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Step 9: Fitness

Introduction

This special fitness was written exclusively for PoliceLink by former Navy SEAL and law enforcement fitness expert Stew Smith, CSCS. A U.S. Naval Academy graduate, Stew has written several best selling fitness and self defense books, including The Complete Guide to Navy SEAL Fitness, Maximum Fitness, and SWAT Workout.

Certified by the National Strength and Conditioning Association as a Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) and as military fitness trainer, Stew has trained hundreds of students for Navy SEAL, Special Forces, SWAT, FBI, ERT and many other law enforcement professions.

Law enforcement fitness: What to expect

Careers in the military and public service are fantastic opportunities to serve your country and be well cared for with health and retirement benefits. Making the transition from the military to law enforcement can, however, be quite challenging physically, if you have not maintained your fitness level. Attending a law enforcement academy will be similar to boot camp, so you need to prepare yourself.

This career change begins here with preparing physically for different physical fitness tests of a law enforcement position. Some of the exercises are the same as any military physical fitness test, such as the basics calisthenics tests of a timed run, pushups, situps, and pull-ups. Depending upon your law enforcement career decision, a variety of exercises will also be tested to include:

Bench Press	Agility Tests
Shuttle Runs	Time Runs (1 to 5 miles)
Weighted Pullups (25lb SWAT vest)	Pushups, Situps, Pullups
500-yeard Swim	Rop Climbs
Obstacle Course	Victim Drag

Excelling in these tests takes practice. Many of the tested events above can also be better prepared for by a series of exercises that involve the muscle groups utilized. The biggest issue with most former military seeking law enforcement positions is running faster paced runs. For instance, many law enforcement departments now have added a shorter sprint to be tested, as well as an agility course and obstacle course. With battles in an urban environment becoming a part of daily life for both overseas troops and our own police officers here in America, the need for speed programs has never been more applicable to today’s civil servants.

Get customized police and military training programs from the PoliceLink Fitness Store or visit the PoliceLink Training Center for free tips and articles by former Navy SEAL Stew Smith CSCS.

More and more agencies around the United States are adopting the 300m run in addition to the 1.5 mile run as part of testing protocol for candidates. For instance the FBI uses the Cooper’s Institute Physical Testing procedures along with about half of the police department in the United States. Some departments are adding shuttle runs, agility tests, vertical jumps to build speed and explosive power which is needed in today’s urban combat environments.

In the military, cardio vascular endurance is usually measured with the 1.5 mile, 2 mile or 3 mile run, but now many local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies are adding the 300m run and this challenges many of the applicants more than pushups and situps. So speed training should be introduced to your training programs. Quite frankly, speed training should be added into every soldier’s and police officer’s program as it could mean that half second quicker you get to cover when the shots are coming in your direction.

The following chart is designed for the Cooper’s Institute Cardio tests used by many law enforcement agencies around the United States at all levels of government. Many applicants have trouble with the 300m sprint followed by the 1.5 mile run – this is how to remedy that challenge. This is a supplemental running program that combines endurance and speed workouts together to help with running stamina, endurance, pace and speed needed in both military and law enforcement applications. You still need to be working on your upper and lower body exercises in addition to this supplemental running plan.

	Day 1 Run and Leg PT	Day 2	Day 3 Distance Day	Day 4 Run and Lef PT	Day 5 – Pace Day (rest as long as you run)	Day 6/7</strong
Week 1	1.5 mile run, warmup, Repeat 2 times 300m run, squats – 20, lunges – 10 / leg	Run 300m run -rest 5:00 Run 1.5 mile run timed	1.5 mile at close to goal pace x 2 – rest 10 minutes in between	Warm-up jog 10:00, Repeat 5 times, 300m run, Squats – 10, Lunges – 10 / leg	Warmup Jog 5:00, 1/4 mile at goal pace, 1/2 mile at goal pace, 3/4 mile at goal pace, 1 mile at goal pace, stretch	Day off or makeup day
Week 2	1.5 mile run, warmup Repeat 3 times 300m run, squats – 20, lunges – 10 / leg	Run 300m run x 2- rest 5:00 Run 1.5 mile run timed	3 miles at close to goal pace	Bike Pyramid Manual model level 2,4,6,… hold each level for 1 minute until failure – repeat in reverse order – should be 12-30 minutes long	Warmup Jog 5:00, 1/4 mile at goal pace, 1/2 mile at goal pace, 3/4 mile at goal pace, 1 mile at goal pace, stretch	Day off makeup day
Week 3 Easy Run Week	Bike Pyramid Manual model level 2,4,6,… hold each level for 1 minute until failure – repeat in reverse order – should be 12-30 minutes long	Run 300m run x 2- rest 5:00 Run 1.5 mile run timed	Swim or elliptical glide or both for 30:00 of either or both	Warmup jog 10:00, Repeat 5 times, 300m run, Squats – 10, Lunges – 10 /leg Run 1.5 mile run	Bike Pyramid Manual model level 2,4,6,… hold each level for 1 minute until failure – repeat in reverse order – should be 12-30 minutes long	Day off or Make up day
Week 4	Run Sprints Warmup at 50%, 100m x 3 Full speed at 100m x 3, 200m x 2, 300m x 1, (work / rest ratio =2:1 1.5 mil run timed	300m timed Bike Pyramid Manual model level 2,4,6,… hold each level for 1 minute until failure – repeat in reverse order – should be 12-30 minutes long 1.5 mile run	3 miles easy	Warmup – 5:00 Repeat 6 times 1/4 mile at goal 1.5 mile pace, squats – 20, lunges 15 / leg, situps – 30 in 30 seconds 1.5 mile run timed	1.5 mile timed run, rest 5:00 1 mile run at goal pace rest 4:00 3/4 mile run at goal pace rest 3:00 1/2 mile run at goal pace rest 2:00 sprint 300m timed	Day off or makeup day
Week 5	FBI Test Sit-ups – 1:00, 300m sprint, pushups 1:00, 1.5 mile run, pull-ups	Bike Pyramid or elliptical glider pyramid	3-5 mile run	300m sprint, 1 minute rest, 1.5 mile run	8 8 × 1/4 miles at goal pace – rest 2:00 4 × 300m sprints – rest 2:00	Day off or makeup day

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