Staying in shape is going to be very important as an officer of the law. If you are not physically fit, then many aspects of the job will become more difficult. Read on to examine more about proper law enforcement fitness. If you need to make improvements to your fitness routine, then you’ll be able to do so and it’ll have a positive impact on your police work.
Strength
Being physically stronger will aid your police work significantly. There are times when officers will have to subdue criminals and you might also have to fight when suspects resist arrest. Being stronger will make it easier to accomplish certain tasks and you should improve your strength conditioning by lifting weights. Bodyweight exercises such as push-ups and pull-ups can help you to become stronger as well.
Endurance
Endurance is crucial when you’re trying to work long days. You also need to have good cardiovascular conditioning if you’re going to be running after criminals. Working on cardiovascular exercises will help to improve your endurance over time. You should try to regularly perform exercises such as running, biking, and swimming.
Flexibility
Flexibility will ensure that you’re capable of performing properly when needed. If you aren’t very flexible, then you could easily get injured on the job. Work on stretching exercises to keep your hamstrings and other areas from being too tight. There are many exercises that can improve joint and muscle flexibility over time.
Balance
Balance is more important for police officers than you might realize. You want to be able to chase suspects if necessary but you won’t get very far if your balance isn’t good. Working on balancing exercises can help you to maintain your footing during chases. This is worth spending some time on in addition to the other fitness areas that have been mentioned.
Agility
Your overall agility can be improved with certain training techniques. Think about basketball drills where you need to change directions rapidly. Being more agile will allow you to move freely while performing police work and this could be just as important as balance. Improving your speed is a good idea as well but agility is important when you want to be able to put that speed to good use.