(65) THE EFFECT OF AGE ON SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA LAW ENFORCEMENT RECRUIT PHYSICAL FITNESS ASSESSMENTS

Purpose: To determine if significant differences exist in performance on select physical fitness assessments among law enforcement recruits by age category. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on data from 308 female recruits (age: 26.50±5.07) and 1640 male recruits (age: 26.96±6.06) from a southern California law enforcement agency. During the hiring process, recruits completed the following physical fitness assessments: 75-yard pursuit run (75PR); 60-s push-ups; 60-s arm ergometer; 60-s sit-ups; and 2.4-km (1.5-mile) run. A Multivariate analysis, with age group and sex as the fixed factor was utilized to determine between-group fitness differences (p < 0.05). Results: Among the female recruits, 20-29-year-old female recruits had significantly faster PR75 times compared to those in the 30-39 age group (p=0.001). In regard to male recruits, those within the 20-29 age group exhibited significantly PR75 faster times than the following age groups: 30-39 (p=0.002), 40-49 (p < 0.001), and 50-59 (p=0.003). Additionally, male recruits from the 30-39 age group had significantly faster PR75 times compared to those in the 40-49 age group (p < 0.001). Additionally, male recruits in the 20-29 age group had significantly faster 1.5-mile times than those in the 30-39 age group (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Based on these findings, it appears that on average younger recruits are more likely to achieve faster times in both aerobic and anaerobic physical fitness assessments. However, no significant differences were found within different age groups of male and female recruits for both the push up and arm ergometer assessments. This may suggest that age may not influence the muscular endurance, workload efficiency, and muscular strength of the upper body in both male and female recruits. Practical Applications: With the diverse pool of law enforcement recruits seen within the Southern California region, strength and conditioning professionals within these agencies should possess an understanding of the influence of one’s age and its effect on different physiological factors (i.e., aerobic endurance, anaerobic endurance, and recovery). Understanding these nuances and the impact of age on fitness is essential in creating tailored programs to not only ensure success within the academy, but beyond the academy as well. Acknowledgements: None