Tactical PE Law Enforcement Fitness Training

 

• Author Tim Kauppinen

As a police or law enforcement officer, you know that staying in shape is a key part of your job - and for keeping you safe. You also know that it's often almost impossible to find the time to work out consistently.

Let's face it, fitting in an hour or two of exercise every day is just not very realistic in your hectic, demanding schedule. That's why you need to focus your work outs on the type of exercise to give you the best results in the shortest amount of time.

And the type I recommend is high intensity exercise - especially hill and stair sprints. These techniques allow you to get the most out of your precious workout time. Helping you build strength, power, speed and stamina while burning maximum amounts of fat - all in much less time than a traditional workout.

There are numerous reasons that high intensity is the way for you to go. Here are the Top 3:

1. Hill Sprints Build the Stamina Necessary For Your Job Demands.

Endurance is something that every law enforcement officer needs - but it is a special kind of endurance. If you want to perform at your peak, then long, slow distance types of cardio just won't work. Your endurance training needs to mimic the demands of your job. Those needs being - short bouts of intense exertion alternated with periods of long periods of lower intensity.

Think about it. How often does your job require you to jog at a low intensity for long periods of time? Or even run at a steady, moderate pace for 20 or 30 minutes in a row? Yet, these are exactly the types of demands that long, slow cardio workouts prepare you for.

On the other hand, high intensity work, like hill sprinting, provides you with interval training that meets your needs. It will take your heart and lungs to intensities far greater than those found in jogging or traditional types of endurance training. Your body will become used to reaching these higher levels, and recovering quickly in between the "sprints." Not only that, with hill sprints, you will be able to spend much more time training at that high intensity than if you try to "go hard" at a steady state.

This type of training can lead to more protection for your heart and lungs than traditional "cardio". Long, low intensity cardio can actually shrink the size of your heart and lungs because your body is excellent at adapting to the stresses placed on it. Training long and slow encourages your body to become as efficient as possible to make the exercise easier. The result: it shrinks muscle mass along with your heart and lungs. This has the effect of decreasing your reserve capacity - the ability of your cardio-vascular system to respond to high stress situations (exactly the kind your run into in your job). Without a high reserve capacity, your heart and lungs may be at risk during stressful events. High intensity training can help raise your reserve capacity instead.

Not only that, but more and more scientific studies are showing that VO2 Max (the traditional measure of aerobic endurance) is improved as much - or more- by using high intensity exercise like hill sprinting. This endurance is due to the sprints upgrading your oxygen intake system with new capillaries, developing stronger heart and lung tissue, adding more energy producing mitochondria and increasing your tolerance to lactic acid buildup.

Want the ability to respond to high intensity situations (and recover quickly afterwards)? Then train the same way.

2. Hill Sprints Give You Results In As Little As 15 Minutes.

Sure, this training sounds great - but how much time does it take?

Truth is, you can get these benefits in short workouts of 15 minutes or less - only 2 or 3 days per week.

High intensity work, especially hill and stair sprinting, is an incredibly efficient way to exercise. This is because you are forced to do more work in a shorter period of time. In other words, hills and stairs are like the perfect combination of strength training and sprinting - you literally "lift" or "push" yourself up the incline. The steeper the incline, the more demand is placed on your leg muscles. This intensity allows you to get in a superior workout in a very short period of time.

3. Hill Sprinting: The Incredible Stress Buster

The bad news: Your position as a law enforcement officer brings a great deal of stress along with the job. This stress can lead to health-related problems like heart disease and metabolic syndrome.

The good news: One of the best ways to "bust" that stress is with exercise - more specifically high intensity exercise.

Exercise in general relieves stress in a number of ways. First of all, exercise stimulates your brain to release substances (endorphins) that improve your mood. Besides that, exercise can decrease cortisol levels, provide a distraction from the source of stress and boost your self confidence.

Any exercise can have these effects, but high intensity can amplify your results. Recently, researchers at the University of Missouri-Columbia showed that high intensity exercise is superior in reducing anxiety and stress. The 2003 study even showed that the effects can be felt 30, 60, even 90 minutes after an exercise session.

These are just 3 of the reasons that every law enforcement officer should hill sprint. Take your endurance to a new level and reduce your stress in only a few minutes of exercise per week with this "old school" training. You, your fellow officers and those you serve and protect will be glad you did.

Tim Kauppinen, or Coach K, has over 20 years experience as an athlete,coach and personal trainer. He has helped people of all ages and abilities get and stay in peak shape. Coach K is the author of the Uphill Fitness Training, and publishes a FREE daily training email newsletter. Tim can be contacted through his website at http://www.makesyoufast.com

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US Sports Affiliate Partner Spotlight: Flybird Fitness

 

About FLYBIRD

Although there were a lot of fitness equipment that had been released in the market, we found out that none of them really met our needs. Some were either too heavy, or not portable enough, or just not aesthetically pleasing. So we decided to make it ourselves.

We at Flybird wish to make people's lives more comfortable and healthier with our reliable equipment and excellent service. For our company, developing new products is always a priority so that we can meet our customers' needs.

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Today's Devotional: We Destroy That Mountain!

 

Facing Life’s Mountains

From Intouch Ministries

Anytime believers face overwhelming problems, they can rely on the Holy Spirit for the help they need.

Zechariah 4:1-10

Are you facing what seems like an insurmountable obstacle? It might be a problem too complex to solve, a task beyond your ability, a sin too tempting to overcome, or a situation over which you have no control. Facing such things can make us feel weak, helpless, and vulnerable. But always remember that we have an almighty God, and nothing is too difficult for Him.

Zerubbabel was a Jewish leader who, together with 50,000 of his countrymen, returned to Jerusalem from Babylonian captivity. They set about rebuilding the temple, but the obstacles were daunting. The people became disheartened, so God gave His prophet Zechariah a vision to encourage them. The message reminded Zerubbabel that progress is made “not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit” (Zech. 4:6).

This same truth applies to us today. Your obstacles may seem like mountains too big to move, and in your own strength, they certainly are. But as a believer, you have the power of the Holy Spirit within you. Although your circumstances may not change, He’ll give you His comfort, joy, peace, patience, and strength to go through it. The Spirit is God’s promise of continual help to His weary people.

Bible in One Year: John 8-9

Today's Devotional: Two Kinds Of Promises, One God

 

Two Kinds of Promises

Some of God's promises require that we meet a condition before He responds. From InTouch Ministries

2 Peter 1:1-4

Christianity rests on a foundation of God’s promises. There are two kinds—unconditional and conditional. Fulfillment of an unconditional promise rests solely with the Lord. One example is God’s covenant to never again destroy the entire earth by flood (Genesis 9:11). 

On the other hand, if a promise is conditional, fulfillment depends on certain requirements being met. The transaction can be expressed as an “if-then” statement. James 1:5-7, for example, tells us that if we request wisdom from God by asking in faith without doubting Him, then He will give it generously. And in Matthew 6:32-33, Jesus promises that if we seek first God’s kingdom and righteousness, then everything we need will be provided. 

The Lord will do exactly what He has promised, but when there’s a condition, you must satisfy the requirements He has set. If you’re still waiting for God to keep a particular promise, check the context for a stipulation. Then make certain you’re carrying out your part. And remember that while the fulfillment is certain, the timing is always in the Lord’s hands. 

Bible in One Year: John 6-7

US Sports Psyche: Adversarial Relationships

 

Bruce Wilson, PhD

How do we handle relationships, couples, friends, family, or work colleagues, that are oppositional or adversarial? Are there strategies that work better than others? Could people who do not think like me somehow be more beneficial to me than people who agree with me? These questions have stumped most of us and we all struggle with adversaries at times. However, struggle also connotes a possible growth opportunity that we may be missing.

“Prosperity tries the fortunate, adversity the great.” – Rose Kennedy

Adversarial Defined

The definition of adversarial is anything related to a person, place, or thing where there is disagreement, opposition or where problems are created that go against a desired result. We would be a total outlier in life if we did not experience someone in our day-to-day existence that fits into this description.

The usual responses to our adversaries include anger, avoidance, rudeness, loss of respect, frustration, resentment, and even disgust. These reactions do not usually portend a satisfactory solution. Things tend to go from bad to worse, leading to total avoidance or the end of the relationship.

“Sometimes adversity is what you need to face in order to become successful.” – Zig Ziglar

Alternative Reactions

One alternative to becoming adversarial is to go parallel. “Parallel thinking” explores the subject, rather than the person, through an alternating approach of giving options and then listening to the others options. The subject rather than the person becomes the object of this exploration. We have already removed the personalisation component of the disagreement. Emotionally, we are already in a better place.

Another tact with the adversarial person is to try very hard to find something about their view that you can agree on. Finding any point of congruency can diffuse the situation to some degree. Even minimal agreement will entice the adversarial person you are dealing with to find something they can agree to about your view. This acceptance of each other’s viewpoint can lead the way to some mutual rather than exclusive styles of thinking. We can both have something of value to offer on this subject.

Eventually, you may even arrive at “white hat thinking”, which allows for even more progress with adversarial thinkers. The white hat represents information gathering. Think about the knowledge and insights that you've collected already – but also the information you're missing, and where you can go to get it. Now you are working in collaboration with one another rather than as competitors.

The opportunities for growth and development of your relationship with the adversarial have now improved to a level whereby you are both benefiting from your differences. Each of your viewpoints have been improved through exercising your diversity in a more productive way than it would have been through conflict.

“Diversity: the art of thinking independently together.” – Malcolm Forbes

Diversity Negates Adversity

Sometimes, mistakenly, we confuse independence with being adversarial. This idea most likely starts when the child becomes an adolescent or young adult. We individuate by being adversarial as a teenager to be our own person. Our identity is mistakenly linked to our perceived independence. Independence does not have to be adversarial. In fact, it may even hinder our independence due to the plethora of opportunities that we have missed to learn from others.

Our diversity as humans elevates our potential to contribute to each other in unique ways. What you offer me, I may not possess and vice versa. Our mutual contributions to one another, which are negotiated through our diversity, are much more valuable and irreplaceable than our perceived differences. Paradoxically, implementing our individual diversity through collaboration may ultimately enhance our unrealized potential to nullify many of our adversarial relationships.

Bio

Dr. Bruce Wilson is a psychologist with 25 years of experience. He enjoys sharing his ramblings with friends and colleagues. He is currently in private practice at Mind Health Care in Geelong, Australia. This article is solely his work.

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US Sports Affiliate Partner Spotlight: Beast Sports Nutrition!

 

Natural Caffeine Vs Synthetic Caffeine. Which Is Best?

Posted by Maria Altieri

Caffeine is considered to be one of the most frequently used supplement ingredients all across the world in many different products, and for a good reason – it works. One of the most common uses of caffeine is in the form of coffee. There are many people who rely on the caffeine content found in coffee to get them through their day and even workout. Some can get away with low doses, while others need incredibly high doses. However, many people do not know that there are different sources of caffeine, which is why we are going to discuss the two types of caffeine – natural caffeine and synthetic caffeine. 

Caffeine is a common ingredient found in drinks such as coffee, tea, energy drinks, and soft drinks like Coca-Cola, Pepsi, etc. There are many sources of caffeine that can be utilized, and they all don’t have the same effects on people. Some sources are natural, plant-based, and some are even synthetically produced. 

Let’s take a look at what natural caffeine is as well as what synthetic caffeine is to get a better understanding of how they differ. 

Natural Caffeine 

If we go back to its roots, caffeine was first found in naturally occurring plants such as guarana, cacao, yerba mate, and berries. In present times, it can be found in over 60 various types of plants. 

While natural caffeine can be found and sold as a standalone supplement, it’s generally not the most commonly found product on the shelves and online. Instead, natural caffeine can be found in many different supplement profiles from fat-burners, to pre-workouts, to straight-up energy products. 

You may also find caffeine in vitamins and methylxanthines, which balance the up and down of energy from caffeine in your system and help deliver it to your body in a stable manner. Essentially, natural caffeine provides a more sustainable and cleaner boost of energy in comparison to synthetic caffeine, and it also allows for heightened focus and cognition. If you’ve ever used different forms of caffeine, you may have noticed and experienced a quick jolt of energy but then an abrupt crash that soon follows. 

Unlike synthetic caffeine, natural caffeine generally does not have any side effects such as insomnia, nervousness, and anxiety, to name a few. It is because of the gradual release of natural caffeine into your system that many of the side effects associated with synthetic caffeine are nonexistent. There is no sudden release that can cause jitters or uneasiness. 

You can take a glance at the nutritional panel of a product to see if it has natural caffeine or synthetic caffeine, as many of them will break down what source of caffeine is used. 

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Synthetic Caffeine 

Synthetic caffeine is widely used in soft drinks and energy drinks. Synthetic caffeine is quickly absorbed in your system and gives you a sudden boost of energy, which is much faster than natural caffeine. Interestingly enough, and a little history lesson for you, synthetic caffeine was first discovered by the Nazis during World War II. With increasing demand, synthetic caffeine started becoming the norm. 

Additionally, synthetic caffeine (such as caffeine anhydrous) is a very inexpensive ingredient to produce. Natural caffeine is something that would need to be sourced, and because of this, synthetic caffeine has become the most widely used form of caffeine. Big companies such as Coca-Cola are highly dependent on synthetic caffeine for their products. Unfortunately, synthetic caffeine has some drawbacks and side effects that could become quite harmful to your body. 

There have been some instances and cases where individuals got their supplements mixed up and took two teaspoons or more of synthetic caffeine and, unfortunately, died because of ingesting a lethal dose. 

Because synthetic caffeine is absorbed into your body much faster than natural caffeine, it provides a quick spike of energy that many people enjoy but then an equivalent crash as if you hit a wall going 100mph. Although synthetic caffeine and natural caffeine are almost non-distinguishable on a molecular level, the method of how synthetic caffeine is made can trigger significant health concerns, which you need to take into consideration before you decide if you want to supplement with it or not. 

Natural Caffeine vs. Synthetic Caffeine 

Here are some key points and takeaways from both sources of caffeine. 

• Natural caffeine and synthetic caffeine are chemically identical. The big difference is that synthetic caffeine is made from chloroacetic acid and urea, whereas natural caffeine is produced from various plants. 

• The most surprising part is that both sources of caffeine affect the body in similar ways. 

• Naturally sourced caffeine tends to be harder to source and relatively expensive, which is why labs have started making synthetic caffeine. 

• Due to the lower cost associated with synthetic caffeine, many supplement companies prefer to use it over natural caffeine due to the cost-savings advantage. 

• Synthetic caffeine undergoes numerous steps to be converted from its initial form, which is ammonia. It is usually exposed to harsh chemicals during the conversion, such as ethyl acetate, carbon dioxide, and methylene chloride. In addition, synthetic caffeine has somewhat of a “glowing” factor. This is removed by cleaning the caffeine with acetic acid, sodium nitrate, chloroform, and sodium bicarbonate. 

• It should be noted that not all synthetic caffeine is harmful when consumed in a small amount. But the thing to keep in mind is, you have probably had it this week or even today, unknowingly, as several products have them as one of their ingredients. Because of this, it is recommended that you take a look at the ingredient list of the product you are looking to purchase. 

Which Source of Caffeine Is Right for You? 

The most significant takeaway when differentiating natural caffeine and synthetic caffeine is that synthetic caffeine can work faster and provide you with a sudden boost of energy. Still, when you are coming down from that rollercoaster ride, and you have a sudden crash in energy, it will be much worse than what you’ll experience through natural caffeine. 

It’s beneficial to understand what you are reading on many supplement labels out there. If you see the word “caffeine” on the ingredient list of a product, it is very like that it is synthetic caffeine (caffeine anhydrous). If it is a natural source, you will see the actual name of the plant products used, such as green tea extract, green coffee beans, or guarana, to name a few. 

Now that you know the basics of the varying sources of caffeine, you can make a more informed decision on whether you prefer to use a natural caffeine source or a synthetic caffeine source to help provide you with the results you want and need to achieve your goals.

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Today's Devotional: The Promises of God

 From Intouch Ministries

Because it is impossible for our holy God to lie, we can trust Him completely.

Hebrews 6:10-20

Have you ever felt as if there’s a promise God failed to keep? If so, then today’s passage is for you. Let’s look at three things we can learn from it.

1. There is no one greater than the Lord. He has infinite power, knowledge, and wisdom. Nothing can thwart His purposes, so everything He commits to do, He will do. Today’s passage reassures us that the Lord never fails His children, even if we have to wait for His answer.
2. God is unchangeable. That means His Word and His plans for the ultimate good of His children do not change. You can count on Him to do whatever He says He will do. Though everything around us changes, our heavenly Father never wavers.
3. It’s impossible for God to lie. He is true and the source of all truth. Because He’s holy, there is no sin in Him. All His commitments are based on His truthfulness.

A promise is valuable only if the one making it is trustworthy. Since God alone perfectly meets this qualification, we can base our entire life on the certainty of His promises. What’s more, His absolute faithfulness means we can also be sure of His devotion and unconditional love.

Bible in One Year: John 4-5 

US Sports Psyche: 12 Effective Ways To Countering Fear

• Author Joey Ward

We can take action when faced with fear versus allowing fear to get the best of us. The following coping tools can be implemented immediately whenever you are faced with fear.

Identify the Fear In order to deal with our fears during times of crisis, we must first understand what those fears are. Demystify fear and identify whether it is realistic or not to make it less scary and more manageable.

Think Positively

Positive thinking is a way to regain control during times of distress and uncertainty when fear tries to dominate. Choose to not focus on potential negative outcomes. Make a conscious pivot away from the negative source/stressor and towards a more positive focus.

Relaxation Techniques

Relaxation practices improve mood, reduce stress hormones, slow breathing, decrease heart rate, and reduce frustration, all of which are associated with fear. Relaxation techniques include yoga, massage, aromatherapy, music, and art, among others.

Breathe

Breathing helps you regain a sense of calm in the midst of fear. Breathing offers the opportunity to take the time to pause, refocus, and process what is happening and what you are feeling. Be Patient Fear can cause irrational thoughts and poor decision-making.

Take some time to just sit with your feelings so you can realize that the fear isn’t valid, help you reason through the fear and develop a solution to adequately address it.

Self-Care

Self-care is a way to address the mental and emotional impacts fear can have on the body. Self-care is about prioritizing the protection of well-being and happiness, particularly during periods of stress induced by fear. Methods of self-care include healthy lifestyle choices such as diet and exercise, meditation and other forms of relaxation, stress management, and journaling.

Get Informed

Fear is often fueled by the unknown. What we don’t know seems to cause us to panic and think about worst-case scenario situations, especially during a crisis. Manage fear with information from reputable sources. Once we understand a situation or scenario, we are in a much better situation to address it.

Gratitude

Being grateful can serve as a powerful means of refocusing attention and energy when in the midst of fearful situations. Gratitude can ground you in positive thoughts when fear tries to overwhelm and override. Humor In crisis situations we are often only surrounded by the negativity and severity of the situation at hand. It is hard to remain afraid when you’re laughing.

Exercise

A little physical activity can produce a physical response in the body that is great for fighting against fear. When we engage in any kind of physical activity, there is a release of endorphins that cause an analgesic effect within the body.

Exercise reduces stress and boosts inner calm and mental clarity.

Meditate

Meditation can be used to combat fear by intentionally choosing to focus on something other than the trigger causing the fear and regularly engaging in the practice as a means of redirecting and gaining control of your thoughts.

Through meditation, you can manage and calm your fears and thus manage distressing situations.

Talk it Out

Talking about your fears helps you to either realize the fears are not realistic or at the very least allows you to vent, instead of letting those fears fester in your mind. In talking through fears, we can often come up with solutions to address the core problem. ===========================================================

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US Sports Affiliate Partner Spotlight: Avantlink Affiliate Marketing!

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Today's Devotional: Honor God By Honoring Your Marriage

From CDM

 “Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge” (Hebrews 13:4).

In today’s society, marriage isn’t honored or valued as it should be. The Holy Spirit is trying to lead us in this area, but we’re all free moral agents; sin still has consequences.