While a basic fitness assessment will always be a part of a comprehensive client assessment, there is an array of more sophisticated tests and measures that are available to the personal trainer today.

The purpose of this article is to examine the effects and results of a training program designed specifically for United States Air Force (USAF) Pararescuemen.

Given their ability to discern physiological and technical aspects of a job task, TSAC-Fs may be able to collect some vital information that will assist with the underlying evidence to build the foundation of a physical abilities test.

By implementing a fitness assessment, a law enforcement agency can assess its officers and gather important data. As long as there are support mechanisms in place to assist the “at risk” officers—such as access to physical training instructors, occupational health professionals, or dietitians—the organization can ensure that its officers move towards becoming a healthier and more resilient workforce.

Because fitness test results are part of performance evaluations, smaller service members have an advantage in terms of attaining promotions, despite evidence that suggests that greater body size, strength, power, and load carrying capacity is correlated with tactical performance.

Those who are in key decision-making positions should understand the importance of proper research, validation, and implementation procedures when developing physical fitness standards.

A common theme in tactical fitness is to train for the demands of the position. This begs the questions: what are the actual occupational physical fitness requirements of the position of a California patrol law enforcement officer and how might these inform programming for this population?

This article is the eighth in a continuing series of tactical strength and conditioning (TSAC) research reviews. It is designed to bring awareness to new research findings of relevance to tactical strength and conditioning communities. On this occasion, the focus is on new research presented at the 2016 NSCA National Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 7 – 8, 2016.

A comprehensive but realistic battery of tests can reveal those who are sufficiently fit and athletic to immediately assimilate into training with the least possible likelihood of failure or injury. The Occupational Physical Assessment Test (OPAT) was designed to identify those individuals and screen out those who require further physical development.

This article consists of five assessments that could be utilized by the tactical facilitator to measure upper- , lower- , and total-body power in law enforcement officers (LEOs). Although the focus of this article is LEOs, the assessments could also be used for other tactical populations.