How to Perform the Push/Pull Machine for the PARE and POPAT tests (push and pull instructions)

The push/pull machine, the bane of many.

It is a machine that requires strength, but above all else, it requires technique.

I have seen, and I have tested, plenty of strong guys who think they can just manhandle the machine. But with no experience, they still struggle on it. They attempt to muscle and power their way through it, but it doesn't work that way. Combine that with feeling gassed after 6 laps, and it looks anything but smooth.

This is why I've put together an in depth tutorial for the push/pull machine.

You must learn proper technique if you want a successful performance for your test. Especially if you want to stand out from the crowd, the push/pull machine can be a make or break on your overall performance.

Check out the two tutorial videos, for both the push and the pull, below:

PUSH TUTORIAL

PULL TUTORIAL

How To Simulate The Push (PARE/POPAT Test, Push/Pull Simulation)

Without a doubt, the push is a very difficult thing to simulate. It is so specific, you can only truly practice on the push/pull machine itself. Still, I've found way to simulate it as closely as possible. Check out the video:

This simulation does require a partner though, preferably a strong partner. You'll also need some free space by a wall. And although optional, I suggest holding onto an implement between partners, something like a small bar. Otherwise clasping hands works too.

Here's how to set up:

- One partner ("partner 1") sets up against the wall. This partner will act as the machine.

- The other partner ("partner 2")  will set up in front of Partner 1 and both will hold onto the bar (or clasp hands).

- Partner 1 will provide resistance and push back. Partner 2 should be pushing Partner 1 into the wall.

- Partner 2 will work on the rotations, while continuing pushing Partner 1. Partner 1 will continue providing strong resistance, and try not to get pinned against the wall

The simulation doesn't give a true representation of the read deal, but it's pretty damn close. If anything, it gets you to focus on footwork and to continually be aggressive and push into the machine.

Got any questions? You can email me at redline.conditioning@gmail.com, or leave a comment below.

One Year of the Push/Pull Machine

It's been one year today since I got the push/pull machine. Over the past year it has been used and abused extensively, and it will continue to take a licking. It's one tough bastard that has been a game changer for me.

Since getting the machine, I've learned a few things about the push and the pull, and a few ideas about it have also been reinforced. I've learned how to coach it better and have found what works and what doesn't for certain people. I quickly came to realize a single exercise won't improve your push/pull performance. There are a few factors that will determine your success.

First and foremost, practice. Practice the footwork, learn how to push properly and pull properly, and learn how to utilize your body. Of course finding a machine to practice this is difficult, but there are ways you can simulate it. For the pull, any cable column with heavy enough resistance (I suggest anything over 100 lbs or the equivalent to 100 lbs) can be used. Just make sure there's enough room to operate within. You can even use resistance bands or tubing to simulate the pull.

For the push, it's best to have a partner so you can practice the footwork and focus on constantly pushing forward. If you can't do that, something I've been playing around with is to use a corner of a wall (corner going out), or even a metal pole, and practice your technique. It's not ideal, but it's better than nothing.

If you do have the machine, focus on technique and control first, don't worry about speed. Only when you learn control can you focus on speed.

Second, get stronger. Don't focus only on chest and arms, focus on total body strength: upper body (both pushing and pulling movements), core, and lower body. I would argue lower body strength and core strength/stability is more important to develop than upper body strength (although it's still good to have upper body strength). Tackling the machine is a whole body affair and you can't rely on upper body alone. I have clients who can barely do a floor push-up, and they still perform well enough on the push because they learn how to utilize their legs and their entire body to push.

Third, improve your conditioning and pacing skills. In some cases, strength is not the issue, nor technique. The issue is conditioning and/or pacing.

If it's conditioning, you need to learn how to push your limits and be comfortable with discomfort. If conditioning is not up to par, then you won't be able to use your strength on the machine.

If pacing is the issue, you need to learn not to lay it out all on the line at the beginning. You need to learn how to hold back at the start and spread out your energy levels. It's no good wasting all your fuel at the beginning and run on reserves at the end. There's just nothing left and you will suffer.

Remember to keep those points in mind when it comes to improving your push/pull performance. It's not a single factor that will make you better.

PARE and POPAT training obstacles: the problems you have and the tips and solutions to overcome them.

The PARE and POPAT test are physically demanding tests. Many applicants will prepare by performing easy to moderate runs or lifting weights for high reps. But, they will also forget to practice the skills necessary to run the test efficiently. As such, after their test, they realize the training they have been doing wasn’t sufficient enough.

They were running, but they weren’t running with enough intensity. They were lifting, but they were focusing on small muscles instead of compound lifts. They also realize that there’s a technical aspect to the test. It’s not just a matter of running around cones, jumping obstacles, and scrumming with a machine.

Below I’ve outlined 5 common problematic areas that applicants experience in the PARE and POPAT tests. I talk about the problem, provide a solution, and give tips and tricks when it comes to the technical points of the tests.

Push/Pull

Problem: Lack of strength and technique

Solution: Strength training, technique work

Exercises to Work On: push-ups, pull-ups, inverted rows, seated rows, standing rows, bench press, pulldowns

Technique Work:

Push lean in from the legs and use them,  don’t rely on the arms and chest to push continually push, never relax take as few steps as possible, you’ll cover more ground if you shuffle, always keep one foot on the ground practice with a partner to simulate the push (watch the video below for a quick simulation)

Pull don’t lean back, sit back and stay low pull with the back muscles as well as with the arms, and keep the elbows bent take as few steps as possible, you’ll cover more ground if you shuffle, always keep one foot on the ground

Vault Jump

Problem: Lack of confidence, lack of leg strength and power, gassing out (especially for POPAT)

Solution: Build up confidence, practice at varying heights, increase leg strength and power

Exercises to Work On to Work On: squats, deadlift, lunges, jump squats, tuck jumps, hurdle jumps

Technique Work:

Here a couple posts you can refer to when it comes to jumping the vault:

For help with the PARE vault, check out my article on Jumping the PARE Vault 
 

For help with the POPAT vault, watch the video below POPAT Vault Jump Instructions

One tip for those who have difficulty jumping 3 ft: practice on a lower height first and slowly jump higher heights until you’re at 3 ft. If you have access to aerobic steps and risers, you can use those to simulate the vault, while at the same time practicing at various heights. The back of couches is another good option. If you make a mistake, at least you have cushions on the other side to break your fall.

Mat Jump

Problem: Gassing out, lack of leg strength and power

Solution: increase leg strength and power, improve run up to the mat

Exercises to Work On to Work On: squats, deadlifts, lunges, split squats, step ups, broad jumps

Technique Work:

• sprint to the mat
• don’t look at the front or back of the mat, look beyond it
• reach with your front leg, don’t let it drop early
• jump across, not up and over

Below are a couple videos, one demoing an inefficient way of jumping, which I just call up and over. The second video demos the quicker and and more efficient of jumping, which is to jump straight across and minimize any vertical jump.

Controlled Falls

Problem: too slow falling down and getting up

Solution: burpees and sit ups

Exercises to Work On: burpees, push-ups, sit-ups, reverse crunches, planks

Technique Work:

Front Fall drop quick; place your hands on the ground and kick out both feet behind you at the same time drop quickly to the ground; as soon as your chest and hips touch, push yourself away from the ground right away. It’s touch and go movement, and you should feel like you’re bouncing off the floor as you’re pushing up, tuck both knees to your chest and stand

Back Fall drop quick to your back, don’t take your time and set yourself up, get to it quickly once you’re flat on your back, use your arms to swing up just as you’re performing a sit-up; that momentum will help you up quicker as you’re coming up, place your hands at your sides and use your arms to help you stand up

If you want a video tutorial for controlled falls, check out the two videos below on the front fall and back fall.

 And if you want a “fun” drill to add to your training repertoire, you’ll love the Controlled Falls drill.

Gassing out

Problem: Not enough intensity to the conditioning training, only doing moderate intensity runs

Solution: high intensity interval training

Exercises to Work On: 400’s, 200’s, sprint intervals, stairs/hills

400’s Run 4-6 400’s, aiming between 1:30-2:00 each 400. Rest 2:00 between sets The goal is to run the same times each 400, so if you ran 1:45 for your first 400, you should be running within +/- 3 seconds  each 400. Word of caution, don’t run your first 400 too fast, you’ll end up running slower on each 400.	200’s Run 5-8, aiming between 40-1:00, rest 1:30-2:00 between sets The goal is to run the same times each 200, so if you ran 0:50 for your first 200, you should be running within +/- 2 seconds  each 200. Word of caution, don’t run your first 200 too fast, you’ll end up running slower on each 200.
SPRINT INTERVALS If sprinting for time, perform 10-30s sprints, rest 1:00-2:00 between sets If sprinting for distance (ie 100m), record your time and keep it consistent. Rest 1:00-2:00 Perform 5-10 sprints, depending on fitness level	STAIRS/HILLS Find a steep hill that  you can run up anywhere from 10-30s Perform 5-10 hill sprints, depending on fitness level. Recovery walk down the hill, plus another 15-30s of rest at the bottom before you go again If on stairs, running up one storey and back down counts as one climb. Perform sets of 3-5 climbs and rest 0:30-1:00 between climbs

The above is just a snippet of interval training you can do, there are many others that can be performed. Just make sure you are performing it at a high intensity that is consistent. A word of caution: don't perform high intensity intervals more than 2x/wk, 3 max. As tempting as it is, you won't be doing your body any favours. There is still a place of low and moderate intensity training, which is a topic for another day.

Technique Work for running (yes, running involves technique):

• Run tall and relaxed
• Keep shoulders, arms, and hands relaxed, avoid tension
• Land softly on your feet like a cat, instead of heavy like an elephant
• Try landing with your feet under your body, instead of reaching out
• Keep your running cadence (the number of footsteps you take) around 90 BPM per foot. That usually means you’re not overstriding and your feet are landing under your body.

You have the solutions, now it’s a matter of incorporating them into your training. If you’re having a hard time putting together an effective program and need coaching help to prep for your PARE or POPAT, email me at redline.conditioning@gmail.com.

You can also check me out on Facebook at Marc Locquiao – Redline Conditioning. And if you want regular updates on motivation and training, sign up below for my free newsletter.

POPAT Practice Summary

                A couple days ago I had the chance to practice the POPAT. I’ve never done it before, but I have done the PARE several and have developed an understanding of what’s needed for it. Since the PARE is based off of the POPAT, training for both is similar, but there is one key difference that makes the POPAT a little more difficult to pass then the PARE.

                First off, the cardio requirements are very similar for both. Make sure to develop both your aerobic and anaerobic capacity when you train. The key difference that separates the two is the strength requirement, especially when it comes to the push/pull machine. The technique is also different, moreso for the push. Some PARE testing sites still have the older machines that have a chest that you can use for support. Other places have the newer machines with no chest support, making the push a little bit more tough. How you push the handles is difficult too. You’re not allowed to rest your chest on the handles, and you can’t support your elbows on your body; elbows gotta be flared out a little. When performing the rotations, for both push and pull, feet must shuffle, not crossover. In the PARE, there’s no specific requirements of how you take your steps.

                Like I said, this was my first time doing the POPAT, but it’s also the first time since last year since I’ve done any practice police test. Going into I’ve been doing some spotty training the last few months, nothing consistent, but enough to get me through the test comfortably. It was a little warm in the gym, and the floors were a little slippery. I noticed the floors when turning around the far cone and heading back over the stairs; I couldn’t quite get a good grip to accelerate well. Depending on where you take your POPAT, hope that they have grippier floors.

                The course itself wasn’t too bad, the layout is the same as PARE, the only thing is the mat is longer at 6 feet and there’s an extra step on the stairs. I managed to hold a consistent pace, averaging about 17 sec per lap. Competitive times are in the 18-22 sec range. Most of the people there who were practicing were averaging in the 20-22 sec range, so when they got to the push/pull they still had some time. But the push/pull can be the difference maker.

                When you get to the machine, you must pull first. To get across, you can only shuffle. A few times I crossed over out of habit (that’s what I’m used to for the PARE), and you get 2 warnings to change your technique before they tell you to redo your rotations. So make you do it right the first time. The pull itself was good; get a good yank of the handle, keep your elbows bent, and sit back, use your body weight to lift.

                The push was trickier. I’m used to the chest pad and now I had nothing to support me except my arms. Because you can’t tuck in your elbows anymore, you have to rely on your arm strength to help you out more. I still tried to lean into the machine as much as possible using my whole body, but you need a fair amount of upper body strength too. Again, you have to shuffle, no crossing over of the feet.

                The vault jumps at the end were a little challenging, but more because you have to concentrate a little more. Before you go onto your back or front, you have to show a controlled landing before falling. You’ll see in the video I had to repeat my first back fall. This is an area where you can also lose time. Only your hands are allowed to touch the bar when you’re jumping over, and to avoid touching with anything else requires more strength and power in the legs.

                Once you’re done, you have about 30 sec before you do the bag carry, which is 100lbs. Out of the whole test, this is actually the easiest part since you’re no longer timed at this point. Needless to say you need strength for this part, but once you have the bag up you can take your time and readjust if necessary.

                Watch out for a future series on POPAT training. If you’re interested, I have a series on PARE training that you can check out below. Some of the tips in there can be applied to POPAT as well. Also, if you live in the Metro Vancouver  area and need help with training, feel free to email me at redline.conditioning@gmail.com .

PARE Training Videos: Tips and Tricks Part 1
PARE Training Videos: Tips and Tricks Part 2
Training for the RCMP PARE Test Part 1
Training for the RCMP PARE Test Part 2
Training for the RCMP PARE Test Part 3
Training for the RCMP PARE Test Part 4

Specific Push/Pull Strengthening Exercises

                As important as cardio training is for the PARE (or any police testing for that matter), the push/pull machine can be a make or break deal if you’re not strong enough, particularly for women (especially petite women) due to lack of strength compared to men. But, if you incorporate a good strength training program, along with some technique work, you can get through the push/pull with relative ease.

                What are some specific strengthening exercises you can perform? A combination of heavy strength training and bodyweight training. Here’s a list of exercises:

Push	Pull
Bench Press Push-Ups Sledding	Standing or Seated Rows Inverted Rows Pull-Ups

                The bench press and standing (or seated) rows can be performed with heavy weights for 3-5 sets of 4-6 reps. Push-ups, inverted rows, and pull-ups can be performed as bodyweight only, or with resistance, depending on your strength level. For novice trainers, work on perfecting your technique first before you lift heavy. Intermediate and advanced trainers, challenge yourself with heavier weights or different variations of the bodyweight exercises.

                I haven’t mentioned sledding yet. This is a “fun” exercise that works the entire body. It emphasizes leaning into the weights and not just relying on your arms to push, but your entire body, particularly the legs. Choose whatever weight is challenging (beginners can just slide). You can use a sled, a prowler, or be creative for it. Below is a video where I place a couple plates on a mat, which worked just fine:

 

                You can go for time, go for distance, or a combination of. You can combine it with other exercises, as you saw in the video. Sledding is also great for building up your conditioning.

                Start incorporating strength training into your routine, even if you have no weights or a gym to go to. Bodyweight exercises are still great options and can be done anywhere and with infinite variations.

Controlled Falls: After the Vault and During the Push/Pull

                In a post I put up a few days ago, I discussed the methods of jumping over the vault. The jump is just one aspect of the vault; the other one is landing and controlled falls. Once you’re over the vault, you have to make sure you land in control before you perform the falls. Depending on what lap you’re on, you will drop to either your front or your back.

Front Falls

                When you drop to your front, make sure your chest and hips touch the ground at the same time. Failure to do so will result in repeating the fall. You want to make the fall as quick as possible; I always like to say “as soon as you’re down, you’re up.” Remember, time is ticking and the more time you spend in one spot, the slower your test time will be.

                Commonly, when people drop to their front they end up being parallel to the vault. But nothing says that you have to fall that way. I encourage people (if they’re able) to land and face forward when they drop on their front. Why? Usually people who land parallel end up making a big arc around the start cone on their way to the next lap. By facing the cone, when you get up you end up making a bee line for the cone, saving you some time.

Back Falls

                The back falls are usually the slowest to get up from between the two falls. With the back fall, you want to make sure you’re landing flat on your back; both shoulder blades and hips should be touching at the same time. Don’t worry about your legs; they can pretty well do whatever, just as long as your back is flat.

                The back fall is slower because of the amount of effort that’s needed to get up. People will try to get up like they’re performing a sit up or they rock their body to get up. Even if you’re strong, the sit up isn’t the way to go because it uses too much energy (and not everyone can do a good sit up). Remember, you want to conserve as much energy as possible for the push/pull. The body rocking isn’t a good idea either for two reasons. The first is you end up rolling on your back, losing the flatness and therefore not performing the back fall correctly. The second is you waste time rocking.

                How do you get up faster then? One way is to use one leg to help you out. Some people like to swing one leg up, and then use that same leg to swing down as they sit up. That leg swing gives you some momentum to sit up. This is a good alternative to the body rocking. The other way people will use the leg is to swing it up and then grab it with both hands to help pull themselves up. Both are good methods to use.

                The one I highly recommend is the rollover method. Instead of sitting up or using a leg, what you do is roll onto your side to get up once you’ve fallen on your back. I like this method because you use less energy to get up compared to the other methods, and you make a direct bee line to the start cone.

PUSH/PULL CONTROLLED FALLS

                Since we’re on the subject of controlled falls, I should touch briefly about the controlled falls in between the push and the pull. Essentially you’re performing the same type of falls. Make sure to always face the machine every time you drop. So when you fall on your front, your head is toward the machine; when you fall on your back, your head is away from the machine, but your face is still toward it, not turned away.

                Also, when getting up from the back fall, you could still perform the rollover method, but you have to make sure you still get up toward the machine. This would be one case where I suggest you do the sit up method or you use your legs to get yourself up. It is only 4 falls total that you’re performing, 2 on your front and 2 on your back, so do what you can at this point. Just remember to spend as little time being flat on your back or front.

                Whatever method you use for controlled falls, make sure you practice it. You’re better off sticking with something you know rather than trying something new on test day.