Physical Readiness Evaluation for Police (PREP)

The final test on your stage one test day is the PREP. I talked a lot last week about preparing for the PREP and getting yourself into an exercise routine that will prepare you for the PREP but also your future at the Ontario Police College. Running is a big part. The best preparation you can have for the PREP is running it before you actually go, if you haven't gone yet or are not currently signed up, sign up for TestReadyPro's TrainingDay. I did it a year ago and it really helped me. Not only will you review the entire PREP and work on exercise routines but you will spend at least an hour with John Belisle, he makes a presentation on the interview process, competencies and will answer your questions. Although I feel the training day is the best preparation you can get for the PREP and interviewing lets talk about exactly what you will do in the last hour of your stage one test day. The first portion of the PREP is the pursuit/restraint circuit. The total distance is 100 metres and although running is involved you can jog it, I would recommend jogging as to save yourself for the shuttle run which follows the pursuit/restraint circuit. During the pursuit/restraint circuit you must wear a 9 pound belt that simulates equipment a Police Constable would wear in the field. The first part of the circuit is pursuit where you will run/job 25 metres, go up a set four stairs, touch the top stair and go down a set of four stairs. You must touch the top step, when going up the stairs I recommend you only touch two stairs on the way up, coming down do the same but turn your body and feet slightly to take advantage of the length of your foot across the width of the step, these stairs are narrow and easy to trip on, especially when you're rushing! You will do this pursuit four times but on the second and fourth time you will jump over a four foot wall. When jumping the wall you must make sufficent contact to make jumping it safe. There are a variety of ways to make contact with the wall and it will be demonstrated for you on the test day before you run the circuit. You now move into the body control simulator where you will push. Here you're allowed two different techniques with your feet, I recommend turning your hips and crossing over as it allows for you to complete this portion the fastest. Once you complete six arcs you move left to the arm restraint simulator. Grab the grips low and squeeze. Again, grabbing them low is easier. You move back to the previous machine you were on, the body control simulator where you will now pull, in this portion you are only allowed to use the shuffle technique, going foot to foot. This is fine but try and sit back, really whip yourself around and take advantage of the full width you can get your legs spread, if so, you will complete this portion faster. You now go back to the arm restraint simulator executing the same technique of grabbing the grip low. You're almost finished, the home run stretch is lifting a 150 pound dummy "rescue randy" and dragging him 15 metres. Grab him by his wrists, lift his arms so that his upper body is not making contact with the floor and drag!! I can't tell you out of all the times how many people I've seen have the friction of his back dragging along the ground, lift him up so that only his butt and legs are dragging, it will make it easier on your quads and you will be faster.

Thats it, you finished the pursuit/restraint circuit and hopefully within two minutes and forty two seconds. Now, you get a minimum of ten minutes to cool down and relax (if you can) before you run the 20 metre shuttle run beep test. If you're not a strong runner please read over last weeks post then email me if you need additional instruction, running is something I've spent a considerable amount of time and money getting better at and I don't mind sharing my knowledge on the subject and recommending resources where you can find the information and help you need to get yourself ready.

Between the circuit and shuttle run, you should not consume a lot of water, it could cause you to cramp while running.The shuttle run is exactly six and a half minutes of running. It starts at stage 0 and goes up to stage six and one half. Each stage is not one minute long, in fact the time between stage six and six and one half is only two laps!! I've said this before on the forum but I really want to reiterate this, if you can't go on, stop thinking about running, keep a fast paced song in your head, remember a motivational running quote, think of something else but keep your mind off the track. This is only six and a half minutes of your life... you can do this! Don't let the sound of the beeps speeding up and getting higher in frequency psych you out.