How long do you think you’d last, conditioning-wise, in an all-out fight for your life?
A minute? Three minutes? As long as it takes?
The people at Force Science put together a study to measure law enforcement personnel’s ability to recall crucial details after a grueling obstacle course meant to simulate a fight with an assailant, a foot chase and other physically demanding, high-stress situations. What they found during the “all-out effort on a heavy bag” portion of the test is of particular interest to our training:
“Researchers recruited 52 officer volunteers (42 males, 10 females), ranging in age from 23 to 51, with an average of 8 years on the job. All were ‘familiar with officer safety training involving high aerobic physical engagement,’ according to Dave Blocksidge, a Force Science Analyst from the London (England) Metropolitan Police, and one of the research team.
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“Most dramatic — and alarming — was the speed at which exerters depleted their physical resources. On average, the officers spent 56 seconds hitting the bag, although some either quit or were called out as thoroughly exhausted after as little as 25 seconds. The blows they were able to deliver ranged from a low of 73 to a high of 274. The average was 183. The overwhelming majority of hits were fist punches.
