Strength Training For Cops

Training Powerlifting
21

[quote]ZEB wrote:

When they are not running they are doing a circut style lifting regime (sometimes mixed with running. It’s still centered around cardio training. In addition to that their focus on skilled Gymnastics movements are simply not needed, especially for stree cops.
[/quote]

Yes and no. The WOD can be tweaked; lots of guys who share your concerns up the weights and do the WOD as a strength workout. A bunch of CrossFit’s couplet workouts look just like Charles Staley’s EDT sessions, only with more athletic exercises than the ones generally prescribed to bodybuilders.

Moreover, the WOD is not CrossFit. The CrossFit guys encourage incorporation of strength elements into the warm-up as the athlete’s GPP permits this. They do ring routines with or without jumpstretch assistance, joint mobility routines, practice any weak point that needs to be brought up. I imagine many ex-powerlifters or ex-O-lifters do some singles pre-workout; that’s certainly what I do when I go back to a more CrossFittish format. This extra practice is sustainable because once you’re in shape for CrossFit, you blaze through the WOD fast, usually under twenty minutes. I do ‘Grace’ - 30 reps 135-pound Clean-and-Jerk - every Friday morning, and feel refreshed, because my ‘workout’ is over in well under ten minutes.

Regarding the gymnastics - I would be the first to agree that they’re just pretty human tricks if I hadn’t met so many gymnasts and ex-gymnasts who were so fit. The sport develops the body in a way that many methods of training don’t - ballistic exercises to develop ligaments, tendons etcetera, tumbling to develop awareness of where the body is in space, and strength moves that force you to cultivate the ability to produce extreme levels of muscle tension. Gymnastics was a part of physical culture for a long time for a reason, and it’s a shame that it isn’t always regarded as essential for GPP today.

22

Ross:

Yes, once you “tweak” something you have changed it! If you want to change crossfit then I’m sure that you can imporve it. As it stands it trys to be, as I stated, “everything to everyone.” If you want to pull out the parts that are applicable to training a street cop then I am sure that it will work. Crossfit does deadlifts…so hey that will work.

Let’s remember who began this thread and why, shall we? For example, no one ever said that Gymnastic movements were not good. In fact, I said that I admire Gymnasts. However, what does that have to do (realistically) with training street cops? Nada my friend!

Which is better for street cops, to be able to do a fancy balance beam routine, or to have the strength and power to squat double body weight for reps? “Tumbling to develop the awareness of the body” as you put it, or the strength and power to perform ten dead hang Pull-ups with 50lbs. on your back? Which cop do you want grabbing the bad guy as he comes in your door, a 220lb. officer who has strength and power to spare, or a 160lb. officer who can do a back flip. All Jet Li movies aside, I know who I want!

Look Ross, you are obviously a crossfitter so I say great! Go do your crossfitting. I think it’s great that you are training, and obviously enjoying it. However, my main point is that for a street cop it’s not the best way to train.

In fact, as a side note, why would anyone need one system that fits everyone? If this site (T-Nation) has proved anything, it has proven that “one size does not fit all.” The good part is it doesn’t have to. Take a look at all of the great routines on the search engine. Some are as different as night and day. Why? Because it’s all about what “fits” you!

Hey, it’s all good! In fact in a perfect world where you have all the time you need and no real world responsiblities you become an expert Gymnast and also a pro with the weights.

However, in the real world when you are a Police Officer and you must rely upon your own two hands in certain situations, in my opinion crossfit is out and hardcore barbell/dumbbell training is in!

(By the way go on over to the crossfit site, if you have not yet been there, and take a look at the group photos. That will pretty much point out what I am talking about. With darn few exceptions most look like a strong wind could blow them over).

23

ZEB,

I don’t think that I ought to have to restate this, but I looks like I must: I am not making any claims about LEO training since I don’t have any experience in the field. Off-topic is where good threads happen.

In regard to modifying the WOD; the coach who founded CrossFit and designed the WOD has said himself that the WOD is an example of CrossFit methods, not CrossFit itself. The things you would probably have qualms about - lots of high-rep, lower intensity exercises, lots of regular stress on the cardiovascular system, and so on - those things bother me, too, although the founders of the program have good reasons for them.

But to my mind these aspects are peripheral. The core of CrossFit, to my mind at least, is constituted by the immense variety of the program, the regular inclusion of circuits for conditioning, and the policy of selecting the exercises on the program from Olympic Weightlifting and Gymnastics, and the policy of doing intense, abbreviated anaerobic and aerobic exercise for conditioning rather than long-steady state cardio.

24

Ross:

I think I get the idea where you are coming from. Thanks for taking the time to explain it to me again however.

Since we are restating, I’ll do the same briefly:

  1. Crossfit is to centered around Gymnastic moves. It’s founder is a former Gymastics Coach.

  2. Crossfits methodologies (the WOD) are to “circut orientated” and will burn off muscle fast, in most people.

  3. Crossfit WOD are to intense for most people to stick with over a long period of time.

  4. Crossfit is not a good system for street cops as they need size and short bursts of explosive power for the most part.

Again, I thank you for your time we just happen to disagree on this.

Take Care,

Zeb

25

Why don’t the two of you start a new thread, this is kind of ridiculous.

RIT Jared

26

[quote]RIT Jared wrote:
Why don’t the two of you start a new thread, this is kind of ridiculous.

RIT Jared[/quote]

What’s ridiculous? We were simply having a discussion regarding the merits of crossfit relative to training Police Officers.

27

[quote]ZEB wrote:

Again, I thank you for your time we just happen to disagree on this.

Take Care,

Zeb

[/quote]

In the interest of RIT’s attention span, I think that we can agree to disagree.

Sincerely,

Ross Hunt

28

Kev,

I’m on the job in Jersey, 15 years. Waterbury’s TBT works great for me. Too many of the guys I work with don’t pay enough attention to nutrition, and neither did I until recently. Especially if you are assigned to a night tour, you have to bring your own healty snacks (Protien Shakes, fruit, etc.) Where I work, the only thing open at night is Dunkin Donuts and a few greasy spoon diners.

Stay safe,

Rich

29

All my training is geared to your exact concerns when I first started as a Deputy Sheriff. Basically the guidelines I would recommend are the following:

  1. Weight training should be limited to compound movements only (except for some specialized training, more on that later). That would include, Squats, Deadlifts, Glute-Hams, Bench Press (I prefer dumbbells), Pull-ups/Chin-ups, Dips, etc.

Employ the 5X5 system to emphasize strength, despite what some believe, you will gain some bulk doing 5X5s (and size does matter in a fight!)

If you have access to, use thick handle (2" diameter) barbells and dumbbells.

  1. Learn and include Olympic lifts (Snatch, Clean & Jerk) for strength-speed.

  2. Incorporate some Plyometrics (don’t over do it) for developing explosive power.

  3. Look to strongman exercises for ideas. Get yourself a beer keg and partially fill it with water for “live weight” training (I like performing Clean & Presses with my keg).

  4. For cardio, do High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). 30-seconds all-out, immediately followed by 30-seconds “active rest”. That’s one 1-minute round, strive for a minimum of 15-minutes/rounds. I like doing it on the heavy bag (great for practicing your defense tactics too).

  5. Do Wind Sprints for your GPP (or sprint for your HIIT).

  6. Specialized weight training I mentioned earlier would be developing your grip, neck, and of course, your abs (I prefer Janda Sit-ups and Russian Twists).

You definitely don’t want to neglect nutrition, and periodizing your training. Hope this gave you some ideas.

30

Krunch:

What do you think of sandbag work? I filled four different sized bags with sand. They ranged from only 75lbs. to as high as 150lbs.

Perhaps better than the keg because you can actually sink your hands into this type of moving object.

What do you think?

31

[quote]ZEB wrote:
Krunch:

What do you think of sandbag work? I filled four different sized bags with sand. They ranged from only 75lbs. to as high as 150lbs.

Perhaps better than the keg because you can actually sink your hands into this type of moving object.

What do you think?
[/quote]

Hi Zeb,
What did you use to make a 175lb sand bag?

I have made a few smaller ones but to get anythign heavy I had to put them in a duffel bag. Just didn’t feel the same as one big bag.

Thanks.

32

You misread that, I typed “75lb.” sandbag.

33

[quote]ZEB wrote:
Krunch:

What do you think of sandbag work? I filled four different sized bags with sand. They ranged from only 75lbs. to as high as 150lbs.

Perhaps better than the keg because you can actually sink your hands into this type of moving object.

What do you think?
[/quote]

Oh yeh! Sandbag work is awesome “live weight” training! On par, if not better than water barrels/kegs. With the shifting weight and fighting this “blob”, it makes it seem twice as much weight than it actually is. Sandbags seem to have a mind of their own.

But unlike a solid container, I think it’s best to scrap any attempts of structured lifts like C&J, and just lift the damn sandbag anyway you can … to the shoulder; overhead; bear hug it, and carry it for distance; etc.

Great suggestion, ZEB.

34

Krunch:

I think you are dead on with your comment about the sandbag feeling about twice as heavy as a barbell.

35

this is great thanks…so anymore Ideas thanks all

36

This is going to be a longer post but its based on my 7 years as a cop and what I personally have seen in that time, also as a cop who follows crossfit. I love crossfit. I personally have never puked but have learned a lot about mental strength which is needed to complete the workouts. Most cops follow more “traditional” routines, isolating muscles and getting bigger. Problem is that bigger is not better all the time as a cop. Harder to get out of a car quick, harder to run, jump a fence, and remember a patrol officers gear can add 30 lbs to his weight, for me that’s almost 1/6th of my BW. These same officers are the ones that seem to get hurt the most. Hurting their backs, blowing out their knees and shoulders. They seem to be less flexible which can matter when you are fighting someone. On the matter of size and intimidation, someone who really doesn’t want to go with you or who is drunk or high is going to fight, regardless of how big you are. Finally in a fight, a real fight, size is only one part of it. When I say real fight I don’t mean a refereed MMA fight or boxing match or fist fight with a drunk I mean a fight where the other guy may very well kill you, where there are ZERO RULES and no one to break it up. Things like flexibility, endurance, and mental toughness do matter and can offset an advantage based soley on size.
Just my 2 cents and thanks for reading it.

37

ZEB, I have been doing the crossfit workout of the day for a year and a half (3 days on 1 day off). I am also a cop and have been for 16 years. I was a team leader on a very high speed, full time, swat team. I now run a squad of 7 detectives in an urban area. I weigh 200 lbs and have approx 8 to 10% bodyfat. I also fight thai boxing, western boxing, shoot. I’m 42 years old. Over the year and a half, I have not lost any muscle, my deadlift, snatch, clean and jerk,and pullup # have gone up, my bench has decreased by 15 lbs. Short term muscular endurance and LSD endurance has skyrocketed. I have participated in well over 300 high rick search warrants, wrestled with countless bad guys, and intimidated a few people here and there; for what it’s worth Crossfit is my program and will continue to be my program of choice. Don’t tell me what it should do, or may do, I could tell you from experience what it does do. Ask Dan John what he thinks of Crossfit, I think you will find he is a supporter.

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I am a cop. Use the search option and check out COPLAND. Great article.

39

some great ideas here FWIW ll add my 2 cents

1-train bjj and boxing
2-get a sandbag and do full body lifts:
overhead squat, shoulder carry, clean and press
3-read mike mahlers high octane cardio at T-Mag

40

ZEB, are you a cop?? If not you are kind of misleading people as to how a cop should train because you have no background or experience in the field. Just an unsupported opinion. It would be like me trying to tell someone how to do Olympic lifts or how to train to compete as a bodybuilder, I don’t do either one therefore I leave that advice to those who are more experienced in it.