The beginning of the New Year means that firehouse gyms (and gyms in general) will be packed, more broccoli will be served at meals, and fad diets and fitness trends will be the main topics of conversation.  I have been working in the fitness industry and the fire service for over 20 years and have seen this “resolution” trend every year.  

 

Unfortunately, in a majority of cases, our aspirations to get fit, get healthy, and be our best selves often go awry in a couple of weeks. The workouts get sparse, cheat meals become more common, and progress does not happen.  

 

So what happens?  Why do we fail at our fitness resolution goals? 

 

When fitness goals are based on long-term ideas of how we want to look (“lose 10 pounds,” “go down a pants size,” “get abs”) without a focus on short-term habits, it becomes hard to stay on track. This is especially true if you are not seeing immediate results.

The key to accomplishing your fitness goal starts with a focus on establishing healthy habits first and results second.  Regardless of what your overall goal is, here is one of the first habits you need to develop to be a more fit and healthy first responder (firefighter, EMT, medic).

 

 

Perform at least three workouts each week, for a minimum of 30 minutes each. 

As a first responder, this is the minimum you should dedicate to staying fit physically and mentally.  This sounds obvious but a lot of times we set a goal to lose weight and go gangbusters from the start, only to fade out ... quickly.

Improving your health is a long-term investment and journey. If you have not been consistent with workouts, set the goal to work out 12 times this next month and build on that.

Consistency is the key to improving your health.  

How to Workout

If you are just coming from the leathers, meaning you have not been very active the last few months (or years), start with just some easy workouts.  Focus on mobility and core movements and get your heart going with some cardio.   Do NOT go back to your old football or high school workout programs and think you “still” got it.  Trust me, as a firefighter, EMT, and/or medic you need to train more functionally for the job.  Click here for a great post about functional training.   In short, training functionally means that the exercises we do should help us perform better, reduce injuries, and prolong our careers.  

Over the past 15 years, FRF programs have helped thousands of first responders lose fat, get stronger, and improve their health… for the long term… no matter what challenges they’re dealing with (click here for FRF stories).   This has been and will continually be the Mission of Fire Rescue Fitness.

 

That is why I reached out to other fire service leaders and created the FRF Better Every Shift Challenge.  This challenge includes everything you need to get healthy and fit in 2023.  Enter this challenge and get access to three (3) of our most popular FRF workout programs, coaching, and motivation, and your entry helps promote a healthier fire service. 

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO AND TO GET STARTED.

It is time to get FRF!  Let me know how I can help.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aaron Zamzow (ZAM)