Police Physical Fitness Testing and Why Take a Physical Fitness Test

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Learn about the physical training standards that all police officer candidates must meet before joining the Bowling Green Police Department.

Why Take a Physical Fitness Test

By: Jesse Regan

This one of those tests that you should not fear and, in fact should take for your health’s sake. A physical fitness test will only oblige you, after all, to do exercises that would serve as measuring instruments for your agility, endurance and stability, which are the four aspects that physical fitness consists of. You will be required to undergo such test if you join institutions that give importance to your physical abilities. If you join the army or the police, you will definitely require you to be fit. If you want to become an athlete, your team or club will normally ask you to do the test. Tests on cardio, usually, require you to jog a distance or time in order to find out how your endurance is. Some routines on weight training may also be performed such as pull-ups to measure your strength. Short sprints and long jumps are also done to determine your agility. If you wish to get a more comprehensive reading though, try performing all four types of tests. The first things you will appreciate in a physical fitness test will be your strengths and weaknesses. If you perform all routines necessary to measure yourself on the four factors, you will find out your problem areas. You can still start working out without undergoing a fitness test though. However, you run the risk of focusing only on your strengths while setting aside those that need to be developed. When you are done with your physical fitness test, the results will be the starting points for your fitness program. If it proves that you have a problem with endurance, then your program will require you more cardio. If it also tells you that you lack physical strength, then you will have to spend more time with weights. Still, you will have to do the rest of the routines for a balanced approach on fitness. Hospitals and clinics can also use physical fitness tests on you if you are their patient. They consider this as a form of diagnostic testing, checking how patients react to physical exertion before or after undergoing treatment. While running on a treadmill for a given time, they will monitor how your heart and lungs function. If you have gone through a surgical operation on your bone fractures or torn muscles, they may prescribe you to lift some weights so they can check your recovery status. Almost every school makes it a point to let their students take physical fitness tests. They find this indispensable in their efforts to keep their students’ health in check by promoting a physical fitness program. This has become more valuable now that obesity has become such a problem for many young people. While implementing a fitness program, they conduct fitness tests to monitor the students’ development and make adjustments if necessary.