What is functional strength training? What does functional strength for law enforcement and 1st responders look like?
Is it standing on a BOSU ball or wobble board doing single leg/single arm bicep curls? Or is it the ability to climb, hurdle, grapple, drag, sprint, and endure lactic acid accumulation?
Years ago I had the tremendous honor of co-authoring Law Enforcement training articles with mentor, friend, and world-renowned strength coach Charles Poliquin. Our first article in the series was this one (reprinted from the original CharlesPoliquin.com) covering different exercises to improve handgun shooting accuracy.
With his work with military branches, secret service, and special forces and teams around the world, he saw the tremendous need for functional strength in tactical athletes. Based on his and the work we were doing with the law enforcement community, we collaborated on the article Strongman Training For Law Enforcement.
In the article we delve into exercises to strengthen the grip, elbow flexors, hips, knees/ankles, and core/low back strength while increasing the ability to tolerate lactic acid at high levels. accumulation.
I hope you enjoy and stay tuned for more articles in this series from the series.
The Path Forward
When it comes to the law enforcement and 1st responder communities, there are many variables that can be taken into account with regards to physical requirements and program design. One common variable is the need for functional, usable strength.
What is functional strength training for an officer and how is this different from a firefighter? Or, how is this different from a patrol officer to a supervisor? Are there different requirements/needs for tactical team members? Does a court officer have different functional strength needs from a correctional officer?
Asking and understanding these and many more needs/requirement questions can go a long way with regards to program design, work/rest ratios, physical readiness, and more.
Now it’s time to hit the gym, garage, or outdoor training area, and get functionally strong.
As always, thank you for reading and stay tuned for more!
For more free articles on training, stress management, law enforcement training, building a winning culture, and more, check out our blog here. Also, be sure to check out our books on amazon, including our newest, How Do You Respond When You Can’t Find Your Keys. Also, keep your eye out for another one due out this July (2022).
