Clearpost.online It's your post, so post it!

Law enforcement officers’ risk their lives daily to protect and serve the co*munities they cherish. Whether responding to emergencies, conducting routine traffic stops, or patrolling in cars and motorcycles, officers often face unforeseen dangers. The story of Officer Kevin Bereta is a powerful reminder of these risks and he shares his 18 Week Police Workout Program to help you get strong and and fit for the force.

After a devastating 60-foot fall from a freeway while on duty, Bereta’s survival was not only a testament to his courage but also to the importance of regular strength training, conditioning the body, and building muscle armor. His years of physical conditioning helped him endure the traumatic accident, exemplifying the life-saving role that muscle mass and physical resilience can play in recovery and survival.

Bereta’s experience highlights why officers—and anyone—should prioritize strength training, not just for performance or aesthetics, but as essential protection for their bodies in life-threatening situations.

Officer Kevin Bereta’s survival and recovery following his devastating 60-foot fall from a freeway highlights a critical factor often overlooked: the power of muscle mass and strength training. Years of dedicated physical conditioning, as a wrestler, bodybuilder, and personal trainer, essentially built “muscle armor” that protected his body from even more catastrophic injury.

Strength training, beyond improving aesthetics or performance, serves a deeper purpose in injury prevention and recovery. Muscle mass acts as a physical shield, absorbing shock and protecting bones and organs during high-impact trauma, while stronger muscles, ligaments, and tendons promote stability and joint protection. This structural resilience can literally be the difference between life and death in accidents, as the body is better equipped to withstand the forces involved in falls or crashes.

         
         

                     

      
   
   

                  Training
               

         A Scientific Approach to Muscle Hypertrophy Traini...
      

               

Tips to get huge.

      
      Read article
   

In Kevin’s case, despite enduring multiple severe injuries and over nine surgeries, his foundation of strength played a pivotal role in his survival and ability to regain mobility. Doctors were astonished not only by his survival but by his ability to walk again after such trauma, a feat that may have been nearly impossible without the resilience he had developed through years of strength training. His experience illustrates the real-life, functional benefits of building muscle mass and highlights how vital it is for anyone to prioritize this type of training—not just for sports performance or aesthetics but as an essential part of overall health, injury prevention, and even survival.

Muscle mass is not only protective in acute injuries but also aids in recovery. The higher metabolic activity in muscle tissue helps facilitate faster healing by promoting blood flow, reducing inflammation, and supporting physical rehabilitation. Officer Bereta’s ability to walk again after such a traumatic event is a testament to the significant, life-saving impact of maintaining muscle mass and physical fitness.

This case also emphasizes that strength training isn’t reserved for athletes or professionals. Anyone can benefit from regular exercise to build muscle, improve bone density, and enhance mobility. These benefits are particularly crucial in unexpected situations where the body needs to protect itself, recover, and rebuild, much like Officer Kevin Bereta, who now gets to continue his life, spending time with his family, walking on his own two feet and resuming as Bellevue Washington Police Officer.

In the end, muscle mass is more than just an aesthetic advantage—it’s a vital co*ponent of life-saving resilience.

Officer Bereta’s 18-Week Police Workout Program

Each phase builds upon the previous one, ensuring well-rounded muscle development while progressively challenging your body.

Days per week: 5

Session type: Muscle Building/ Hypertrophy

Duration: 18 Weeks

Split: 2 Upper, 2 Lower, 1 Cardio/Core

Phase 1: Building Foundation (Weeks 1-6)

This phase is all about establishing a strong base. The focus is on perfecting form, increasing training volume, and getting the muscles accustomed to higher rep ranges (8-12 reps). You’ll emphasize foundational lifts with moderate weights to stimulate muscle growth while prioritizing joint health and stability. The goal here is to set the stage for more intense work later.

Weeks 1-6

Day 1: Upper Body Pull Focus

A1. Lat Pull Down: 4 sets, 10-12 reps

A2. Chest Supported Single Arm Dumbbell Row: 3-4 sets, 12 reps

A3. Kettlebell Pullover 3-4 sets, 8-12 reps

B1. Back Supported Dumbbell Arnold Press: 3 sets, 12 reps

B2. Standing Lateral Shoulder Raise: 3 sets, 12 reps

C1. Seated Dumbbell Front Raise: 3 sets, 10-12 reps

C2. Alternating Dumbbell Biceps Curl: 3 sets,12-15 reps

Day 2: Lower Body Quad Focus

A1. High Bar Heels Elevated Back Squat: 5 sets, 8 reps (at 65-70%)

B1. Narrow Stance Leg Press: 4 sets, 12-15 reps

B2. Dumbbell Stepup: 3-4 sets, 10-12 reps

C1. Leg Extensions Machine: 3-4 sets, 15 reps

C2. Seated Calf Raise: 3-4 sets, 15 reps

Day 3: Cardio and Core

Zone 2 Cardio: 45 minutes

Core Circuit: Roman Leg Raise: 3-4 sets, 8-12 reps

Oblique V-ups: 3-4 sets, 15 reps

Medball Butterfly Situps: 3-4 sets, 15 reps

Slow Tempo Bicycle Crunches: 3-4 sets, 60 reps

Day 4: Rest

Day 5: Upper Body Push Focus

A1. Bench Press 6×6 @ 70-75% 1 RM

B1. Incline Dumbbell Press 4×10

B2. Pec Dec Machine 4×10-12

C1. Pushups 3x AMRAP

C2. Cable Face Pulls 3×10-12

D1. Chest Supported Dumbbell Front Raises 3×10-12

D2. Dumbbell Skull Crushers 3×12-15

Day 6: Lower Body Hinge Focus

A1. Barbell or Dumbbell Romanian Deadlifts 4×10-12

A2. Wide Stance Leg press 4×12-15

B1. Bulgarian Split Squat With Hinge 3-4×12-15

B2. Seated Hamstring Curl Machine 3-4×12-15

C1. Side Plank Hip Thrusters 3-4×12-15

C2. Standing Calf Raises 3-4×15

Day 7: Rest

Programming Progressions for this block:

• Increase REPS with same load


• Increase LOAD with same reps


• Increase number of SETS


• Reduce Rest Time

Phase 2: Accumulation (Weeks 7-12)

In this phase, you’ll increase training volume and push your muscles toward greater hypertrophy by adding more sets, reps, or overall workload. The rep range typically stays in the hypertrophy zone (6-15 reps), but with slightly heavier weights than in the first phase. You’ll also integrate more isolation exercises to target specific muscle groups and increase overall time under tension.

Weeks 7-12

Day 1: Upper Body Pull Focus

A1. Lat Pulldown: 4-5 sets, 12-15 reps

A2. Chest Supported Single Arm Dumbbell Row: 4-5 sets, 15 reps

A3. Kettlebell Pullover: 4 sets, 10-15 reps

B1. Back Supported Dumbbell Arnold Press 4 sets, 12 reps

B2. Standing Lateral Shoulder Raise: 4 sets, 12-15 reps

C1. Seated Dumbbell Front Raise: 4 sets, 10-12 reps

C2. Alternating Dumbbell Biceps Curl: 4 sets, 15 reps

Day 2: Lower Body Quad Focus

A1. High Bar Heels Elevated Back Squat: 5 sets, 8 reps (at 65-70%)

B1. Narrow Stance Leg Press: 4-5 sets, 15 sets

B2. Dumbbell Step-ups: 3-4 sets, 12-15 reps

C1. Leg Extensions Machine: 3-4 sets, 15-20 reps

C2. Seated Calf Raise: 3-4 sets, 12-15 reps

Day 3: Cardio and Core

Zone 2 Cardio: 60 minutes

New Core Circuit:

• Hanging Leg Raises: 3-4 sets, 8-12 reps


• Loaded Side Bends: 3-4 sets, 15 reps


• Plate-Loaded Knee Tucks: 3-4 sets, 10-15 reps


• Alternating Single Leg V-ups: 3-4 sets, 10-15 reps

Day 4: Rest

Day 5: Upper Body Push Focus

A1. Bench Press: 8 sets, 8 reps (at 70-75% 1RM)

B1. Incline Dumbbell Press: 4-5 sets, 10-12 reps

B2. Pec Dec Machine: 4-5 sets, 12-15 reps

C1. Pushups 4 sets, AMRAP

C2. Cable Face Pull: 4 sets, 10-15 reps

D1. Chest Supported Dumbbell Front Raise: 3-4 sets, 10-15 reps

D2. Dumbbell Skull Crusher: 3-4 sets, 15 reps

Day 6: Lower Body Hinge Focus

A1. Barbell or Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift: 5 sets, 10-12 reps

A2. Wide Stance Leg press: 5 sets, 12-15 reps

B1. Bulgarian Split Squat with Hinge: 3-4 sets, 15 reps

B2. Seated Hamstring Curl Machine: 3-4 xsets,15 reps

C1. Side Plank Hip Thruster: 3-4 sets,15-20 reps

C2. Standing Calf Raises: 3-4 sets, 20 reps

Day 7: Rest

Programming Progressions for this block:

• Increase REPS with same load


• Increase LOAD with same reps


• Increase number of SETS


• Reduce Rest Time


• Adjust TEMPO (Slower for more Time Under Tension)

Phase 3: Intensification (Weeks 13-18)

This is where intensity peaks. The focus shifts to utilizing advanced training methods with loads to maximize muscle fiber recruitment. You’ll push your strength and size gains to new levels, incorporating more advanced techniques like drop sets, rest-pause, density sets or cluster sets with additional exercise variation. Recovery between sets is slightly longer to manage the heavier workload and increased work capacity.

Day 1: Upper Body Pull Focus

A1. Neutral Grip Lat Pulldown: 4-5 sets, AMRAP with 3-5 Drop Sets

A2. Chest Supported Dual Dumbbell Row: 4-5 sets, Double-Rest-Pause Method

A3. Seated Incline Cable Rope Pullover: 4 sets,15-20 reps

B1. Back Supported Barbell Overhead Press: 6 sets, 6-10 reps

B2. Seated to Standing Lateral Shoulder Raise: 4 sets, Mechanical Dropset

C1. Seated Dumbbell Front Raise Swing with Slow Eccentric Tempo: 4 sets, 8-12 reps

C2. Dumbbell Spider Biceps Curl: 2-3 sets, 2 Minute Density Sets

Day 2: Lower Body Quad Focus

A1. High Bar TEMPO-CLUSTER Back Squat: 6-8 sets, 3,3,3 reps (75-85%)

B1. Barbell Front Squat Volume: 4 sets,10 reps

B2. Single Leg Stance Leg Press: 4-5 sets,10-15 reps

C1. Leg Extensions Machine: 3-4 sets, Double-Rest-Pause Method

C2. Seated Calf Raise: 3-4 sets, 1-2 Minute Density Sets

D1. Reverse Sled Drag: Quad Focus 2-3 sets, 2 Minute Density Sets

Day 3: Cardio and Core

Zone 2 Cardio: 30 min + 15 min Zone 3 Intervals

New Core Circuit:

Hanging Leg Windshield Wiper: 3-4 sets, 8-12 reps

Single Sided Loaded Marches: 3-4 sets, 30-60 seconds

Ab Wheel Roll Outs: 3-4 sets, 10-15 reps

Sprinter Situps: 3-4 sets, 20-30 reps

Slow Tempo Reverse Crunch: 3-4 sets, 8-15 reps

Day 4: Rest

Day 5: Upper Body Push Focus

A1. Bench Press: Cluster-Sets 6-8 sets, 3,3,3 reps (at 75-85% 1RM)

B1. Incline Dumbbell Press: 4-5 sets, Double-Rest-Pause Method

B2. Cable Machine Fly: 3-5 sets, AMRAP Pin-Drop-Set Method

C1. Deficit Loaded Stretch Pushup: 3-4 sets, AMRAP

C2. Cable Face Pull: 3-4 sets, 1-2 Minute Density Sets

D1. Cable Rear Delt Fly: 3-4 sets,10-15 reps

D2. Cable Triceps Pushdowns: 3-4 sets, 2 Minute Density Sets

Day 6: Lower Body Hinge Focus

A1. Barbell Elevated Deadlift: 4-5 sets, 3,2,1 reps Cluster Sets (at 70-80% 1RM)

A2. Dumbbell TEMPO Romanian Deadlift: 4-5 sets, 8-12 reps

B1. Glute-Ham Developer: 3-4 sets, 6-12 reps

B2. Lying Hamstring Curl Machine: 2-4 sets, Rest-Pause Method

C1. Abduction Machine: 3-4 sets, 1-2 Minute Density Set

C2. Adduction Machine: 2-4 sets, 1-2 Minute Density Set

C2. Standing Calf Raise: 3-4 sets, 20-30 reps

Day 7: Rest

Programming Progressions for this block:

• Increase REPS with same load


• Increase LOAD with same reps


• Increase number of SETS


• Adjust TEMPO (Slower for more Time Under Tension)


• Alternative Methods to Stay Engaged


• Reduce Rest Time