Police Officer Preparation & Law Enforcement Resource - Archive

Hey everyone,

After finally reaching my goal time for my 5k run (or 3.1 miles) of 30:00 I've decided to invest in a weighted belt to run with to simulate a gun belt. However I've recently come across weighted vests as well, which would appear to be more ergonomic. Both come in 20lbs, which is the average weight for a gun belt I'm assuming? If any of you have experience with either of these and would care to share your experiences I would be greatly obliged!

I wouldn't bother. As far as I know, you don't do your fit test in duty gear. The belt has too much potential for injury. Having had to run with weighted ruck-sacks and full duty gear, you may be surprised at the friction sores that you can get. Not to mention, you have to really be careful rapicly introducing that kind of weight into a training regiment of longer running.

I think you would be far better served by modifying your current running program. I would work in sprints (great for cardio and fast muscle twitch), ladders (200m, 400m, 800m, 1600m, 800, 400m, 200m... all run at an accelerated rate with rest in between), and sprinkle in a long, slow day (run non-stop for 60min at a pace where you could hold a conversation with someone).

Train smarter.

Switch,
I'll agree with you on the train smarter; however there are several depts. that the fit test is in a weighted "mock" duty belt and vest. Looking at euphoricdysphoria's location, I don't know if that is one of them. Most of the ones I know of are down in Arkansas (and a friend just went through one in Tennessee) where they are getting away from the push/sit/run testing and going to a type of testing to put a person's body through the actual physical demands of the job. I.E. running up and down stairs, jumping walls, dead Fred drags, shuttle runs and at the end dry-firing a pistol so many times.


euphoricdysphoria,
Switch is right, alter you workout. I wouldn't add a weighted belt either. You stand the chance of doing more harm to yourself than good. It can be bad enough wearing the gear in a patrol vehicle for 8-12 hours a day, let alone even attempting to workout in the bat-belt (not that I have any desire to do so).

I'm impressed with your attention to detail! Actually the RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) do require cadets to train with a weighted belt but I'm opting for the LVMPD (Las Vegas Metro) I believe that cadets do wear duty belts during the academy but if it's all the time or not I don't know. I think i'll take switchback's advice and opt out of it, saving myself 150 bucks anyways :D Thank's for the info on the sprinting excercise!