Relationship between Body Composition, Vertical Jump, and Push-Up Scores in Active-Duty Law Enforcement Officers

Physical fitness plays a crucial role in the performance and health of law enforcement officers, who frequently face physically demanding situations in the line of duty. Body composition, strength, and power are key components of physical readiness that influence efficient movement, yet their relationship remains underexplored in law enforcement personnel. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between body composition (BC), countermovement jump (CMJ), and push-up (PU) scores in active-duty law enforcement officers. METHODS: Twenty-two active male law enforcement officers (40.5 ± 9.4 y, 178.5 ± 6.9 cm, 93.5 ± 11.7 kg) completed a fitness test battery including a CMJ, push-up test, and body composition as part of a voluntary fitness testing session. All participants were medically cleared for active duty, and health history was reviewed before test administration. Participants had no current injuries that would inhibit participation and were told to stop any movements if pain occurred. Skinfold measures were conducted using a spring-loaded caliper to measure subcutaneous fat at three standard sites for males (chest, abdomen, mid-thigh), and converted into a body composition (%BF). A countermovement CMJ was tested using a portable jump mat. For the push-up test participants completed as many push-ups as possible without stopping using standard ACSM procedures. RESULTS: A significant inverse relationship was observed between body composition and both CMJ (r = -0.59, p < 0.05) and push-up performance (r = -0.55, p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The findings of the study indicate that body composition may influence both vertical jump and push-up performance in active-duty law enforcement officers. Higher levels of body fat were associated with reduced power and muscular endurance, highlighting the potential impact of body composition on physical fitness. These findings suggest that maintaining an optimal body composition may help maintain aspects of physical fitness related to job-related performance (and potentially reduce the risk of injuries) in law enforcement personnel.