Police Officer Preparation & Law Enforcement Resource - Archive

Hello All!

I'm new to this forum, I ran across it in a search to find suggestions on how to improve on my sit ups for an Agility test.

I am 22 year old female. I currently weigh 160 lbs (after two children, my youngest is almost a year old), I'm trying to get back into shape as I type all this. I am making a goal of 40 lbs between now and May 31st 2008.

I just applied to become a police officer here in Maryland, I know the process takes time (but the county I live in is hard up for officers), and in that time I plan on losing some weight, and getting ready for the agility test. I'm really only worried about the sit-ups and the run.

For my age I am only required to do 32 sit-ups, but I want to be able to crank out 50+ sit-ups to show that I'm dedicated, hard working, and physically able to do anything a man can do (I'm very strong for a woman, but I've been out of shape for almost 19 months, due to pregnancy and caring for both of my kids).

For the 1.5 mile run it must be done in 15 minutes and 26 seconds or less. I haven't run in about 5 years, but I was for a while after my daughters birth going to the gym 3 times a week, and jogging or briskly walking around the track, un-timed of course. When I worked I could walk the 1 mile (length of the Airport that I was working in) in approx. 10 minutes, and thats on a crowded day, while dodging people. But its been almost 1 1/2 years since I quit that job, due to a complicated pregnancy, which drained my potassium levels and caused some of muscles to shut down.

For the bench pressing, I'm not too worried about it. I can lift both of my kids (one in each arm of course) at once, and carry them up 4 flights of stairs (approx 26 stairs, total), and my children are 37 lbs and 25 lbs. But in school, I could bench press 100 lbs, without a problem. I've always been this rough tough tomboy kinda gal.

So I really want to pass the agility test, although I haven't even heard from the PD yet (I applied like 4 nights ago) ... I just want to make sure I can do it if I get the phone call for an interview.
Plus it will work me hard enough to get me to lose some of this weight, I want to be a very healthy person.

So if anyone has any tips or anything to give to me please post them. I can use all the help I can get at the moment!

Thanks,
Vicky

Physical Agility tests are pass / fail. Typically , the people who monitor them , aren't the people who hire you. You either pass or you fail. Nobody will recall that you are the person " who did 18 more situps than required".

It would be nice if you did a little more than the minimum but doing 50 when you only need to do 32 isn't that great of an idea and you risk pulling a muscle or something else that may cause you to not finish.

This happened twice during our last testing.

You should acheive a fitness level that is above what is the required minimum but you don't need to be an Olympic Triathalete.

First off I would try to do the test in the order that you would have to do it for the entrance exam. Talk to someone that is a cop and ask about the entrance. Some places require you to wear certain clothing and require a specific order of taking the test. Usually it's the bench press, sit-ups then push ups then the run. Try it in the order they do it there and see where you are lacking, if anywhere. If you are slow/low in an area, work a little harder in that area but continue to work on everything - it's only gonna make you better. If everything is where it needs to be just get into an all body workout.

If there is something specific you need help with, just say so. In terms of all around health - keep an eye on your sugar and fat intake (keep those low), keep your protein intake high and drink lots of water.

Good luck.