The physical fitness of police officers needs to support good health and physical performance. Physical fitness comprises a considerable amount of training for police students who are to become police officers. However, to what degree police students are able to perceive their fitness level and differentiate between health-related and performance-related physical fitness is unknown. Therefore, the first aim of this study was to investigate the possibility of differentiation between health-related and performance-related physical fitness using physical self-concept and measured indicators of physical fitness. The second aim of this study was to investigate the association between components of physical self-concept and measured indicators of physical fitness of police students. The sample of 177 police students of both sexes (98 males and 79 females) completed a 40-item physical self-description questionnaire and their physical abilities were assessed for handgrip strength, standing long jump, 30 s sit-ups, and 12-min running. Principal component analysis established health-related and performance-related physical fitness from both perceived and measured physical fitness measures. Correlation analysis revealed a significant relationship between the perceived and measured physical fitness. Results suggest small to moderate ability to recognize the level of certain physical abilities, indicating the association between psychological mechanisms and biological functioning.
Background. Law enforcement officers may experience unique physical demands while on duty, including pursuing a suspect on foot, clearing obstacles, rapidly moving between covers, and engaging in physical confrontations with violent offenders. Several different change of direction speed (CODS) assessments are routinely used to simulate these demands. However, the relationship between these assessments has not been fully explored. Thus, this study investigated the association of shorter and longer distance sprint running with CODS performance. Methods. 15 police students ran the 20-m sprint test, 300-yard shuttle run, and Illinois Agility Test (IAT). Correlation and regression analyses were used to investigate associations. The effect size analysis provided the magnitude of associations. Results. Correlation analysis determined moderate association between 0-10 m, 10-20 m, and 0-20 m sprint performance with the IAT. The regression analysis determined strong linear association of IAT with sprint 0-10 m (R 2 = 0.488, F = 12.385, p = 0.004), sprint 10-20 m (R 2 = 0.496, F = 12.775, p = 0.003), sprint 0-20 m (R 2 = 0.573, F = 17.468, p = 0.001), and no linear association with the 300-yard shuttle run. Conclusions. The current study found a significant positive association between short sprints and IAT performance, suggesting that linear sprinting speed determines a significant proportion of CODS performance. Therefore, police students and officers should include sprint training in their physical fitness routine.
The research was conducted on a sample of 27 male students of the first year of the Faculty of Security Studies in order to determine the value of the functional capabilities of the students of the Faculty of Security Sciences achieved during the Cooper test and the Beep test, in order to consider the possibility of applying the Beep test in the process of assessing the functional capabilities of students when conducting the selection process for admission to the faculty. Using the appropriate statistical procedure, it was found that there is no statistically significant connection of variables for the evaluation of morphological characteristics with the results achieved on the Beep test and the Cooper test, as well as that there is no statistically significant connection of variables for the assessment of morphological characteristics with the obtained results of maximum oxygen consumption on the Beep test and Cooper test. Also, it was found that there is no a difference in maximum oxygen consumption between the tests that were applied. Considering variability of the load that is characteristic of the Beep test and the similarities with specific activities characteristic for the performance of elements and their connections in the teaching process of the SFO (Special Physical Education Program), the authors suggest that the Beep test should be included in the tests that are used to determine the functional capabilities of the candidates when conducting the selection process for admission candidates for education at the Faculty of Security Sciences. The gathered information can also be used to make and optimize the plan and program of the SFO, as well as to create homogeneous groups in order to achieve efficient learning outcomes.
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