Military and Police Workouts
by Mike Westerdal
Policemen, firemen and guys in the military have long been looked up to as “poster boys” of optimum fitness. In fact, over the last 15 years or so, there have probably been no less than a hundred different books written on the subject of how any ordinary man can get fit like these guys. And while each of these books or programs has its own approach to getting fit like a policeman, fireman or someone in the military, they all have one thing in common—they don’t look anything like your ordinary gym workouts.
The reason their training routines typically don’t resemble your ordinary workouts is that these guys need to be prepared for any situation. A policeman might suddenly find himself chasing down a suspect, jumping fencings and other obstacles. And when he catches the suspect, he may have to tackle him and wrestle him into submission.
A firefighter may have to lift away heavy debris, kick down a solid door and carry a victim down three flights of stairs to safety. And a soldier or military man could wind up in any of these situations or countless others—all of which require strength, agility, endurance and speed.
Ordinary gym routines just don’t help guys to simultaneously develop all these abilities. A bodybuilding workout can make your muscles look good but they may not be all that strong. Strongman and powerlifting routines can help you build strength but neither one is going to be that useful for developing speed. A cardio workout will help you make gains in speed and endurance but it completely wrecks your size and strength.
And particularly if you’re in the military you very well may not even have access to anything but the most rudimentary gym equipment. I’ve actually been getting a lot of emails from military guys—most of them stationed overseas in Iraq and Afghanistan—who tell me that they’ve been doing the hybrid workouts and have been getting some really awesome results. These guys have got it rough. A lot of them are out in the little of nowhere, their movements are completely restricted and they’ve gotten nothing to train with but stuff they can find laying around.
If you’ve learned anything about hybrid workouts, you should already know that this is really the ideal scenario that really gives these guys the opportunity to take full advantage of hybrid training. Working with the things around them—truck tires, ropes, chains, sandbags, heavy pipes, barrels or any other number of odd items—these soldiers have been able to get back to basics and train the way our ancestors used to live. And like our ancestors, these soldiers find that they’re getting big, strong and lean.
They’re getting these results because they’re actually developing hybrid type III muscle fibers, which are not only strong, but they’re able to sustain their strength for extended periods. Ordinary muscle fibers just can’t do that. And because they’re combining both resistance and cardio training, in addition to developing strength—and size—they’re also building speed, agility and endurance.
Reading through the emails I’ve gotten from some of the soldiers, I’m seeing a variety of different hybrid workouts. Here are some examples:
* Truck tire flip—this one is great for building functional strength and working the core;
* Barrel jumps—good for agility and power;
* Farmer’s walk with rock or sand-filled pails—excellent for developing endurance;
* Dragging trucks and other heavy equipment—builds power and endurance;
* Variations of the keg training using barrels—awesome core workouts.
These are just a few of the examples of the types of hybrid workouts they’re figuring out how to do while they are stationed overseas.
But it’s not just the military boys who are realizing the benefits of hybrid workouts—I see it becoming more and more popular among policemen and firefighters too.
I have a buddy who is a member of a SWAT team in Atlanta who absolutely swears by hybrid workouts. He says that they’ve really helped him to perform better on the job. He gave me a great example of how a recent high speed pursuit led to a foot chase through the woods and ended up in a wrestling match with my buddy pinning the culprit and bringing him to justice.
Knowing what we know about them, it comes as no surprise that hybrid workouts are quickly gaining popularity among those guys who are charged with protecting the public safety—the results just can’t be beat.
Strength Training
February 23, 2010
7:50 pm
Yeah … those are three groups of people I want and would expect to be in shape all the time. My life may (police/firemen) and does (military) count on it. Unfortunately it is rare I see a cop in shape and the longer guys are in the military the more likely (as they get desks jobs) to let them selves go.
Regardless, hybrid is the way to go. I have incorporated a few hybrid moves into my workouts. After the strength part of the workout I do stuff like this: “Run” on a treadmill while it is inclined to its highest point and off (on power) – it is kind of like pushing a light prowler. Bounce a medicine ball off the floor (hard and fast) and catch and repeat. Stand with my back to the wall and pick up a medicine ball off the floor and slam it over my head (again hard and fast) on the wall behind me – kind of like a throw move without a release. Squat jumps with a barbell across my back. What do you think? Are these what you would consider hybrid?
Thanks for the article. I look forward to them.
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February 24, 2010
2:39 am
I simply love this training approach. If I miss a workout at the gym because of the snow, it’s not a problem, I just grab a snow shovel and go balls to the wall for 30 minutes to an hour. You know shovel until you’re good and tired, rest for a little bit, hit it again, again, again, again. 30-45 minutes later, maybe an hour, most of the snow is gone from the driveway.
I currently do my hybrid cardio with exercises that incorporate many muscles. Complex exercises like clean and press, and kettleball type exercises where I grab a dumbell from near the floor and simulate a throwing action over the opposite shoulder. I think that is where building true, ground shaking strength is, with those big complex exercises. I wish I could do some “loading” in the gym, or something that would involve all those muscles like loading does.
Troy
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February 24, 2010
7:10 am
I like using the keg from time to time. The gym I go to has one that is 150. I do cleans,clean and presses,presses,squats,split squats,shouldering,and carry it. O and static hold with my arms extended overhead in a snatch completion position.Probably looks funny to some of the other folks,but most of them cant get it up to their chest and think core training involves crunches and stability balls.lol
They think Im a meathead,I think theyre WEAK
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February 24, 2010
12:21 pm
I like to jog and swim a litlle for relaxation
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February 24, 2010
5:16 pm
I love these types of training programs and exercises. Doing traditional weight training exercises is great but when you add a few of these exercises in your strength gains go through the roof. I love the variety!!
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February 25, 2010
10:45 am
THANK YOU FOR THE E. MAIL.
YES WE USED TO HAVE FIT POLICEMEN IN SOUTH AFRICA BUT ALAS TODAY THE SITUATION HAS CHANGED. IN MY DAY WE DID NOT HAVE POLICE WOMEN.
A LARGE PROPORTION OF OUR POLICEMEN AND POLICE WOMEN ARE EITHER OVERWEIGHT, OBESE OR GROSSLY OBESE.
WATCH THE NEWS WHERE SOUTH AFRICAN POLICE ARE TO BE SEEN IN ACTION AND YOU WILL SEE WHAT I MEAN.
NOT ONLY ARE THESE OVERWEIGHT AND OBESE POLICEMEN AND POLICE WOMEN INCAPABLE OF PURSUING AND ARRESTING A FIT CRIMINAL BUT THEY ARE INADVERTENTLY PUTTING THEIR HEALTH AND LONGEVITY AT RISK.
I SERVED IN THE SOUTH AFRICAN POLICE FORCE FROM 1946 TO MY RETIREMENT IN 1981.
I RETIRED AS A DETECTIVE SUPERINTENDENT (LT. COLONEL)
IN MY TIME A SUPERINTENDENT WAS A RARE RANK BUT TODAY STATION COMMANDERS WHO USED TO HOLD THE RANK OF HEAD CONSTABLE NOW ARE STATION COMMISSIONERS.
WHAT IS EMBARRASSING IS THAT MANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO HAVE TO DEAL WITH OUR POLICE ARE COMPLAINING OF INCOMPETENT AND INEPT MEMBERS.
SIDNEY COAD WILLIAMS
HEALTH ACTIVIST
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February 25, 2010
10:53 am
I AM 83 YEARS OF AGE AND I AM ONE OF THE STRONGEST PEOPLE IN THE WORLD IN THE AGE GROUP 80 YEARS AND OLDER.
GOOGLE, BLOGGER, AND FACEBOOK THIS TO SEE MY PROFILE, BLOGS, PHOTOS AND TWO VIDEOS:
HEALTH STRENGTH FITNESS AND A BEAUTIFUL BODY – SIDNEY COAD WILLIAMS
MY TWO VIDEOS ARE AVAILABLE ON http://www.facebook.com.
IF YOU KNOW OF ANYONE WHO IS 80 YEARS OR OLDER AND WHO CAN DEAD LIFT 1.6 TIMES THEIR BODYWEIGHT PLEASE CONTACT ME BECAUSE THEY WILL QUALIFY TO CHALLENGE ME TO A STRENGTH CONTEST.
SIDNEY COAD WILLIAMS
HEALTH ACTIVIST
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March 20, 2010
10:10 pm
Hi guys, I am training to go to USMC OCS and play two college varsity sports. It is hard to do all three, but I believe a great way is Crossfit, plus long distance running and wind sprints ( denver broncos shuttles in particular). A great CF workout is Fight Gone Bad
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April 1, 2010
7:03 pm
i work with policeman, firefighters and they rarely make it through a full day!
they usually tell me im crazy as they walk off the job! we do have a couple marines that work very well tho! seams to me that most police and firefighters train to look big! maybe not all but its just surprising to see these big guys that are so weak!
hell i was carrying 2 bundles of shingles up 2 story ladders at 15 yrs old!
i guess its dissapointing to see a firefighter quit halfway through loading a roof!
i mean cmon now its a ladder mr. fireman!
they just dont have what we at my job call (the force) lol!
its a frame of mind… …never surrender, mind over matter kinda thing!
it dont matter what your job is, either you got it or you dont! (your fired)
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July 28, 2010
5:24 am
O man I thought this was gonna be another tacfit thing. speaking of you guys need to cool it with that. I used to look forward to getting e-mails from you.
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September 26, 2010
4:23 am
where i live four out of five cops are fatass out of shape slugs,same goes with the firemen.wtf?should’nt they have p.t. every day?i think this is true in every city.and they have enlistment age limits?whatever. poster boys of optimum fitness??!?on earth??cool article though thanks again.
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October 31, 2010
11:28 am
The simultaneous development of all of these various athletic qualities is a big key to a program. You guys are right on with your LHM system!
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September 22, 2011
11:32 am
I AM 85 YEARS OF AGE AND I AM ONE OF THE STRONGEST PEOPLE IN THE WORLD IN THE AGE GROUP 80 YEARS AND OLDER.
I CAN STILL DEAD LIFT A MAXIMUM OF 160 KILOGRAMS
TO SEE MY INTERNET PROFILE PLEASE TYPE
SIDNEY COAD WILLIAMS IN THE SEARCH AREA OF http://www.google.com THEN SURF THE LINKS.
TO SEE MY TWO POWER VIDEOS TYPE MY FULL NAME IN
http://www.facebook.com and http://www.youtube.com THEN VIEW MY POWER VIDEOS.
I STARTED TRAINING WITH WEIGHTS IN 1945.
WHAT I HAVE ACCOMPLISHED ANY YOUNG HEALTHY PERSON CAN EMULATE IF THEY ADOPT A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE.
SIDNEY COAD WILLIAMS
HEALTH AND PEACE ACTIVIST.
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