DEVELOPMENT OF METHODS AND PROGRAMS TO PROMOTE PHYSICAL FITNESS AMONG POLICE OFFICERS, REPORT 1 - NATURE OF SPECIFIC EXERCISE PROGRAMS

• NCJ Number: 44815
• Author(s): M L POLLOCK; L R GETTMAN; D A KENT; W P MORGAN; C S PRICE
• Date Published: 1976
• Length: 367 pages
• Grant Number(s): 76-NI-99-0011
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice; US Dept of Justice NIJ Pub
• Corporate Author: International Assoc of Chiefs of Police
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE PHYSIOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF PHYSICAL EXERCISE PROGRAMS ON POLICE PERSONNEL ARE ASSESSED, PARTICULARY WITH REGARD TO THE CARDIOVASCULAR CONDITION OF THE SUBJECTS.

Abstract

THE PRINCIPLES OF EXERCISE, ITS IMPORTANCE IN PREVENTING CORONARY HEART DISEASE (THE LEADING CAUSE OF NON-ACCIDENTAL DISABILITY RETIREMENT AMONG POLICE OFFICERS), THE COMPOSITION OF THE BODY (FAT AND MUSCLE) AND THE WAYS IN WHICH EXERCISE CAN CHANGE IT, AND GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS IMPORTANT IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN EXERCISE PROGRAM ARE OUTLINED. A REVIEW OF LITERATURE CONCERNING EXERCISE AND PHYSICAL FITNESS FOCUSES ON STUDIES DEALING WITH CARDIORESPIRATORY FITNESS (INCLUDING CONSIDERATIONS OF INTENSITY, FREQUENCY, AND MODES OF TRAINING, AGE, AND INITIAL LEVEL OF FITNESS), ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS (E.G., HEAT AND ALTITUDE), BODY COMPOSITION, FLEXIBILITY, AND MUSCULAR STRENGTH. THE METHODOLOGY USED BY THE INSTITUTE FOR AEROBICS RESEARCH IN DALLAS, TEXAS, IN ITS STUDIES OF VARIOUS PHYSICAL TRAINING PROGRAMS FOR POLICE OFFICERS, SELECTION OF PARTICIPANTS, ACTUAL EXERCISES USED, AND DATA ANALYSIS ARE DESCRIBED. A CHAPTER ON RESULTS OF THE DALLAS STUDY DESCRIBES THE CORONARY HEART DISEASE RISK AND PHYSICAL FITNESS LEVEL OF POLICE OFFICERS AND THE RESULTS OF THE 20-WEEK TRAINING PROGRAMS. IT ALSO DEALS WITH THE RESULTS ON DROP-OUTS AND ATTITUDES TOWARD THE EXERCISE PROGRAMS. SUPPORTING DATA ARE PROVIDED. PSYCHOLOGICAL BENEFITS CORRELATED WITH PHYSICAL FITNESS ARE ALSO CONSIDERED, AND RESULTS OF QUESTIONNAIRES GIVEN THE OFFICERS PARTICIPATING IN THE PROGRAM ARE PRESENTED. RECOMMENDATIONS BASED ON THE STUDY ARE SUMMARIZED, INCLUDING: A GENERAL AEROBICS PROGRAM FOR BOTH YOUNG OFFICERS AND MIDDLE-AGED EXECUTIVE POLICE OFFICERS TO REDUCE THE RISK OF CORONARY HEART DISEASE AND IMPROVE TOTAL HEALTH; WHERE BUDGETS PERMIT, A COMBINATION OF WEIGHT TRAINING AND CONTINUOUS RUNNING PROGRAMS FOR YOUNG OFFICERS; WHERE PRACTICAL, SUPERVISION OF EXERCISE PROGRAMS; AND DECENTRALIZATION OF THE PROGRAMS TO MAKE FACILITIES MORE CONVENIENT TO OFFICES. THE APPLICATION FOR THE PHYSICAL FITNESS PROGRAM AND MEDICAL HISTORY, ATTITUDE, SELF-EVALUATION, AND RELATED QUESTIONNAIRES ARE REPRODUCED IN APPENDIXES. FOR RELATED REPORTS, SEE NCJ-44118, 44149, 44816, AND 44817.