Physical | Body Armor Wellness

Physical Wellness

Physical fitness. It is an essential element in our law enforcement careers. At its core, if a police officer is unable to physically overcome a combative or resistant subject, that officer may very well lose their life or become permanently and seriously injured. That, simply put, is unacceptable. It has been argued that police officers should consider themselves as elite athletes. Why? Because our bodies need to be prepared to accept and then handle the adrenaline dump and heart rate hike and muscle contractions and more that occurs when we jump out of that cruiser to initiate a foot pursuit of a fleeing suspect, or enter a house where a violent domestic assault is occurring, or race as fast as we can down city streets to the "officer down" call for help.

According to recent health studies, as the general public, we sit too much. Over 293 hours a year. But we're not the general public. We drive. A lot. A researcher reports, "Metabolism slows down 90 percent after 30 minutes of sitting. The enzymes that move the bad fat from your arteries to your muscles, where it can get burned off, slow down. The muscles in your lower body are turned off. And after two hours, good cholesterol drops 20 percent. Just getting up for five minutes is going to get things going again.”

In this section, you will find information as well as motivation to get up and move. The police station has available fitness equipment where employees can utilize on-duty time to workout, local gyms offer discounted membership, and officers on staff are certified fitness instructors or personal trainers.

help and information

CrossFit. CrossFit is constantly varied functional movements performed at high intensity. These movements reflect the best aspects of gymnastics, weightlifting, running, rowing and more. Crossfit works on core elements. The more work you do in less time or the higher the power output, the more intense the effort. By employing a constantly varied approach to training, functional movements and intensity lead to dramatic gains in fitness. CrossFit also has a website dedicated for law enforcement. Find it here.

ROMWOD. ROMWOD is about optimizing your range of motion. Thousands of athletes worldwide incorporate ROMWOD into their daily workout routine. We're all about you moving better. Ass in the grass, 3 rings higher, and just one step better than yesterday. But before the bending of the bars and the clank of metal, we're about hearing your breath and resetting the body. Before the PR's and the faster times, we're about taking time to get stronger and faster...by slowing down.

Couch to 5K. Too many people have been turned off of running simply by trying to start off too fast. Their bodies rebel and they wind up miserable, wondering why anyone would possibly want to do this to themselves. You should ease into your running program gradually. In fact, the beginners' program that is outline here is less of a running regimen than a walking and jogging program. The idea is to transform you from couch potato to runner, getting you running three miles (or 5K) on a regular basis in just two months.

Health.gov. Health.gov is a website administered by The Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP) tat hosts a wealth of information including dietary and physical activities guidelines. The ODPHP plays a vital role in keeping the Nation healthy. They accomplish this by setting national health goals and objectives and supporting programs, services, and education activities that improve the health of all Americans.

American Heart Association (AHA). Staying active is one of the most important things a person can do to help curb obesity, lower your chances of heart disease and live healthy. The AHA is working to help kids, families and communities live heart-healthy lives. Use this physical activity information to help you and your family get active and stay active, for life.