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Full-Text Articles in Physiology

Strengthening First Responders’ Coaching Proficiency Through A Peer Fitness Leader Workshop: A Preliminary Efficacy Trial, Sarah N. Lanham, Thomas R. Nagel, Haresh Rochani, Bridget F. Melton, Richard E. Cleveland Feb 2024

Strengthening First Responders’ Coaching Proficiency Through A Peer Fitness Leader Workshop: A Preliminary Efficacy Trial, Sarah N. Lanham, Thomas R. Nagel, Haresh Rochani, Bridget F. Melton, Richard E. Cleveland

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 17(3): 298-307, 2024. First responders require physical fitness to perform dangerous tasks in unpredictable environments. To promote physical fitness among first responders, many agencies use a peer fitness leader (PFL) approach; however, resources for the fitness, wellness, and health of PFLs are often minimal. This study’s purpose was to investigate the effectiveness of a training workshop to increase PFL’s training knowledge and coaching comfort (CC). Thirty-six PFLs (Experience: 14.6 ± 9.1 yrs; Age: 41.0 ± 9.8 yrs; BMI: 28.9 ± 7.0 kg·m-2) attended a one-day workshop. Paired samples t-tests assessed for differences …


The Heart Rates And Movement Speed Of Specialist Tactical Police During A Multistorey Active Shooter Training Scenario, Jeremy Robinson, Mihajlo Micovic, Ben Schram, Alexander Leroux, Robin Marc Orr Feb 2023

The Heart Rates And Movement Speed Of Specialist Tactical Police During A Multistorey Active Shooter Training Scenario, Jeremy Robinson, Mihajlo Micovic, Ben Schram, Alexander Leroux, Robin Marc Orr

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 16(4): 281-292, 2023. Specialist police tactical groups (PTGs) are involved in situations that extend beyond the capability of general duties police and can include responding to active shooter incidents. Due to the nature of their tasks, these officers typically carry and wear additional equipment which can impart an increased physical cost, for which the officers must be prepared. The aim of this study was to examine the heart rate responses and movement speeds of specialist PTG officers during a multistorey active shooter scenario. Eight PTG officers completed an active shooter scenario within a multistorey office …


The Bigger They Are: Relationships Between Body Height And Mass With The Body Drag Task In Law Enforcement Recruits, Robert G. Lockie, J. Jay Dawes, Robin Marc Orr, Joseph Dulla Apr 2022

The Bigger They Are: Relationships Between Body Height And Mass With The Body Drag Task In Law Enforcement Recruits, Robert G. Lockie, J. Jay Dawes, Robin Marc Orr, Joseph Dulla

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 15(4): 570-584, 2022. California law enforcement recruits must perform a body drag before they graduate academy. While this task may be challenging for smaller recruits, no research has analyzed height and body mass relationships with the body drag. Data from 643 recruits (542 males, 101 females) who completed the drag in the final weeks of academy were analyzed. The recruits lifted a 74.84-kg, 1.73-m tall dummy and dragged it 9.75 m as quickly as possible. Independent samples t-tests compared the sexes; partial correlations controlling for sex detailed relationships between height and body mass with …


An Analysis Of The Body Drag Test In Law Enforcement Recruits With Consideration To Current Population Demographics, Robert G. Lockie, Matthew R. Moreno, J. Jay Dawes, Robin Marc Orr, Karly A. Rodas, Joseph M. Dulla Feb 2022

An Analysis Of The Body Drag Test In Law Enforcement Recruits With Consideration To Current Population Demographics, Robert G. Lockie, Matthew R. Moreno, J. Jay Dawes, Robin Marc Orr, Karly A. Rodas, Joseph M. Dulla

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 15(7): 276-288, 2022. An essential job task for law enforcement officers is a body drag, where they must drag a person from a hazardous environment. In California, a 9.75-m body drag with a 74.84-kg dummy must be completed within 28 s to graduate academy. This mass is less than the average US adult, which may suggest it should be increased. This has not happened due to concerns regarding a potential increase in recruit injuries and failure rates. However, if recruits can complete the drag without formal training, this could leave scope for increasing the mass. …


Forces At The Feet, Gait Timing, And Trunk Flexion/Extension Excursion While Walking With A Gear Belt Or Gear Vest Load, Shane S. Maher, Laura L. Dill, Jennifer L. Hein, Jeff A. Nessler, Deanna J. Schmidt Dec 2021

Forces At The Feet, Gait Timing, And Trunk Flexion/Extension Excursion While Walking With A Gear Belt Or Gear Vest Load, Shane S. Maher, Laura L. Dill, Jennifer L. Hein, Jeff A. Nessler, Deanna J. Schmidt

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 15(1): 36-44, 2022. Law enforcement personnel often carry gear loads, which have a history of causing low back pain. The aim of this study was to evaluate the differences in gait and trunk posture for gear load carried on a gear belt and a gear vest. Twenty-nine participants performed load carriage in three conditions: a no load control trial (C), a symmetrically loaded gear belt (GB), and an anterior-loaded gear vest (ALV). Gear conditions had 9.07 kg of additional mass. Motion capture and insole force sensors were used to collect data while participants walked on …


The Effects Aerobic Fitness Has On Heart Rate Responses For A Custody Assistant Recruit Class Performing A Formation Run, Karly Rodas, Matthew Moreno, Ashley Bloodgood, J. Jay Dawes, Joseph Dulla, Robin Marc Orr, Robert G. Lockie Oct 2021

The Effects Aerobic Fitness Has On Heart Rate Responses For A Custody Assistant Recruit Class Performing A Formation Run, Karly Rodas, Matthew Moreno, Ashley Bloodgood, J. Jay Dawes, Joseph Dulla, Robin Marc Orr, Robert G. Lockie

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 14(4): 1219-1233, 2021. This study measured the heart rate (HR) responses to a formation run (group run completed along a set route) performed by higher fitness (HF), moderate fitness (MF), or lower fitness (LF) custody assistant (CA) recruits. Retrospective data from 26 recruits (12 males, 14 females) were analyzed. Prior to academy training, a YMCA step test was administered. Recruits were divided into three groups based on recovery HR: top 25% were HF; bottom 25% were LF; the rest were MF. Recruit HR was measured during a formation run completed at an ~11-minute mile· pace …


Relationships Between Absolute And Relative Lower-Body Power And Foot Pursuit Ability In Law Enforcement Recruits, Robert G. Lockie, Robin Marc Orr, Joseph Dulla, J. Jay Dawes Aug 2021

Relationships Between Absolute And Relative Lower-Body Power And Foot Pursuit Ability In Law Enforcement Recruits, Robert G. Lockie, Robin Marc Orr, Joseph Dulla, J. Jay Dawes

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 14(3): 1078-1089, 2021. An essential job task for law enforcement officers is a foot pursuit. Lower-body power should aid foot pursuit ability; however, there has been minimal investigation of this relationship. This study investigated relationships between absolute and relative lower-body power measured by the vertical jump (VJ) with the 75-yard pursuit run (75PR), which is a change-of-direction (COD) speed test that simulates a foot pursuit in law enforcement recruits. Data from 487 male and 95 female recruits who completed the VJ and 75PR prior to academy training was analyzed. VJ variables included VJ height, relative …


Are There Differences In Fitness Between Recruits From Larger (Hosting) And Smaller (Participating) Law Enforcement Agencies?, Erika Hernandez, J. Jay Dawes, Robin Marc Orr, Joseph Dulla, Robert G. Lockie Jun 2021

Are There Differences In Fitness Between Recruits From Larger (Hosting) And Smaller (Participating) Law Enforcement Agencies?, Erika Hernandez, J. Jay Dawes, Robin Marc Orr, Joseph Dulla, Robert G. Lockie

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 14(4): 885-901, 2021. Law enforcement agencies often conduct academy training classes that include recruits hired by both the larger hosting agency (HA), and by smaller participating agencies (PA). HAs that need to fill more positions may have recruits with a wide range of fitness levels. Smaller agencies may be more selective in their hiring as they do not have as many available positions. This study compared HA and PA recruit fitness prior to academy. Retrospective analysis was conducted on 11 academy classes, incorporating 742 HA recruits (602 males, 140 females) and 99 PA recruits (82 …


What Factors Predict Upper Body Push To Pull Ratios In Professional Firefighters?, Justin J. Merrigan, Adam A. Burke, Marcie B. Fyock-Martin, Joel R. Martin Oct 2020

What Factors Predict Upper Body Push To Pull Ratios In Professional Firefighters?, Justin J. Merrigan, Adam A. Burke, Marcie B. Fyock-Martin, Joel R. Martin

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 13(4): 1605-1614, 2020. Shoulder joint injuries are common for professional firefighters. A potential cause of shoulder injury is an imbalance between anterior (push) and posterior (pull) shoulder joint musculature. Understanding what contributes to these imbalances may help to identify areas needing improvement. The purpose of this study was to investigate different push to pull (P2P) ratios and the relationships among common upper body fitness assessments, body composition, and push to pull (P2P) ratios in firefighters. Thirty-three professional firefighters completed the following testing protocol: one-repetition maximum (1RM) bench press, pull-up repetitions to failure, push-up repetitions to …


Job-Specific Physical Fitness Changes Measured By The Work Sample Test Battery Within Deputy Sheriffs Between Training Academy And Their First Patrol Assignment, Robert G. Lockie, Rodney Pope, Olivia Saaroni, Joseph Dulla, J. Jay Dawes, Robin Marc Orr Aug 2020

Job-Specific Physical Fitness Changes Measured By The Work Sample Test Battery Within Deputy Sheriffs Between Training Academy And Their First Patrol Assignment, Robert G. Lockie, Rodney Pope, Olivia Saaroni, Joseph Dulla, J. Jay Dawes, Robin Marc Orr

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 13(4): 1262-1274, 2020. Deputy Sheriffs need to exhibit job-specific fitness throughout their occupational lifespan. This study evaluated job-specific fitness changes measured by the Work Sample Test Battery (WSTB) in deputy sheriffs from training academy to patrol school (refresher program completed before first patrol assignment). WSTB data for 34 deputy sheriffs (28 males, 6 females) was retrospectively analyzed. The WSTB included five tests: a 99-yard obstacle course (99OC); a 165-pound body drag (BD); 6-foot chain link fence (CLF) and solid wall (SW) climbs; and a 500-yard run (500R). WSTB task times measured at the end of …


First Responders' Narratives Of Drowning: Perceptions Of Family And Community Impacts And Policy Implications, John Wells Phd, Michael Bergin Phd, John Connolly B.Ed., Ma In Ed., Suzanne Denieffe Phd Aug 2019

First Responders' Narratives Of Drowning: Perceptions Of Family And Community Impacts And Policy Implications, John Wells Phd, Michael Bergin Phd, John Connolly B.Ed., Ma In Ed., Suzanne Denieffe Phd

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

This is an exploratory study of the impacts of drowning death on local communities and families in the Republic of Ireland as perceived by first responders. The impact of a death may be particularly stressful. The identified population of interest were members of the Garda and first responders from Community Rescue Boats Ireland. The principal data collection method was one-to-one narrative interviews followed by a focus group. Questioning involved asking interviewees to talk about specific events rather than providing general opinions. Community identity was a source of impact, an urban or rural setting was a significant factor, social media was …


The Relationship Between Lower-Body Strength And Power, And Load Carriage Tasks: A Critical Review, Robin Marc Orr, J. Jay Dawes, Robert G. Lockie, Daniel Godeassi Aug 2019

The Relationship Between Lower-Body Strength And Power, And Load Carriage Tasks: A Critical Review, Robin Marc Orr, J. Jay Dawes, Robert G. Lockie, Daniel Godeassi

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 12(6): 1001-1022, 2019. The purpose of this review was to critically appraise articles that have investigated the association between lower-body strength and power during load carriage in tactical personnel. Literature databases were searched with specific search terms, yielding 921 articles. Additional studies found from article reference lists were also assessed for eligibility. Out of these articles, 16 met the inclusion/exclusion criteria and were critically appraised. Articles were assessed by the Downs and Black evaluation tool with inter-rater agreement determined by Cohen’s kappa and final results graded according to the Kennelly quality grading system. Of the …


Lower-Body Power And Its Relationship With Body Drag Velocity In Law Enforcement Recruits, Matthew R. Moreno, Joseph M. Dulla, J. Jay Dawes, Robin (Rob) Marc Orr, Karly Cesario, Robert G. Lockie May 2019

Lower-Body Power And Its Relationship With Body Drag Velocity In Law Enforcement Recruits, Matthew R. Moreno, Joseph M. Dulla, J. Jay Dawes, Robin (Rob) Marc Orr, Karly Cesario, Robert G. Lockie

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 12(4): 847-858, 2019. The body drag (BD) is used as a test to measure a law enforcement officer (LEO) recruit’s capability to rescue an individual. However, the physical characteristics associated with faster BD performance have not been identified. It could be expected that lower- body power, often measured via jump performance, could positively relate to BD performance. This study investigated the relationship between the vertical jump (VJ), peak anaerobic power measured in watts (PAPw), power-to-body mass ratio (P:BM), standing broad jump (SBJ), and relative SBJ, with BD velocity in LEO recruits. Retrospective analysis of data …


Relationships Between Assessments In A Physical Ability Test For Law Enforcement: Is There Redundancy In Certain Assessments?, Karly Cesario, Joe Dulla, Ashley Blood Good, Matthew R. Moreno, J. Jay Dawes, Robert G. Lockie Aug 2018

Relationships Between Assessments In A Physical Ability Test For Law Enforcement: Is There Redundancy In Certain Assessments?, Karly Cesario, Joe Dulla, Ashley Blood Good, Matthew R. Moreno, J. Jay Dawes, Robert G. Lockie

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 11(4): 1063-1073, 2018. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships between tests incorporated into a physical assessment battery (PAT) for a law enforcement (LEA) to determine if there were redundancies (i.e. tests measuring the same qualities). A retrospective analysis of 226 recruits (196 males, 30 females) was conducted. The PAT consisted of: maximal push-ups and sit-ups completed in 60 s; a 75-yard pursuit run (75PR); maximal revolutions completed on an arm ergometer in 60 s; and a 2.4 km run. A one-way ANOVA (p<0.05) determined if there were significant differences in the PAT data between the sexes. Pearson’s correlations (p<0.05) calculated relationships between each of the tests within the PAT, and males and females were analyzed separately. Further, tests that could potentially measure similar qualities, including upper-body endurance (push-ups/arm ergometer), abdominal endurance (push-ups/sit-ups), and aerobic fitness (arm ergometer/2.4 km run) were investigated further with one-sample t-tests to determine agreement. Males performed better than the females in all tests (p≤0.017). There were significant correlations …


Fitness Profiles In Elite Tactical Units: A Critical Review, Daniel Maupin, Thomas Wills, Robin M. Orr, Benjamin Schram Aug 2018

Fitness Profiles In Elite Tactical Units: A Critical Review, Daniel Maupin, Thomas Wills, Robin M. Orr, Benjamin Schram

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 11(3): 1041-1062, 2018. Elite tactical units complete a variety of demanding tasks and a high level of fitness is required by this population to perform their occupational tasks optimally. The aim of this critical review was to identify and synthesize key findings of studies that have investigated the fitness profiles of elite tactical units. Included studies were critically appraised, using the Downs and Black checklist, and a level of evidence was determined. Relevant data were extracted, tabulated, and synthesized. Fourteen studies were included for review and ranged in percentage quality scores from 46% to 66% …


A Preliminary Analysis Of The Relationship Between The Multistage Fitness Test And 300-M Run In Law Enforcement Officers: Implications For Fitness Assessment, Matthew R. Moreno, Robert G. Lockie, Charles L. Kornhauser, Ryan J. Holmes, J. Jay Dawes Apr 2018

A Preliminary Analysis Of The Relationship Between The Multistage Fitness Test And 300-M Run In Law Enforcement Officers: Implications For Fitness Assessment, Matthew R. Moreno, Robert G. Lockie, Charles L. Kornhauser, Ryan J. Holmes, J. Jay Dawes

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 11(4): 730-738, 2018. Law enforcement agencies (LEAs) often use fitness tests to assess recruits and incumbents. One fitness test that is gaining popularity is the 20-meter multistage fitness test (20m-MSFT). However, the potential length of this assessment, in addition to the repeated direction changes, means this test may not be appropriate for all officers (e.g. older officers, or those with physical impairments). The 300-m run is shorter, features no direction changes, and could provide an indication of fitness. The study purpose was to investigate the relationship between the 20m-MSFT and 300–m run. Retrospective analysis of …


Does Body Mass Index Influence The Physiological And Perceptual Demands Associated With Defensive Tactics Training In State Patrol Officers?, J. Jay Dawes, Charles Kornhauser, Diana Crespo, Craig L. Elder, Keston Lindsay, Ryan J. Holmes Jan 2018

Does Body Mass Index Influence The Physiological And Perceptual Demands Associated With Defensive Tactics Training In State Patrol Officers?, J. Jay Dawes, Charles Kornhauser, Diana Crespo, Craig L. Elder, Keston Lindsay, Ryan J. Holmes

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 11(6): 319-330, 2018. The purpose of this investigation was to determine the physiological and perceptual demands associated with defensive tactics (DEFTAC) training among state patrol officers of different BMI (body mass index) categories. Twenty-four male state patrol officers (n = 24, age 36.00 + 7.86 yrs) voluntarily agreed to participate in data collection during a DEFTAC gauntlet. Anthropometric information (height (HT) 182.19 + 7.43 cm and weight (WT) 96.31 + 17.45 kg), body mass index (BMI), peak and average heart rates, duty weight, BLa, and RPE, were recorded. Officers were then divided into two-groups (Healthy …


The Relationships Between Fitness Assessments, Fitness Levels And Coronary Heart Disease Risk Markers In Police Officers, Kelsey Mclaughlin, Lauren Garcia, Bethany Noack, Jorge Granados, Dustin Joubert, John S. Green Facsm, Steve E. Martin, Stephen F. Crouse Feb 2015

The Relationships Between Fitness Assessments, Fitness Levels And Coronary Heart Disease Risk Markers In Police Officers, Kelsey Mclaughlin, Lauren Garcia, Bethany Noack, Jorge Granados, Dustin Joubert, John S. Green Facsm, Steve E. Martin, Stephen F. Crouse

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Given the physical nature of a position in law enforcement, the assessment of cardiovascular (CV) health as well as muscular strength and endurance is paramount to ensuring the safety of these personnel and the citizens they serve. The present study retrospectively examined correlations between several markers of CV and muscular fitness for 65 local police officers (8 female, average age 35.6 ± 9.0 yrs, height 70.5 ± 2.8 in, weight 91.8 ± 18.7 kg, VO2 33.0 ± 5.3 mL/kg/min) taken from their annual screening including a graded exercise test (GXT; Bruce protocol), pushups completed in 1 minute, situps completed …


Racial Comparisons In Police Officer Bench Press Strength Over 12.5 Years, Robert W. Boyce, Tyler K. Willett, Glenn R. Jones, Edward L. Boone Apr 2014

Racial Comparisons In Police Officer Bench Press Strength Over 12.5 Years, Robert W. Boyce, Tyler K. Willett, Glenn R. Jones, Edward L. Boone

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 7(2) : 140-151, 2014. Strength, when considering gender and race, provides a basis for training, hiring, and retention for police officers. The purpose of this study is to identify muscular strength differences among racial groups from initial-recruit to in-service tests. Strength variables included bench press, bench press/lean mass and bench press/body mass. Scores were retrieved for the 1990 to 1995 recruit classes and were paired to the 2006 in-service fitness log. Sample included 309 officers: 30 females (13 black, 17 white) and 279 males (41 black, 238 white). Mean age of recruit was 24.6 ± …


Association Of Cardiovascular Fitness And Metabolic Syndrome In Male Police Officers, Matthew S. Schmidt, Steve Martin Feb 2013

Association Of Cardiovascular Fitness And Metabolic Syndrome In Male Police Officers, Matthew S. Schmidt, Steve Martin

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Metabolic syndrome has been shown in numerous studies to be related to a higher incidence of coronary artery disease (CAD). A study by Jurca and coworkers (Med. Sci. Sports Exerc 36(8):1301-1307, 2004) found a relationship between aerobic fitness and the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in a group of men enrolled in the Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study (ACLS). In addition, recent work in our lab (Int J Exerc Sci 2(1): S43, 2009) has supported these findings. However, research exploring this relationship is still lacking in male police officers. Previous research has suggested that the prevalence of CAD in police …