Man, I am scared and woefully unprepared

[Fortress]

Help!

I am a 34-year-old journalist / personal trainer / competitve powerlifter. What am I scared about? The run, for one: I weigh 275 pounds of muscle; not too good for running. But I will adapt and succeed with training. Heck, NFL dudes do it.

And the math, etc.? My last math class was in, what, 1985? But, again, I will practice.

I guess my problem is that, a) I have never been good at tests, and b) all this "doesn't come natural crap" is totally intimidating.

I mean, why can't I perform some max lifts, write an essay and, I don't know, draw a picture (ha, ha)?

Who has advice for a guy totally terrified (and having trouble studying because of massive doubt and intimidation)?

P.S. I truly believe I am police material, like most here I assume. But I need some freakin' confidence to succed at what I haven't ever been successful at.

[jaimebailey]

I played professional hockey for the past ten years, I now way 255 and I am telling you , you can do it. Start off by walking a mile, then slow trot, then a slow jog, then a jog. Through this process you will lose weight and also improve your running abilities. Stop lifting so heavy and concentrate on high reps, you want to lose at least 15 pounds. The muscle will be there just look at it like a cutting process. The math part study, study, study its not easy because if is was everyone would be a cop!!!!!!!!

[Sunny]

Was I ever glad to read your post. I have rescheduled my test twice out of pure intimidation. I am a 28yr old mother of three and I too am very tall and heavy (strong as an ox and pretty fit but not built for endurance)
Most colleges have the equipment and bleep test and will run you through a one on one trial to see how you'd do. I went and did it (came really close) and I think it was $70. It was well worth the money - the woman I ran through it with gave me a lot of good pointers and work out suggestions. If you went and tried it and passed you would atleast have piece of mind come test day. Good luck :D

[K9]

Sunny... Which colleges and where?

[terry]

Any Ontario community college that has a Police Foundations program has the equipment to run a practise PREP. I did mine at Conestoga College in Kitchener. I wasn't a student so I paid aprox $45 to spend some one-on-one time with a trainer and then did the course. Twas money well spent as it removed all the mystery and gave me confidence that I wasn't going to wash out.

BTW, It's been a long process but, I have my LFI with Waterloo Regional PS on Jan 17. My application was submitted in April 2004. I'm going to try to convince them that I'm the youngest, fittest, best suited 46 year old they have ever considered.

Hi Sunny,

WOW!!! I now dont feel so alone out there. I to am 28, a mother of three and just not build for endurance...also terrified to do the test!! I do have it book for March 16th and hopefully I am ready. My hubby is a cop, so I have gotten lots of good pointers, which I am hoping is going to help.

Are you running, and lifting weights on a regular basis, right now? Have you taken any of the tests on the site yet?

Well..GOOD LUCK when you do the test.

[sunny]

Shut up - we really have got to chat - my test is booked for March 19th. I was running when the weather was better and I actually have a very physical job - I had nooo problem with the weights in my trial run - what I found was that my legs were on FIRE come time for the dummy drag. I think I was actually working out to hard before the test - hadn't rested my muscles in a month. I am so glad to hear from you - I keep thinking I am going to be the only person in the room over 20 and not in "perfect" physical condition, but come on I have had three kids - one is still a baby - had I run this test at 20 I would have breezed through it. You have got to keep in touch.

[tps3215]

this is for all who think that they can not complet the physical. I know if u guys are from ontario that ats holds practice tests on a regualr basis. if u are worried about the shutle run the look at the ats website and look at the distances then go out on your street and mark off the distances and then go back and forth 32 times. it's about the same distance as the test, but keep trying and u will get they're.

FOR SURE...here is my email address shaidle@wightman.ca
We will have to chat :D

Thanks for all the replies.

I am THIS close to earning my "Elite Lifter" (world class) status in powerlifting, and want desperately to compete for Canada at the IPF World Championships in a couple years. It's taken me 20 years to build my 275-80-pound physique and I refuse to purposely lose muscle. I was running regularly in the Summer and surprisingly lost nothing. But my endurance did improve a tonne. Several athletes I have consulted with believe I can successfully run the shuttle at my weight.

I did do the practice shuttle run and made it to level five. Not bad. Need a little work, though.

The math is coming along, too.

I guess I just need to chug along and keep positive.

Good luck to everyone!

[Guest]

Any one know if this can be done at Seneca or Centennial College?? I'm planning on doing the exams in March. The PATI and WCT should be no problem however at 43 yrs old the PREP might be a wee bit difficult.

BTW Good Luck Terry. Glad to see I'm not the only "Over 40" thats applying. Guess it took abit longer for us to figure out what we wanted to do when we grew up!! LOL :D




Any Ontario community college that has a Police Foundations program has the equipment to run a practise PREP. I did mine at Conestoga College in Kitchener. I wasn't a student so I paid aprox $45 to spend some one-on-one time with a trainer and then did the course. Twas money well spent as it removed all the mystery and gave me confidence that I wasn't going to wash out.

BTW, It's been a long process but, I have my LFI with Waterloo Regional PS on Jan 17. My application was submitted in April 2004. I'm going to try to convince them that I'm the youngest, fittest, best suited 46 year old they have ever considered.

Not any ontario college will allow you to run the test. I have tried two, one in Kingston and the other in Belleville. Both said no way because they want their students to have an advantage over someone outside of their group. I am also a mom, age 40 and am nervous of doing the test. I have been training for six months now. When talking to the recruiting officer in smith falls, he suggested that I go to the practice training day on feb2. When I go I am able to run through both tests. They will give lots of advice and assistence. My trainer is also coming with me that day.
So word of advice to those who are feeling apprehensive. You are definately not alone. I will let you know how it goes.

[guru]

Hey guys,

Try and score around 70% to 80% on the pati test. This was my score going into it with ATS and I passed. In all honesty the math section was no where near as hard as it is on police prep. For the PREP, however I'm not as muscular as you guys are I do smoke and dont work out. I also passed the shuttle. Try to pace yourself doing the Pursuit and Restraint I scored 2:10 and the pass mark I believe is 2:42...I think. Going this hard wore me out for the shuttle run. In all honesty the shuttle run is 60% slow run and 40% a fast pace, but at this point just push yourself.

Good luck to all......
p.s. the only bitch about this system is waiting the 2-3 weeks for your results, you start to doubt if you passed, and the BPAD is easy.

The PATI has been changed several times because it was too easy.

While the PATI tests here are good practice, they are not as difficult as the one you will do with OPP.

The OPP has a new PATI and sometimes the pass markh as also been changed. A mathematical formula is used to score each particular PATI tests. They have several of them that they can choose from. I don't know when the PATI was changed to be more difficult.

But I am convinced that the PATI practice tests here are based on the old PATI and do not really reflect the new PATI that has been changed to be made more difficult.

I think I now understand why some people here have said that the PATI here and the real PATI or different. Some say they real PATI is more difficult and some say that it is about the same or even easier.

Well, that's because they change the test. It has been changed to be made more difficult as it was too easy.

Thus, the conflicting reports on how difficult the PATI really is.

Also, the written reports here do not reflect the level of difficulty of the real WCT. I would suggest that you focus on the traffic accident scenarios and expect the real WCT to be approximately twice as long as the practice tests here on this site.

[guru]

I also agree with the above post.

However, it is possible that after taking the Police Prep tests people have become more prepared. When I first started taking these test I could not remember how to problem solving and algebra. After these test I was helping my friend to do the PATI, he too passed the ATS test.

Although, it is possible they do have easier tests and harder test, but if you keep practicing and are confident, competency, then you have nothing to worry about.

Good luck to all!!!!! :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

[fjacky]

You can also find the 'BEEP CD' on eBay. Go to ebay and search for - Multi-Stage Fitness Test (Beep Test) CD.

That helped me a lot