Apr 11, 2022 Training to Prepare for the Police Academy
Thinking of a career in law enforcement, and want to know what tactical training looks like in the police academy? While the academy standards differ from state to state, a potential recruit can prepare for the academy by performing various calisthenics, high-volume bodyweight workouts, and pyramid training.
A recent article from BarBend.com highlighted conversations with several officers and sergeants from the Columbus (Ohio) Police Department (CPD) and the Tactical Rehab and Conditioning Coordinator at the Wexner Medical Center of Sports Medicine at Ohio State University for the training programs that keep them at the fitness level required for their jobs.
Below is an excerpt from the BarBend.com article on the training practices of the Columbus Police Academy (CPA).
Here is an example group workout performed by recruits at the CPA:
- 30 sit-ups
- 40 jumping jacks
- Two-minute wall-sit
- 15 burpees
- 25 push-ups
- 25 sit-ups
- 15 burpees
- 30 squats
One-minute water break, then:
- 15 mountain-climbers
- 40 jumping jacks
- Two-minute wall-sit
- One-minute plank
- 30 sit-ups
- One-minute wall-sit
One-minute water break, then:
- 25 mountain climbers
- 30 sit-ups
- 25 mountain climbers
- 15 push-ups
- One-minute wall-sit
- 25 push-ups
- 20 sit-ups
» ALSO SEE: 3 Exercises Every Police Officer Must Perfect
The workout concludes with a half-mile cool-down run, followed by stretching.
You may have noticed that the entirety of the above workout utilizes bodyweight training. While resistance training is essential for increasing muscle strength, power, endurance, and hypertrophy, bodyweight training has been shown to enhance cardiorespiratory fitness and substantially improve lower-body muscle force.
As a new police officer learning the ropes, there is also something to be said regarding the encouragement from one’s peers. Those who perceive themselves as more physically fit are likely to perform better in fitness-related activities than those who don’t — confidence if your physical fitness for the job matters.
To read the full story from barbend.com, click here.
