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SPECIAL REPORT SUMMARY Muscle mass differences between men and women aside, law enforcement can still be a very physical job. Part 1 covers lifting and upper body strength. Lifting For Women LIFTING FOR WOMEN By Karen Bartuch The bench press is a fundamental exercise for building chest muscles. If you have never lifted before, get a spotter. L instruments. (The remaining 13 percent of the officers were assaulted with other dangerous weapons.) aw enforcement officers are much more likely to be involved in some kind of physical alterca- tion than a gunfight. Ironically, preparing for the gun- fight seems to get the most training attention. Firearms' training is undoubtedly vital. Just as crucial is build- ing and maintaining physical strength. Every day, of- ficers are handcuffing prisoners, breaking up fights, and climbing flights of stairs, all of which require physical strength. According to the FBI Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted study, 82 percent of officers who were assaulted in the line of duty were attacked with personal weapons, i.e., hands, fists, feet; 3 percent were assaulted with firearms; 2 per- cent of the officers were assaulted with knives or other cutting 66 LAW and ORDER I May 2012 These numbers speak volumes: a physical assault against us is much more likely than an armed confrontation. And the attacker is not going to care if you are male or female. In fact, females may be perceived as an easier target. Weight training, i.e., lifting, is particularly important for women. Upper body strength is one of the biggest differences be- tween men and women, so that is where we are going to start. With some attention, this area largely dismissed by women, can lead to significant upper body gains. This series of articles will have specific techniques for each body part: chest, back, arms (biceps and triceps), shoulders and legs. Misconceptions Women have some common misconceptions about fitness. First, "I will get too big and muscular." In reality, unless you are on the extraordinary end of the spectrum, and can gain muscle quickly and have a super clean diet, you absolutely will not make unflattering gains in muscle mass. In fact, you