Police Officer Physical Fitness Exercise
Why is it important for police officers to engage in regular fitness? I can almost answer that entirely with a poster I once saw. The poster has a picture of an inmate lifting weights, but not just any inmate. This guy almost looks like Arnold Schwarzenegger in his prime. The poster says, “Have you missed a work out lately? This guy hasn’t.”
It’s Not Just About Strength
A police officer will always encounter physical opposition. And no the strongest man doesn’t always win. The benefits of physical fitness go beyond just strength. Muscular endurance and confidence go a long ways.
Have you ever engaged in a physical activity requiring a lot of repetitions? Your muscles eventually fill up with gas and your strength depletes. Muscular endurance counters this, allowing you to engage in activities for longer periods of time. Additionally muscles can also recover faster.
It’s Not All Physical
Stress and confidence go a long way in the police world. Stress makes anyone’s senses dull. A police officer is perhaps more viable to stress than anyone, as their adrenaline is always up and down. It’s a fact that regular fitness helps relieve and reduce stress.
Physical fitness also brings confidence. Police officers who aren’t sure of themselves, or just don’t know their limits and capabilities, are usually in danger before they even meet danger.
It’s Part of the Job
Ever watch the show COPS? The police are always chasing people. Imagine how many criminals would go free if the police couldn’t keep up?
The police don’t just need to worry about catching up to suspects and criminals either. They need to worry about what kind of shape they’re in once they arrive. Criminals have a lot at stake, and when they’re out of places to run they may take desperate actions.
The reality is that before a person is even hired as a police recruit, they must pass some sort of physical agility test. This test is designed to see if the candidate is capable of certain functions in a timely manner. But it still doesn’t stop there.
Once in the police academy physical fitness is pushed to even farther limits. Running and other fitness drills are an every day part of life. Hint, hint, it’s because police officers need to be in shape.
A police officer sucking air and bending over can’t do his job, or keep himself and his fellow officers safe.
