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TAKING FITNESS TO THE NEXT LEVEL

By Linda Burke

You’ve decided to get yourself
into great physical shape.
Now what do you do?

You’ve bought into the whole health and fitness craze. You’re eating less red meat and making sure to use the treadmill in your basement most days of the week. Maybe, you’ve even dropped a few pounds. 

Is 2004 the year to take fitness to the next level?  If so, here are five tips which can help.

Tip #1:  Get Motivated

Dennis Tomason joined the San Francisco Police Department in 1982, just barely making the height and weight requirement. Today, the narcotics bureau rebooking officer is a competitive bodybuilder in his free time and an articulate advocate of the benefits of exercise for police, security and corrections personnel.

“Think about the time you chased that suspect and could hardly walk the next day,” Tomason advised. “Think about the guy who resisted you last week, who might not have considered it if you looked more fit, or look at yourself in the mirror – if that doesn’t do it, nothing will.”

Few jobs are as physically demanding as being a police officer and few offer a greater return on an investment in one’s physique. Tomason was serious about weight training before he joined the force, but he found that his hobby has made a tremendous difference in his career.

“Over the years, often working alone, I found very few willing to test the limits of my strength,” he said. “That meant having to use force less often.”

Fitness is also a means of combating popular misconceptions among the public and making a good public relations statement, Tomason noted. 

“Kids are often the most impressed,” he said. Sometimes, when assigned to a children’s event, Tomason wears a “Superman” tee shirt under this uniform. When only a few children are left around him, he’ll give them a peek at the big “S” on his chest.

“I always get a kick out of that and hope that when they grew older, they might remember a friendly cop with big muscles, and have a more human vision of the working cops on their street,” Tomason said.

We’re all motivated differently. Depending on your personality, a workout partner can make the difference between success and failure in a workout regimen. Exercising together can get you closer to your spouse or kids. If you’re competitive, challenge a colleague or neighbor, or set out on your own and make fitness a solitary goal and your own personal reward.

Tip #2:  Join a Gym

A great fitness center can offer a variety of equipment and a social atmosphere to keep you motivated. Just switching up your cardiovascular workout from your basement treadmill to a stationary cycle, rowing machine or stairclimber can have a tremendous effect. Even if you have a decent setup in your basement, you’ll find that when you use the same equipment day in and day out, your body meets the challenge more efficiently and you do not progress.

When choosing a gym, consider several factors:

1.     Is it convenient? According to the International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association, you are most likely to regularly visit a facility if it is five or ten minutes from your home or work. The best choice is one that’s right on the way, so you pass it daily. Then, it’s both convenient and a source of guilt if you skip a few days.

2.     Is it comfortable? Gyms all cater to a different clientele. If you’re middle-aged and paunchy, you won’t want to work out in a gym where “20 somethings” prance around in spandex; if you’re already a powerlifter, you may not feel comfortable in a gym where most of the members are beginners. Check the weight on the largest dumbbells – if you already lift that weight, then your progress will be limited. Visit the facility at the time of day you would normally work out to see the volume and makeup of the crowd you’ll be joining.

3.     Is it clean? Maybe sparkling mirrors are not important to you, but a facility which keeps the locker rooms spotless is more likely to keep the equipment in good working condition, too.

4.     Is the equipment replaced or supplemented on a regular basis? Ask which was the last piece added and when it was added. If it’s been more than two years, keep looking.

5.     Do the hours work for you? If the gym is only open when you’re working and at the time when you typically have dinner with your family and help the kids with their homework, you’re not going to sacrifice either of those obligations to go to the gym. Many of those who are most devoted to their exercise regimen start their day with a workout, rather than waiting until the end of the day when fatigue, overtime, or other factors can derail their best intentions.

6.     What do you think about the staff? Do you feel comfortable putting your health and safety in the hands of the gum chewing teenager at the front desk? Many fitness facilities are independently owned; get to know the owner and you’ll feel more comfortable working out there.

7.     Think about the price. Membership pricing for a gym is a simple mathematical equation – they take their monthly costs and divide them among the membership. A lower priced gym will have bigger crowds, longer waits for equipment, and an industrial park location. Another gym may be more expensive, but you need to factor in your travel time and the efficiency of the time you spend there.

Once you’ve made a decision to join a gym, make sure you use your membership. Keep a gym bag packed and keep your loved ones supportive by explaining how exercise will keep you healthy and help you to manage stress.

Most gyms also offer as many as three orientations to new clients and a refresher for clients who have fallen off the fitness wagon. Ask questions and take advantage of whatever personal services the club makes available at no additional charge. Those services might make the difference between casual gym use and achieving the next level of fitness.

Tip #3: Build One in Your Station!

If you work with a group of colleagues interested in exercising more regularly, the answer may be setting up a fitness room in your barracks or station.

Many new stations include fitness rooms. If you’ve got a new station under construction and you’re motivated to get yourself in shape, ask if you can offer some recommendations for equipment to be included in the room or the architect is likely to make equipment decisions without input. But, even an old station with a small room available can be well equipped.

The first step is to solicit input from an equipment vendor. Whether public bidding laws are a consideration or not, a reputable vendor will give you great advice on the type of equipment you can purchase to make the best use of your space and budget. Check www.fitnessworld.com to find a vendor in your area and get a representative to make recommendations regarding the type of equipment to purchase, layout in the room, and promoting the program to your colleagues.

Jason Sutton, Vice President of Sales at New England Fitness Distributors in Glastonbury, CT, said the facility needs to include cardiovascular, flexibility, and strength/endurance equipment – but a creative dealer can put together a package which fills those needs on a budget and with space limitations.

“You can work out your entire body with a set of free weights and a bench,” Sutton said. If he had space for only one piece of cardiovascular equipment, Sutton would choose the Precor Elliptical Cross Trainer. An elliptical trainer provides the intensity of running on a treadmill with the impact-free benefits of a stationary cycle.

Your fitness room is likely to be more popular among your colleagues if it offers a range of useful fitness equipment. “If you put equipment in there which doesn’t excite the staff, they’re just going to go to the local health club,” Sutton said. You can spend $6,000 on a commercial grade treadmill, but the more important investment might be the $120 television treadmill users can watch.

New to the fitness scene are functional trainers, cage-like devices which offer a full body workout using a variety of cables and weight stacks. “You just need to use your imagination,” Sutton said.

If budget is the primary consideration, refurbished equipment may fit the bill. If you are considering this option, it is important to work with a reputable dealer and to know where the used equipment has been. “You want to know the history of it,” Sutton said.

Budget challenges may be solved by private donations. Try asking local companies for support – some have foundations which would see the value in a fitter security or police force. The Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) also makes grants available for fitness facilities.

If you need to convince the command staff or politicians that a fitness room is a good idea, touch base with one of the fitness trade organizations for statistics and data. The International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association has 3,600 members worldwide and offers a wealth of information. Check out their Web site at www.ihrsa.org.

SFPD’s Tomason said, “San Francisco figured out years ago that the department had a vested interest in keeping officers fit.” Plenty of reliable statistics are available to show how exercise can reduce the number and severity of disability claims, sick time, and other personnel challenges.

Tip #4:  Work with a Trainer

Personal trainers are certified professionals who are trained to get the most out of the human body. They work to understand you, what motivates you, and how to push you to the next level.

Working with a trainer made all the difference for SFPD’s Officer Tomason. “I have been training for 30 years and use a trainer even now to keep making gains,” he said. Tomason’s first trainer was the person who steered him from powerlifting competition to bodybuilding.

Eric Bailey, Fitness Director at Wachusett Fitness in Holden, Massachusetts, has worked extensively with police personnel and understands how the fitness needs of these professionals differ from any other.

“When they get a call, they can’t jump on a treadmill to warm up first,” Bailey said. When working with safety professionals, Bailey often replicates this on-the-job reality by skipping the warm-up session he would typically employ with his clients.

Another common issue is nutrition, Bailey said. He frequently works with police professionals in making healthy food choices – even on the go. Lunch from a local deli often offers better options than the fast-food chain’s drive through.

Core strength is a popular focus now and is particularly important for public safety personnel, Bailey said. “If you spend a lot of time in a car, you’re going to have lower back issues,” he said. Exercises which target the lower back and abdominals are important for building core strength and they also highlight the importance of working with a trainer. If you’ve ever felt a twinge in your back after hoisting a carton of orange juice, you know how sensitive this area can be.

Trainers offer a variety of services.  Many will begin with a fitness assessment which includes body fat analysis and measurements so you can track your progress using more meaningful statistics than weight – as you build strength, your weight will increase, even if you become leaner. 

But, if your weight is a concern, many trainers will ask you to keep a food journal for a few days or a week then go through it with you to identify problem areas. Proper nutrition is complicated and sometimes counterintuitive. Your trainer may show you that skipping meals is slowing your metabolism so you burn fewer calories and gain weight, for example. Or following a popular diet may be giving you the wrong balance of protein, carbohydrates and fats, causing you to feel fatigued.

Try contacting your police training academy to get a referral for a personal trainer who is experienced in working with public safety personnel. 

Beyond this recommendation, it is important to evaluate the qualifications of the individual. Numerous organizations certify personal trainers, but the American Council on Exercise, American College of Sports Medicine and National Strength and Conditioning Association are considered among the most rigorous. Most states do not require licensing for personal trainers.

Tip #5:  Make It Fun!

The best personal trainer for you is someone who motivates you and with whom you enjoy working. The best gym is one in which you look forward to working out. The best equipment for a station fitness room is equipment which leaves you feeling a little sore, like you’ve challenged your muscles without straining them.

All the research points to exercise as the best solution for many health problems and, beyond that, it makes you feel great. Once you’ve caught the exercise bug, kicking up your fitness level is a New Year’s resolution you won’t mind keeping!

About the Author: Linda Burke is a freelance writer who contributes regularly to POLICE and SECURITY NEWS.