By C1 Staff
We recently asked our Corrections1 fans a series of questions to uncover their fitness routines and find out what is at the root of our biggest health dilemmas and how we can help.
Over 350 of our followers took the fitness survey, and the results were eye-opening. For instance, did you know less than half of one percent of officers do yoga? Shocking, right?
Check out the results below plus some of our own expert tips on how to get in shape and stay there!
1. How often, on average, do you exercise?
The majority of our respondents answered between 2-4 days per week. Less than 9 percent said rarely, if ever, which is reassuring! The amount you should exercise depends on many factors, like health and goals, but most experts agree that at least 30 minutes of exercise daily is needed to reduce the risks of chronic adult diseases.
2. How do you prefer to exercise?
While there are many ways to get active, it’s best to vary your workouts so that your body gets the best workout it possibly can. Weight lifting and cardio only go so far individually, but work best when used together.
Group activities tend to be best because you tend to more active when around others; also, when it’s fun, exercise doesn’t feel like a chore.
Almost 90 percent of respondents said their agencies don’t enforce any kind of recurring fitness standards test, which means little to no incentive for officers to stay in shape for the job (aside from their own safety).
Despite this, 70 percent of our respondents said they felt very confident about passing such a fitness test if it were enforced.
5. If you don’t feel you are in the shape you should be in, or don’t believe you exercise enough, what is at fault?
Ask anyone trying to get into a fitness routine what their biggest obstacle is, and the answer will be the same: time.
Fifty-five percent responded that they had difficulty finding time to work out between work and home. One good solution is to make family time active: go for a walk after dinner, or play soccer in the yard with your kids. Even some video games require you to get up and move.
There are many ways to fit fitness into your day, even if it’s only for minutes at a time. Between making your shift active by staying on your feet or working in a few minutes each morning to go for a run, officers should make it a priority to stay on top of their fitness and health, for their own safety.
What do you do to stay in shape? Share programs and routines in the comments for others to see.