Fitness Training Principles

Exercise Guidelines

• All New Jersey State Police Division members should uphold the standards in S.O.P. C20, which describes the Physical Fitness Program
• It is an organizational responsibility for members to be physically fit because their duties are physically demanding and serious
• Members should develop and maintain personal habits and lifestyles suited to meet the rigors of police work
• Proper exercise and diet are critical for performing job functions competently
• Pre-Entrance Applicants who have not met the requirements of S.O.P C20 will get the material from the State Police Academy
• Material includes recommendations to assist in meeting physical fitness standards

Exercise Program Information

• It is imperative to have a working knowledge of exercise principles before starting an exercise prescription
• The provided guidelines are basic, but beneficial to applicants who closely follow them
• Foundation of a program relies upon the FITT Principle (Frequency, Intensity, Time, and Type)
• Frequency refers to how many days per week an individual should workout
• Intensity refers to how hard an individual should work out and their perceived exertion level
• Time refers to how long an individual should work out, answering if an easier/longer workout is better
• Type refers to whether an individual should participate in several activities instead of just one

Frequency

• Workout sessions should be done a minimum of three days per week
• Alternating rest days are recommended
• It is possible to increase workouts up to 6 days per week
• This frequency would allow for advanced progression and development
• There must be a safe and logical progression to meet a targeted goal
• A safe increase in aerobic training distance or time is 10% per week
• For example, if one runs for 20 minutes each workout day in Week One, then Week Two should be limited to 22 minutes of aerobic training at the same intensity level
• If one runs 2 miles each workout day in Week One, then Week Two should be limited to an increased distance of .2 miles, for a total distance of 2.2 miles during the second week of training
• Aerobic workouts for 3-5 days per week is ideal, alternating days with days of rest

Intensity

• Aerobic training involves maximizing oxygen consumption, which is predicated on the body's ability to increase heart rate
• Elevated heart rate training increases oxygen consumption, which is why benefiting aerobically requires continuous exercise at a strenuous rate
• This can be accomplished with a heart rate monitor
• Recommended to maintain a training heart rate level of 60% to 85% of one's predicted maximum heart rate
• The training heart rate level is determined by a formula that uses age
• It is important to keep a training heart rate of 70% to 90% to attain improvement
• Depends on an individual's current fitness level
• Appropriate training heart rate can be determined by subtracting ½ of one's age from 205, then multiplying that number by the intended percentage of heart rate
• Appropriate training heart and level is dependent on workout duration
• The higher the training heart rate level, the more beneficial and productive the workout
• Higher THR will increase the likelihood of fatigue, which may shorten work
• Muscular endurance training must follow a logical progression based on the Physical Fitness Assessment Test
• Overload and progression will allow for improvement, if done safely and correctly
• Entrance level muscular endurance training requires 3 to 5 days a week of exercise
• Muscular endurance is repetitions of an exercise over time, which can be accomplished in 3-5 sets of repetitions with no more than 2 minutes of rest in between sets
• The number of repetitions per set should be 70% of the total of successfully completed sit-ups or push-ups during testing
• If 20 push-ups are successfully completed during testing, 14 would be the number of repetitions to perform during the workout routine
• It should be a maximal effort to complete the last 2-3 reps of the set
• If it is not a maximal effort, increase the number of reps while ensuring technique and range of motion are not altered

Time

• Length of time should not be confused with distance
• A minimum of 30 minutes at a desired training heart rate is needed to produce an aerobic training benefit
• This minimally includes a stretch, warm up, or cool down phase of the workout
• The workout should be continuous for 30 to 50 minutes per training day
• Once a level of endurance is established, intensity can be increased to produce speed and meet the intended/desired standard
• This includes interval training, sprints of varying durations, and threshold training
• The principle of time is directly related to aerobic training when applied to the 1.5-mile run

Type

• Participation in alternative activities (biking, swimming, running, and cardiovascular machinery) is permitted, and sometimes encouraged, to alleviate monotony
• The body is very exercise specific
• An attempt should be made ​​to select one of the physical fitness cardiovascular endurance tests offered by S.O.P. C20, and workout with that same exercise. Therefore, runners run, swimmers swim, bikers utilize a stationary bike
• Participation in a running/jogging/walking program is strongly recommended
• This may also be applied to the timed push-ups and sit-ups

Stretching

• Engage in light activity to warm up prior to any workout
• Cool down upon workout completion
• Stretching should be performed prior to the workout to enhance performance
• Stretching should be performed after the workout to reduce injury potential

How To Stretch

• Stretching is a relaxed, sustained stretch with attention on the muscles being stretched
• Wrong ways to stretch include bouncing up and down, or stretching to the point of pain
• Correct and regular stretching will make every movement that an individual makes easier
• It will take time to loosen muscles/muscle groups; time is quickly forgotten when you start to feel good

Types of Stretching

• When beginning a stretch, easy stretching should be done from 10-30 seconds without bouncing
• Mild tension should be felt, and you should relax as holding the stretch
• The feeling of tension should subside as you hold the position
• If there is still tension, one must ease off slightly and find a degree of tension that is comfortable
• Easy stretching reduces muscular tightness and readies the tissues for the developmental stretch
• After the easy stretch, move slowly into the developmental stretch without any bouncing
• Mild tension should be felt again and held for 10-30 seconds, in control
• Tension should diminish again and you must ease off slightly if that is not the case
• Development stretching finely tunes the muscles and increases flexibility
• Breathing should be slow, rhythmic and under control
• Exhale as you bend forward during a stretch, then breathe slowly as you hold the stretch
• Avoid breath holding while stretching
• If a stretch position inhibits natural breathing pattern, then one is obviously not relaxed
• Ease up on the stretch so you can breathe naturally
• At first, silently count seconds for each stretch, ensuring that appropriate tension is being maintained for a long enough time
• After a while, stretching can be done by the way it feels instead, without counting
• Stretch Reflex is a mechanism that protects muscles
• a nerve reflex will respond by sending a signal to muscles to contact to keep muscles from injury

Body Mass Index (BMI)/Body Composition Analysis

• Calculating the BMI is one of the best methods for population assessment of overweight and obesity
• It is low cost and easy to use for clinicians and for the general public
• The use of BMI allows people to compare their own weight status to the general population
• Height, weight, and the BMI formula are the only information required to calculate someone's BMI
• BMI is weight in pounds multiplied by 703 then divided by height in inches squared

Table of BMI Ratings

• Underweight is a BMI below 18.5
• Normal is a BMI from 18.5-24.9
• Overweight is a BMI from 25.0-29.9
• Obese is a BMI of 30.0 and above
• BMI is one of many factors to assesing risks for chronic diseases like heart disease, cancer, or diabetes
• Other important factors diet, physical activity, waist circumference, blood pressure, blood sugar level, cholesterol level and family history of disease
• All persons wanting to make a change should seek the help of a doctor
• BMI correlates with body fat, though the relation changes with age and gender
• Physical activity and good nutrition are key factors to lead a healthy lifestyle and reducing disease risk
• Height and weight will be recorded at one's first PEPP visit
• Those measurements determine the individual's BMI
• Individuals with a BMI greater than 25.0 are considered overweight and will be given a body composition analysis utilizing skin calipers
• Male applicants with a body composition over 20% and female applicants with a body composition over 26% will be placed in the Body Composition Reduction & Wellness Improvement Program as part of PEPP
• Percentages are based on standards for body composition from the current Division of State Police
• The body composition Reduction & Wellness Improvement Program identifies, educates, and motivates at-risk individuals because of their BMI and Body Composition Analysis
• This program consists of weekly weight monitoring and a food diary, which helps gauge one's dedication to improving themselves, ensuring a healthy a safe weight-loss rate

Stretching Tips

• Stop and re-stretch if feeling tightness while running
• Important to stretch after running to avoid shortening muscle
• Individuals should not run with cold legs
• Avoid hyper or over-extending muscles
• Avoid stretching if there's a sharp pull or tear, as that may be a torn/ruptured muscle
• Avoid rushing through a stretch

Example Stretches

• Calf Raise Stretch done by raising your heels and feeling the stretch in your calve muscles
• Ankle and Knee Circles done by standing with feet together, bending slightly, rotation knees
• Sumo Squat Hold is done by squatting and flaring your knees out pressing your elbows against inside theighs
• Quad Stretch is done by holding your leg behind you up to your butt
• Standing Toe Touches is done be touching your toes with straight legs letting your arms hang
• High Knee Hugs is done by hugging your knee to your chest
• Side to Side Lunges is done by lunging to the side
• Kneeling Hip Flexors is done while kneeling so you feel a stretch in your hip
• Torso Twist is done by Twisting at the waist
• Cross Body Shoulder Stretch is done by pulling your arm across the body until you feel a stretch

Improving Push-Ups and Sit-Ups

• Purpose is to introduce ways/techniques to improve push-up and sit-up performance
• Involves doing exercises plus identifying the benefits
• FITT principle describes various aspects
• If you are overloading and following the principle of progression, then training sessions should be limited to 3-4 times a week with rest days in between to recover muscles
• Many Recruits may do a certain number of push-ups and sit-ups daily, point is that the body adapts to the stresses placed on it
• A job lifting parts will cause muscles involved to adapt, but muscular strength will not continue to increase substantially, to prevent it you must overload the muscles to work harder
• If this amount of hard work is done the muscles might need rest
• Intensity should be monitored by manipulating sets, rest between sets, and repetitions
• The most amount of push-ups you can do as a maximum is an important factor
• It should be a logical approach to gradually increase the sets and repetitions to meet the goals if you are working on both, the same type of workout may be best to be tested
• FITT example describes one for recruits, which could increase the the the effort intensity is what is the goal

Push-Ups and Sit-Ups Continued

• It's important to discomfort is associated with intensity and overloading
• Discomfort is the more the workout happens so long as you do it in discomfort
• Slower progressions can cause less discomfort and over time result in progression
• Minute push-up improvements are also done through various types of activities and different exercises
• There are notes are given based on exercises, sets and how to make the muscles additional rest can recovery
• The types of push-ups and sit-ups to do come in many forms to develop more regular forms of supporting musculature

Sample Exercise

• Goal is set up so to find the final rest that the overall workout would take with the exercises prescribed
• Training, should however, include a variety of types of better overall development
• The various types of sit-ups develop different portions of the abdominal musculature, the hip and flexor, must be the ones to use
• Types of sit-ups and other types of exercise, is good to use additional ways of improving the resistance

Program

• There are sample push-up workout programs which increase goal and volume over a time of push-ups
• There are pre employment physical week to week programs setup to show progress between push-ups and the different styles and minutes
• To the 6 weeks. To change the routine
• There are sample exercise for lactate to be built during intense endurance events

Other Important points

• If you have difficulty, there may be a need for an outside swimming instructor entering the academy
• There are different things that do while doing certain things like Physical Training -Self-Defense Procedures
• Do not laugh, talk or loathe side perform the exercise
• You must be able to breath or hold the exercise

Safety

• Certain rules of the activity and authorized things you can do
• In order to be safe must take all things into consideration,
• Certain thing you need to keep in mind the self defense
• The Physical Gear Should be ready and prepared prior to the activity

Training Basic Procedure

• For these trainings you should work at and try to maintain from 17-18 and all four

Principles for effective aerobic and cardiovascular training, including heart rate guidelines, exercise type specificity, and stretching techniques. Focus on time, endurance, speed enhancement and avoiding bouncing.