Ponyboy's Police Training

[ponyboy]

Hey folks.

Recently I decided that I wanted to move on into the policing field...fitness is great, but does not provide enough room for advancement and career growth as I expected. Corporate fitness (which I am currently doing) is great, but I need a career that is much more fulfilling and something where I am doing different things daily. After considering my options, I have decided to apply to the Peel Regional Police Force (just outside of Toronto for you non Ontarians). I have set up a testing date of December 7th. There is a written portion, which I will have no problem with and then a physical test the same day. The physical test consists of the following:

1.5 Mile Run (timed)
Push-ups (most consecutive, hands under shoulders, chin to mat)
Curl-ups (timed...tape 12cm apart)
100 meter sprint
1RM Bench press
Flexibility (sit and reach test)
Chin-ups (most within 30 seconds, underhand close grip)
Bodyfat assessment (sum of five skinfolds)

Therefore this journal will be my way of recording my progress over the next four and a half weeks towards my goals, which are as follows:

1.5 mile run : 10:30 (this is running 9MPH for the duration)
Push-ups: 36 (can currently do 20-25 with their form)
Curl-ups: 54
100 meter sprint: 13 seconds
1RM Bench: Bodyweightx1RM (I can already do this, gets the max points)
Flexibility: 30 cm (currently 20cm, needs the most work by far)
Chin-ups: 15 (can do 12 now again with their form)
Bodyfat assessment: Again, already have the max points for this as well.

My main areas I need work on are pushups, flexibility and the 1.5 mile run. If I achieve these goals then I will score 124 out of a possible 150 points...113 is required to pass the testing. I can actually pass the testing already (barely), but want to improve myself so that there is no question.

If there are any current police officers on the board that can provide some help, or if anyone has any input, it would be greatly appreciated. My training schedule will be as follows:

Monday: Push-ups, Front deltoids and rotator cuff work (they are weak)
Tuesday: Chins, close grip bench and ab training.
Wednesday: 1.5 mile run
Thursday: Repeat Monday plus sprints if possible.
Friday: Repeat Tuesday plus grip strength
Weekend: 1.5 mile run

Plus stretching every day when awaking, before going to bed and post workout. This will be an intense schedule but I have to keep it up for four weeks...then we'll see what happens. Any tips would be welcome. Wish me luck!

 

[Burner02]

Congrats on going into law enforcement!
I manthinking of it myself, if my career doesn't pick up....
Instead of only doing a 1.5 mile run, thought about increasing the distance, then 1.5 would be a walk in the park?

 

[ZECH]

PB.....what are the requirements for each, to score a 150????

 

[ponyboy]

Just finished my first attempt at running. Burner, as per your comments, the problem is not the distance, I can distance run no problem, it is the speed factor. I can run for 5 miles (8k for us Canucks) at an easy pace, but this is a timed run for 1.5 miles (2.4 km). I only did one mile today just to test the waters...put a 2% incline on the treadmill to hopefully better simulate running out of doors and did the mile in 7:45. My speed was 8 MPH the entire time. This would put me at 11:37 for the test, which is not bad at all for starting out. I could have pushed it harder and finished the 1.5, because I was breathing heavy but had more in me for sure. Of course I don't want to burn myself out right at the beginning. Next time I'll go up to 8.2 MPH, and gradually increase to 9MPH...plus running out of doors will make a difference.

Stretched afterwards for 10 minutes, doing the same stretch as the sit and reach, stretching my hip flexors, quads and glutes as well. I also did several sets for my curl up test...found out that if you bring your legs in slightly so that there is less of an angle it is much easier to do these...of course, that's cheating. Not a good idea on a police test.

Curl-ups: 25, 20, 40 (did these with less angle), 40.
Supersetted with roman chair leg lifts: 10,10,10

Downing a protein shake as we speak...I'm going to need to get lots of calories today after that effort.

 

[Burner02]

cool, ever thuoght about doing sprints in thre as well? I forget the name of it, but sprint for a distance/time, jog for a distance/time, walk for adistance/time.

 

[ponyboy]

Originally posted by dg806
PB.....what are the requirements for each, to score a 150????

To score perfectly you have to be able to:

Run 1.5 miles in under 9 minutes (6 minute miles)
Perform 49 pushups or more ( 1 point bonus for 55 or over)
Perform 65 curl-ups (these are harder than they sound)
Sit and reach of 45 cm! I don't know many gymnasts who can do this!
Run 100 meters in 10.5 seconds (Olympic caliber)
Have less than 58mm for sum of five skinfolds
Perform 18 chinups in 30 seconds (1 point bonus for 24 or more)
Bench 100% of Bodyweight less 20 lbs. one time (+1 bonus for additional 50 lbs.)

To put it bluntly, you have to be an Olympic caliber sprinter, a great long distance runner, have incredible muscular endurance in three different areas plus be as flexible as most martial artists. I'm going to be in great shape!

 

[ponyboy]

Monday, November 11, 2002

I've been so busy I haven't had time to update this journal in a few days, hopefully now it will be a little more regular.

Thursday I did pushups, front raises and rotator cuff work (external rotations). With the form that they request (hands under shoulders) it makes these more difficult, but I will still be able to reach my goal, I can do 25 now without a problem, so 36 isn't that far away. Front raises and rotator cuff work is to complement the muscles I will be using for that specific exercise. I am doing triceps on a different day.

Friday I did my first run outdoors all out and timed myself. The only problem was that I started out the run uphill at probably about a 10% grade for the first 500 meters...this knocked me out right at the beginning...but it was either do the hill at the beginning or at the end, and I figured I would try it at the beginning. Still, considering I was running mostly up a steep grade, I ran the first kilometer in 4 minutes, which is great. I did intervals from then on from a light jog into a run and ended up finishing the course (2.7 km) in 12 minutes, which is right on track.

My heart rate was pretty damned high, though (about 180-190 BPM). 10 minutes after finishing it was still at 120 BPM. Did my stretching after that as well, which felt great. It is three days later and no soreness, so I'm going to do it again tonight, without starting on the hill to see what difference it makes.

Did chins as well on Friday, can do 12 without a problem so working up to fifteen won't take much. Form for these is easy as well because you only have to lower until your arms are at 90 degrees, not full extension.

Saturday I did bench press for a 6RM of 155...this makes my 1RM 180, which is 20 pounds above what it needs to be. I may be able to get a bonus in this category. I also did some barbell rows with an underhand grip to work the back, maxed out at 185x6. Practiced my stomach curls as well, 4 sets of 30. This week i'm going to be focusing on everything. I don't need to worry about the 1RM bench press, so I'm going to leave that at 1 day per week, everything else will still be 2 days per week, plus running 3 times per week. I also need to find a place I can practice sprinting. Unfortunately my gym has a track but it is very short so not very useful for sprinting. I'll see what I can do.

That is all.

 

[ponyboy]

Just did my 1.5 mile run on a treadmill...set it at a 2% incline to hopefully reflect the difference between that and running outside a little bit at least. Did it in 10:42. I'm pretty happy about that even though my HR at the end was 186...my supposed max HR is 188...whoops. With the conditioning I'm doing though, it will get easier. Hopefully my Vo2 will go up a little bit between now and December 7th.

Need to stretch again...

 

[ponyboy]

Okay, charting more progress. Tuesday did pushup and rotator cuff work. Pushups I'm doing regular stance with hands under shoulders but then once I'm burnt dropping to my knees to finish myself off more (kind of like a drop set)

Pushups: 25+10, 15+10 (tired already), 12+6, 8+4.
Rest intervals are about 60-90 seconds between sets.

Rotator Cuff External Rotations with cable machine:
20x5/side, 15x10/side, 15x10/side, 15x10/side

Wednesday did my chins. Also doing drop set with these by finishing my set and then going immediately to the pulldown machine and doing pulldowns with 50% of my bodyweight for ten more reps (90 pounds)

Chins: 13+10, 7+10, 6+10. Then I had to stop because a client came in.

Also did another run yesterday and posted as even better time. I can already tell that the running is getting easier because my HR was much better this time at the end of the run. I did the route outdoors in 10:20, some of it was downhill though so that's not totally accurate. My HR after 3-4 minutes recovery was 132, which is fine for me.

Today is ab work and stretching, plus I think I'm going to do my pushups again to really work on them.

 

[Preacher]

lol .. that goes straight against the standard "doughnut"-eating cop that's portrayed in the media, doesn't it?
How many of your future colleagues can still do this?

I can do most of these things, except for the 45 cm reach .. I mean: that's very flexible.
And I'd have to struggle to get under 11 secs for my 100 meter dash (even under 12 )

I find these standards to be quite discriminating towards women because they focus so much on upper body strength and not so much on legs.
(My GF can't do one chin-up, but does her leg extensions with 65, while I can do over 20 chin-ups, but stop at 45 lbs for extensions)

And what's up with the skinfold testing? A women's BF% is +/- double of that of a evenly athetic man!

 

[ponyboy]

There are different sets of criteria for women, and different sets of criteria for people of older age groups, etc. For example, a female aged 20-29 only has to be able to do 38 pushups, and those are on the knees (girl pushups)

Making progress in all areas...except flexibility...I think I have short tendons behinds my knees or something like that because I'm making ZERO progress in that area, while all the others are doing very well.

15 days until test date...I have my form getting signed by my eye doctor today and my regular doctor next week. I already handed in my background forms, which was an amazing amount on information...they want to know EVERYTHING you have ever done and they even check your credit rating, etc. I had trouble remembering jobs I had ten years ago during the summer.

So far my marks are as follows:

1.5 Mile Run : Did it the other day in 10:10, so my goal of 10:45 is no problem.
Push-ups: Depending on hand placement...wide placement I can do over 30, hands under shoulders only about 27.
Chins: Did 16 the other day, but I decided to bump my goal for that up to 18 to get full marks, because I'm going to need them due to my flexibility.
Curl-ups: just did 3 sets of 60, I know I can get 65 no problem...my abs are barely feeling it. Full marks there.
100 meter dash : no idea yet, I have to wait until Monday...I actually set up a sprint course on my plant floor for after hours to practice!
Skinfolds: My iliac crest is 13mm, my medial calf is 7mm, and my bicep is 3 mm...Even if my subscap and tricep are 15mm each I'm fine...full marks there.
Bench: my 1RM is 180, which is my bodyweight...bodyweight-20 pounds gets full marks so full marks there.

Flexibility: About 20mm!!! Dammit! This is the only area I absolutely suck in! I'm stretching myself regularily and making no progress. This will get me a score of 2 out of a possible 10 points. Can you see why I need full marks in everything else? Arg!

Anyway, obviously I can pass the test at this point, which is a good feeling...now all I need to do is improve and make myself better than the competition.

It is funny that I look at regular cops and think that there is no way they would pass this physical testing. I think it should be mandatory every six months to have to pass this test...maybe something i'll be able to work on once I'm part of the force.

 

[Yanick]

Hey man,

have you done the testing yet?

 

[Preacher]

I think it should be mandatory every six months to have to pass this test

When I see those requirements, I can't help remembering the intro-scene for Men In Black,
where Will Smith and some porky cop chase an 'alien', and the porky cop has to stop and says

"<heavy breathing> ... He's all yours ... <heavy breathing>".

Or the follow-up scene:

<fat cop>: Watch it boy, I'm twice the man you are!
<Will>: Exactly!!

 

[ponyboy]

That's a classic.

Tuesday, November 26 (11 days to test date)

My test is on December 7th for those of you that are wondering...less than two weeks away and I messed up my back on the weekend lifting shutters for the cottage. It sucks sometimes being the only one in your family that can lift anything heavy. I'm stretching the crap out of it all day today.

Practiced my 100 meter sprints last night...my best time at about 90% effort (because I wasn't feeling well) was 14.67 seconds. I know I can do 14, and my goal is 13...I can get away with 13.5 but that's about it, so I need to get on that pretty quickly. I'll know better when I can do one in proper clothing and on a real track this coming weekend.

I'm taking three days off before the test so that I can go in totally rested and focused. I've been hearing from other people who know officers on the force I'm applying to and from what they are saying I have a really good shot. The written test is a formality and if you can pass the physical then they will try to get you through. I spoke to my sister last night and told her I was applying, and she was really supportive...in fact, my whole family has been...wish I could say the same about my girlfriend

 

[Preacher]

I'll know better when I can do one in proper clothing and on a real track this coming weekend

Wear spikes (-1.5 sec) + add adrenaline (-0.5 sec).
Do some plyometrics (jumps) for explosiveness.

Need a training parachute ?

 

[ponyboy]

Thursday, November 28, 2002 (9 days until testing)

Well, I got my time off...so I'm going to have three days next week to physically and mentally prepare for the test, plus on Monday I'm not working b/c I'm going to my old college to give a presentation on how wonderful corporate fitness is.

I'm starting to really get psyched. I'm very tired and bored of working here now that I have decided to move on and I'm just chomping at the bit to get this done so that I can move onto the next stage. What I'm mostly worried about is getting washed out at one of the other stages, like the interview. I have no prior experience, except for one summer of security work and bouncing for a couple of years...I'm sure they take that into consideration. Plus my credit rating sucks, which they look at as well. I'm sure they aren't going to eliminate someone based on their credit rating, though.

Did pushups yesterday and finally got to the magic number of 36! Almost killed myself doing it, and I was using regular form (hands apart from shoulders) but at least I know I can do 36 pushups. The last two were literally just adrenaline, but that's okay. I REALLY need to go for a run today and every other day up until test date now. Sprinting also needs to come every other day. Also yesterday I did 65 curl-ups with more than proper form and 16 chins with proper form. So I have those events covered, plus the bench press and the skinfold testing. This gives me 65 out of a possible 70 points for those events, plus another 40 at least for the run means I only have to get 10 out of 30 combined on sprinting and flexibility. No problem passing at all.

Will keep posting once I perform the exercises.

Spikes...never thought of that, I wonder if they're legal?