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PSNI Recruitment - Stage 4 - The Medical

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Post your experiences, questions or concerns for the Medical Examination in this thread.

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WEE SCOT

I don't mean to be cheeky or tread on anyones toes but surely to even consider applying you should have some degree of fitness. No offence, but I was shocked when I attended IST and AC at the number of obviously overweight people there were.

I don't get why you would apply then work so hard to get your BMI down to the required standard to get through when, if your BMI was close to or over 30 beforehand it will probably go back up afterwards. For most people it is a short term thing when it should be more of a lifestyle change.

I am aware that for some people a BMI of around 30 could be due to muscle mass and not fat, but for the majority this is not the case.

Fitness should be something that is part of your every day life not something you do for a short while to enable you to get a job.

I may be courting controversy here and feel free to disagree but with a BMI of 21.5......................

PEGGYSUE'S MAMA

WEE SCOT wrote: »

I don't mean to be cheeky or tread on anyones toes but surely to even consider applying you should have some degree of fitness. No offence, but I was shocked when I attended IST and AC at the number of obviously overweight people there were.

I don't get why you would apply then work so hard to get your BMI down to the required standard to get through when, if your BMI was close to or over 30 beforehand it will probably go back up afterwards. For most people it is a short term thing when it should be more of a lifestyle change.

I am aware that for some people a BMI of around 30 could be due to muscle mass and not fat, but for the majority this is not the case.

Fitness should be something that is part of your every day life not something you do for a short while to enable you to get a job.

I may be courting controversy here and feel free to disagree but with a BMI of 21.5......................

Thank goodness, i thought it was just me that had that thought at the IST, in fact it made me quite cross that folk who were very apparently overweight with a bmi of nowhere near 30 (and believe I should know, it's my job to!) had turned up to do these tests when there is no chance in hell that they would ever pass a police medical.... certainly wouldn't inspire much confidence in me if I was to have to work alongside them. Maybe I am just being mean?

MrsGeneHunt

WEE SCOT wrote: »

I don't mean to be cheeky or tread on anyones toes but surely to even consider applying you should have some degree of fitness. No offence, but I was shocked when I attended IST and AC at the number of obviously overweight people there were.

I don't get why you would apply then work so hard to get your BMI down to the required standard to get through when, if your BMI was close to or over 30 beforehand it will probably go back up afterwards. For most people it is a short term thing when it should be more of a lifestyle change.

I am aware that for some people a BMI of around 30 could be due to muscle mass and not fat, but for the majority this is not the case.

Fitness should be something that is part of your every day life not something you do for a short while to enable you to get a job.

I may be courting controversy here and feel free to disagree but with a BMI of 21.5......................

There was a girl who attended my AC who was clearly pushing a size 22 from the wrong side - she was so fat she could hardly make it up the hill at Stranmillis to the test hall - then course she was so out of puff she stood and had a cigarette!!! I just thought - why are you here???????

My BMI in acceptable limits but I've another stone and a half to get off and that will be 7 and a half in total and I've never felt better.

Underestimate the fitness aspect of this process/job at your peril

WEE SCOT

Well done you - it is obviously not a short term thing in your case - keep up the good work!

MrsGeneHunt

WEE SCOT wrote: »

Well done you - it is obviously not a short term thing in your case - keep up the good work!

Thanks!:D

Jason Clerkin

I can't wait for the medical/Fitness test if I get that far.. I live in the gym and run every morning. Will be piece of cake! Eazzzzyyy!!!

faceman08

WEE SCOT wrote: »

I don't mean to be cheeky or tread on anyones toes but surely to even consider applying you should have some degree of fitness. No offence, but I was shocked when I attended IST and AC at the number of obviously overweight people there were.

I don't get why you would apply then work so hard to get your BMI down to the required standard to get through when, if your BMI was close to or over 30 beforehand it will probably go back up afterwards. For most people it is a short term thing when it should be more of a lifestyle change.

I am aware that for some people a BMI of around 30 could be due to muscle mass and not fat, but for the majority this is not the case.

Fitness should be something that is part of your every day life not something you do for a short while to enable you to get a job.

I may be courting controversy here and feel free to disagree but with a BMI of 21.5......................

I would agree that being healthy is a very important part of life, both fitness and eating the right foods....but are you suggesting that you have to be an athlete to become a police officer???

Some people are naturally slim, others have to work harder to keep in shape. Some people are naturally fit, others aren't. People have different body types. Having a BMI of 21.5 doesn't make a person fit.

I dont think we can discriminate against people who are slightly overweight??

MrFug

Is it possible that some people sitting the IST were not there for a position as a police officer. I know applicants for admin staff have to sit an aptitude test similar to the IST. It's possible they sat theirs with the police applicants. My girlfriend sat an aptitude test in stranmillis after applying for a job in admin (for the PSNI).

It's unforunate for heavy folks who wanna join up. Just as I'm sure there are fit people with BMI's under 20 who would make terrible police officers, I'm sure some of those plus sized men and women would be great police officers.

smyff

100% fug, theyre all people after all haha. there was a bigger guy at my AC and he was dead on. knew his stuff and if he got to the medical even just sittin there thinking i felt bad for the guy.

i just calculated my bmi, im 21.5 which i think is pretty high. im 6 foot 6 and about 12stone. very skinny indeed. going to the gym though! so ill be sweet for that.

class story about the stranmillis thing by the way Gene haha. my mates the same. not the police applying side, the fact that he smokes so much he is tired and walking home from abbeycenter he sparks up a cig to regain energy and to pollute his lungs. it is weird though, it pushes him further!!!

WEE SCOT

faceman08 wrote: »

I would agree that being healthy is a very important part of life, both fitness and eating the right foods....but are you suggesting that you have to be an athlete to become a police officer???

Some people are naturally slim, others have to work harder to keep in shape. Some people are naturally fit, others aren't. People have different body types. Having a BMI of 21.5 doesn't make a person fit.

I dont think we can discriminate against people who are slightly overweight??

I'm not suggesting that you have to be an athlete and some people may be naturally slim but you can be slim with a high % of body fat.

I train hard to keep in shape because I am not naturally slim and like everyone else like to indulge in chocolate etc. However you need to remember that public perception is a large of part of the job and you don't want to look like all you attended the Chief Wigam school of Policing. Have some respect for the job and the uniform.

And by the way to clear up any misunderstanding there may be about BMI 18.5 - 25 is healthy, 26 - 30 is overwieght, 30+ is obese.

Personally I can't wait for the fitness test - a chance to show the boys what us girlies are made of!

WEE SCOT wrote: »

I may be courting controversy here and feel free to disagree but with a BMI of 21.5......................

Mines 21.5 too!

MrsGeneHunt

Fo wrote: »

Mines 21.5 too!

And 18.5 of it is boobs!!!!!

They're magnificent - enough to turn you lesbian!!!!!!!!!! :P

We needs girls night out soon!!!!!!!

MrsGeneHunt

WEE SCOT wrote: »

Personally I can't wait for the fitness test - a chance to show the boys what us girlies are made of!

OOOOhhhh yeah!!

With you on that one hun!!!:D
Lets kick ass!!!

MrsGeneHunt wrote: »

And 18.5 of it is boobs!!!!!

They're magnificent - enough to turn you lesbian!!!!!!!!!! :P

We needs girls night out soon!!!!!!!

Yay! Girls night out!!

P.S. I go lesbo for you anyday!

MrsGeneHunt

Fo wrote: »

Yay! Girls night out!!

P.S. I go lesbo for you anyday!

Aw shucks!!!
However you may regret that - love life pretty dismal at the mo - I'm seriously considering my options - cant get a man....get a woman instead!!!:D

Gals nite - Right lets get it organized! Best switch this to gals thread tho!

MustBeCrazy

WEE SCOT wrote: »

I'm not suggesting that you have to be an athlete and some people may be naturally slim but you can be slim with a high % of body fat.

I train hard to keep in shape because I am not naturally slim and like everyone else like to indulge in chocolate etc. However you need to remember that public perception is a large of part of the job and you don't want to look like all you attended the Chief Wigam school of Policing. Have some respect for the job and the uniform.

And by the way to clear up any misunderstanding there may be about BMI 18.5 - 25 is healthy, 26 - 30 is overwieght, 30+ is obese.

Personally I can't wait for the fitness test - a chance to show the boys what us girlies are made of!

I think it's great that you are so happy with your fitness and your shape. I do obvioulsy think it's important for police officers to be fit but I don't think it's the be all and end all. I think not judging by appearance and not making presumptions about people is also important in the role of police officer. People put on weight for all sorts of reasons and the fact that they try so hard to lose it and get fit for the job shows me how much work they are prepared to put in to get the job and I personally think they should be commended for this. There are regular fitness tests during the first 2 probationary years as a police officer so it's not a case of forgetting about healthy eating and fitness as soon as you get the job and turning into a fat slob, and I'm sure there is scope for anybody to put on a bit of weight and lose a bit of fitness as they get older. Up until about 5-6 years ago I also would have had a bmi similar to yours but I'm in my 30's now and I have had 4 children (3 by c-section) and also stopped smoking in the past few years too so I've put on weight (and yes I am making excuses lol). I'm now working soooo hard to lose it and get fit because I am so afraid IF I get into Garnerville I will make a fool of myself - and to be perfectly honest your original message was a bit insulting to people like myself who really want this job and have no intention of going back to being fat and unhealthy should we be lucky enough to get it after working so hard to lose it.

MBC x

P.S. If I don't get the job I will still continue training and healthy eating and I'm glad I got the kick up the bum I needed with wanting this job so much and having to have a good look at myself.

MrsGeneHunt

MustBeCrazy wrote: »

People put on weight for all sorts of reasons and the fact that they try so hard to lose it and get fit for the job shows me how much work they are prepared to put in to get the job and I personally think they should be commended for this.
P.S. If I don't get the job I will still continue training and healthy eating and I'm glad I got the kick up the bum I needed with wanting this job so much and having to have a good look at myself.

Well said!
My kick up the bum ( well put BTW! ) was getting dumped.
Lost six stone, found myself in the process.
But it was hard, is still hard, I have another bit to lose. But this job is the focus and if I dont do it this time, I'll keep trying.

faceman08

WEE SCOT wrote: »

I'm not suggesting that you have to be an athlete and some people may be naturally slim but you can be slim with a high % of body fat.

I train hard to keep in shape because I am not naturally slim and like everyone else like to indulge in chocolate etc. However you need to remember that public perception is a large of part of the job and you don't want to look like all you attended the Chief Wigam school of Policing. Have some respect for the job and the uniform.

And by the way to clear up any misunderstanding there may be about BMI 18.5 - 25 is healthy, 26 - 30 is overwieght, 30+ is obese.

Personally I can't wait for the fitness test - a chance to show the boys what us girlies are made of!

i wouldnt say i dont respect the job nor the uniform

I do agree with you in regards to public perception, and personally ill be training like s##t to be as fit as i can, if i get called for a medical.

Griffer2

I think that BMI isn't really a fair means of testing fair enough it should be used as a guideline i'm 5ft 8 and my BMI score is just over 30. i keep myself fit and active i train at rugby 2 times a week and a game on saturday then i'm also at the gym 3 times a week. but my body shape isn't the same as people who would be naturally slim i have ducks disease(arse is too close to the ground) and i have a big upper body like johnny bravo lol. So even though i am fit and keep myself in shape i'm classed as "obese" by something that is designed to measure people who are naturally slim. and thats another thing never weight yourself in one of those machines in boots or somewhere that give you your height and weight they add on about a stone or stone and a half to make you think you need to lose weight!! ever notice how they are always placed in the slimming section??? i found this out when i had to lose a bit of weight recently when i hadn't been training and was up at just over 16.5 stone and i had lost at least a stone and a half. (i had been weighed in hospital a few hours previous thats how i know lol) it made me feel like crap because i had put in the effort to lose so much weight and this machine was telling me i'm close to being "clinically obese". It works for naturally skinny people i'm just saying it isn't the case for some people and i think they should take that into account!!

WEE SCOT

MustBeCrazy wrote: »

I think it's great that you are so happy with your fitness and your shape. I do obvioulsy think it's important for police officers to be fit but I don't think it's the be all and end all. I think not judging by appearance and not making presumptions about people is also important in the role of police officer. People put on weight for all sorts of reasons and the fact that they try so hard to lose it and get fit for the job shows me how much work they are prepared to put in to get the job and I personally think they should be commended for this. There are regular fitness tests during the first 2 probationary years as a police officer so it's not a case of forgetting about healthy eating and fitness as soon as you get the job and turning into a fat slob, and I'm sure there is scope for anybody to put on a bit of weight and lose a bit of fitness as they get older. Up until about 5-6 years ago I also would have had a bmi similar to yours but I'm in my 30's now and I have had 4 children (3 by c-section) and also stopped smoking in the past few years too so I've put on weight (and yes I am making excuses lol). I'm now working soooo hard to lose it and get fit because I am so afraid IF I get into Garnerville I will make a fool of myself - and to be perfectly honest your original message was a bit insulting to people like myself who really want this job and have no intention of going back to being fat and unhealthy should we be lucky enough to get it after working so hard to lose it.

MBC x

P.S. If I don't get the job I will still continue training and healthy eating and I'm glad I got the kick up the bum I needed with wanting this job so much and having to have a good look at myself.

Like I said originally I didn't mean to offend. I'm 35 yrs old and I have got 2 kids - I have never used it as an excuse. Everyone is prone to putting on a few pounds from time to time but I am not talking about a few pounds.

New Recruit

WEE SCOT wrote: »

Like I said originally I didn't mean to offend. I'm 35 yrs old and I have got 2 kids - I have never used it as an excuse. Everyone is prone to putting on a few pounds from time to time but I am not talking about a few pounds.

*IF* you are lucky enough to join us at the Hotel, you may just need those few extra pounds for the push/pull test..Fitness isn't everything, hope you are as fit mentally as you say you are physically!!

WEE SCOT

New Recruit wrote: »

*IF* you are lucky enough to join us at the Hotel, you may just need those few extra pounds for the push/pull test..Fitness isn't everything, hope you are as fit mentally as you say you are physically!!

Sharp as a pin

MustBeCrazy

WEE SCOT wrote: »

Like I said originally I didn't mean to offend. I'm 35 yrs old and I have got 2 kids - I have never used it as an excuse. Everyone is prone to putting on a few pounds from time to time but I am not talking about a few pounds.

You're right I shouldn't use it as an excuse but after 2 kids I wasn't overweight either

it's the 3rd and 4th that do the damage :eek:

Haha good luck with the merit pool anyway - I hope you get a chance to show how fit you are. I'll be the one at the back (please please please) just about making it!

carlty888

I don't think they use BMI as the be-all and end-all. I 6ft 4 and weigh 16 stone. That gives me a BMI of about 27.5 (overweight!). I am far from over-weight!

BMI doesn't take into account that muscle is a good deal heavier than fat. I started doing weights again recently. As a result I've lost an inch and a half around my waist and put on half a stone!

If I stuck slavishly to the BMI, I'd be a skinny beanpole (again)!

faceman08

MustBeCrazy wrote: »

I think it's great that you are so happy with your fitness and your shape. I do obvioulsy think it's important for police officers to be fit but I don't think it's the be all and end all. I think not judging by appearance and not making presumptions about people is also important in the role of police officer. People put on weight for all sorts of reasons and the fact that they try so hard to lose it and get fit for the job shows me how much work they are prepared to put in to get the job and I personally think they should be commended for this. There are regular fitness tests during the first 2 probationary years as a police officer so it's not a case of forgetting about healthy eating and fitness as soon as you get the job and turning into a fat slob, and I'm sure there is scope for anybody to put on a bit of weight and lose a bit of fitness as they get older. Up until about 5-6 years ago I also would have had a bmi similar to yours but I'm in my 30's now and I have had 4 children (3 by c-section) and also stopped smoking in the past few years too so I've put on weight (and yes I am making excuses lol). I'm now working soooo hard to lose it and get fit because I am so afraid IF I get into Garnerville I will make a fool of myself - and to be perfectly honest your original message was a bit insulting to people like myself who really want this job and have no intention of going back to being fat and unhealthy should we be lucky enough to get it after working so hard to lose it.

MBC x

P.S. If I don't get the job I will still continue training and healthy eating and I'm glad I got the kick up the bum I needed with wanting this job so much and having to have a good look at myself.

well said MBC

Jason Clerkin

BMI doesn't take into account muscle. It is just a guideline for what weights you should be between for your height.. Somehow I think they will know the difference at the medical if you have an extra stone of muscle compared to fat though

I'd say they must measure your BF% also.

pb999

as i said previously in this topic, bmi is taken as the primary indicator, however if by chance you are over 30 then they ALSO take your bodyfat%, if its within acceptable ranges then you're sweet! AND the doc will also do a visual exam, if you appear fit and healthy a suitable for service you will pass, so you have 3 chances and only have to meet one of those standards, though bmi<30 is the safest way to do it.

carlty i know what you mean about skinny beanpole, according to bmi my ideal weight is 13 stone, i'm 6ft5ins and just under 18stone at the moment with a bmi of 29.5, if i weighed 13stone i think i would be dead! in fact i'm convinced my skeleton weighs 14stone! lol

bmi isnt just taken as an indicator of how healthy you are at the moment it is taken to give an idea of what you will be like in 25-30 years, whether you are likely to have to be medically retired due to bad health, whether it is a prudent investment to insure you for police duties and it is also taken as an indicator towards your future health and eligibilty for the pension.

MrsGeneHunt

How do they measure body fat at the medical, is it with calipers? My PT uses those on me and ouch! They're not pleasant!:(

pb999

no its by electro impedence, they hook wires to your feet and hands and it sends a current through your body and judges the % based on how quickly the cuurent goes through the body.

Griffer2

what are the Limits for body fat?