I have been in Law Enforcement now for 12 years.  In those 12 years I have learned how very screwed up the "lie decector test" really is.  

My fist experience with it was back in the mid 90's when I foolishly volunteered to take a polygraph to "show that I was indeed telling the truth."  HUGE MISTAKE

I have filed a complaint about something corupt that had gone on in the department.  Naturally the subjects being accused denied the accusations.  I freely volunteered to take the test, foolishly believing that I would be shown to be telling the truth. 

I took the test and was very confident that it would work, I had no worries about passing it.  After the "test" the examiner got very, and I mean VERY AGGRESSIVE.  He jumped up from behind his desk and screamed at me and said "QUIT LYING AND TRYING TO RUIN THESE HONEST MENS' CAREERS!!!"  I was totally taken aback by his actions.  I had no knowledge of how the tests really work I was in total shock.  I told him that I told the truth that if the results were less than that the test was inncorrect.  He kept yelling at me and got in my personal space several times.  It was hot and he was sweating profusely, little beads of sweat would drop on me as he yelled.  (wonderful vision, a fat lard ass cop yelling and sweating profusely in a hot dank room).  Stale cigs and old burnt coffee.

I finally asked him if I was free to leave that I was telling the truth and I wanted to go he was freaking me out.  He called me a lying bitch and said that I could leave.  

After that wonderful expericence with the Poly I did some research and found out about counter measures.  And about how invalid the tests are.

I have used the anal contration, toes to the floor and the breathing.  Not to mention the kinesic body language techniques.  They do work.  Since that test I have taken approximately 10 poly's and have not failed any (even when I was being deceptive).

The countermeasures really do work as far as I can tell.  It also seems that the more you are able to manipulate a test in your favor the easier it is to do next time.

I have also used countermeasures with the CVSA tests.  I found these countermeasures in an FBI training manual that a friend had.  The CVSA is to me easier to what I like to call MANIPULATE than the poly.  You just need to practice how you answer the control questions and use a slightly different inflection and perhaps linger on the answer.  ie instead of answering short and curt you would lower your voice and drag it out.  You must be very careful to not be too obvious and need to practice.  I have manipulated the CVSA test about 8 times and I was deceptive everytime except once.   You can also try raising your tongue in the back of your throat or tightening your throat on the control questions only.  I have used that as well.

I would like to know if anyone else has used these countermeasures on the CVSA and gotten good results?? 

By the way police are very fond of the CVSA because it's cheap, takes little training, and a monkey could opperate it.  

I think the best bet in manipulating the test is in the pre-test interview using body language and counter measures in the in -test phase. 

These "tests" are trully ridiculous and I fully support this website.  Never admit to anything.