Preparation Manual for the Port Authority of New York and ...

[Pages:28]Preparation Manual for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Officer Physical Performance Test

Preparation Manual for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Officer Physical Performance Test

Table of Contents

Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 1 Medical Screening .............................................................................................................. 1 Testing Precautions............................................................................................................ 1 Test Site Procedures .......................................................................................................... 1

Physical Performance Test ........................................................................................................ 2 Physical Tests .................................................................................................................... 2 300 Meter Run.................................................................................................................... 2 Push Ups............................................................................................................................ 2 1.5 Mile Run ....................................................................................................................... 4 Scoring the Physical Performance Test .............................................................................. 4

Fitness Principles and Program ................................................................................................. 5 General Training Principles .................................................................................................... 5 Overload and Progression .................................................................................................. 5 Specificity ........................................................................................................................... 5 Motivation........................................................................................................................... 5 Fitness Training Program ....................................................................................................... 6 Exercise Session Phases ................................................................................................... 6 Warm-Up............................................................................................................................ 6 Workout.............................................................................................................................. 6 Cool Down.......................................................................................................................... 7

Designing Your Daily Exercise Program..................................................................................... 8 Warm Up Program ............................................................................................................. 8 Dynamic Warm-Up Exercises............................................................................................. 8 Cool Down Program ........................................................................................................... 9 Cool Down Exercises ......................................................................................................... 9

Muscular Strength and Muscular Endurance Training ...............................................................10 General Directions.............................................................................................................10 Starting Weight Level Determination .................................................................................10 Strength Training Session .................................................................................................11 Strength Training Exercises...............................................................................................11 Recording Your Progress ..................................................................................................12

Aerobic Capacity Training .........................................................................................................13

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General Directions.............................................................................................................13 Training Heart Rate Calculation.........................................................................................13

Anaerobic Training ....................................................................................................................15 General Directions.............................................................................................................15 Anaerobic Exercises..........................................................................................................15

Appendix A: Physical Performance Test Scoring Table.............................................................16

Appendix B: Workout Recording Chart......................................................................................17

Appendix C: Warm-Up and Cool-Down Exercises.....................................................................18

Appendix D: Strength Training Exercises ..................................................................................21

Appendix E: Example of Exercise Schedule..............................................................................25

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Preparation Manual for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Officer Physical Performance Test

Introduction

The mission of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Department (PAPD) is to provide protective services to the users of New York/New Jersey airports, seaports, bridges, tunnels, bus terminal, train service (PATH), the World Trade Center, and all other properties belonging to the Port Authority. To provide these services, PAPD Police Officers must perform essential job tasks that are physically strenuous. These tasks include restraining or subduing resistive individuals, handcuffing resistive individuals, pulling/dragging suspects, running to get to an emergency scene or to pursue a suspect, and running up/down flights of stairs. The physical abilities needed to complete these essential tasks include muscular strength, muscular endurance, anaerobic power, and cardiovascular endurance.

The PAPD recognized the need for Police Officers to be capable of performing strenuous tasks. To ensure that Police Officer applicants possessed the required physical abilities, a physical performance test was developed, validated, and implemented. The physical performance test assesses the abilities needed to perform essential police officer tasks. The test consists of three components: 300 Meter Run, Push-Ups, and 1.5 Mile Run. This document provides information about each test and how to prepare and train for the physical performance test. The fitness program in this document has been specifically designed to improve your fitness to complete the physical performance test.

Medical Screening Before you start this fitness program, evaluate your current health. As recommended by the American College of Sports Medicine, men aged 40 or greater and women aged 50 or greater need a medical exam and clearance before starting a new fitness program. If you are at risk for heart disease, it is extremely important that you consult your physician before you start a fitness program. If you have other medical conditions or musculoskeletal injuries, you should seek medical approval before starting a fitness program.

Testing Precautions The test sessions will be set up to ensure safe participation by all participants. The tests you will be taking are physically strenuous.

Police Officer applicants will be required to sign a waiver form indicating that you understand the nature of the physical tests and their risks, and you voluntarily accept those risks. This form will also contain a statement releasing the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and their agents from any liability.

Test Site Procedures Wear comfortable clothes such as sweatpants, shorts, t-shirts, and gym or other rubber soled shoes. No tobacco use will be allowed in any testing area. An administrator will provide test instructions and demonstrate the proper procedure for performing each physical test and answer any questions prior to beginning.

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To ensure the safety of all participants, testing will be stopped if an applicant exhibits any sign of nausea, shortness of breath, chest discomfort, excessive sweating or dizziness. Applicants must also follow all testing rules such as not watching other applicants perform the tests. Failure to follow testing rules and directions may result in your being disqualified.

Physical Performance Test

Physical Tests The following tests will be administered during the physical performance test. The physical tests you will be taking are physically strenuous. The tests will be completed in the order listed below. Please read these descriptions carefully.

300 Meter Run The purpose of this test is to evaluate your anaerobic power. The test involves running 300 meters as quickly as you can. During this test you will complete one and a half laps on a 200meter track. Your score is the time to complete the 300 Meter Run. Only one trial is given. Information on how to prepare/train for this test is provided in the subsequent sections of this manual.

Push Ups The purpose of this test is to evaluate the muscular strength and muscular endurance in your upper body. The test involves performing push-ups, as many as possible, until exhaustion. Performing a correct push-up is described below as well as push-up errors.

Starting Position 1. The feet are 8 to 12 inches apart and the arms are fully extended, palms in contact with the floor, and slightly wider than shoulder width apart. The legs, buttocks, back, and shoulders must be in a straight alignment (Figure 1).

Figure 1. Starting push-up position.

Correct Performance of a Push-Up 1. Keep the body fully extended and lower the torso towards the foam block by flexing the elbows. Continue to lower the torso until the chest touches the foam block. The back, legs, and buttocks must remain straight during the descent. 2. Once the chest touches the foam block, return to the starting position by straightening the elbows to the fully extended position.

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3. To complete a correct push-up, the chest must touch the foam block with the body in straight alignment (Figure 2) and return to the starting position.

Figure 2. Completion of a push-up. Push-Up Errors

1. Back, legs, buttocks, and shoulders are not in straight alignment (Figure 3).

Figure 3. Push-up error: not in straight alignment. 2. Knees in contact with testing surface (Figure 4).

Figure 4. Push-up error: knees in contact with test surface.

3. Not returning to correct starting position with arms fully extended.\ 4. Chest does not touch foam block.

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Scoring

1. Your score is the total number of correctly performed push-ups completed. Only one trial is given.

2. Improperly performed Push-ups do not count. During the test, applicants will be informed when an improper push-up has been performed.

Information on how to prepare/train for this test is provided in subsequent sections of this manual.

1.5 Mile Run The purpose of this test is to evaluate your aerobic capacity. The test involves running 1.5 miles as quickly as you can. During this test you will complete approximately 12 laps on the 200-meter track. Your score is the time to complete the 1.5 Mile Run. Only one trial is given. Information on how to prepare/train for this test is provided in subsequent sections of this manual.

Scoring the Physical Performance Test A scoring table is used to score each test. Each test score is converted to a point value using the table presented below and in Appendix A. The point values for each test are then summed to generate a total score. In order to pass the physical performance test, a participant must:

Obtain a total score of 15 or more points AND Obtain at least 1 point on all three tests

Points 0

300 Meter Run (m:ss)

1:21.00 or slower

Push-Ups (#) 7 or less

1.5 Mile Run (mm:ss)

16:23 or slower

1

1:20.00-1:19.00

8

16:22-16:15

2

1:18.00-1:17.00

9

16:14-16:06

3

1:16.00-1:15.00

10

16:05-15:57

4

1:14.00-1:13.00

11-12

15:56-15:48

5

1:12.00-1:10.00

13-19

15:47-15:15

6

1:09.00-1:08.00

20-26

15:14-14:33

7

1:07.00-1:05.00

27-34

14:32-13:51

8

1:04.00 or faster

35 or more 13:50 or faster

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Fitness Principles and Program

General Training Principles

To improve physical fitness and your performance on these physical tests, you must exercise. There are three general training principles that should be incorporated into a fitness program. Adherence to these principles will enable you to meet your exercise goals. These principles are overload, specificity, and motivation.

Overload and Progression To improve fitness, you must increase your physical activity. The exercises performed must be at a level that exceed or overload your current capabilities. To attain an overload, you must alter the FITT parameters.

F or frequency of exercise per week (e.g., 3 times per week to 4 times per week) I or intensity of the exercise (e.g., run a mile in 9 minutes rather than 10 minutes) T or time spent exercising (e.g., duration of bicycle ride 20 to 30 minutes) T or type of exercise (e.g., sit-ups to plank)

One or a combination of the FITT parameters may be increased to overload the body. For example, if you wish to increase muscular strength, you can increase exercise intensity by increasing the amount of weight lifted and decreasing the number of times the weight is lifted. To increase aerobic capacity (aerobic fitness) you can increase the time spent performing the activity and/or the frequency of the activity (e.g., running).

Specificity The human body responds to the specific demand placed upon it. To improve performance of physical tests involving upper body strength, one must select exercises that use the muscles in the upper body. For example, to effectively train to improve push-up performance, you need to perform exercises that involve the muscles in the chest, triceps, and shoulders. Since the body's response to training is specific, the exercises in your fitness program must place specific demands upon the same physiological systems and muscle groups used in the test and to perform police officer tasks.

Motivation To achieve the desired fitness level you must be motivated to participate on a scheduled basis and use the overload principle. Staying motivated is the key to success and can be achieved if you select exercise activities you enjoy. If motivation is a problem (1) set aside a specific time to exercise, (2) vary your program (e.g., use different strength exercises to train the same body parts), (3) keep a record of your progress, and (4) exercise with a partner. It is widely accepted that an exercise partner will encourage improvement and participation.

Applying the FITT principles will increase your fitness level. However, remember that some discomfort such as sore muscles and/or breathing heavily will be experienced as you increase the intensity and duration of your exercises. If muscle soreness and/or fatigue occur on a frequent basis, you may take a multiple day rest period. If these signs are persistent, contact a medical professional.

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