NEW YORK'S FITTEST
This buff Bronx police officer not only battles crime — he’s fighting the stereotype of the doughnut-eating cop
IN June, a man randomly stopped Michael Counihan on the street in the University Heights section of The Bronx to issue a challenge.
“He was like, ‘Oh, you’re a big guy. I bet I could do more pushups than you,’ ” Counihan recalls.
When the gauntlet was thrown down, the 31-year-old did what any red-blooded male would do: Counihan dropped to the ground and engaged in a pushup contest with a complete stranger.
The Westchester native pumped out a dizzying 50 pushups, smoking the competition in the process.
“Yeah, I pretty much blew him away,” he says, with a laugh.
Welcome to the life of hunky NYPD Police Officer Counihan.
At 5-foot-9 and 210 pounds of pure, rippling muscle, the handsome cop is bringing new meaning to the phrase “New York’s Finest.”
He can bench-press 405 pounds, dead lift 675 pounds, squat 635 pounds and hits the gym five days a week for two hours a day. His arms are so big he wears extra-large shirts to accommodate his bulging biceps — though they’re tailored to snugly fit his narrow waist.
And thanks to his Instagram account, @NoDonutsHere, which chronicles his impressive fitness exploits, the tattooed workout nut has gained a reputation among law enforcement and first responders as the fittest guy on the force.
“Cops and firemen stop me all of the time on the street and say, ‘Hey, are you ‘No Donuts?’ ” says Counihan, whose Instagram feed includes shirtless selfies, weight-lifting snaps and candid shots of him flexing in uniform. He started the account a few years ago to show that not all cops are pastry-scarfing pudges with middle-age spread.
“It’s to break the negative stereotypes against cops, that they are chubby and overweight and eat doughnuts. I wanted to build a platform to inspire first responders to be in shape.”
The sexy eight-year veteran who patrols The Bronx’s busy 52nd Precinct now has 9,163 followers, but he says his colleagues initially ribbed him for his social-media presence.
“They started poking fun and cracking jokes. Guys would say, ‘Your shirt is too