Apr 8, 2022 3 Exercises Every Police Officer Must Perfect
Good police work requires not only strength and endurance but also short bursts of speed and agility. That’s why when training, officers should be training to get stronger and faster — not having the biggest biceps in the precinct.
An article from inTime.com outlined the five exercises every police officer must master to be at their best while on duty. Below is an excerpt of that article.
Standing Military Press
Place a barbell at chest height on a squat rack and grab the bar slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and with your palms facing forward. Bring the bar off the rack placing it at the top of your chest, just below the collarbone. Have a slight bend in your knees.
From your starting position lift the bar overhead until your arms lockout. The bar should travel slightly forward and up. Lower the bar down to your collarbone and then press the bar back up to your lockout position above your head and slightly forward.
Squat
Chest up, head forward with a hip-width stance with the weight in the heel of your foot. Keeping your torso upright and your weight in your heels, begin to lower your body by breaking at your knees and descending as if to sit in a chair. You may feel like you are going to fall backward, but use your core to keep upright. Try to keep your knees from driving too far forward and going past your feet. Descend until your thighs are parallel with the ground and then drive through your heels to return to your starting position.
Deadlift
Approach the bar on the ground so that it is centered over your feet, standing hip-width apart. Bend at the hip and grab the bar with an alternate grip (one palm facing forward and the other towards you – this gives you the best grip) about shoulder-width apart or just outside of your shins. Your spine should be straight and your upper back and lats nice and tight. NEVER round your lower back.
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Take a deep breath and brace your abdominals. Do not try and lift the bar with your arms, but drive through your legs like you are pushing the floor away from you. The purpose of your arms is to just hold the bar steady and close to your body. As you push through your legs and the bar begins to lift, keep the bar as close to your shins as you can. Once the bar is past your knees, drive your hips forward and stand upright, while pulling your shoulder blades together.
To read the full story from inTime.com about the essential exercises for every police officer, click here.
