Faculty Scholarly Dissemination Grants

Changes in Physical Fitness and Anthropometry of Police Academy Cadets During a 16-Week Physical Training Program

Department

Movement Science

College

College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Date Range

2011-2012

Abstract

Law-enforcement organizations require their employees to attain and maintain a threshold level of physical fitness so they are fit to work. As part of the Grand Valley State University police academy training, cadets undertake a structured 16-week physical training program. Purpose: To describe changes in physical fitness and anthropometry of police academy cadets during their 16-wk physical training program. Methods: 15 cadets (24±4 yrs; 1.80±0.08 m), thirteen males and two females, were tested in Wk 1, 8, and 16 of their police academy training program. A battery of tests was used to assess anthropometrical characteristics (body mass and body fat) and physical fitness (flexibility, vertical jump height, grip strength, sprint speed, and agility). Time-related changes in each test are shown as mean difference and 95% confidence interval (CI). Measurements were made in duplicate, where appropriate. Results: Only 40-yd sprint time improved during the 16-wk program, and specifically between Wk 1 and Wk 8 (-0.45 [-0.78 to -0.12] s). The remaining markers of physical fitness did not change. Neither anthropometrical variable changed during the course of the16-wk training program; body mass (Wk 1-16: -1.9 [-15.0 to 11.1] kg) or body fat (Wk 1-16: -0.6 [-4.6 to 3.3]%). Conclusion: The 16-wk physical training program currently used had no effect on pre-academy anthropometric characteristics and limited effect at improving pre-academy levels of physical fitness, with only 40-yd sprint performance improving during the first eight week block.

Conference Name

59th Annual Meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine

Conference Location

San Francisco, CA

This document is currently not available here.

Share

COinS