The first posting showed how the USMC has embraced the Crossfit philosophy and realizes its full potential. Part 2 was going to be on the 10 components of physical fitness but I’m going to save that for part 3. This is on how Police/Fire service should train to higher physical standard but often do not. I write this portion from experience, 17 years in Law Enforcement and 11 years in SWAT (Special Weapons an Tactics). In the state of Michigan there is no physical standard or requirement once an officer leaves the police academy. Some departments do have physical fitness incentive programs which are volunteer and give the officers a chance to get extra vacation days depending on how they do on a PT test.
The Special Weapons and Tactics community do have self imposed physical standards, members have to maintain and pass a physical agility/endurance test quarterly,bi-annually or annually depending on the team. Since I have been involved Crossfit my SWAT team has slowly been exposed to the work outs and the mindset of functional fitness. Lats month we had our annual training week at Camp Grayling in northern Michigan. I loaded up enough bars/bumpers and kettlebells to get my work outs in while away from Motor City Crossfit. The team did HELEN, THE CHIEF and a two man mile long obstacle course with the “team builders”. Thru the “O Course” the group had to maneuver thru the course, stopping at various locations to do push ups/pull ups/sit ups/dips and squats W/O letting the 90 LBS team builder touch the ground.
Public servants put on that uniform every day for work and we swore to protect and serve. It could be wearing 75 lbs of protective fire gear, pulling a fellow officer from the line of fire or extracting an unconscious citizen from a burning vehicle accident. Look in the mirror and ask yourself ARE YOU READY FOR THAT DAY?
Below is an article For march 2003 Crossfit journal on police training. Part 3 of this article will end with Crossfit and 10 components of physical fitness and how they relate to every day life.