Blueprint for officer fitness: Pathways to peak performance

Editor’s note: This feature is part of Police1’s Digital Edition, What cops want in 2024, which provides a summary and analysis of the results of Police1’s State of the Industry survey of 2,833 officers about police officer wellness. Download the complete report here.

By Mandy Nice, Joe Dulla, Dr. Brent Alvar, Dr. Jay Dawes and Mike Harper

The job of a law enforcement professional may never get easier, but cops can get stronger. Over 2,800 members of law enforcement completed this year’s “What Cops Want” survey and the results show that many are finding new ways to physically rise to that challenge.

Despite experiencing exhausting shifts, mandatory overtime and the stress of a continuously changing work environment, 43% of officers surveyed reported they make a point of “always” or “often” meeting the U.S. Centers for Disease Control’s minimum recommendation of exercising for at least 150 minutes per week. In fact, only 8% reported that they “never” meet that minimum.

Seeing officers succeed is inspiring, and it also begs the question: How did the 43% of successful officers overcome the barriers to exercise that others have not? What are the new, untapped best practices that perhaps YOU and your agency could benefit from today?

First, let’s consider some of the reasons why so many officers find the effort-to-benefit ratio of maintaining an exercise routine so valuable and worthwhile today.

The increasing need

It is easy to take health for granted before it’s stolen from you. Law enforcement professionals are some of the most noble and selfless members of our community, but very tragically, some unintentionally slice years off their lifespan when they sacrifice their health and fitness routine to spend more time serving others.

Research published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) shows that those who participate in physical activity for at least 150 minutes per week reduce their risk of heart disease, stroke, several common cancers and type 2 diabetes, but those who do not miss out on these key, lifesaving health protections. Those who do not participate in physical activity for at least 150 minutes per week also miss out on other valuable health benefits including improved sleep, reduced risk of anxiety, reduced risk of depression, reduced risk of dementia, improved weight management, improved muscular strength and improved bone density.

The CDC states that, “An estimated 110,000 deaths per year could be prevented if US adults ages 40 and older increased their moderate-to-vigorous physical activity by a small amount. Even 10 minutes more a day would make a difference.” Thus, from a health standpoint, the effort-to-benefit ratio of maintaining a healthy exercise routine pays dividends.

While routine physical activity is clearly critical for officer health, a more specific form of physical activity, known as tactical strength and conditioning, continues to prove vital for maximizing officer job readiness and safety while reducing officer injury risk.

Recent data provides compelling evidence that shows how the physical demands (and volatility) of the job can easily shift at any moment. Statistics published by the FBI’s Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted program showed that in 2021, out of the 7,886 law enforcement agencies that participated, 43,649 officers were assaulted while performing their job duties. That is a sharp 11% increase in assaults on officers from the previous year.

The LEOKA program data also showed that of the 43,649 officers who were assaulted, 15,369 sustained injuries. Those thousands of injuries are extremely tragic (and costly) for the officers and their agencies, as almost nothing can rob officers of their health, safety, quality of life, and job readiness (while also immediately exacerbating agency short staffing challenges) quite as rapidly as serious officer injuries can. While not all injuries are preventable, it is our collective responsibility to mitigate the risk of injuries as much as possible. Routine physical fitness training is a proven success strategy.

Research published in the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) Reducing Officer Injuries Final Report showed that, “Officers who engaged in fitness training regimens were less likely to suffer an injury that was Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) reportable and more severe.” The IACP goes on to state that, “Agencies should recognize the evidence of a strong connection between fitness and health and injury severity, and it is recommended that agencies implement mandatory fitness programs to curb injury rates and injury severity.” Therefore, when it comes to maximizing officer job readiness and safety and reducing injury risk, it is clear that the effort-to-benefit ratio of maintaining a physical fitness routine is worthwhile.

While it is easy to see that maintaining a healthy physical fitness training routine is critical for law enforcement professionals and provides valuable benefits, it does not mean that it is easy. Even the best intentions to exercise daily or weekly can get derailed when facing the realities of daily life. Let’s explore the common barriers that law enforcement professionals face when trying to maintain a physical fitness routine, along with best practices to overcome them.

Perceived barriers and proven best practices

The Police1 “What Cops Want” survey asked respondents about the main barrier to improving physical health. Respondents were allowed to “select all that apply” and the top three responses were:

• Lack of time due to personal or work commitments (76%)
• Lack of motivation or interest in physical activities due to not having achieved measurable or meaningful results in the past (27%)
• Physical limitations or health conditions (19%).

All these challenges to maintaining a healthy exercise routine are understandable, but they don’t have to be deterrents. Officers are oftentimes only a few practical strategies (and steps) away from achieving success. We believe that law enforcement professionals deserve the very highest quality of life and wellness, so we’ve distilled some of the most effective and practical evidence-based best practices that can be used to achieve lasting physical fitness success.

1. Dealing with injuries and chronic pain

First and foremost, if officers have an injury or chronic pain, they need to seek appropriate medical care or clearance prior to physical activity. It is not unusual for officers to experience chronic back pain or long-term discomfort, but these types of injuries do not typically heal by themselves. If left untreated, injuries often worsen and can even contribute to additional compounding injuries. So, before you begin, make sure you regularly and consistently touch base with your healthcare provider to ensure you have a strong baseline evaluation of health so that you can safely participate in additional physical fitness training.

For example, if you’re in a pinch and time is of the essence, you could save time by practicing a quick series of bodyweight exercises at home before you go to work (instead of driving to the gym and back). Research shows that even brief bouts of exercise can make all the difference in your health and fitness level, and it can also serve as a great stress outlet.

If you didn’t wake up early enough to get that type of workout in, that’s OK, there are still ways you could succeed. Remember that “fitness” does not always mean you have to break a sweat. When you’re at work, consider practicing low-intensity physical rehabilitation exercises, mobility training, and/or basic stretches. Of course, these “backup” workout options aren’t going to produce the same results you would achieve at a gym, but they can help protect you from developing muscular tightness and weakness that can lead to musculoskeletal pain.

Practicing “backup” workout options can be simpler than you might think. Taking a minute to reach above your head to stretch your shoulders, then gently reaching toward your feet to stretch your back and leg muscles is an easy place to start. Adding moderate-intensity walking can help reduce the risk of cardiac disease, which is an increasingly critical risk for law enforcement officers. All these efforts can help build and sustain an officer’s overall health over time.

3. Get out of your vehicle

It is easy to see how the reported challenge of prolonged sitting on the job can make it difficult for officers to stay physically active. However, that challenge is far from insurmountable. Officers assigned to patrol in a vehicle have shared that even simply engaging in foot patrol and taking the stairs more often can help reduce musculoskeletal stiffness and stress, as can practicing back and neck stretches throughout each shift.

4. Adopt the right mindset

Another barrier to exercise that the survey results showed is that sometimes officers have a tough time staying motivated when they aren’t getting the results they want. The solution for that can be as simple as re-setting your mindset, then trading your old program for a science-based training program from a trusted, reputable source.

To adopt the right mindset, officers can look to former U.S. Navy SEALs Jocko Willink and Leif Babin of Echelon Front. Their New York Times bestselling book “Extreme Ownership,” along with their leadership courses for first responders, teach key principles to lead and win in many aspects of life, and applying those principles and that mindset to exercise training will help empower you to achieve lasting physical fitness success. Practicing that mindset and using occupation-specific physical fitness training programs for law enforcement will better equip officers to achieve lasting physical fitness success, and make it far easier to stay motivated to exercise every day.

5. Rewarding and enjoyable

The suggestions shared so far are designed to make exercise a far more rewarding experience. The following suggestions are designed to make exercise a more enjoyable experience.

When you are exercising, remember to focus on the purpose of your workout and why you want to gain and maintain a great fitness level and full tactical athleticism. Officers of all ranks have shared that visualizing performing physically arduous job tasks with ease and also visualizing living a healthy, strong life after retirement helps reinforce their drive to work out.

Next, make a point of achieving small wins in the moment, like using proper breathing techniques while exercising and also using proper exercise form. Those are also essential parts of making exercise a positive and stress-relieving experience. Also, remember to give yourself plenty of water breaks, wear comfortable clothes and shoes, and practice an exercise routine that makes sense for your current fitness level and goals. Eating a healthy snack or meal before and after the workout and working out with a friend (and/or favorite music) can also help lift your energy for the workout. The overall goal should be to make exercise an experience that you can benefit from and look forward to every day.

“Barriers to exercise” may come and go, but it is important for officers to remain anchored in a steadfast exercise routine knowing that they were born to be strong and resilient, that every minute of exercise counts, and the best day to make that healthy habit happen is today.

Dive into the insights of 2,833 officers on their wellness needs and find out how police leaders can lead the way in implementing support strategies

Agency benefits

Routine physical fitness training provides an impressive list of benefits for individual officers, but agencies stand to gain incredibly valuable benefits as well. These include:

• Improved recruitment success (seen by implementing physical ability test prep fitness training programs)
• Improved retention (seen from creating a strong, physically resilient workforce and supportive work environment)
• Reduced healthcare costs (seen from reducing injury rates and risk of chronic illnesses)
• Improved load carriage as well as improved safety and survivability.

Implementing physical fitness support has a measurable positive impact in agencies across the country.

How agencies can support officer fitness

One of the easiest ways to implement physical fitness support is to simply help remove existing barriers that officers and staff encounter when trying to maintain physical health and/or a physical fitness routine. Police1’s “What Cops Want” survey results have uncovered some of the most common barriers.

When asked about the aspects of your work as a police officer most negatively impact physical health, respondents selected:

• Long durations of time spent seated (66%)
• Work/life challenges (61%)
• Long or irregular work hours (59%).

The consistency in those responses illustrates how difficult it can be to maintain a physically active lifestyle if it is not ingrained into the standard weekly schedule of an officer.

Other aspects of the job that survey respondents noted negatively impacting their wellness included on-duty injuries and/or chronic pain (49%), the work environment (46%) and lack of leadership support (33%).

Taking those response rates into account, one of the first and simplest steps that agencies can take to help their sworn and civilian staff members overcome common barriers to maintaining a healthy physical fitness routine is to encourage all officers to practice on-duty stretches and mobility exercises before and after their shifts and taking more walking breaks during their shifts.

Remember, even spending just 10 minutes per day on those activities can make all the difference in long-term health and wellness. Walking breaks can also help boost community-oriented policing efforts.

Agencies can also consider providing a gym or fitness center for officers and allow them to work out on duty. In Police1’s “What Cops Want” survey, 65% of the 2,800+ survey respondents noted that their agency does provide a gym, and within that, 29% noted that their agency also allows them to work out while on duty. Making the equipment more readily available and providing officers with occupation-specific law enforcement physical fitness training programs is key.

Another way agencies can provide valuable, meaningful physical fitness support for officers and staff is to strategically implement a physical fitness training program. The National Strength and Conditioning Association’s (NSCA) five-step system to successfully implement a law enforcement physical fitness program has been recognized by the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) and has been well received by agencies. Results are based on the foundation of evidence-proven best practices and offer a practical framework for success.

The five-step system involves:

1. Analyzing the opportunity (i.e., uniting key stakeholders to identify the benefits that the agency will gain from implementing a physical fitness program).
2. Prescribing the program (i.e., providing a science-based, practical physical fitness training program and toolkit). The Cordico Law Enforcement Physical Fitness Toolkit is a great example of a sample type of program.
3. Implementing the physical fitness training program.
4. Evaluating the program results. Experts suggest that agencies consider using a variety of assessments and tests to evaluate the effectiveness of efforts.
5. Strategically progressing and evolving the training program in accordance with the needs of the agency’s officers and staff.

Hiring an experienced, trusted, and certified Tactical Strength and Conditioning Facilitator is a great way to help ensure programs run smoothly and successfully.

Conclusion

Physical fitness training is crucial for officer wellbeing and safety, as well as career longevity. As an industry, we have data, statistics and analysis to show the deadly dangers of not prioritizing physical fitness. The “What Cops Want” survey results also show the type of fitness support and resources officers need to maintain physical fitness success. Additionally, there is robust research on law enforcement physical fitness training with proven models and best practices that can be customized and applied to any agency To make it easier, we even have readily available solutions that include science-based physical fitness programs that officers and professional staff members at agencies of all sizes and locations can use any time, right in the palms of their hands.

With all these resources we have a powerful opportunity to make meaningful, measurable and lasting positive impacts on the lives of our brave, noble officers. It is up to all of us to boldly use those resources to make every tomorrow better, safer and stronger than today.

About the authors

Mandy Nice has over 18 years of experience developing and implementing national award-winning physical fitness and wellness programs that measurably improve the health, strength, quality of life and resilience of first responders. Her wellness programs have earned multiple national awards including three gold American Heart Association Workplace Health Achievement awards. Mandy was also awarded the U.S. President’s Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition (PCFSN) National Community Leadership Award for exemplary service and dedication to improving the lives of others by promoting and fostering opportunities for participation in fitness, sports, or nutrition programs. Mandy is the Senior Strategic Wellness Director for Lexipol, Chair of the IACP Physical Health Working Group and Board Member of the IACP Officer and Organizational Wellness Section.

Joe Dulla has over 40 years of experience in first responder roles, including emergency medical technician, lifeguard, mountain rescue and law enforcement. He served for 31 years with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) in various sworn ranks and positions including academy director overseeing the training of over 5,550 recruits. Joe’s expertise includes physical fitness, wellness and human performance optimization for public safety personnel across numerous domains. He managed the LASD’s “Fast Track Injury Care” program that used cutting-edge sports medicine approaches to rapidly return injured personnel safely back to duty. Joe is a Ph.D. student at Bond University researching recruit attrition, success factors, physical abilities, injuries, costs and human performance optimization.

Dr. Brent Alvar is a professor and graduate program director in the Department of Kinesiology at Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego, California. He has been a member of the NSCA since 1996 and is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist with Distinction, Tactical Strength and Conditioning Facilitator with Distinction and recognized as an NSCA Fellow.

Dr. Jay Dawes is an associate professor of applied exercise science in the Department of Kinesiology, Health and Recreation at Oklahoma State University. Dr. Dawes has worked as a university athletic performance coordinator, strength/performance coach, personal trainer, and educator for over 20 years. While he still conducts research in the area of sports performance, his primary research interests are focused on improving the health, fitness and human performance for tactical athletes/first responders. In 2021, Dr. Dawes was recognized by the NSCA as the Tactical Strength and Conditioning Professional of the Year for his contributions in this area

Michael Harper is active as the vice chair of the board for the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) Officer Safety and Organizational Wellness Section. He has provided presentations for the IACP, Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, American Occupational Health Conference, Law Enforcement Management Institute of Texas (LEMIT), National Strength & Conditioning Association, and multiple agencies throughout Texas and nation. As former associate director and strategy leader for first responder and military programs for The Cooper Institute, he assisted agencies throughout the U.S. and internationally in their quest to make themselves and their colleagues fit for duty and fit for life. He also created The Cooper Institute’s Law Enforcement Advisory Board to analyze field needs and ensure education assisted with a physical “state of readiness” within law enforcement.

Download this in-depth analysis of Police1’s State of the Industry survey on officer wellbeing

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