Imagine leading a dignified life that is committed to the well-being of others and inherently noble and selfless. It’s needless to say that such commitment can only be seen in the real heroes of our society, the ever-courageous policemen. Many individuals are highly motivated and aspire to become dedicated police officers and serve their community with a dauntless commitment and unwavering spirit. In this article, we are going to delve into the various aspects of police physical training that are highly recommended for any standard physical fitness tests.
What does a police physical test demand?
The police physical ability test is a demanding and challenging fitness assessment that requires proper training and stamina. The candidates need to train well to have an optimal stamina for clearing the police physical test. Whether it is running, obstacle courses or endurance trials, it’s essential to get yourself prepared for a physical fitness test. The Police physical training sets the basic criteria required to accomplish your heroic mission to serve the community.
Let’s delve into the 10 best exercises that will help you crack your physical test and perform at your peak in your upcoming police physical training.
1. Running
Running is known to be one of the most enduring cardiovascular exercises that efficiently builds up your stamina. It also improves your overall cardiovascular health that is highly demanding to fulfill an ideal police training regime. It is also a good indicator of a candidate’s aerobic fitness level and endurance. It will gradually increase your stamina and prepare you for the test.
- In order to gain effective results incorporate 45 minutes of regular and timed running sessions on a track or ground to your daily routine.
2. Jogging
Jogging is an excellent form of physical activity that can significantly improve your mental health, self-confidence alongside strengthening your muscles. Try to incorporate a combination of alternating between running and jogging ensuring to tackle any challenging role of patrolling. Most importantly, the candidate should moderate the pace at which he or she is jogging.
- Keep transcending from slow, medium to high pace jogging pattern initially for 10 minutes and then gradually increasing as per endurance.
3. Jump squats
A dynamic strength training exercise, jump squats or squat jumps appears to be easy but is a powerful one. Several police departments ask the candidate to perform jump squats as a part of evaluation. This exercise might be an optional one but it is better to practice it and be well equipped. Jump squats are practiced in order to create elastic energy within your body so that you can perform a vertical jump of 16 inches above your original height.
- Initially, you can start with 10 jump squats with 2 repetitions and gradually increase the number of sets and repetitions as you gain strength.
4. Sit ups
When it comes to increasing your core strength, sit ups become your best ally. Maintaining a perfect posture is crucial during sit ups. Sit ups require immense lower back strength and flexibility. Gradually increase the intensity and duration of your sit ups. Pushing yourself too hard too soon might lead to burnout or injuries.
- 10 to 50 sit ups a day is good enough for a beginner preparing for a physical fitness test.
- Initially, 2 repetitions is good to start which can further be increased to 4 repetitions of 50 sit ups each.
5. Crunches
Crunches form one of the best exercises to strengthen one’s core and improve body balance and coordination. A no-equipment workout, crunches can be readily done on a Yoga Mat or exercise mat. There are different variations of crunches that can be easily learnt, pursued and excelled over a period of time. They are reverse crunches, bicycle crunches, bird dog crunch and many others.
- In order to activate your core muscles, perform three to four sets of 10 to 15 slow crunches.
- For muscles, one should perform two to three sets of 15 to 20 crunches.
- For endurance, gradually increase your sets between four to five sets of 30 to 35 crunches per set.
6. Pushups
Pushups are strength building exercises helpful in improving upper body strength. It is most commonly included in physical fitness regimen as well as in police selection tests. Generally the push up workout is intended toward building your back, arms and grip strength, which contribute toward fulfilling various tasks like climbing and lifting.
- According to a PAT journal, a standard police physical ability test requires 25 push-ups continuously.
- Initially, one can start with 5 push ups and keep increasing the count.
- The push ups can also be done in a set of 5 for 3 to 4 repetitions.
7. Pull ups
Pull ups are a type of strength building exercise that are considered for evaluation. Usually the pull up workouts targets your back, arms, and grip strength, which contribute toward fulfilling various tasks like climbing and lifting.
- Initially, one can start up 5 pull ups and eventually increase the count as per endurance and strength.
8. Squats
The squat is a form of compound exercise for strengthening the leg and back muscles. This exercise ensures that your body is prepared for the multifaceted challenges of physical fitness training. It is crucial for various tasks, including running, jumping, and standing for long periods that can help you boost an overall performance during your fitness test.
- Squats can be done in a set of 50 squats and repeated 3 to 4 times.
9. Bench press
Bench press is mainly recommended to boost your upper body strength that is essential for weight training. It can generate the optimal amount of upper body strength that is required for performing police force tasks. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics an ideal bench press weight for the beginners should be 47 Kgs .
10. Ladder drills
In order to chase suspects or navigate obstacles it’s needless to say that enhancing your ability to react quickly is highly appreciated. It is a crucial factor to develop agility, and body control, by practicing a variety of ladder drills and boost your performance on the physical test.
Conclusion:
Mastering these ten dynamic exercises will not only help you excel in your police physical test but also prepare you for similar future endeavors. At Fojfit, we are focused to guide you effectively with our valuable insights on physical fitness thereby strengthening your core. With the ultimate guidance and training regime, you need to stay focused and be consistent. Always remember that physical fitness is an integral part and a fundamental component of a police fitness regime.