How intense is Physical Training in the academy?

[Christophur]

The 2 mile record at my high school is I think about 10 to 11 minutes. Some of these kids are crazy with how they condition.

[Samuel]

I am hardly an athlete...

Ok, I vote THAT comment to be the understatement of the year on RP...

[Samuel]

I can run a mile and a half in 8 minutes (that's with no training before hand) and I regularly go to the gym, and am in great shape. What are most requirements for the physical training? If you need location, in the Ohio/West Virginia area.

The requirements will vary from area to area, agency to agency. Check your local departments/academies. IF you can run a mile and a half in 8 minutes, I will go out on a limb and say that you will have NO problem with the running portion of the academy.

That being said, in this line of work, you need to be able to Run, Fight, and Shoot - sometimes all three during the same incident. IMO, "Functional strength" and "fight conditioning" is what you should be striving for as far as the Conditioning aspect of a physical altercation is concerned. Also, you're Not going to be wearing the ideal attire/equipment or running on a nice spongy track when you run "for real"...

[Safety Steve]

Don't let Switch fool ya Greggles! He ran college track and was competitive! He is an athlete. While in the academy, we had three guys (all in their mid 20's) run in the 8's for their mile and a half. I was 5th in the class of 80 something recruits and my time was 9:18. I assisted someone on the PT test last week and ran a 10:30 (it hurt also).

To lower your time, you have to train correctly and do core work.


Be Safe.

[Cat_Doc]

I ran till I puked. Several times.

[Switchback]

I WAS a bit of an athlete, but those days are long behind me.

Adding to what samuel said, I would like to pass on what I have told several co-workers. It first came up when a buddy told me how he could bench 300 lbs (this is back when I thought that that was a lot of weight ). This same guy was at risk of a heart attack when running more than 50 yards. I asked him what good having a lot of fight in you is if you cannot get to the fight. Conversely, there is no benefit in getting to the fight if you can can do the job when you are there. This job is all about balance.

...which brings me to cross-fit.
(I couldn't resist)

[greg72982]

...which brings me to cross-fit.
(I couldn't resist)

I'm beginning to think you are on their payroll.

I strongly believe some people just have a body makeup that allows them to distance run so well or bodybuild. For example I have very long arms and legs and don't see me ever being the size of an NFL linebacker based on my body structure. In addition distance running was never one of my strengths.

The guy in the academy with me that ran the 1.5 mile consistently with those times and drank like a fish every night (It always smelled good at 6am on PT mornings). Had I done that I wouldnt have been able to run 50 feet.

[Adrenolize]

My all time best was 3 miles in 19:17. I was 19. Now my best times are mid 10 min 1.5 miles. Only, I couldn't do that after heavy pushups/ situps. It dropped to an abysmal 12 min +. So, I started doing Crossfit. Now I'm training for the academy in the AM and doing the Crossfit Gym thing at night. I don't think I will have a problem.

I have to give credit to Crossfit. Not only will it get you ready (Fight Gone Bad ) but it is very good at getting you to and past the sick feeling when working out. Before I would brush on this and stop, now I know to expect it and how to deal with it. That will be priceless going to the academy...which is now based on Crossfit and Tabata Intervals.