Good bodyweight workouts for developing dynamic strength?

Discussion in 'Health and Fitness' started by LemonSloth, Oct 4, 2013.

  1. LemonSloth

    LemonSloth Laugh and grow fat!

    Hey dudes

    I'm looking to apply for a position as a special constable with my local constabulary (that's police force for you American folks :p) provided my eyesight checks out fine - which I'm getting checked out for in a few days anyway and all things permitting I'll be applying straight away.

    Anyway, part of the test is that there's a bit where you have to test your push/pull strength on a dynamometer machine thingey. Having never seen one in my life nor having access to one, I need to find another way to develop my dynamic strength. The level I need to get is 34kg push/35kg pull - which isn't much - but I'm a nervous nelly.

    So then peeps, anyone got any good suggestions for circuits/exercises I should do to help with this? As you might guess, I have no clue about this stuff :dunno:

    EDIT: I'm also a cheapskate and don't have a lot of money for weights or gym membership, so I'd prefer to do bodyweight stuff if I can.
     
    Last edited: Oct 4, 2013
  2. Mangosteen

    Mangosteen Hold strong not

    if you cant do a decent number of push ups then you'll be fine.

    isnt the UK police notorious for the ease of the physical testing?
     
  3. Simon

    Simon Administrator Admin Supporter MAP 2017 Koyo Award

  4. Fish Of Doom

    Fish Of Doom Will : Mind : Motion Supporter

    get access to olympic barbell (20kg)

    row barbell

    press barbell

    add more weight next time, repeat until rowing.

    a relatively healthy adult male will probably be strong enough to press 30kg or so overhead with free weights at least once, so a machine-guided press (particularly if horizontal) at 34kg should be perfectly doable by anyone who doesn't look like justin bieber. same thing with rowing.
     
  5. Fish Of Doom

    Fish Of Doom Will : Mind : Motion Supporter

    as for bodyweight training, push ups and pull-ups. if you can do a single pull-up, you can pull that weight, as i'm guessing you weight slightly more than 35kg. push-ups are trickier since you only lift a portion of your weight, but again, 34kg for a two-handed push is an extremely light weight to anyone moderately athletic, so you can very likely do it right now as is.
     
  6. Mushroom

    Mushroom De-powered to come back better than before.

    Also go practice a Bleep Test, anything higher than 5.6
     
  7. LemonSloth

    LemonSloth Laugh and grow fat!

    Not that I'm aware of. Admittedly it's nowhere nearly as strenuous as say a fire fighter or military personnel role, but you still have to have the basics of being stronger, fitter and faster than average joe.

    I do have a 30kg barbell I managed to pick up a few days ago for about £10 (I lucked out) and I know I can press 30kg above my head one handed for multiple reps but only if I have a good day. Still, I suppose its' a start. I can also jerry rig it to 60kg easy, maybe 100, so I'll be trying to work on my strength a bit more.

    Pull ups, not properly. I do struggle with these. I haven't got anywhere to mount a pull-up bar and can't afford regular gym membership right now, so I have to find another way of trying these. Push ups I can do though.

    Already ordered the CD which should be turning up soon. Also got me some new trainers and have mapped out a route to practice running a few times a week to boot, so I'm not so worried about that aspect. :)
     
  8. Mushroom

    Mushroom De-powered to come back better than before.

    Surely there's a bleep test app?

    Work out cheaper?
     
  9. LemonSloth

    LemonSloth Laugh and grow fat!

    There's MP3 downloads, but I don't own an MP3. There probably is mobile apps (iPhones, are they?), but again I don't own anything resembling a mobile, iPhone, etc. Because I'm a secret technophobe and troglodyte :eek: ;)
     
  10. Shodan_Marcus

    Shodan_Marcus Valued Member

    Seriously the police fitness test is really easy. The dyno machine thing is just like a 2 sided rowing machine, one side you push, they other side has handles on for pulling, to get 34 & 35 kgs isn't that hard (and it's an average over 5 reps). The bleep test is only to 5.4, this can be done at a canter by any person of average fitness (I have to go to 7.2 annually for my job).

    Hope you enjoy it (and let me know what the officer safety training is like now).
     
  11. LemonSloth

    LemonSloth Laugh and grow fat!

    It's higher in my area actually, there's even a swimming portion of the test that's mandatory. Still haven't had access to the dyno machine, but the concern was more that I might have a bad day and making sure I could push/pull to that level even on a bad day if I have DOMS, etc.

    I've been trying the bleep test stuff though, it is hilariously easy. I can happily hit over 10 without getting too tired to continue.

    Found out today I haven't been accepted this time round :bang:. Ah well, I'll try again next time when I've changed my circumstances a bit.
     
  12. HarryF

    HarryF Malued Vember

    I'm sorry to hear that mate, did they give you any feedback? Just think how much fitter you'll be next time around ;) (and I'm not talking about the nurse outfit)
     
  13. Shodan_Marcus

    Shodan_Marcus Valued Member

    Yeah, sorry to hear that. Seems strange how different areas have different requirements for the fitness test, would have thought it would generic across the board.
     
  14. LemonSloth

    LemonSloth Laugh and grow fat!

    They did. There was nothing wrong with the paperwork, but apparently specials are required to have a full driving license these days. At the time I applied, I was told that wasn't the case and didn't think to double check. I have the provisional, I was going to go for the test early next year but they needed me to have it now. :bang:

    It was pretty stupid of me not to cross-check that and to be totally honest I'm incredibly embarrassed :cry:. Ah well, once I've got my full license I can apply again.

    The place I live in is quite a rural/semi-coastal area so the officers are required to be fitter and have a good swimming proficiency to boot. Which I have at least. But yeah, some consistency would be a good idea.
     
    Last edited: Oct 22, 2013
  15. LemonSloth

    LemonSloth Laugh and grow fat!

    Just been over the forms again, it doesn't specifically say that a driving license was specifically needed upon application at any point. So to be turned down on that ground is pretty harsh, but hey. Poop happens.
     
    Last edited: Oct 22, 2013
  16. matveimediaarts

    matveimediaarts Underappreciated genius

    Dang, your constables actually have somewhat decent physical standards. In the US, pretty much any dimwit can get a gun and badge. Obese cops who can't carry out a foot chase are very common. Cops have a different attitude than constables, it seems. 'Roid abuse is very common, as is extreme aggression and violence. If you're interested, you can read Will Grigg and Radley Balko's stuff to find out about how cops really operate and documentation of zillions of police crimes.

    Some resources:
    http://freedominourtime.blogspot.com/
    http://www.copblock.org/
    http://www.theagitator.com/
    http://www.lewrockwell.com/author/william-norman-grigg/
     
  17. Hannibal

    Hannibal Cry HAVOC and let slip the Dogs of War!!! Supporter

    Roid rage and obese are common? Seems something of a dichotomy - and is also probably total bollocks

    Like any sufficiently large group there are always a statistical minority that will cause a problem - per head of capita it is certainly not exceptional or statistically extraordinary. It is also a difficult job at the best of times and anyone with an armchair and an agenda can easily criticize whilst having no conception of what is actually involved or how much day to to life they squander whilst others face into the abyss on their behalf. Yes the abyss states back sometimes, but the reason you hear about the bad is because the good is done in silence
     
  18. Dead_pool

    Dead_pool Spes mea in nihil Deus MAP 2017 Moi Award

    Get a door mounted one!
     
  19. LemonSloth

    LemonSloth Laugh and grow fat!

    I asked, I was banned from ever bringing it up again :cry:
     
  20. Fish Of Doom

    Fish Of Doom Will : Mind : Motion Supporter

    re: pull-ups: two sturdy long pipes, 1 sturdy medium-length pipe, 4 sturdy short pipes, two L connecting pieces, two T connecting pieces. when you wanna do pull-ups, set up a frame, do some pull-ups, take it apart, stash in a corner. you also may or may not pick up one of the long pipes and wave it about making lightsaber noises.
     

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