Cpat help?????

[KnoxBox]

Okay need some help or advised?

They had a cpat expo just the other day here in town where they do the cpat testing. I’m not that big of a guy height wise and build wise I did very good in all the scenarios, the only one I had a problem was the stair climber not that much that I was getting tired it was trying to control my balance especially me being small with all that weight on. The dummy drag I did it just had to go slow on it other then that all the other ones went fine but I know with practice I will be able to do it all and completed it when the cpat testing comes. Anyways any feedback will be great
Thanks

[skitahoe]

I dont know if they mentioned this at the test center, but hang on to the weight vest. It's keeps your arms tucked in close so they can't flail around and throw you off balance. And of course if you can pack weight into a backpack and practice, that would also help.

[centerjeep22]

Go find some stairs and run up and down em till you drop. Then get up and do em some more. You need to condition your quads to be able to handle the strain. Also when you are on the stair master says your ABC's to yourself. Each step is a letter. It helps keep your mind off the pain in your legs and if you keep track of how many times you have said the alphabet you will know how much longer you have on the stair master. Good luck!

[78Ted13]

Buy a weight vest and join a gym where they have stairclimbers. My vest was 40 lbs, so I had to hold 20 lb dumbells when I worked out to replicate the same weight. Since your hands aren't free, it helps you work on your balance. Also, if you can do heavy leg presses right after that, that will help you build your legs up for the dummy drag and the remainder of the test.

[DblBlack26]

All good advice! Practice and conditioning are all that you need, as these posts have suggested. Just stay motivated and work harder than you've ever worked before. You will come across harder physicals than the CPAT so when you think you're working hard enough, step it up. You'll get there!

[BrooklynBorn]

Dont wear mooshy bottomed shoes like like running shoes with air bubbles. Try like converse all stars or something that have harder bottoms.

[FFDOH63]

I always read the warning label on the machine(down by your feet), usually about 3 times and then the pain is over. Remember for your balance you can use the back of your hand on the railing. Practice, you can't cheat the stair machine.

[KnoxBox]

Thanks everyone

[CaptBob]

The secret to passing the CPAT is to be in shape with a high cardiovascular fitness level and to know the techniques. Try to think of the CPAT (or any agility) as a marathon where you are trying to complete the event instead of going for the record time. You can burn out if you are going for time no matter how well in shape you are.

Most people who fail the CPAT fail the first event (Stair Climb/Stair Stepper), or run out of time during the last event (Ceiling Breach). People who run out of time at the breach and pull lost a few seconds at all the prior event stations because they PAUSED to THINK of how to do the event or PAUSED or SLOWED down to catch their breath.

#1 Stair Climb: No matter how hard you train for the stair stepper, your legs are going to be like rubber after you get off the machine and start pulling hose. The recovery time for rubber legs depends on your fitness. Even still, rubber legs or not, you have to get moving and keep moving, and stay moving! If you stop at anytime during the events, the clock is ticking and you are losing time.

The tendency is that as you start wearing down on the stair stepper machine, your pace and stride will change and that will affect your balance. As you lose your balance, you start to wobble and the momentum of the weight on your body increases the swaying. As the distance of the sway increases, you will make a natural grab for the handrails. Grab the rail (more than twice?) to many times and you are disqualified. Instead of "grabbing the rail", use the back of your hand and push your self back. Adjusting your stance and concentrating will help you avoid the "wobble". Just like wearing a SCBA, you also have to concentrate on your breathing.

[yjbrody]

I always read the warning label on the machine(down by your feet), usually about 3 times and then the pain is over.

Ha! I like this idea. Good suggestion!

I never had access to a weighted vest or a stair climber so I just did walking lunges for 180 steps at a park or soccer field and then gradually added weight over my shoulders until it wasn't anything to finish the 180 lunges.

Walking lunges are harder than doing stairs in my experience so you will be more than ready when the time comes to test. I've had no problems rocking the CPAT and used the same method to get ready for a 9-11 stair climb. It gets you ready in no time.

There are some other CPAT postings that provide good tips on here somewhere, so do a search for those for more great info. Good luck!