Fitness Level For CP course

littlewoman

Just to add to what others have said about physical fitness, I spent about four years doing complementary medicine, a lot of it was treating injuries and other structural type problems. Fitness isn't just about being able to keep up if you have to run or having the strength to fight. Being fit will make you less likely to get ill, less likely to get injured whether that's back injuries from lifting something and impact injuries from attacks. Also if you do get injured you will recover so much faster if you are fit.
When some of our local ramblers (all in their 60's) got hit by a car, a couple of them were told by the hospital that they'd probably never walk again. They were fell walking 6 months later! Even though they were old the frequent walking throughout their lives meant that they were fitter than a lot of people a lot younger.

smudgepara

You definatly need to be fit for job, i think though should rely on training provider to sort that should be personel pride. I also agree all round fitness but i do belive (only personnel opinion) that bit of resistance / strength training will help, as it can make a difference in confrontation. As to grappling well its not UFC it needs to be quick, maximum agression, minimum force so strikes. I Box reguarly and have done for 9 years and i found on my course i found unarmed combat a lot easier than others our lessons for that phase were taken by the current instructor for UKSF (fact).
So maybe get yourself running get bit advice on strength work and a few sessions down local Boxing club be of help. All helps end day.

baghdadbg

ref road hogs dragging theory, never been a fan, if you have the back strength then you should get the injured person on your shoulder (firemans carry) draging someone with an open fracture to the femur is a tage painfull. Again as with anything it depends on the situation, its no good if you have hundreds of thousands of 5.56 coming at you and your standing trying to get someone onto your shoulder . Train for all situations and use techniques that you personally can do, and not because some man mountain on a course said this is how it is done

smudgepara

I agree train for all possibilities best bet, but take advice from people with known experience that is one way we learn. nothing wrong with it

littlewoman

I think what bagdadbg is saying is that you need to think about things you've been taught. Are they in agreement with things you already know from your own experience? Are they the right technique for you or does your size, build etc. make them a bad idea. Are they right for all circumstances or might there be occasions when they would be inappropriate. He's not saying don't listen to others, just listen then think.

knightscpo

guys

it depends on what sort of cp work you are doing. i always keep my medium built fit guys closer to the principal and the big steroid boys out in front. they are good for crowd control and tend to attract the most attention. the less attention on the principal the better.

as for your question, here in south africa fitness is paramount. as a cp pro you should ensure that ex[plosive power is incoperated in your training. if you need to run more than a 100meters with your principal from a threat you have not done your job and are probably dead or unemployed. stick to your close combat skills and do drills with that. it should keep your fitness at a respectable level. although a 3 mile run is good especailly if your principal is an athelete. little info for those coming to south africa. they are trying to pass legislation that no one may carry non lethal eqiupment. any comments.

Roadhog

Also remember specificity in your training once you reach a good base level of fitness. Your basic fitness requirement is subjective. For me I work on keeping to the SEALS warning order level 2 week 9 workout, this gives a good fitness level in run, pull ups, sit ups and push ups, this gives a good level of muscular endurance. But then I add to that weighted pull ups, fire mans carries, tire pulls, a lot of workouts from Crossfit and Milfit. That is what works for me, other people will obviously have different ideas, I would suggest thinking about what you may have to do physically and then work on that. EG If you have a principal that runs- remember YOU need not only to keep up with him/her, but also be ready to act in your primary role as BG- if you're wheezing and miles behind you're no use at all.
The internet has a wealth of physical fitness sites and resources, I would suggest looking for protective services and Law Enforcement organisations and study what their agents need to do on a PFT to qualify and use that as a guide.
But as littlewoman and baghdadbg have suggested take advice and make up your own mind. But remember that you need to be effective for your principal in any situation.

frankfarmer

I’ve had two Principles that ran; one was in London and two of the team ran with him around Holland Park and another was in Europe. For the latter chap we deployed with three team members, two vehicles and a motorbike. Two of us stayed with the chap throughout and the third moved a head (using one of the vehicles) to key junctions. We had a real threat so the other vehicle stayed with us to provide a screen from a know direction of danger.

The obvious question is why run? The answer was because he said he wanted to. Even after our advice not to, he wanted to, so we all went with him.

On more than one occasion both myself and my mate swapped out with the ‘third-man’. Remember, it’s not just staying with the chap whilst he runs; it’s about being able to react if something happens. None of us saw it as a weakness to swap out as we all knew it was about our reactive capability and not our running prowess.

Fitness is important but knowing your limits is even more important.

littlewoman

Just had an interesting experience of the need to stay fit. Stewarding at a sports match (not CP) we have to escort 3 match officials off the pitch at the end. Usually 4-8 stewards (depending on how many bad decisions:-) ) but we're down to two due to others needing to respond to a fight. As we approach the officials they decide they're going to run because its just starting to rain heavy. They weren't even sprinting and it was only 60meters but I was the only one that could keep up!!

baghdadbg

This came up on a course i did, the guy detailed to the client was a bit of a lardie, and he basicly struggled a bit with the run, on the debrief he was reminded that the mountain bike that was part of the team gear was there for a reason. needless to say the next guy who got the detail used the bike, And reacted to the simulated attack against the client.