What to Do the Week Before Your Police Academy Fitness Test

1. Reduce Your Training and Focus on Recovery

One of the biggest mistakes you can make during the final week is continuing to train as intensely as you did during your regular preparation.

At this point, you're unlikely to make major improvements in strength or cardiovascular endurance before test day. However, you can certainly make yourself unnecessarily fatigued.

Your goal is to stay fresh without becoming sore.

That doesn't mean you need to spend seven days sitting on the couch. Light activity can help you maintain your routine and keep your body moving. You simply want to reduce unnecessary physical stress.

Depending on your experience and recovery needs, that might include:

• Short, comfortable runs instead of demanding running workouts.
• Light push-up and sit-up practice without reaching failure.
• Walking, easy cycling, or other low-intensity activities.
• Gentle mobility work and stretching.
• Additional recovery time between sessions.

In sports science, reducing training load before competition is commonly called tapering. A 2023 systematic review and meta-analysis found that appropriately structured tapering can improve time-trial performance in trained endurance athletes. The exact approach must be individualized, particularly for a mixed-event police fitness assessment.^[1]

2. Complete Your Final Practice Test Early Enough to Recover

Practice fitness tests are valuable because they help you understand whether you're capable of meeting the required standards. However, the timing of your final practice assessment matters.

At Morris Training Co., we generally recommend completing your last maximum-effort practice test around seven days before the actual assessment, or earlier if additional recovery is needed.

Consider someone whose official test is on Friday. Performing another all-out practice assessment on Monday may not be the best choice.

That individual could instead spend the remaining days maintaining familiarity with the exercises, recovering, and getting mentally prepared for Friday.

A demanding practice test too close to the real assessment might leave lingering muscle soreness or fatigue.

3. Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate — and Don't Forget Electrolytes

One of our biggest recommendations leading up to a fitness assessment is simple: HYDRATE, HYDRATE, HYDRATE!

But proper hydration involves more than drinking large amounts of water. When you sweat, you lose fluid and electrolytes. These minerals help support fluid balance, muscle contractions, and nerve signaling.

Four important electrolytes include:

• Sodium: Helps regulate fluid balance and supports nerve and muscle function.
• Potassium: Supports muscle contractions and nerve signaling.
• Magnesium: Contributes to normal muscular function and energy metabolism.
• Calcium: Plays an important role in muscle contractions and nerve communication.

Sweat contains all four, although sodium and chloride are the principal electrolytes lost. The amount you need to replace depends on how heavily you sweat, the weather, your diet, and the duration of exercise.^[2]

Do You Need Electrolyte Drinks?

Not necessarily. For many people completing shorter workouts, normal meals and water provide sufficient fluid and electrolytes. Those who sweat heavily or exercise for longer periods, particularly in the heat, may need a more deliberate fluid and sodium replacement strategy.

Sports-medicine guidance cautions against both dehydration and excessive water consumption. Drinking far beyond your body's needs can cause dangerously low blood sodium levels.^[2]

How to Approach Hydration Before Test Day

• Drink fluids consistently throughout the day rather than trying to catch up all at once.
• Eat balanced meals that supply essential minerals.
• Account for extra sweat losses during hot weather or exercise.
• Avoid forcing down unusually large quantities of water.
• Use your normal hydration habits and thirst as practical guides, adjusting for conditions.

On test morning, continue drinking normally, but don't suddenly chug water just before the assessment. You want to feel prepared, not uncomfortable.

4. Eat Balanced Meals and Fuel Your Performance

Your body needs energy to perform physical activity effectively. Carbohydrates help replenish glycogen, an important stored fuel used by working muscles.

During the final week, make sure you're eating enough and maintaining balanced meals. Helpful carbohydrate sources include:

• Rice and pasta.
• Potatoes and sweet potatoes.
• Oatmeal and whole grains.
• Bread and other grain products.
• Fruit.

Include protein, healthy fats, vegetables, and other nutrient-rich foods as well. Established sports-nutrition guidance recommends matching energy and carbohydrate intake to the demands of training and competition.^[3]

Should You Eat More Carbohydrates Before the Test?

Adequate carbohydrates matter, but that doesn't mean you need to consume excessive amounts. Traditional carbohydrate loading is most relevant to prolonged endurance competitions, not a relatively short police fitness assessment. Australian Institute of Sport guidance also distinguishes fueling strategies for brief exercise from those for longer events.^[4]

For most candidates, consistent, balanced, carbohydrate-containing meals are a more practical approach than dramatic dietary changes.

What Should You Eat the Night Before?

Choose a familiar, balanced meal that agrees with your stomach. Chicken, rice, and vegetables are one example. Avoid unusually large meals or unfamiliar foods that might cause digestive discomfort.

What About Breakfast on Test Day?

A familiar, easily digested meal about two to four hours before testing may work well, depending on the size of the meal and your individual tolerance. Options include oatmeal, toast, fruit, or another breakfast you've eaten successfully before training. If your test is very early, a smaller familiar snack may be more practical.^[5]

Avoid eating a large meal immediately beforehand. And don't experiment with a new energy drink or pre-workout supplement on test morning.

5. Prioritize Sleep Throughout the Entire Week

Sleep is one of the most overlooked parts of fitness-test preparation. It contributes to recovery, alertness, and physical and mental performance.

You may have heard that sleep two nights before competition is more important than sleep the night immediately before. Some observations have raised questions about how the timing of sleep affects performance, but the evidence does not establish that as a universal rule.

What experts do recommend is building consistent, sufficient sleep habits in the days leading up to an event. Research on athletes also discusses sleep banking—creating additional sleep opportunities before an anticipated period of disrupted sleep—although evidence and individual needs vary.^[6]

Most adults ages 18–60 should regularly get at least seven hours of sleep; some athletes may need more depending on training and recovery needs.^[7]

During the final week:

• Keep your bedtimes and wake-up times consistent.
• Allow yourself enough time for sleep.
• Avoid unnecessary late nights.
• Limit caffeine near bedtime if it interferes with sleep.
• Keep your sleeping environment comfortable, dark, and quiet.

If nerves disrupt your sleep the night before your test, don't assume all your preparation is lost. Focus on the sleep habits you've built throughout the week and the work you've already completed.

6. Turn Test-Day Anxiety Into an Advantage

It's normal to feel nervous before an important fitness assessment. You may have spent months preparing, and passing could be an important step toward your career in law enforcement.

At Morris Training Co., we encourage candidates to view nervousness differently: being nervous often means you care about what you're about to accomplish.

Instead of allowing the feeling to convince you that you'll fail, use that energy to help you focus.

Control Your Adrenaline

When the test begins, the excitement can make you feel ready to move faster than normal. That might be motivating, but it can also tempt you to begin the 1.5-mile run faster than you can sustain.

Starting too fast can leave you fatigued early and struggling to maintain your pace near the finish. Practice controlled pacing and save your best effort for the full test—not just the beginning.

Trust the Work You've Already Done

If your practice assessments have shown you can meet the required standards, you've built real evidence of your ability. Test day is the moment to trust your preparation and execute.

Remember why you're there. Remember what you've worked toward. Go in with the attitude of a winner and a commitment to give your best effort.

Confidence doesn't guarantee a passing score, but there's no benefit in convincing yourself you've failed before you begin.

7. Stretch and Warm Up Before the Test

STRETCH AND WARM UP!

Even if the fitness assessment itself takes less than an hour, you still need to prepare your body for the activity ahead. Going straight from sitting in a vehicle to maximum-effort push-ups, sit-ups, or running isn't an ideal approach.

Your muscles and joints need a chance to get moving. But there's a balance: finish your warm-up feeling prepared, not exhausted.

What Should Your Warm-Up Include?

• Light movement: Start with a few minutes of walking or easy jogging.
• Dynamic stretching: Use controlled leg swings, arm circles, and gentle hip, shoulder, and ankle mobility.
• Exercise-specific preparation: Try a few comfortable push-ups or sit-ups and brief easy running, depending on the test order.
• Final preparation: Give yourself a little time to settle your breathing before the assessment starts.

Research reviews generally support a warm-up consisting of easy aerobic movement followed by dynamic stretching and sport-specific movement. Long, uncomfortable static holds are not necessary just before maximal effort.^[8]

Don't Turn Your Warm-Up Into Another Workout

Avoid repeated maximum-effort push-up sets, exhausting running intervals, or aggressive stretching that causes pain. Save that effort for the assessment itself.

If your academy provides a mandatory warm-up routine, follow its directions.

8. What Should Your Final Seven Days Look Like?

Every candidate is different, but here's one example of how you could approach the final week:

This is a coaching example, not a mandatory schedule. Someone recovering from a hard practice assessment may need more rest; another candidate may benefit from brief, familiar exercise. The objective is the same: avoid unnecessary fatigue.

9. Final Test-Day Checklist

• You understand the assessment requirements and testing instructions.
• You've reduced demanding training and allowed enough recovery.
• You've maintained consistent hydration and balanced nutrition.
• You've prioritized sleep throughout the preceding week.
• You have a familiar pre-test meal or snack planned.
• You've packed the required clothing, shoes, ID, and other items.
• You've allowed enough time to arrive without rushing.
• You're ready to warm up without exhausting yourself.
• You have a pacing plan for the 1.5-mile run.
• You're ready to trust your training and give your best effort.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I work out the day before my police academy fitness test?

Light activity may be appropriate, but avoid demanding workouts that could cause fatigue or soreness. Whether you rest completely or do a short, easy session depends on your normal routine and recovery.

When should I complete my final practice fitness test?

Around seven days beforehand is a reasonable coaching recommendation for many candidates, although individual recovery needs vary. Avoid scheduling maximum-effort practice so close to the actual test that you cannot recover.

Should I drink an electrolyte beverage before the test?

It depends on your sweat losses, diet, and the conditions. Many candidates obtain enough electrolytes from regular meals and fluids; heavy sweating or prolonged activity may increase your needs.

Should I eat breakfast before the test?

A familiar, easily digestible breakfast with sufficient time for digestion is often helpful. Avoid a large meal immediately before the assessment.

What if I can't sleep the night before?

Don't panic. One less-than-ideal night doesn't automatically undo your preparation. Prioritize consistent sleep throughout the week and focus on executing what you've practiced.

Should I stretch before the police academy fitness test?

Yes, warm up with gentle movement and dynamic stretches. Avoid turning your warm-up into a tiring workout or forcing painful stretches.

Final Thoughts: You've Done the Work. Now Trust Your Preparation.

The week before your police academy fitness test isn't the time to dramatically change your training. It's the time to make sure everything you've worked toward can come together.

Reduce unnecessary training fatigue. Hydrate appropriately. Eat balanced meals, prioritize sleep, and prepare yourself mentally.

When test day arrives, warm up properly, control your effort, and trust the work you've already completed.