Faculty Scholarly Dissemination Grants

Title

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

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