The patrol officer has some unique physical fitness challenges. I've outlined some suggested practices to maintain peak fitness.

Being a cop is tough enough. Maintaining an acceptable level of physical fitness at the same time is challenging. Those of us in law enforcement for any length of time probably know someone in uniform that hasn't seen their shoes in years. I've outlined some concepts that can help you get the conditioning all cops need to do the job, and also ensure that when that magical retirement day comes, your physical condition enables you to enjoy it.

Cardiovascular conditioning.

Among the things that cops dread the most, is the inevitable foot pursuit. This usually happens about ten minutes after you've choked down a grease-burger from the local 24-hour drive-through, and have been sitting in your patrol car for the past two hours. Couple this with wearing a protective vest and a duty belt with all the trimmings.

Love it or hate it, but regular running is the best way for a street cop to maintain his cardio conditioning. Because too much running causes wear and tear on the lower body, don't run more than 4 days a week. Try to take at least one day off between running sessions. If you are trying to lose weight and need more cardio, you can supplement the running with bicycling, swimming, or other low impact exercises, but nothing should replace running.

In my law enforcement experience, the chances of actually catching up to someone in a foot pursuit are slim. Most of the time we end up chasing some skinny, chemically enhanced drug user that can sprint like a deer. Your strategy should not be to catch up to them, but only to keep visual contact until the opportunity comes to apprehend them. The good news is that most subjects you chase are not in very good condition, thus they start out of the gate fast, but quickly tire. When they decide to stop running, they will either give up, or try to fight you. You've got to make sure that you still have enough energy to apprehend the subject once the foot pursuit has ended. Keep a cool head, stay relaxed, and pursue at about 90% of your top speed.

For your regular running routine, you should alternate running 2-3 miles at a moderate pace with some middle-distance running (i.e. quarter mile "sprints"). This should give you enough quickness and energy for most foreseeable physical tasks.

Flexibility

Unlike athletes, who have hours to prepare for a competition with warm-ups and stretching, cops don't normally have the luxury of getting some stretching in prior to some intense physical activity. You'll have to go from sitting on your can to a full-bore pursuit and apprehension instantly. To accomplish this, you should practice running and other physical activity WITHOUT warm-ups. Your body can adapt to this with practice.

In order to be able to do this safely, you should do stretching at least once per day, preferably just before the beginning of your shift. During your shift, if you have time, get out of your car and loosen up for a few minutes. Don't forget to keep your upper body limber as well.

Strength Training.

If you have access to a gym, weight training is a great tool for building muscular strength. Concentrate on those exercises that emphasize explosiveness and power. Train with heavy weight to develop this. Don't get caught up in the bodybuilder's routines. Their routines have a specific purpose: to build muscle mass. But that does not necessarily make a bodybuilder stronger. Think about building quality muscle instead of quantity.

If you can't get to a gym, or don't want to lift weights, you can build great strength using no equipment. Many departments require a physical fitness assessment, and I'd be willing to bet most of them involve push-ups, sit-ups, and maybe pull-ups. Even if you are already lifting weights, it is a great idea to supplement your weight training with these exercises a few times per week. Just remember to train explosively.

The pull-up, in particular, is a great exercise for law enforcement. It develops the pulling and gripping strength necessary to accomplish many of the defensive tactics we use. You should have a pull-up bar set up in your home or department. I try to do at least two sets of pull-ups every day.

Diet

Because we have to work shifts that can last over 12 hours, getting the right kind of nutrition can be a challenge. Obviously, you should avoid the fast food. Sometimes we get caught up and don't have time for much else. Just don't overdo it.

Avoid eating a heavy meal before or during your shift. Instead, bring some healthy snacks. Fruits, protein bars, and yogurts can pack easily in a small cooler. Try to keep it with you in your vehicle. If you leave it at the station house, you might not make it back there for several hours. Eat several small meals or snacks during your shift. Save the heavy, big meals until the end of the shift. This will help prevent you from feeling lethargic and keep your alertness high.

Go easy on the caffeine. Because it is a dieretic, it makes you dehydrate faster. Wearing a protective vest in 90-degree heat means you are going to sweat a lot already. Be sure to pack some water with you in your vehicle.

Staying physically fit is important for everyone. As a cop, it is especially important that you be able to perform your duties effectively. And besides, isn't it a good feeling knowing that you are in better condition that the subjects you confront on the street?

Terry Fitzgerald is a police officer working in the Pacific Northwest. You can visit his web site at http://www.fitnessfringe.com and find a number of articles dealing with fitness.