[quote]mixicus wrote:
From my experience at a ‘high stress’ academy in SoCal, the running and PT testing/ qualification at the academy is not a huge hurdle. An active person with a few months of training can make all the minimum numbers without issue. The more difficult issue (and it’s a mental one) is the shear amount of sets you do throughout the day outside of PT.
As for running at the academy and a good starting program, check out the “couch to 5K” program on the Cool Running website. Also save yourself some pain, head for a runners shoe store (not Dick’s or Big 5) and have them find the right shoe for you. It will cost a bit more but it’s worth it.
At the academy, we only hit the weight room a few times and there were no quals on any lifts so save the weights for after graduation. Focus your prep workouts on basic body weight exercises (push-ups, sit-ups, squat thrusts/burpees, mountian climbers, pull-ups and running) with the idea of multiple sets of 25 reps (except for pull-ups). Oh…and they are back-to-back sets meaning 25 push-ups, 25 squat thrusts, 25 mountain climbers, 25 sit-ups…repeat with ~10 second breaks between sets.
Another suggestion, is to head for a boxing or muay thai gym. The conditioning aspect is outstanding and you can develop some cross over skills along the way (i.e. hitting things). Don’t be too concerned if the most accesible place to you isn’t a MMA hotbed so long as it isn’t KardioKickboxing or whatever your gym is calling the aerobics class. An LA Boxing gym would do you fine.
As a reality check, the following are fitness level recommendations from several PD’s for beginning the police academy. The information is taken from the last week of their recommended pre-academy workout programs.
The details and the complete prep programs at the listed websites provided (should still be current). If you use the Seal Prep (a great prep program) program you can skip the swimming portion.
As an additional check point, values for the FBI’s PFT minimum and maximum points (male) are listed. The complete protocols and scoring table can be found at the listed website.
LAPD
(http://www.lacity.org/...b/lapd_tips.htm )
Run 4 miles @ 9-10 minutes per mile, 3-4 days/week
Push-ups 25-30 reps x 3 sets
Sit-ups 35-40 reps x 3 sets
Pull-ups 3-15 reps x 3 sets
Leg-lifts 25-35 reps x 3 sets
Las Vegas Metro PD
(http://www.protectthecity.com/...90DayPTPlan.pdf )
Run 3.5 miles @ 9:40 per mile, 4 days/week
Incline Push ups/ Push ups 25 reps x 3 sets
Flutter Kicks 3 sets at 45 seconds/set
Sit Ups 15 reps x 3 sets
Crunches 25 reps x 3 sets
Jumping Jacks 25 reps x 3 sets
Mountain Climbers 25 reps x 3 sets
Body Builders 25 reps x 3 sets
Costa Mesa PD(http://www.ci.costaesa.ca.us/...xpectations.htm )
Run 3 miles @ 9 minutes per mile, 3 days/week
Push-ups 50 reps
Sit-ups 50 reps
Pull-ups 4 reps
FBI PFT
(http://www.fbijobs.gov/1113.as… )
Push-ups 30/58
Sit-ups 38/71
1.5 Mile Run 12:24/8:89
300m Sprint 52.4/40.9
Values listed as min/max. Run and sprint values are minutes:seconds
SEAL PREP
(from Category 1 Wk 9 at http://navyseal.s5.com/workout… )
Run @ 8:30 pace for: Mon 4 miles, Tues 4 miles, Thursday 5 miles, Friday 3 miles
Push-ups 30 reps x 6 sets
Sit-ups 30 reps x 6 sets
Pull-ups 10 reps x 3 sets [/quote]
Excellent advice. I steer many new trainees to navyseal.com. They have some great running programs.
lol.