Simple is Sometimes Better
I remember talking to an FBI investigator at a cafe, and she related how every morning she'd arrive at the federal building and take the elevator up. There'd be other federal employees, of course, some FBI agents and investigators and some from "other agencies."
For the longest while she couldn't figure out who these people from this other agency were. They would always exit the floor after the FBI floors, and these higher floors were restricted and unmarked. One thing she noticed about these federal employees was that they were bigger and more built than the usual FBI special agents. She figured out later that these people she rode the elevator with were DEA agents.
Of all the law enforcement agencies, the DEA deals with some of the most dangerous assignments. You're dealing with drug dealers with weapons. Needless to say: very bad and very dangerous people.
So it makes sense that a lot of these guys take working out very seriously. You have to be strong and you have to look physically imposing and formidable (to put it lightly).
The funny thing is that most of these guys that work high risk units and agencies (DEA, local SWAT, etc.) don't do anything special in the gym. They don't have the time to follow specially designed strength programs. And yet they develop some rather impressive physiques.
What do a lot of these guys do? Simple: lift heavy weights, stick to a handful of exercises, get stronger on these core exercises, workout when you can. They almost always follow a split routine, not because it's more effective, but because they're just following conventional bodybuilding "wisdom." They never watch their diet, other than to eat to satiate their hunger and to drink a lot of water to avoid being thirsty. They keep their training and diet simple, because they got better things to worry about.
Comments
I had some free time at work and so went through your archives and found this! I remember being in the federal building out in SF a few years back on that one case of ours and it took forever to get an elevator. That's probably why those guys took the stairs instead too!
I do have to say that the agents I know who work out in our gym are ones who actually do watch what they eat. I was kind of surprised that some were really vigilant about what they ate. But yeah, you do get those who eat what they want, but they pay for it and you'll see them back in the gym trying to work off the excess pounds.
There used to be a DC police Sgt on our task force and I used to see him and some of the other DC cops and a few agents in that enforcement group working out at 10pm, and I'd wondered why so late. I'd be getting back to the office after a long day and ready to clean up my desk and go home, and these guys were throwing the iron and steel around. I found out later that they hit the gym after doing search and arrest warrants; it was a way for them to work off the stress and burn up the excess energy from being jacked up with adrenaline after hitting the doors.