Police Academy Workout: How to Prepare for the Fitness Test at Home

The best police academy workout at home trains the four things most entry fitness tests measure: one-minute pushups, one-minute sit-ups (or a plank), a 300-meter sprint and a 1.5-mile run. Train three to four days a week for at least 8 to 12 weeks, practice each event exactly the way it's scored, and build extra calisthenics volume so the academy's daily PT doesn't break you. You don't need a gym for any of it.

Getting hired is one test. Surviving the academy is another. Recruits who show up barely passing the entry standard spend weeks just trying to recover from PT, while the ones who arrived over-prepared have energy left for defensive tactics, scenarios and the classroom. Comfort is the enemy, and the academy will find out fast who trained for it.

Here's what the tests usually look like, how to train for them with no equipment, and a simple 8-week plan you can start tonight.

What is on a police academy fitness test?

There's no single national test. Each state, academy or agency sets its own, so check the exact events and standards for the one you're applying to. Most fall into two styles.

Cooper-style fitness tests

Many states use events and percentile norms from the Cooper Institute. Pennsylvania's municipal police academy, for example, requires the 30th percentile for your age and sex in four events:

• Sit-ups: as many as possible in 1 minute (35 for men 18 to 29, 30 for women 18 to 29)
• 300-meter run: 62.1 seconds for men 18 to 29, 75 seconds for women 18 to 29
• Pushups: as many as possible in 1 minute (26 for men 18 to 29, 13 for women 18 to 29)
• 1.5-mile run: 13:16 for men 18 to 29, 15:52 for women 18 to 29

Standards get easier with each age group, and you have to keep meeting them through the academy. Massachusetts uses a similar test with a plank hold in place of sit-ups, and raises the bar from the 30th to the 40th percentile during and at the end of the academy.

Job-task tests

Other academies test job tasks instead. California's POST academies, for example, finish their conditioning program with a Work Sample Test Battery: a 99-yard obstacle course, a 165-pound dummy drag over 32 feet, a 6-foot chain link fence climb, a 6-foot solid fence climb and a 500-yard run.

Either way, the engine underneath is the same: muscular endurance, sprint speed, a real aerobic base and the grit to keep moving when you're already tired.

How long should you train before the police academy?

Give yourself at least 8 to 12 weeks of consistent training before your entry test, and longer if you're starting from zero. If you already pass the minimums, keep training anyway. Passing the entry test at the 30th percentile only means you can start. Academy PT happens almost every day on top of long hours, and a bigger fitness buffer is what keeps you from getting hurt or washed out.

How do you train for the police academy at home with no equipment?

You can cover almost every test event with bodyweight training and running. Focus on four things.

1. Pushups: build volume, then test the minute

One-minute pushup tests reward muscular endurance and pacing, not a one-time max. Train high weekly volume with different pushup variations, then practice the actual test once a week with strict form: full lockout at the top and chest to the standard depth at the bottom. Many recruits lose reps by going too fast early and hitting failure at 40 seconds. Pace the first 30 seconds.

2. Sit-ups and core: train the test version

Academy sit-ups often have strict rules, such as hands behind the head and elbows to knees, with feet held. Practice that exact version, because a sloppy home rep won't count on test day. Add planks, leg lifts, flutter kicks and Russian twists to build the trunk strength that also protects your back in a body drag or a fight.

3. The 300-meter sprint: practice short, hard efforts

The 300 is an all-out anaerobic effort. Once or twice a week, run 4 to 6 hard repeats of 100 to 300 meters with full recovery between them. Burpees, high knees and mountain climbers indoors help build the same burn tolerance on days you can't get outside.

4. The 1.5-mile run: build an aerobic base

Calisthenics alone won't get you a good 1.5-mile time. Run two to three times a week: one easy longer run, one tempo run at close to goal pace, and a timed 1.5-mile every two to three weeks to track progress.

An 8-week police academy prep plan you can do at home

Train four days a week. Warm up for 5 to 10 minutes before every session, and test yourself in week 1 so you know your starting numbers.

• Day 1, calisthenics endurance: 20 to 30 minutes of nonstop pushups, dips, squats, lunges and sit-ups, resting only as long as you need.
• Day 2, sprints: 4 to 6 repeats of 200 to 300 meters, walking back to recover.
• Day 3, calisthenics plus core: another bodyweight circuit, finished with 3 rounds of max sit-ups in 1 minute and a max plank.
• Day 4, distance: an easy 2 to 3 mile run in weeks 1 to 4, then a tempo run or timed 1.5-mile in weeks 5 to 8.

Weeks 1 to 2: learn strict test form and build the habit. Weeks 3 to 5: add total reps and run distance a little each week. Weeks 6 to 7: run full practice tests in the official event order, with the official rest between events. Week 8: cut volume roughly in half for the last few days so you show up fresh.

If you're starting out of shape, use the beginner home workout plan for a few weeks first. If you've done military PT before, the military PT workout at home pairs well with this plan.

How do workout cards help with police academy prep?

The hardest part of prepping for the academy usually isn't knowing what to do. It's doing it day after day around a job, a family and the hiring process. Workout cards take the planning off your plate: shuffle, flip, do the reps, flip again.

Recruits are already using them that way. One Trifecta Bundle buyer wrote: "Need to get into calisthenics more to prepare for the police academy, and this deck made it not only easier but fun." Cody, a Marine veteran, put it this way: "Definitely takes me back to my PT days in the USMC, I couldnt think of a better way to prepare myself for the Police Academy."

Here's how the Death Fitness Trifecta Bundle maps to the test:

• Upper Body deck (70 cards): regular, staggered, diamond, wide, decline and clapping pushups plus dips. That's high-volume pushup work for the one-minute test.
• Core & Cardio deck (70 cards): sit-ups, Russian twists, bicycles, leg lifts, Spiderman planks and flutter kicks, plus burpees, jumping jacks, high knees, mountain climbers and side jumps.
• Lower Body deck (70 cards): squats, glute bridges, step-ups, forward, reverse and side lunges, plus wall sits. That's leg endurance for sprints, fence climbs and long days on your feet.

Be clear about what cards don't cover. Each deck repeats a small set of exercises, and the rep count changes from card to card. The challenge comes from volume and a random order, not from new moves every card. The decks also don't replace running, pull-ups or practicing a drag or fence climb if your test includes them. Use the cards for your calisthenics days, and keep your runs and event practice on the schedule.

Firefighters use them the same way at the station. Tyler A. wrote that when his crew is "arguing about what workout we're going to do, the Death Decks are a great way to shut everyone up, and get some work done!" For more gear ideas for the job itself, see the best workout tools for law enforcement.

FAQ

How many pushups do you need for the police academy?

It depends on the academy, your age and your sex. Pennsylvania's standard for ages 18 to 29, for example, is 26 pushups in one minute for men and 13 for women. Check your academy's exact standard and train to beat it comfortably, not just meet it.

Is the police academy physically hard?

Yes, for most recruits. The physical training adds up because it's paired with long days, stress and little sleep, and many academies retest fitness during and at the end of training. Arriving well above the minimum makes all of it easier.

Can I prepare for the police academy without a gym?

Yes. Pushups, sit-ups, planks, squats, lunges, burpees and running cover most entry tests. Add a pull-up bar or practice a drag with a heavy bag if your test includes those events.

What is the 1.5-mile run time for the police academy?

It varies by academy, age and sex. Pennsylvania's 30th-percentile standard for ages 18 to 29 is 13:16 for men and 15:52 for women. Massachusetts and other Cooper-based tests use similar norms.

How many days a week should I train for the police academy?

Three to five days a week works for most recruits: two or three calisthenics days and two or three running days, with at least one full rest day.

Show up ready. Not hoping.

The academy doesn't care how motivated you felt the day you applied. It cares what you can do on test day and every morning after. Grab the Trifecta Bundle, put 210 cards between you and your entry test, and flip the first one tonight. Questions? Email us at contact@deathfitness.com.