Thursday, January 26, 2012

Tackling the Push/Pull Machine (PARE/POPAT/COPAT/SOPAT)

This post has been moved to its current home at www.rlconditioning.ca

25 comments:

  1. Thank you so much for your pointers. As a petite female, this is just the kind of advice and information I've been looking for.

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  2. Thank you very much, this is very helpful as I will be doing this as part of CBSA training (they are thinking of implementing it for all future intakes)

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  3. For the RCMP Pare's pull test....can you do crossovers?

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    Replies
    1. Yes, you can do crossovers, for both the pull and push.

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  4. Thanks for the quick response.

    I am going for the PARE on Sept 26 and looking for ways to be efficient. The falls will be of another concern.

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    1. I'm not sure if you've seen my videos regarding the falls, but just in case you haven't, check out the following videos:

      Front Falls - http://youtu.be/F3WvGDIOt4Y
      Back Falls - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ui4i5Y9u2HI
      Post Vault Falls - http://youtu.be/WbEkQH-7dCQ
      Controlled Falls Drill - http://youtu.be/_X4UqCY8KEE

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  5. Thanks...your website is very helpful. You may want to offer words of advice on efficiently running around cones/pylons.

    Jag

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    1. You're very welcome, I do my best to provide quality information. I'll consider writing something about running around the cones. I've touched upon it in one of my other posts, but I could expand on it. If not a blog post, a video instead.

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  6. Hi Marc, Do you have any advice on breathing techniques when doing the PARE...I tend to forget to breathe.
    Thanks

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    Replies
    1. The first step is to be mindful of breathing. Of course doing so under extreme fatigue is easier said than done, so it starts with being mindful in a rested state. When you can spare a minute a two, take the time to breathe in deeply. Focus on breathing into the stomach, expand the diaphragm. When you exhale, force out the exhalation and let everything out of the stomach.

      As you become more mindful of your breathing, start applying that to training. When you do low intensity cardio, be mindful of your breathing. Keep it regular and still think about breathing in deep. As that becomes second nature, start being mindful at higher intensities.

      It all starts with being mindful, no real tricks to it. It will also take some time, it's not gonna happen overnight.

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  7. I am looking for a place to facilitate either COPAT or PARE because I have a job opportunity out of province. I was wondering of the two which do people find easiest?

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    1. Typically the COPAT is easiest. Depending who you're testing for (in terms of the COPAT), the weight is less on the COPAT, the vault is shorter, and there's not mat jump.

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  8. Hey Marc,

    Greta article! I am doing the COPAT next Saturday, any tips you might have for me? This will be my first test, I'm kinda nervous about the pull more than anything else

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    Replies
    1. This is a video I posted up a few weeks ago in regards to the pull: https://youtu.be/VvdC3czWws0

      If you're looking to simulate it, here are a couple options:

      Cable machine: http://youtu.be/jp471acg3dU
      Bands: http://youtu.be/lNMzLgcxZio

      And this video gives a little more detail about doing the pull:
      http://youtu.be/7vlidP7n24I

      Pace yourself as much as you can so that you have energy for the push/pull machine and vault at the end. If you try sprinting the entire thing, you'll have no energy for the end.

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  9. I'm so nervous for the PARE test! I'm 23 years old, 5'5 and 117 lbs. Over the next month I will be training 3-4 times a week in cardio and strength. Usually at the gym I do cardio first, then a little bit of everything (core, legs, arms). Should I just be focussing on 1 thing each time? I always hear people use terms like "leg day". My main concern is probably the push pull and bag carry. The other day I tried to lift and carry an 80 lb bag and fail miserably!

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  10. Hi Rhi,

    For strength training, I'd focus on total body strength training 2-3x/wk, instead of splitting it into body parts. There's nothing wrong with doing splits like that, but for the purpose of the PARE, it's more effective to perform total body strength training. An example could be:

    A1 Squats
    A2 Push-Ups

    B1 Walking Lunges
    B2 Rows

    C1 Bench Press
    C2 Pulldowns

    For most of the above exercises, you want to use a weight that challenges you for 5-8 reps, for about 3 sets. Start conservative though, and add weight to challenge yourself, vs starting heavy and struggling from the start.

    Core exercises will also be important. You can keep it basic too, like planks and deadbugs, and perform variations of those if you need a challenge.

    For the bag carry, learning how to deadlift is important and helps translate to picking up the bag. Otherwise you can try simulating the bag carry by stuffing something like a duffel bag with anything that will make it heavier. Begin with a lighter weight, say 50 or 60 lbs, practice technique first, then as you get proficient in form with the lighter weight, you add more.

    I hope some of that advice helped. Feel free to ask any other questions you may have, either on here or at my email (redline.conditioning@gmail.com)

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