Prepare like a tactical athlete

Develop your strength and flexibility for a longer, safer career

By Daniel J. Borowick, MS, CSCS

For the men and women of law enforcement to fulfill their duties optimally, they have to prepare as tactical athletes and develop the athletic prowess to perform at a high-level day in and day out.

The law enforcement professions are extremely challenging and come with a myriad of variables. No matter what an officer's assignment is, training as a tactical athlete will contribute to better performance and career longevity. Strength and conditioning are paramount to driving physical performance. Officers need to exhibit strength, power, aerobic capacity, anaerobic capacity, flexibility, stability and mobility in their everyday movements. ​The tactical athlete must move their body confidently and precisely in all three anatomical planes of motion.

How does an individual train like a tactical athlete? It entails a program utilizing the three anatomical planes of human movement. All tactical athletes must be able to efficiently move their bodies in the sagittal, frontal and transverse planes. This helps prevent musculoskeletal injuries.

The sagittal plane separates the left and right sides of the body, the frontal plane the anterior and posterior, and the transverse plane the upper (superior) and lower (inferior) halves.

The following is a brief list of how a tactical athlete should center their training to account for all three planes. This is not an inclusive list but rather a representative sample of movement patterns to elicit optimal physical performance.

The following is a program of two basic sample workouts, for the upper and lower body, to be conducted for anaerobic conditioning through resistance training. The goal here is building muscle, or "hypertrophy." For the body to make the physiological adaptations desired in a hypertrophy program, the repetition count and rest periods must be followed closely. Complete the box below to download a copy for easy reference.

The following is a sample basic weekly workout with the goal of aerobic conditioning. The methods used will be either running, rucking or swimming. The aerobic portion can be divided into the following segments: long, slow distance (LSD) with a frequency of 1–2 times a week; pace/tempo 1–2 times a week; and interval/fartlek runs (where faster running is mixed with periods of easy- or moderate-paced running) 1–2 times a week.

A sample weekly aerobic program could look like the following:

By incorporating a tactical athlete training program, law enforcement providers can prevent musculoskeletal injuries and realize benefits that contribute to career longevity.

About the author

Daniel J. Borowick, MS, CSCS, is a former DEA special agent and physical task test administrator who has over 27 years of tactical experience in state (New Jersey State Police) and federal law enforcement. Currently, he is a strength and conditioning specialist serving the U.S. Army's 1st Armored Division's H2F (health and fitness) program. Reach him at [email protected].

Complete the box below to download a copy of the upper and lower body exercise plan.

Download a copy of the upper and lower body exercise plan

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