Category: Plan Your Fitness

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Tough Enough?

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ToughEnoughHow tough is tough enough for a law enforcement officer?

Law enforcement is a tough profession. It will beat you up and tear you down, unless you are tough enough to endure all that this job has to throw at you.  So how do you prepare yourself for the job?

How tough do you have to be to work in law enforcement?

Your training for a policing job can be critical to your survival, and it’s not just the training you get in the police academy, it’s about training yourself every day to be sharp and ready for whatever the day will challenge you with. In order to be tough enough for a full career in law enforcement you need to strengthen and condition yourself every day in several ways.

When I say training I’m not just talking about physical fitness training, although that’s a big part of it, I believe that in order to be thoroughly trained for this job you have to strengthen and condition your “self” every day physically, mentally, emotionally as well as spiritually.

The problem with that is that none of us has ever been taught how to strengthen ourselves mentally, emotionally and spiritually.

Some of you might be asking why do I have to strengthen myself spiritually or emotionally for this job?

You will have to discover that answer to that question for yourself but consider the fact that about three times more officers take their own lives than are murdered in the line of duty. Physical fitness alone doesn’t strengthen you in the ways that are necessary to protect you from the demons that would lead you to want to take your own life. If you add in other toxic “hidden dangers” that might assault you in this line of work like… Continue reading

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CopsAlive Promotes Lumosity

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LumosityScienceCopsAlive is promoting Lumosity brain training to our readers in order to encourage future research into brain training for law enforcement professionals.

As part of our Armor Your Self™ training program CopsAlive.com and The Law Enforcement Survival Institute recommend strengthening and conditioning yourself physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually to be better able to survive the rigors of a career in law enforcement.

Lumosity provides an excellent foundation for what we recommend you do for 10-15 minutes a day to Armor Your Self™ Mentally.

Lumosity now has the world’s largest and fastest growing database on human cognition—which currently includes over 40,000,000 research subjects and over 780,000,000 cognitive gameplays. Their scientists mine this data to uncover insights that help them improve the efficacy of the Lumosity cognitive training program.

Because of our work in the areas of wellness and stress management for law enforcement personnel CopsAlive.com requested to participate in Lumosity’s Clinical Access Research & Engagement Program (CARE) which allows us to give away a few trial memberships to Lumosity in order for your to see if it might benefit you.

This means that if you are interested in doing regular daily brain training CopsAlive.com can offer you one month of free access to Lumosity by giving you a special access code. When we run out of the free offers we will be assembling a waiting list of people interested in Lumosity’s brain training for a future collaboration and research project we are proposing to Lumosity.

We will contact you soon to let you know… Continue reading

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Fitness Monday – The Power of Connection

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connectionbyjazbeck

One of the most powerful tools a law enforcement officer can use to maintain their fitness is the power of connection.  Before I elaborate let’s make some distinctions.

First what does the concept of fitness mean to you?  To us at the Law Enforcement Survival Institute fitness means your physical, mental, emotional and spiritual fitness for duty and overall wellness for life’s challenges and joys.

Secondly, connection in this case means to us your ability to maintain connections to family, people, support networks, resources, some higher power and other areas that can strengthen and support you in your life and your work in law enforcement.

So what does the concept of connection have to do with your fitness in police work?

If you look at our over-riding definition of fitness listed above you will recognize that our concept of fitness impacts your whole being or “self” and that in order to strengthen and maintain your peak levels of fitness you must be conditioning your “self” in four areas: physically, mentally, emotionally as well as spiritually.  Many police officers and other law enforcement professionals only train themselves physically to survive the rigors of this profession.  If that’s all you do, then we are concerned about the threats to you from what we call the hidden dangers of law enforcement like police officer suicide, heart disease, cumulative stress, PTSD, various forms of cancer and other things that will take your life.  If you take your personal threat assessment further to the things that don’t kill you but can make your life miserable then we include threats like fatigue, divorce, financial ruin, alcoholism…, Continue reading

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Fitness Monday – The Power of Proper Equipment

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In law enforcement and police work we have a lot of tools to get the job done properly. One area where we might be falling down is our selection of the proper fitness equipment for both our sports and job fitness training. Choosing the proper fitness training equipment like running or cycling shoes, clothing, exercise equipment, cycles etc. can make all the difference between success and failure. For policing professionals our fitness tools are just as important as the tools we use on the job.

In his article this week you will see that Scott wore out his favorite cycling shoes so this YouTube video from LiveStrong.com entitled: “How to Choose Proper Cycling Shoes” is for him

Hi everyone, good to be back after a week in North Dakota. No exercise, unless you call reading highway safety reports and eating hotel food all week exercise.

Did you know that it’s hot and humid in south Louisiana? You’d think I would know that too, but it didn’t stop me from overdoing it this weekend. But don’t “I told you so” too quickly. I was inspired by the wonderful folks I’ve rejoined in our Bayou Country Cyclists team, and our MS 150 training ride was an event I had to participate in. Even though I was still under hydrated and over-stuffed with Bismarck’s best cuisine.

Today’s ride brought a little sadness though. Ever get attached to something… Continue reading

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Fitness Monday – The Power of Reclaiming Your Health

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2013-07-13-09-06-13How to you benchmark 20 weeks of concerted efforts for reclaiming health?  Just show up!

I’ve been chipping away with daily runs, yoga and cycling. Most after work rides allow about 25 – 30 mile rides through beautiful bayous and endless acres of sweeping sugarcane fields. My cycling club, Bayou Country Cyclists held the regular Saturday ride. The club president, Christy J. e-mailed me Friday and said just show up.

75 miles and 4 hours later, I had completed a distance I used to bike regularly enroute to completing century rides. After 2 years, 45 pounds gained, dangerously high BP, and begrudgingly sedentary lifestyle, I had reclaimed the healthy habits I practiced for an entire life.

It was a perfect day for celebrating 20 weeks as a long-time friend showed up for the ride, and for those of you who are fans of the History channels’ Swamp People, the alligator hunter

“ZZ” was kind enough to offer us much needed… Continue reading

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Fitness Monday – The Power of Inspiration

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tour-de-france-logoWhat inspires you to achieve more in your life, your career or with your level of fitness?

This 4th of July holiday provided great opportunities for family, fun, food and showing my siblings who’s boss. OK, actually I overate at a family BBQ, chased kiddo down at a Veteran’s celebration in the park, and blamed the mysterious disappearance of about 6 homemade brownies on my youngest niece. Yes, I was out of character but we all need a break sometimes.

As for exercise, it was another great week to include running, walking and cycling. Despite a month-long pinched nerve I call “getting older,” I found relief in the regular yoga class.

This regular training is also helping tolerate the heat, as our traditional dark navy uniforms offer little respite from south Louisiana’s sun.

Most fun this week has been the long evening walks with my kiddo, and his inspiration to bike ride after an afternoon of watching the Tour de France. I encourage you to… Continue reading

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Fitness Monday – The Power of Motivation

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barefootcyclingThis week was about finding inspiration when totally not expecting it. I’ve been back on the bike steadily and enjoying the return in the saddle. Either alone or with the fantastic club members of our Bayou Country Cyclists, it’s great to be back.

Motivation came when I met 2 team members for a quick 20+. One of the ladies forgot her cycling shoes. Her friend offered to forgo the ride and head home. The shoeless rider refused to pack up. Despite needing clip-ins, she took off bare footed on the pegs.

After reaching a straight away, I picked up my pace and rode ahead. Reaching the turn-around I headed back and who did I see? Both cyclists and her still barefoot. She was at the +10 mile point for the out and back.

I was so proud to see her commitment that I must have smiled the whole way back. Great going!

My other motivation was seeing the… Continue reading

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1440 minutes – That is ALL you get

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greenwichclockbynicksarebi

1440 minutes – That is ALL you get
Guest Posting By Mark Sherwood

We are all well-schooled and even inundated on concepts of financial management (e.g. “spend less – save more”, “don’t spend more than you make”, “pay yourself first”, etc.).

How about the concept of time management? Do we really understand it? Do we practice, or are we even aware of, good habits in this area? I bring up this subject because I constantly hear the words, “I just don’t have time to exercise.” Let me make this statement to the readers of this article, “YOU DON’T HAVE TIME TO NOT EXERCISE!”

Let me explain. Unlike finances, in which we can always earn more or less, time is a precious commodity with… Continue reading

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Fitness Monday – The Power of Accountability

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thibodauxteamThis week was awesome for so many more reasons than 2-a-day workouts. By regaining a level of fitness, this weekend’s searing heat was much more tolerable while spending time outdoors.

The Thibodaux Police Department kicked off it’s Jr. Police Fun Day, and despite the temps, I was able to keep up with the kids and the young officers.

I trust you Dads enjoyed your day, and today is a great opportunity to join us in Shaping UP!

Week 16

Here’s to holding each other accountable when the couch looks inviting and the snacks endless.

Weight

– Don’t know. Still not worrying about these numbers.

Exercise

– Mornings with weights to lift and afternoons with miles to bike and jog.

– Lawn mowing IS crazy exercise, I just should not have started… Continue reading

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Fitness Monday – The Power of Diversity

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This week I returned to the joy of being a multi-sport athlete. I went out for a 25 mile cycle through the sugarcane fields, and upon returning home I immediately changed into shorts and running shoes. Exiting the house while rehydrating, I immediately went to the shed and grabbed the lawnmower to cut the lawn before another evening thunder shower.

Well, it wasn’t the traditional multi-sport event, but it was two activities that independently used to leave me exhausted.

Inspired, I did cycle then run (well Jog) (actually Walked) at the high school track. It felt great… Continue reading