I've recently started back at the gym after a few months break over summer, but I also want to try and incorporate some fitness into my routine. I've been out running a few times but find it incredibly boring. For those who enjoy exercising, what is your favourite type of exercise?

We now have a purpose built clubs system on the forum and I have just created a club for fitness. Feel free to join the club and continue any discussions in there. https://police.community/clubs/17-polcom-fitness-club/

I’ve always been a big advocate of lamp post training. The short term aim is for you to pass the test. If you google “British army bleep test” you should find a chart the army suggest their recruits use to build fitness. It can be used on a treadmill and it will build fitness as well as stamina. I know people who have had success with it. Long term - diet and regular cardiovascular exercise.

Fartlek training, jog and run between lamp posts. Couple of mile couple of times a week, quickest way to improve. But with level 5.4 tho you won’t need much fitness

I've not and if I'm honest I'm scared to I'm going to give it a pop on Sunday when I have some spare time and see how I get on. Obviously I know to start a diet and hitting the gym again and most importantly keep doing the bleep test to build up resilience and stamina.

Have you tried the bleep test recently? What level do you think you could get to.

So I'm considering applying to my home force and I need to get fit again, I can honestly and shamefully say that I'm currently unsure that I would pass basic fitness test is there any advice you can give to get myself back in to shape for it before it comes up I suspect I have approx 6-8 weeks before it's due. Any advice and criticism (I know it's coming) is welcome!

As a veggie I actually like Kale, its just a shame my diet is poor. I really need to get training again.

The only way to have kale is with beetroot in a smoothie. Tastes like mud [emoji38] [emoji2961]

It is, similar to the physical attributes of a darts player 😁

A like watching formula 1.... that’s a sport isn’t it

Find a sport you enjoy, there is only so much weights and cardio you can do before you get bored.

To be fair you both make sound cases, my diet isn’t a bad one, it’s not the best, but I’m not a kale vita-shake pro nutrition rubbish sort of person, steak and chips any day. I’m only recently starting the gym to be fair as I have noticed a minor increase in the waist band 😬

Changing your diet even before any exercise will help wonders. You can't out-train a bad diet... I stopped supplements as I found they didn't work. Pre this, pro that. Rubbish. Eat better, limit calories and train more. It's not a secret. Apologies if I sound like I'm preaching, I'm not. It works, and you'll save money on shakes or pills you don't need. Avoid kale though, it's horrible... 😂

I would steer clear of any pre workout drinks, powders etc. If you don’t have the energy to workout then you should look to change other aspects of your life I.e diet, sleep etc. The pre workouts that I’ve seen give you a huge chemical high but an equal huge low when it wears off. You can’t be sure what strain the chemicals in pre workouts are putting on your heart and other organs that have to digest it. Some pre workouts are equivalent to drinking 10+ strong cups of coffee. I, personally, would never put that much caffeine in my body. You never know what the long term affects are going to be. Some of the best workouts or runs I’ve had have been when I don’t feel like it through fatigue. I stopped taking any kind of supplements a few years ago and recently increased my cardiovascular fitness. I’ve found I can lift more, in terms of weight, for longer and have not lost any size.

I've recently decided to give this fitness thing a go... To be fair I do feel so much better, regularly going to the gym. I haven't changed my diet but baby steps..... I have been having a pre workout drink to give me the energy to bother actually doing anything and i've found that [either placebo or not] it's working

I went in 2012 Penguin, the talks were good, as was meeting some of the pros, however the commercial side of things broke me by the end! Sent from my iPhone using Police Community

Anybody off to Bodypower expedition this weekend at the NEC Birmingham?

I did a couple but they were a fair bit of a trek away from home and I could only do one every 4 or 5 weeks due to shifts. There's one ten minutes from me now and I keep meaning to get back into it! Might give it a go this weekend! I'm on the verge of getting myself a new bike as well to get some low impact cardio in as well as swimming. Weights I seem to develop quite easily and quickly on when I get back into them but my cardio has always been awful since I left college.

Any of you do parkrun? My local had a 'police park run' today. Started by the CC and ACC of Wiltshire Police (who then ran it). A good few other police in the group too. ACC Kier Pritchard came in 12th too. That's pretty impressive.

Where are you training Ed?

You'll put most bobbies to shame [emoji12] I've been doing the Wendler 5/3/1 for the past few months, but nowhere near the weights you're lifting yet.

Here's my program at present, if anyone is interested in getting strong and fit with limited time (I have been on variations of this theme for 3 years and maintain a lean 95kg at 6'2", so it works quite well), I suggest looking at 'Jim Wendler 5/3/1' Monday: Squats (Low bar) using 5/3/1 template (Google it) between 160-210kg, then 5x10 @100kg. Ab Roller 5x10. Spin Bike Tabata Intervals (20 sec @100%, 10sec rest x 8) Wednesday: Bench Press using 5/3/1 between 100-140kg, then 5x10 @65kg. Chin ups (as many as poss in 5min). Rowing machine intervals (i.e. 200m, rest 20sec x 6) Friday: Deadlift using 5/3/1 between 170-220kg. Calf press x20, Tibialis curls x20, Loaded Stretch 2min )x3. Skipping 1min on, 30sec off ) x5. I run with the dog 2/week before work (0545hrs) for 25min, easy pace as I am straight out of bed... (other times she gets a walk) Diet consists of eggs for breakfast, fish and rice for lunch, whatever the better half cooks for tea, milk for supper! Despite not doing serious mileage (perhaps 6 per week) on the running, I can still put in a decent half marathon (sub 1hr 40min). Shows the efficacy of interval training!

Christmas chocolate is all gone and only a couple of biscuits remain so the diet starts today for me. Going to aim to lose a pound a week... As in weight, not money!

Afternoon all. I notice this thread has been dead since the start of December and my diet has been terrible! Time to get back on track but its so difficult when there's so much christmas chocolate left over