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LUBBOCK POLICE DEPARTMENT
PHYSICAL FITNESS TEST
The Lubbock Police Department, in recognizing the importance of physical
fitness status for job performance, has established physical fitness standards
for applicants. You will be expected to meet the physical fitness test standards
to be selected for the position of officer.
WHAT IS PHYSICAL FITNESS
?
Physical fitness is having the physical readiness to perform the strenuous
and critical physical tasks of the job. The physical fitness areas that have
been determined to be the underlying factors for your capabilities to do the job
consist of six (6) specific and different areas.
- Aerobic power or cardiovascular endurance.
- This is having an efficient heart and cardiovascular
system so that you can perform physical tasks over a sustained period of
time. It is an important area for performing job tasks such as making foot
pursuits and long term use of force situations.
- Anaerobic power.
- This is having the ability to make short intense
bursts of effort and is an important area for performing job tasks such as
short sprint pursuit situations.
- Upper body absolute strength
- This is having the upper body strength to make maximal
efforts against a resistance and is important for performing physical tasks
that require lifting, carrying and pushing.
- Upper body muscular endurance.
- This is having the capability to make repeated
muscular contractions with the upper body without getting fatigued and is
important for use of force job tasks.
- Leg explosive strength or power.
- This is having the capability to jump with power and
having the ability to make short intense bursts of effort. It is an
important area for performing job tasks such as jumping over obstacles and
sprinting in pursuit situations.
- Trunk or abdominal muscular endurance.
- This is having the capability to make repeated
muscular contractions with the abdominal area without getting fatigued. Your
abdomen is the fulcrum of your body and is important in tasks involving
lifting, pulling and dragging.
Note: There are other areas of physical fitness to include % body fat and
flexibility. Those areas are important for overall fitness, however, they have
not been determined to be predictive of how well an individual can perform the
duties of a police officer. You should consult with your personal physician
and/or a professional personal fitness trainer if your level of physical fitness
will not allow you to safely perform these tasks.
WHY IS PHYSICAL FITNESS
IMPORTANT ?
First, physical fitness is important because the physical fitness areas
determine an individual's capability to do strenuous job tasks. Physical fitness
is a bona fide occupational qualification (BFOQ). Secondly, physical fitness is
important to minimize health risks for health problems such as cancer, heart
disease, stroke and obesity - all of which can affect job performance
capabilities.
HOW WILL PHYSICAL FITNESS
BE MEASURED?
There are five (5) physical fitness tests that will be given in one day as a
battery of tests.
1. Vertical jump test. This measures leg power. The test
measures how high the applicant can jump from a standing position. Correct
vertical jump form must be performed: (1) Applicant stands with one side toward
the wall and reaches up as high as possible to mark standard reach on the
yardstick; (2) Applicant keeps at least one foot stationary on the floor prior
to jumping and then jumps as high as possible and marks the spot on the wall
above the standard reach mark. Score is the difference between the standard
reach and top of the jump mark, to the nearest ½ inch. The best of three trials
is the score.
2. 1 minute sit up test. This measures the abdominal or
trunk muscular endurance. Correct sit-up technique must be performed: (1)
Applicant starts by lying on back, knees bent, heels flat on floor, with fingers
laced and held behind the head; (2) The administrator or assistant holds the
feet down firmly; (3) Applicant starts test in the down position, lying on back;
(4) Applicant performs sit-up by raising shoulder blades from floor, sitting up,
and should touch elbows to the knees and then return down with shoulder blades
touching the floor. This is one repetition. Applicant has one minute to
perform test and complete the required number of sit-ups. Applicant should rest
in the up position. Applicant may not pull on the head or neck and the buttocks
must remain on the floor with no thrusting of the hips.
3. 300 meter run. This measures anaerobic power or the
ability to make an intense burst of effort for a short time period or distance.
The test consists of sprinting 300 meters as fast as possible.
4. Maximum push up test. This measures the muscular
endurance of the upper body. The test consists of doing as many push ups from
the front, lean and rest position with no time limit. Correct push-up technique
must be performed: (1) Applicant lies face-down on floor; (2) Hands are placed
slightly wider than shoulder width apart with fingers pointing forward; (3) Feet
are together with toes pointed down toward floor; (4) Applicant starts test in
the up position (elbows extended) with back straight at all times; (5) Applicant
bends arms and lowers body toward floor until the chest touches a 3-inch sponge;
(6) Applicant returns to the up position. This is one repetition. Resting
should be done only in the up position. Modified pushups with the knees on the
ground are not allowed.
5. 1.5 mile run. This measures aerobic power or
cardiovascular endurance (the ability to have stamina over time). The test
consists of running as fast as possible the distance of 1.5 miles. Applicant
will have a mandatory cool down of walking for about 5 minutes immediately after
the run.
WHAT TEST STANDARDS MUST
I MEET?
You will be given the following tests. There will be rest periods between
each event. Each test is scored separately and you must meet the standard on
each and every test. The standards are as follows:
TEST STANDARD
Vertical jump – Minimum of 12 inches
1 minute sit up – Minimum of 20
300 meter run – Maximum of 82.9
seconds
Push ups – Minimum of 13
1.5 mile run – Maximum of 17:00
minutes
If you have any questions, contact Officer Corey Nunley or by
Email.
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