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Boosting Performance: Loaded Carry Exercises for First Responders
As first responders, we don’t get to choose the weight, the distance, or the terrain when the tones go off. Whether you’re hauling a heavy high-rise pack, carrying hydraulic tools, or moving a heavy patient down a tight flight of stairs, nothing on the scene comes with a convenient handle or a balanced center of gravity. To ensure we’re ready for that unpredictability, our training has to mirror the chaos of the job. That’s exactly why loaded carries are non-negotiable. If you aren’t actively walking with heavy, awkward objects in your hands, on your shoulders, or in the crooks of your elbows, your fitness routine has a massive blind spot. The Functional Payoff Loaded carries simulate the exact physical stresses we face on the fireground and in the field. They bridge the gap between gym strength and real-world execution. By incorporating them, you build bulletproof grip strength, a rock-solid core,…
Building Resilience, One Rep At A Time: A First Responder’s Guide to Habits
Building first responder resilience isn’t about how many days are on the calendar; it is about how many reps you put in. Firefighter and fitness coach Aaron Zamzow (ZAM) introduces the R.E.A.C.H. approach, a specialized habit playbook designed for the high-stakes, unpredictable nature of fire and EMS work. Learn how to strengthen your physical and mental foundation through intentional repetition, allowing you to stay fit for duty and maintain peak performance both on and off the shift.
Healthy Firehouse Pancake Options
Pancakes, a staple in the firehouse brunch or breakfast menu yet rarely a healthy option. That is until now. Take a look and try these healthy firehouse pancake options. Your crew and/or family will not know the difference.
Every Firefighter Needs This Important Fitness Trait
Firefighters have a physically demanding job and need to prepare for these demands via proper fitness and training. In this post, FRF will look at the research and breakdown the most important fitness trait a firefighter needs to insure they meet the demands of the job. #GETFRF
3 Exercises Every Firefighter Must Do!
Before I got into the fire service (almost 20 years ago), I worked with athletes, some amateur, some pro. The main goal of the training was to create workouts that would improve performance (and in some cases body aesthetics). The first thing we would do is evaluate the motions and muscles needed in their sport, then provide exercises that would challenge and improve them. These, in essence, are the basics of “functional training.” So, when I talk about “functional” firefighter fitness, I am referring to the physical aspects we, as firefighters, need to do our job. Therefore, in order for an exercise to be “functional” for firefighters, it must effectively train us to meet the demands of the fire and rescue ground. Would you agree? Would you also agree that the older traditional weight–lifting machines and exercises seen in most firehouses do not ‘functionally” address the physical challenges we as…
Functional Upper body Exercise for Firefighters- Standing DB Press
What makes an exercise “functional” for firefighters, EMTs, and medics? In order to answer this question, we must first define what functional training means. The definitions can be varied and broad and often the term functional training is abused and over-used. Click to link to discover the best way to define functional training for firefighters.
Firefighter Functional Fitness Workout Schedule
Do you workout on shift? Should you workout on shift and what is the best workout to perform? How do you schedule your workouts around your shifts or calls? This is a major concern for the fire rescue athlete. On one hand we know we should be working out to stay and get fit for duty. Yet , if we burn out in the gym we won’t be able to perform when it really matters. I recently post workout options and get a lot of emails to post more. But, before I do, I think its really important to keep the big “fitness” picture in mind and see how all these workouts should be organized. Part of the big picture is to figure out “what is the best form of exercise to perform on duty?” If you want a done-for-you program that incorporates the best firefighter workouts organized in a…
A First Responders Guide to Cortisol
What is cortisol and why do you need to know about it as a first responder? This great post from FRF will explain and answer that question and, most importantly tell you how to manage it for better health.
Firefighters and Cancer Prevention- Start Here to Reduce Your Risk
The latest research shows that firefighters are more likely to develop cancer than the general population. There are, however ways to reduce your risks. Fire Rescue fitness has created a list of the five best ways to reduce your risks of cancer as a firefighter, EMT, and/or medic.