Build then Refine

Q: Hello, my name is Mariah, and I am currently getting ready to try for the police department here in my city of Tucson, Arizona. I have heard of the changes in physical requirements for police officer recruits across the board, and I would like to step up my game to be able to pass the physical successfully. 

I stumbled upon your blog online. I want to attempt your strength building routine. Would you be able to provide me some additional insight and tips I could use in my endeavor?

Any help is appreciated. 

Thank you and thank you for your service keeping the peace, 

- Mariah 

My Answer: If you haven't done so already, then you should find out what is the physical ability test for Tucson PD.  The best way to train for the physical ability test is to know what physical tasks you'll be tested on and then to practice those tests.  Unless they have updated the requirements, the Tucson PD physical ability test involves:

1.5 mile run

Sit-ups (during one minute)

Push-ups (in one minute)

300 meter run

Vertical leap

So this means you should do a lot of running, 1 minute timed sets of sit-ups and push-ups and some box jumps.  Alternate running distance from workout to workout.  In other words, run for 1.5 miles one session and then run 300 meters for the next.  Don't run both on the same day.

What would help you increase your vertical leap are explosive kettlebell swings, provided the kettlebell is heavy enough.  If the kettlebell is too light, then do one arm kettlebell swings.

Good luck!

Q: Thanks James!  [I'm] enjoying your [training] methods and am using it to set an example for our senior school kids to fight the steroid craze in our school. I have taken part in competitions and would like to do it again using all your techniques and totally natural.  I would also appreciate any help or advice.

Regards,

Pieter

My Answer: Hey Pieter, glad you and your students are benefiting from my training methods.  I'm not sure what sort of specific advice you're looking for, but you'll find plenty of general training advice in my books.  I'm writing up Volume 5 as we speak.  Volume 5 will showcase many of the exercises that I recommend for size and symmetry.

Bodybuilding is always a process of building muscle and refining muscle.  So you build muscle through Shotgun exercises and then you refine your muscle symmetry through Troubleshooting exercises.  It's like sculpting: you can't shape or mold what you don't have.  So you have to add on the clay or muscle and then take away some clay and shape the muscle.

Now I know there's going to be wise guy who will say, "You can't change the shape of muscle."  But MRI studies show different heads of a muscle group are stressed differently by different exercises.