Police DYNO Test
The Concept2 DYNO is used to assess the fitness of police applicants. The following is taken from information provided by Cleveland Police and contains details of the test and how best applicants can prepare for it.
Police Officers are sometimes required to perform physically demanding tasks as part of their police duty. It is essential that they possess a standard of physical fitness which will enable them to perform these tasks professionally, and without the risk of injury, when the need arises. It is for this reason that minimum standards of physical fitness must be achieved by candidates wishing to join the Police Service.
In order to assess a candidate's fitness, a programme of tests has been designed by Loughborough University.
Specifically, four tests have been devised to measure the fitness qualities that underlie the physical tasks performed by Police Officers. These are tests of endurance fitness, speed and agility, dynamic strength and grip strength. Performance on the tests will provide an indicator of a candidate's capability to perform various police tasks. The tests run consecutively and minimum standards must be achieved on each.
The minimum test levels required to pass the job related fitness test to level 6 are:
- Multi-stage shuttle run - Level 8 and 1 shuttle (8/1)
- Speed and Agility - 27 seconds or under
- Dynamic Strength Dyno Machine - Push 34 kg, Pull 35 kg
- Static Strength/Grip Dynamometer 32 kgs
Test 2: Dynamic Strength
Police Officers are required to arrest and restrain struggling or fighting individuals. This can involve a degree of pushing, pulling and grappling over a period of time. The ability to perform such activities requires dynamic upper body strength. Possessing high levels of dynamic strength will also lessen the chance of injury to the musculo-skeletal system.
The Dynamic Strength test involves performing five seated chest pushes and five seated back pulls on a machine called a Dyno. The average force of the sum of the five pushes, and the average force of the sum of the five pulls will be recorded. The lower score recorded (i.e. for either for the push or the pull) will determine the overall level awarded for the dynamic strength test.
Dynamic test for PUSHING:
- The air resistance on the Dyno is adjusted so that vents 1 to 4 are open and vents 5 to 8 are closed.
- You must sit upright with your back firmly pushing against the padding. Your feet must be flat on the ground with your knees set at approximately 90 degrees. A firm grip is taken of the push bar, with your hands level with the middle of your sternum.
- The force monitor is reset using the I/O button, which will then show three warm-up repetitions to be performed.
- Before each effort the slider position is set such that the push bar is in contact with your chest.
- Three warm-up efforts must be performed first, at approximately 80% of maximum effort.
- Each warm-up and subsequent test effort is performed to full arm extension.
- Following the three warm-up efforts you are required to perform FIVE MAXIMUM efforts with three seconds of recovery (shown on the bottom right of the monitor) between efforts.
- The AVERAGE force produced during each effort is displayed on the monitor.
- The AVERAGE VALUE of the five efforts is displayed at the end of the set.
Dynamic test for PULLING:
- The air resistance on the Dyno is adjusted so that vents 1 to 4 are open and vents 5 to 8 are closed.
- Position yourself at the OPPOSITE END of the machine to the pushing test. Sit upright with your chest firmly pushed against the padding. Your feet must be flat on the ground with your knees set at approximately 90 degrees. A firm grip is taken of both the pull handles, with your hands level with the middle of your sternum.
- The force monitor is reset using the I/O buttons, which will then show three warm-up repetitions to be performed.
- Before each effort the slider is set such that the arms are fully extended.
- Three warm-up efforts must be performed first, at approximately 80% of maximum effort.
- During each warm-up and subsequent test you must pull on the handles until your hands touch your chest.
- Following the three warm-up efforts you are required to perform FIVE MAXIMUM efforts with three seconds of recovery (shown on bottom right of the monitor) between efforts.
- The AVERAGE force produced during each effort is displayed on the monitor.
- The AVERAGE VALUE of the five efforts is displayed at the end of the set.
Dynamic Strength
The best way to improve your dynamic strength in the muscles of the upper body is to perform resistance exercise, which can be achieved by using body weight, free-weights or resistance machines. The following exercises can be used to improve the muscles tested during the dynamic strength tests.
Full, Kneeling and Extended Kneeling press-ups
Perform conventional press-ups, ensuring your hands are shoulder width apart and that your arms are vertical. Your head must be fixed with your eyes looking directly down at the floor. You must maintain a straight body position throughout the action, making sure that you go all the way down to touch the sternum (chest bone) on the floor and then fully extending the arms on recovery. Try to breathe in as you push yourself up and breathe out as you lower yourself down.
If you find it difficult to perform a succession of press-ups due to insufficient body strength then begin with practising kneeling press-ups which is a less strenuous alternative. Your arms must be in the same position adopted for full press-ups (as described above). Kneel with your knees immediately below your hips and your feet on the floor. Bend your arms to lower your chest to the floor and return to the front support position. Once you have developed sufficient strength to be able to do 10 or more of this then move on to extended kneeling press-ups which is the same as the kneeling press-ups except the knees should be positioned back from the hips, the feet raised and the lower legs crossed. Performing extended knee press-ups on a regular basis will develop your strength enough to be able to perform a standard press-up with the feet on the floor. Try to breathe out as you push yourself up and breathe in as you lower yourself down.
Reverse Pull-up
You will require a bar securely fixed approximately three feet from the floor. While lying beneath the bar take a firm grip of the bar, ensuring your palms are facing your body. Keeping your body straight, pull yourself up until your chest touches the bar. Slowly return to the start position and repeat the procedure. Try to breathe out as you pull yourself up and breathe out as you lower yourself down.
Perform 3 to 4 sets of as many repetitions as you can of each exercise with a 2 minute recovery period separating each set. Record the total amount of repetitions that you perform and try to better this in your next session. However, you must make sure that you have the same recovery between each set.
Strength training
A high degree of strength in the arms, shoulders, chest and back muscles is required to pass the dynamic strength test. Improved strength would also be of benefit in the grip test. To improve strength, the muscles must be made to work against resistance that is not normally encountered i.e. they must be overloaded. As strength increases, it will be necessary to progressively increase the weight so as to maintain the muscle overload. This is known as progressive resistance.
The following progressive resistance training methods are ideal for strength training and can be used with any weight training exercise that you perform:
Begin by establishing the maximum weight of which you can perform 10 repetitions (10-RM). Then perform 3 sets of 10 repetitions.
- Set one with 50% of the 10-RM
- Set two with 75% of the 10-RM
- Set three with the full 10-RM
When you are able to perform 13 repetitions on the final set, it no longer represents the 10-RM and a heavier load must be used.
This training programme should ideally be implemented three times per week, with a full days rest between sessions.
It is beyond the scope of this section to provide you with descriptions of the many strength-training exercises that you can perform. It is advisable therefore for you to seek advice from qualified instructors. Many gymnasia offer induction courses and resource information that show users how to use various weight training and resistance exercises to improve strength. However for your information, exercises such as shoulder presses and bench presses, pull downs, seated row and squats are very good for the development of overall strength.
The most relevant weight training exercises to develop strength specifically for the Dyno (which will be used to test your dynamic strength), are the bench press and the seated row.
Seek advice from a gym instructor or the Force Physical Training Instructor (PTI) for guidance on how to use free weights or resistance machinery.