletes. The TSAC Report is only available for NSCA Members. Read more articles from TSAC Report 

Related Reading

Physical Fitness of Police Academy Cadets: Baseline Characteristics and Changes during a 16-Week Academy

Physical Fitness Characteristics of High vs. Low Performers on an Occupational Specific Physical Agility Test for Patrol Officers

Recruit Fitness Standards from a Large Law Enforcement Agency: Between-class Comparisons, Percentile Rankings, and Implications for Physical Training

Effect of a Law Enforcement Academy Training Program on Validated Fitness Outcomes of Cadets

Assessing Difference in Anthropometric and Fitness Characteristics between Police Academy Cadets and Incumbent Officers

Needs Analysis and Program Design for Police Officers

Share:
Access the Article (PDF)

References

  1. Benyamina Douma, N, Cote, C, and Lacasse, A. Occupational and ergonomic factors associated with low back pain among carpatrol police officers: findings from the Quebec serve and protect low back pain study. Clinical Journal of Pain 34(10): 960-966, 2018.
  2. Berry, DB, Rodriguez-Soto, AE, Su, J, Gombatto, SP, Shahidi, B, Palombo, L, et al. Lumbar spine postures in Marines during simulated operational positions. Journal of Orthopaedic Research 35(10): 2145-2153, 2017.
  3. Can, SH and Hendy, HM. Behavioral variables associated with obesity in police officers. Industrial Health 52(3): 240-247, 2014.
  4. Crawley, AA, Sherman, RA, Crawley, WR, and Cosio-Lima, LM. Physical fitness of police academy cadets: Baseline characteristics and changes during a 16-week academy. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 30(5): 1416-1424, 2015.
  5. Dawes, JJ, Orr, RM, Flores, RR, Lockie, RG, Kornhauser, C, and Holmes, R. A physical fitness profile of state highway patrol officers by gender and age. Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 29(16): 2017.
  6. Dawes, JJ, Orr, RM, Siekaniec, CL, Vanderwoude, AA, and Pope, R. Associations between anthropometric characteristics and physical performance in male law enforcement officers: a retrospective cohort study. Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 28(1): 1-7, 2016.
  7. Dawes, JJ, Lindsay, K, Bero, J, Elder, C, Kornhauser, C, and Holmes, R. Physical fitness characteristics of high vs. low performers on an occupational specific physical agility test for patrol officers. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 31(10): 2808-2815, 2017.
  8. Dulla, J. Factors impacting first responder and military recruits and how certified strength and conditioning professionals are needed now more than ever. TSAC Report (47): 32-38, 2017.
  9. Fulton, J, Wright, K, Kelly, M, Zebrosky, B, Zanis, M, Drvol, C, et al. Injury risk is altered by previous injury: a systematic review of the literature and presentation of causative neuromuscular factors. International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy 9(5): 583-595, 2014.
  10. Games, KE, Lakin, JM, Quindry, JC, Weimar, WH, and Sefton, JM. Prolonged restricted sitting effects in UH-60 helicopters. Aerospace Medicine and Human Performance 86(1): 34-40, 2015.
  11. Gerber, M, Kellmann, M, Elliot, C, Hartmann, T, Serge Brand, S, Holsboer-Trachsler, E, et al. Perceived fitness protects against stress-based mental health impairments among police officers who report good sleep. Journal of Occupational Health 55(5): 376-384, 2014.
  12. Hofman, J. Law enforcement [presentation]. Personal communication. February 24, 2022.
  13. Joseph, A, Wiley, A, Orr, R, Schram, B, and Dawes, JJ. The impact of load carriage on measures of power and agility in tactical occupations: A critical review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 15(1): 88, 2018.
  14. Knapik, JJ, Grier, T, Spiess, A, Swedler, DI, Hauret, KG, Graham, B, et al. Injury rates and injury risk factors among Federal Bureau of Investigation new agent trainees. BMC Public Health (11): 920, 2011.
  15. Kornhauser, C, Holmes, R, and Dawes, JJ. Boots on the ground: realizing physical potential while combatting reality. TSAC Report (47): 14-17, 2017.
  16. Kornhauser, C. Programming considerations for the tactical officer in law enforcement – Focusing on fundamentals. TSAC Report 3(49): 2018.
  17. Korre, M, Loh, K, Eshelman, EJ, Lessa, FS, Porto, LG, Christophi, CA, et al. Recruit fitness and police academy performance: A prospective validation study. Occupational Medicine 69(8-9): 541-548, 2019.
  18. Lentz, L, Voaklander, D, Gross, DP, Guptill, CA, and Senthilselvan, A. A description of musculoskeletal injuries in a Canadian police service. International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health 33(1): 59-66, 2020.
  19. Lockie, RG, Dawes, JJ, Balfany, K, Gonzales, CE, Beitzel, MM, Dulla, JM, et al. Physical fitness characteristics that relate to work sample test battery performance in law enforcement recruits. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 15(11): 2477, 2018.
  20. Lockie, RG, Dawes, JJ, MacLean, ND, Pope, RP, Holmes, RJ, Kornhauser, CL, et al. The impact of formal strength and conditioning on the fitness of law enforcement recruits: a retrospective cohort study. International Journal of Exercise Science 13(4): 1615-1629, 2020.
  21. Lockie, RG, Dawes, JJ, Orr, RM, and Dulla, JM. Recruit fitness standards from a large law enforcement agency: Betweenclass comparisons, percentile rankings, and implications for physical training. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 34(4): 934-941, 2020.
  22. Lyons, K, Radburn, C, Orr, R, and Pope, R. A profile of injuries sustained by law enforcement officers: a critical review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 14(2): 142, 2017.
  23. Martinez, GJ, and Abel, MG. Effect of a law enforcement academy training program on validated fitness outcomes of cadets. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 35(4): 955-962, 2021.
  24. Maupin, DJ, Canetti, EFD, Schram, B, Lockie, RG, Dawes, JJ, Dulla JM, et al. Profiling the injuries of law enforcement recruits during academy training: A retrospective cohort study. BMC Sports Science, Medicine, and Rehabilitation 14(1): 136, 2022.
  25. Moreno, M, Cesario, K, Bloodgood, A, and Lockie, RG. Circuit strength training with ability-based modifications for law enforcement recruits. TSAC Report (51): 26-33, 2019.
  26. Mota, JA, Kerr, ZY, Gerstner, GR, Giuliani, HK, and Ryan, ED. Obesity prevalence and musculoskeletal injury history in probation officers. Medicine and Science in Sports Exercise 51(9): 1860-1865, 2019.
  27. Nice, M. Law enforcement tactical strength and conditioning programs – Transform “impossible” obstacles into ideal opportunities. TSAC Report (51): 16-19, 2019.
  28. Orr, RM, Dawes, JJ, Pope, R, and Terry, J. Assessing difference in anthropometric and fitness characteristics between police academy cadets and incumbent officers. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 32(9): 2632-2641, 2017.
  29. Orr, RM, Kukic, F, Cvorovic, A, Koropanovski, N, Jankovic, R, Dawes, JJ, et al. Associations between fitness measures and change of direction speeds with and without occupational loads in female police officers. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 16(11): 1947, 2019.
  30. Rhea, M. Needs analysis and program design for police officers. Strength Conditioning Journal 37(4): 30-34, 2015.
  31. Rogers, M. Transferring physical conditioning principles to practice to enhance performance in tactical personnel. TSAC Report 52(3): 12-14, 2019.
  32. Schilling, R, Colledge, F, Ludyga, S, Pühse, U, Brand, S, and Gerber, M. Does cardiorespiratory fitness moderate the association between occupational stress, cardiovascular risk, and mental health in police officers? International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 16(13): 2349, 2019.
  33. Shusko, M, Benedetti, L, Korre, M, Eshleman, EJ, Farioli, A, Christophi, CA, et al. Recruit fitness as a predictor of police academy graduation. Occupational Medicine 67(7): 555-561, 2017.
  34. Smith, JE, and Tooker, GG. Health and fitness in law enforcement: A voluntary model program response to a critical issue. CALEA (87): 1-6. 2016.
  35. Soika, A. Establishing a physical fitness assessment and training program in a large metropolitan law enforcement organization. TSAC Report 60(2): 16-21, 2021.
  36. Syed, S, Ashwick, R, Schlosser, M, Jones, R, Rowe, S, and Billings, J. Global prevalence and risk factors for mental health problems in police personnel: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Occupational Environmental Medicine 77(11): 737-747, 2020.
  37. Szivak, TK, Boland, D, and Kamal, M. Excessive sitting - A tactical performance problem. TSAC Report 1(62): 4-10, 2021.
  38. Tomes, C, Orr, RM and Pope, R. The impact of body armor on physical performance of law enforcement personnel: A systematic review. Annals of Occupational Environmental Medicine 29(14): 2017.
About the author

Timary Malley, CSCS

Contact Timary Malley

Contact Timary Malley

Your first name is required.
Your last name is required.
Your email is required.
Your message is required.
Your reCaptcha is required.
Send

Your email was successfully sent to Timary Malley

View full biography
About the author

Tunde K. Szivak, PhD

Merrimack College

Contact Tunde Szivak

Contact Tunde Szivak

Your first name is required.
Your last name is required.
Your email is required.
Your message is required.
Your reCaptcha is required.
Send

Your email was successfully sent to Tunde Szivak

View full biography
Access the Article (PDF)
About
Membership
Certification
Education
Events
Professional Development
Store


 

The National Strength and Conditioning Association is proud to work with our outstanding partners and thank them for their continued support.

Become a Sponsor
#NSCAStrong #NSCAStrong

has been added to your shopping cart!

Continue Shopping Checkout Now