Analysis of the Effects of Sex and Age on Upper- and Lower-Body Power for Law Enforcement Agency Recruits Before Academy Training

Abstract

Lockie, RG, Dawes, JJ, Orr, RM, Stierli, M, Dulla, JM, and Orjalo, AJ. Analysis of the effects of sex and age on upper- and lower-body power for law enforcement agency recruits before academy training. J Strength Cond Res 32(7): 1968-1974, 2018-Power is an important characteristic for law enforcement officers. Tasks such as carrying or dragging a civilian to safety, jumping or vaulting, and suspect restraint and pursuit require power to be effective. Certain recruits may be lacking in these qualities even if they have been accepted to a law enforcement agency (LEA). This study investigated upper- and lower-body power in male and female LEA recruits, and recruits of different ages, before academy training. Retrospective analysis of recruit data from one LEA was conducted. The measurements were: vertical jump (VJ) height; peak anaerobic power calculated by the Sayers equation; power-to-body mass ratio (P:BM); seated medicine ball throw (MBT) distance; and MBT distance relative to body mass. Independent-sample t-tests were used to compare the sexes, whereas a 1-way analysis of variance with Bonferroni post hoc compared the pooled data for recruits across different age groups (20-24; 25-29; 30-34; and 35+ years). The male recruits demonstrated superior performance across all power tests compared with the female recruits (p < 0.001). Regarding age, the 35+ year group performed less than optimally in the VJ and P:BM compared with the 20-24 and 24-29 years groups, and in the relative MBT compared with the 20-24 and 30-34 years groups (p = 0.003-0.037). Despite being accepted to a LEA, female recruits and recruits aged 35+ years of age may be lacking in upper- and lower-body power. Female and older recruits should participate in strength and power training before academy attendance to maintain or enhance these qualities.

Waist Circumference and Waist-to-Hip Ratio in Law Enforcement Agency Recruits: Relationship to Performance in Physical Fitness Tests

“…Law enforcement is generally seen as a spasmodic profession where sedentary work can be dispersed with a physically demanding occupational tasks (e.g. civilian rescue, suspect pursuit and restraint), and places great physiological stress on those in this occupation (11,25,28,44). As a result, it is important for LEOs to maintain an appropriate level of physical fitness (33,44).…”

The Relationship between Fitness and Marksmanship in Police Officers

“…However, despite this emphasis, a significant decline in physical fitness is often seen during their employment, which could negatively impact occupational task performance over time [9]. It is recognised that this decline in physical fitness may be credited to an increase in age [10], as well as the sedentary nature of this occupation (e.g., shift work, sedentary tasks, etc.) [7].…”

“…[7]. In addition, there have been differences noted between the sexes, with the average male police officer typically achieving higher fitness levels than the average female officer [10]. Thus, there is a large variation in fitness levels of police officers, which can be influenced by stage of training, duration of career, age and sex.…”

A Comparative Analysis of Physical Fitness in Korean Police Officers: Focus on Results between 2014 to 2019

“…These trends can be observed in reports by the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) [10][11][12][13][14]. The NSCA developed the 'Tactical Strength and Conditioning (TSAC) program' for tactical populations [10], and several studies have been published on the physical fitness of police officers [11][12][13][14]. These studies have highlighted the need for education on the importance and positive effects of physical fitness for police officers [5], as well as the need for training programs to improve and maintain physical fit-…”

“…Additionally, the range of the interests of sports scientists has recently expanded to include tactical populations such as police officers [9]. These trends can be observed in reports by the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) [10][11][12][13][14]. The NSCA developed the 'Tactical Strength and Conditioning (TSAC) program' for tactical populations [10], and several studies have been published on the physical fitness of police officers [11][12][13][14].…”