Humankind has endured through thousands of years of evolution. We are the most civilised species on earth, capable of thinking and behaving in compassionate and rational ways.
Unfortunately, however, some members of our community have somehow missed out entirely on this delicate process, and when they fail to employ the faculty of logic in the course of their daily lives, and instead resort to shouting, swearing and violent behaviour, problems inevitably arise for those of us who choose to play by the rules.
When tension escalates and danger looms, it’s time to beckon the big guns. As the ghostbusters would say, “Who you gonna call?”.
Well, in times of crisis, we call the police. When you watch action stars like Steven Seagal and Arnold Schwarzenegger play cops in their various films it is easy to believe, as a law-abiding citizen, that you can always count on the protection of your national police force. A well-trained police force inspires feelings of security and freedom from terror and lawlessness.
Should the average policeman or policewoman be able to take on armies of bad guys single-handed like Seagal or Schwarzenegger, exhibit the fighting skills of a Shaolin monk, the fitness of a marathon runner, and the strength of Conan the Barbarian? Should they go to extraordinary lengths in the pursuit of justice at great personal sacrifice every day, and be back home in time for dinner?
Maybe real-life policing is not quite as extreme; however it is still a physically and mentally demanding occupation for which candidates must be carefully selected and trained.
Basic police academy training and a little pride in the performance of everyday duties means most personnel can tick the box for brains, but what about the brawn?
With martial artists, combat athletes, strength athletes, sprinters and middle-distance runners all walking among us, you never know who might step out of line next, and when they do, the police must be a step ahead. Given the opposition, what sort of fitness would you expect members of your national police force to possess?
After a recent conversation with some friendly policemen about exercise and fitness, I got thinking about what I would do if I was in any way involved in their physical training.
Many members of the force practise some sport or other, and many use gyms recreationally too, but what if they could follow a centralised programme designed specifically for them, and what would it entail?
If you are on the force, or in an any way interested in increasing functional fitness for the streets for your own protection or self-confidence, let’s have a look at four police-inspired fitness solutions that might work for you.
These four fit laws for law men can be incorporated into any training regimen as four separate workouts as a four-day training week, or spread over a fortnight for a two-day training week.
First fit law: running. These workouts should include both sprint interval runs as well as longer steady-pace runs. Sprint interval sessions should include a 10-minute easy jog to warm-up, followed by multiple full-speed sprints over short distances with about two minutes rest between each.
Longer steady-pace runs should be maintained for at least 40 minutes, at a pace whereby a normal conversation can still be held.
Running boosts cardiovascular fitness, enabling police personnel to stay alert and physically effective for longer periods of time. For police patrols on foot, the ability to run faster could mean the difference between success or failure in escaping danger or in the apprehension of swifter suspects.
Second fit law: weight training. Weight training should be geared towards the increase of both muscular size, and functional strength.
Five sets of five repetitions with heavy weights, simply known as ‘five-by-five’, is possibly the best protocol for the simultaneous pursuit of both size and strength .
Five-by-five workouts are normally centred around the core lifts, including squats, deadlifts, bench presses, and barbell rows. Muscular size is one of the most effective deterrents in the avoidance of physical conflict, as our brains are still wired to ‘size up’ an opponent when we enter the primal decisive state known as ‘fight or flight’.
Third fit law: martial arts. Since police personnel are the most likely among us to come into harm’s way on the streets, the art of self-defence has to be the natural choice for inclusion in any police training programme. Now an increasingly popular way to get in shape, martial arts are a fun way to exercise while practising split-second techniques that could very well save our lives.
Some schools teach a mix of martial arts specifically tailored for the requirements of the urban street context. Attending such schools is ideal for your third fit law workout. Some gyms also offer some form of self-defence training.
Fourth fit law: assault courses and specific drills. Specific drills are best performed in a group, with a designated physical training instructor, or as part of a boot camp class in a regular fitness centre.
Any group session that includes running, jumping, crawling, climbing and pushing or pulling one’s own bodyweight will closely mimic conditions one might find on the street. Throw some parachute rolls, forwards and backwards rolls, and fireman’s lifts into the mix and we have a brutal conditioning workout to hone the finest and fittest of lawmen.
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