Law enforcement officers’ risk their lives daily to protect and serve the communities 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.
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 component 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