Physical Fitness and Campus Law Enforcement/
Security Officers
By Larry L. Holman, Jr., Training Officer and Coordinator for Stetson University College of Law Public Safety Department
Physical fitness has been in the media for
quite some time now. There are so many
different advertisements for diets, diet
pills, exercise equipment and training routines or styles that it is hard to make a
choice on what would be good for you to
do to get started in a physical fitness program. But before you began any physical
fitness program, you need to consult your
physician to make sure that it is safe for
you to do so. Also, before I begin talking
about physical fitness, let me stress to you
that I am not a certified personal trainer. I
have been into physical fitness for the
past 34 years, starting out in martial arts
at a very young age and then evolving
into weight training and cardiovascular
training. I have learned about and studied physical fitness through reading different books and magazines, the military
(I was a drill sergeant for the U.S. Army),
and by trial and error. This article is not
intended to give you a workout program
to follow, but just some information on
the different options that you have for a
physical fitness program.
As campus law enforcement/security
officers, we need to maintain a certain
level of physical fitness because you
never know what is going to happen at
any given time. If you are not physically
fit, you may not be able to handle the
situation at that time, plus, being physically fit can save your life. Physical fitness programs can be anything from
weight training to aerobic training or both.
To get the best results out of your
physical fitness program, incorporate
both weight or resistance training
and aerobic training.
Weight Training
Let talk a little about weight training. You
mention weight training to some people
and the typical response is “I do not want
to get big muscles.” I have heard this
statement many times, mainly from females and a few males. First of all, to get
big muscles like a competive bodybuilder
you must train hard and heavy, take the
right amount of supplements, eat the right
type of diet and be very dedicated to the
training program and lifestyle, or be one
of the very, very few lucky people who
has been blessed with very good genes.
Weight or resistance training builds
muscle, which in turn burns calories. The
more muscle you have, the more calories you burn. Weight training can be relatively inexpensive; you can buy a decent
weight set and bench for $80 (U.S.) on
up, depending on the kind of equipment
you buy and where you buy it. You can
make your own weights out of plastic milk
jugs, buckets, or pails using water or sand
in the containers and using a rod, either
steel or wood, that will support the weight
you are attempting to lift. Another option you have is joining your local gym or
health club. Gyms and health clubs provide services to you such as personal train-
ers, swimming pools, aerobic classes and
information about nutrition and how to
perform exercises on the equipment they
have in their establishment. The other
option for you is the gym on the campus
where you work. Most campus gyms are
well equipped with at least the basic
equipment you would need to use, and
usually it is free. Check your departmental polices to make sure that it is all right
to use those facilities before doing so.
There are several books and magazines
out there for you to read to gain knowledge on the different types of exercises
and diets that you can use. The Internet
also has several sites with all kinds of information on weight training or any other
physical fitness activity. You can also learn
how to perform a particular exercise by
asking or watching other experienced
weight trainers about how to perform that
exercise. However, use common courtesy and do not ask them in the middle
of doing their exercise. Most weight lifters
are happy to give advice to someone
who needs to know, as long as common
courtesy is shown.
For beginners in weight or resistance
training, I would recommend that you
work your upper body on one day and
your lower body on the next day. Take
the third day off, then start with upper
body again on the fourth day. I would
recommend that you do this for 4 weeks
before changing the routine. The upper
body exercises would include back, chest,
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Physical Fitness and Campus Law Enforcement/Security Officers
Continued from page 31
shoulders, triceps, biceps and abdominals.
The lower body would include thighs,
hamstrings, calves, and lower back. You
would perform two exercises for each
body part except triceps, biceps, calves
and lower back due to these areas being
worked in conjunction with the other
body parts. You would perform each exercise for two sets of 8 to 12 reps. You
ask, “What are reps and sets?” A rep is a
single exercise movement and a set consist of a certain number of reps. For example: Bench Press 2 sets for 10 reps.
This means that you would lift the weight
10 times for the first set then after a short
rest period, lift it again 10 more times for
your second set.
“How many reps should I do?” The
amount of reps depend on what you are
trying to accomplish, for example:
• To lose weight you would perform
12 to 20 reps using less weight.
• To gain strength, you would perform
8 to 10 reps using a moderate weight.
• To gain mass or bulk, you would perform 4 to 6 reps using more weight.
• Each lift should be performed with
good form so no injury will occur.
Aerobic Training
Aerobic training is a key part of healthy
living. It can help you lose weight, build
strength and endurance, and will improve
your overall health. Aerobic training exercises are any activity that increases your
heart rate via working the body muscles.
Aerobic exercise strengthens the heart
and lungs (cardiovascular system). An
aerobically fit individual can work longer,
more vigorously and achieve a quicker
recovery. Aerobic activity can be anything
from the traditional aerobics classes to running/jogging, walking/hiking, kick boxing, bicycling, rollerblading, or basketball,
just to name a few. Your campus may
offer aerobics classes for you to join or
you may opt to doing it at home by watching one of the many VCR/DVDs of different aerobic routines. All health clubs
also offers aerobic-type training. You need
to perform aerobic training at least 3 to 5
days a week for 20 to 60 minutes.
Again, just like weight lifting, I have
heard the following statement: “Aerobics
is a female type of exercising.” This statement is far from true. There is no “one
gender” type of exercise; all exercises
benefit both males and females.
To get the best results out of your
physical fitness program, incorporate both
weight or resistance training and aerobic
training. This will give you the benefit of
building muscle and building up your cardiovascular system. In turn you will have
more strength and endurance to accomplish whatever task you would need to
accomplish, when you need to accomplish it.
Tips on Successful Programs
Here are some things you can do to make
sure that your physical fitness program is
a success:
1. Keep a log of your workout.
Keeping a log will help you keep
track of what you are doing and how
much weight you have lifted for a
particular exercise or how long you
did your aerobic activity.
2. Have a training partner. Having a
training partner allows you to help
each other with the exercises, especially making sure that you do them
in proper form. A training partner can
also offer a little extra help on your
last lift, making sure that you do not
drop the weights on yourself, and
keep you motivated.
3. Stay dedicated to your program
and diet. Always strive to stick with
your physical fitness routine and diet.
4. Set realistic goals. Set goals that you
can reach. Do not expect changes to
happen overnight. Setting goals allows you to work toward those goals.
Once a goal is met, set another goal.
program. Remember physical fitness
should not be a dreaded chore. You should
look forward to and enjoy the physical
fitness activity that you have decided to
do. Once you have achieved the desired
level of physical fitness, you will feel better, look better, and have more energy
to accomplish your duties as a campus
law enforcement/security officer.
Information
You Can Use!
All IACLEA members now
have access to a searchable
resource database that includes publications, previously
published Campus Law Enforcement Journal articles,
and links to other helpful Web
sites. Check it out in the
Members Only area of the
IACLEA Web site.
www.iaclea.org
IACLEA Virtual
Exhibition Center
Is Open for Business
5. Have fun at what you are doing.
This is probably one of the most important tips that you can get. If you
are not having fun doing your physical fitness program, you need to
change it or you will more than likely
fail.
There is no magic pill or solution that
will give you instant physical fitness, and
it does not come overnight. You will have
to put forth the time and effort, watch
what you eat and be dedicated to your
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