Vote for the 2015 FRF Fit for Duty Challenge Top 5.

Congratulations too all the 2015 FRF Fit for Duty Challenge participants!   The first annual contest had over 100 Firefighters, EMTs and Paramedics enter their results.  There were many, many great and inspiring results and stories showing how the Fire Rescue Fitness Workouts have changed their lives and careers.  Most importantly, these results will help motivate more fire rescue athletes to join the FRF nation and change the fitness culture of the fire service.  Please read and share these awesome transformation stories.  And, please comment with your thoughts on the winner, 2 through 5 places and most inspiring.  Winners (final spots) will be announced May 26th.

Here are the Top 6 (vote for 5) entries (listed in random order) in the 2015 FRF Fit for Duty Challenge.

Doug Franklin

ffd challenge Doug Frainklin

Fire Department or Employer Name:      Trenton Fire Department, Trenton, MO

FRF Program(s) used:  FRF Ultimate Fire Rescue Athlete

Doug’s FRF Story

Last summer, at the age of 43, while training for my fourth marathon I experience  pain in my knee that sidelined me. After visiting the with my doctor I was told that I no longer had a meniscus in my right knee and that arthritis was so severe that I needed to stop running. This was tough for me to handle. First, the pain was an issue. Second how was I going to stay fit for duty? Running, at the level that I was running burnt a lot of calories. Not running at all caused me to put on weight as well. I saw my weight climb to almost 200 lbs in just a few months.

At the end of October, I moved from being a part-time fire fighter and full-time pastor to a full-time fire fighter and full-time pastor. I needed to find some form of exercise to help me get back into shape, work with my arthritic knee, and work in my busy schedule. I came across the Ultimate Fire Athlete Workout and thought I would give it a try.

I began the program on January 11th at 198 lbs. I had a 34 in waist. I just finished the 12 week program and I am now 170 lbs and have a 30 in. waist! 28 lbs weight loss and 4 inches! I am in as good a shape as I ever was while running marathons and have added muscle in my arms, chest and abs that running never gave me. I have gained the strength and core balance that I need to do my job as a firefighter as well restored my cardiovascular fitness level.

I became the health and fitness officer (self-appointed) in my department and encouraged all of the fire fighters in our house to get more fit. I shared the program with all of them and made it available in our fitness room. I encouraged my shift partner, Eric Lorenz, to workout with me and he saw very similar results. In fact, he lost 33 lbs total and talks about how he has not been this size since he was in middle school and that he is in better shape now then when he was in the academy.

Both of us can now say that we are “Fit for Duty.” Our shift is encouraging others in the department to get moving. Some have started walking on the tread mill if they are around when we work out. We tell them, “If you are in the room with us you can’t be a spectator.” Others want to join us for workouts. We have actually started the program over again, as we look to see what we will do next; this time we have one of our paramedics joining us when our shifts match up.

I would also add that my knee is feeling wonderful. I did most of my cardio days on a bike or elliptical, I am able to do the sprint challenges and all of the overhauls no problem. The workout worked well for and with my knee pain issues. It also worked great with my schedule. I could get in and out and was also able to work it in while on shift.

 

Reiley Grashoff

ffd challenge reiley g

Fire Department or Employer Name:      St. Joseph Township Fire Rescue

FRF Program(s) used:  FRF Ultimate Fire Rescue Athlete

Reiley’s FRF Story

I am very thankful for your program. I have lost all of the weight (and then some)  I gained while pregnant. I was also in a car accident in January and was able to rehab and gain strength because of the FRF program.

I loved the program obviously because of the results but also because it was easy to follow and it used stuff fire houses have so it was very convenient.

I am officially down to 134 from when I started at 162 and have no intention of stopping there.  I am stronger, leaner and feel very “fit for duty.”

 

Jen Pitti

ffd challenge jen pitti

Fire Department or Employer Name:

FRF Program(s) used:  FRF Ultimate Fire Rescue Athlete

Jen’s FRF Story

I’m doing this challenge to show my coworkers and men that a woman can do the same thing as they can. I was getting tired of my coworkers telling me I can’t lift my patients cause they are too heavy for me.

I’m in love with my results… I have a stronger upper body, more stamina, and just all around feel better.  I also lost 7lbs. of fat and 3 inches.

The biggest challenge for me with this was the diet. I was on the “see” food diet after I worked out , I see any food in front of me and I ate it. But,  with the help of my fitness friends and close personal friends and the SOP Guidelines, I’m doing better. I love all the workouts that are in this program and just throwing in a couple of my own in here and there makes the workouts seem shorter than I really do.

I motivated my friends to workout with me and let me help them achieve their fitness goals because they see my results they want the same thing for themselves.

The results that I got gives me more courage, stamina, and energy to show my coworkers and friends that getting into the fire department is my dream and my world and I would do anything to achieve that.

 

Will Bitting

ffd challenge will bitting

Fire Department or Employer Name:      Laurel Lake Volunteer Fire & Rescue

FRF Program(s) used:  FRF Foundations Workout

Will’s FRF Story

I joined FRF “Fit for Duty” Challenge as a way to motivate myself to try to lose weight. I’ve always been the athletic fat kid, I’ve always been able to move and do things most people my size couldn’t. I’ve just always been overweight and I admit a very large part of that is my fault. You see I have not always ate the best, I drink the occasional beer or 4 and sometimes I’ll skip a workout, not because I’m unmotivated or don’t care but because I’m human.

I used “Fit for Duty” to challenge myself to not do these things and for 12 weeks see how it worked out. Let me tell you the one cheat day was always looked forward to. For 12 weeks I worked my way thru my workouts I made much healthier eating choices and yes I skipped out on the alcohol. On February 5th I started my challenge weighing in at 285 pounds and now after 12 weeks of dragging my ass to the gym in the morning, eating extra vegetables instead of another piece of bread and just making flat out healthier choices for myself, I have to admit I am excited about my results. My pictures aren’t a spectacular change but how I feel now mentally and physically has been nothing short of incredible! In 12 weeks I’ve managed to lose 25 pounds and for the first time since my sophomore year in high school fit into size 38 pants! I will not be stopping here, armed with this new lifestyle I plan on taking it further I’ve challenged myself to run in my first half marathon something I use to think of and go yeah no way I’d ever do that. For once in my life I’m starting to feel good about my size , I’ve got a long way to go but with what I’ve learned in this last 12 weeks, feeling how I do today, I don’t want to stop I will continue to push myself not just for me but for my family the ones I live with and for the family that I fight fire with! I truly hope my experience and success will inspire someone else to shift gears from the way they’ve been doing things and make that move to better themselves for themselves and their family too.

 

Jennifer Jordan

ffd challenge jen jordan

Fire Department or Employer Name:      Perryville Fire and Rescue

FRF Program(s) used:  FRF Foundations Workout, FRF Rapid Fat Loss

Jennifer’s FRF Story

I joined the challenge to give me some motivation. As a volunteer firefighter I fell into the belief that since I am a volunteer I don’t need to train physically. Deep inside I knew this belief was wrong so I started the Foundations program 14 weeks ago. I have just graduated to the Ultimate program. The first weeks were brutal, but I soon felt stronger than I have ever been.

I was honestly surprised at the results I saw. I started out at 156 pounds. After completing Foundations I’m down to 150. I lost two and a half inches off my waist and the rest of me toned up quite nicely. I think the best part is I am feeling more energetic and am able to last longer on the fire ground. The guys at the station still rag on me for going through such a program, but I am hoping they too will get fit for duty.

 

Gabe Oldfather

ffd challenge Gabe Oldfather

Fire Department or Employer Name:  Fairbank Fire Department

FRF Program(s) used:  FRF Ultimate Fire Rescue Athlete

Gabe’s FRF Story

As with many people I once again decided that 2015 would be different. I was going to lose weight and get healthy. This would be the year I actually stuck to my new year resolution. After a few weeks I was getting bored of the workouts I was doing and slowly started falling off the band wagon. Then I saw a Facebook post about Fire Rescue Fitness and decided to give it a shot. When I first started the program, I only worked out about 2 days a week and wasn’t that into it.

Then, I weighed myself one day as I was starting to run out of clothes that fit. When I read 308 on the scale I knew something had to be done know. As a volunteer firefighter, I knew I could not successfully do my job and I know, others depended on me, citizens and fellow firefighters. I also wanted to be able to go to the pool and play with my children without being exhausted and embarrassed of how I looked and felt. I needed to buckle down get after and get healthy—Be a good healthy role model for my family and the community.

I started the Ultimate Fire Rescue Athlete on Feb. 3rd and began to eat cleaner and healthier, drink lots of water and workout at least 4 days a week. As of March 23, I have lost 30 lbs, and 3 inches in my waist. I am a lot stronger and my cardio health is much better. The FRF workouts were very challenging but not impossible. I was able to get through each one and the variety always kept each workout fresh. I could easily relate the exercises to tasks performed on the fire ground. Even if you are not in the emergency services profession I recommend FRF to anyone wanting to change their life and get healthy.

 

Very proud of all of the participants.  Please vote and share these results with your crews and friends and most importantly…take action to Get and Stay Fit for Duty.

Stay safe and healthy,

Aaron Zamzow

3 Comments

  1. brandon gibler on May 22, 2015 at 9:15 pm

    doug franklin #1

  2. Theresa newman on May 24, 2015 at 12:58 pm

    Reiley Grashoff

  3. […] You can see the 2015 FRF Fit for Duty Finalists by clicking here. […]

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