University of Iowa research study recently examined the physical activity level of police officers in the United States. The study found the on-duty activity level of officers to be low and further linked the sedentary nature of police work and the stress of the job to increased health risks. The following article is the third in a Gazette series outlining what police officers and agencies are doing to help officers reduce these risks and stay healthy.
Two RCMP Division Fitness and Lifestyle Advisors (DFLAs) have made it their mission to help RCMP officers and employees get fit — by making it as easy as possible.
DFLAs are exercise physiologists who work with thousands of RCMP officers and employees across the country. The goal of the program is to improve the current fitness level of participants and prepare them for the challenges of daily active living, operational duties and performance requirements.
Luc Poirier in Quebec and Sylvain Lemelin in Manitoba designed the Functional Strength & Conditioning Program so that all 30,000 RCMP employees across the country could have access to a quick and effective fitness program.
The training plans developed by Poirier and Lemelin require minimal time and equipment and can be performed just about anywhere. The four-level fitness program caters to all skill sets, whether participants haven't worked out in a while or are in good shape and want to increase their performance.
Level 1 is geared to individuals returning to regular physical activity and active living. Level 2 is for enthusiasts looking to improve their fitness level and achieve minimal physical requirements for peace officer duties. Level 3 and Level 4 are intended for people who are already in good shape and seeking to achieve new athletic or performance goals.
RCMP officers who have difficulty completing the Physical Abilities Requirements Evaluation (PARE) under the four-minute mark should focus on Level 2. The program was tried and tested by RCMP employees in several provinces to assess whether it contributed to an improved PARE performance.
The results were promising, with all target groups posting better times. A total of 11 women and nine men, with average ages of 40.3 and 42.6 respectively, from two provinces took part in the pilot project. In Winnipeg, Man., the men and women who participated shaved an average of 64.2 seconds and 59.9 seconds respectively off their PARE time after 12 weeks of training. The five men and eight women who completed the program also lost an average of 0.83 kilograms and 3.04 kilograms, respectively.
Depending on each participant's fitness level, simply getting up from a chair or climbing a flight of stairs can be a challenge. For those who are already active, the trick is to introduce new exercises in an effort to reach new heights. The program is designed to help police officers and all Canadians push themselves and improve their physical health. Workouts and exercises are simple and safe, and guarantee results across the board.
Unlike other fitness routines on the market, the Functional Strength & Conditioning Program is evidence-based and developed to prevent injuries and overtraining, while still maximizing results.
The program also aims to physically prepare future recruits for both their arrival to and graduation from Depot, the RCMP's training academy in Regina, Sask. It was designed to be shared with law enforcement partners, United Nations missions and various specialized units, and used as a community-based tool.
Anyone can download the program booklet to a tablet or smartphone, free of charge, from iTunes or Google Play.
By giving participants the extra tools they need, the DFLAs hope to encourage employees, along with their friends and family, to make fitness a priority and maintain a healthy lifestyle.