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Firefighters, Stop Exercising and Start Training…
Yes, You Read that Correctly. Stop Exercising and Start Training. Yes, you read that correctly! Before I worked as a firefighter, I was a trainer in both large and small health clubs. During that time I would see a lot of people exercising consistently and with good intensity but only make a limited amount of fitness progress. Why? Because we are all creatures of habit in the gym and out. These “snail paced progress” gym goers were all doing the same thing… exercising, not training. And yes, their is a difference. What is Exercising? Exercise… is a physical activity performed for the effect it produces today — right now. Each workout is performed for the purpose of producing a stress that satisfies the immediate needs of the exerciser: burning some calories, “blow off steam,” relieve mental stress, pump up the biceps, etc. Exercise may well involve doing exactly the same thing every…
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Fire Rescue Fitness Birthday Challenge Workout
Earn Your Cake with this Fire Rescue Fitness Birthday Workout. The last 5 years (including this one) I have completed this special “Birthday” workout (on my birthday..lol) to help me measure my fitness and determine where I need improvement. This particular workout doesn’t require a lot of equipment and can be done at home or at the gym or firehouse (even if its 22 degrees below zero). I encourage you to do this workout (or a similar one) every once in a while to help keep you motivated and to gauge your level of fitness. I call these OBWs or outcome-based workouts because you are working out until you complete the goal (prescribed time or reps). I like these challenge workouts because: #1 They are fun and scalable, #2 They are a great way to measure your level of fitness and #3 they can improve performance (if…
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To Supplement or Not?
What supplements do you take? This is a common question that you hear around most gyms and firehouses this time of the year and one that I get a lot via the www.firerescuefitness.com blog and our FRF Facebook Page, so I wanted to briefly address what some good possible supplement options are. I also wanted to address whether supplements are even necessary. My supplement approach is pretty simple. I do believe that you can get the required nutrients with diet alone, but it is difficult, especially when you’re working long, busy shifts, have family obligations and are active. For most of us (especially in the fire service) supplements may be a useful way to help get the valuable nutrients we need. The key word here is “HELP.” The one thing you must always keep in mind when considering supplementation is that you cannot supplement for a poor diet. This is…
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Firefighters- Do this Exercise to Reduce Back Injuries
Back injuries suck. While not 100% avoidable, there are some things that you can do to prevent them. A lot of injuries of firefighters, EMTs and medics occur due to excessive torque on the back while twisting. Moving patients to a cot, advancing heavy firehose, and carrying equipment all involve some twisting that can wreak havoc on your back. Working out consistently and taking care of your body can reduce your chances of back injury. Especially if you are training correctly. While all back injuries are not avoidable here are some great exercises that you (as a first responder) should incorporate into your workouts. The Side Plank- a great core exercise… The side plank is a great exercise to help build core strength and stability through the transverse plane. As stated above, a lot of back injuries occur due to twisting while carrying a heavy load. The side plank…
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Fit Firehouse Cooking- How to make pork tenderloin.
Tasty Pork Tenderloin should be a staple in any firefighters recipe box Pork tenderloin is a boneless piece of meat cut from a muscle that runs along the central spine above the ribs and belly. Unlike a leg or shoulder muscle, it’s not directly used for walking around. And that’s why the meat is so tender. Hence the name. This is a versatile cut of meat is best for quick roasting, broiling, grilling, sautéing, and braising. Keyword here is quick. This is imperative when cooking for a group of hungry firefighters (of kids). By itself, it’s a mild-tasting meat. So think of tenderloin is lean and a blank canvas. You can marinade it with almost anything. Fruit juices and spices are great options, the fruit helps to start the cooking process and seal in flavor. Today I want to show you my “go-to” way to prepare this great protein source. …
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Fit Firehouse Cooking- Fiber Bombs…
Fun and Easy Snack for the Crew. Full of fiber and protein too. Looking for a healthier dessert or snack for you and your crew? This is a crew and family favorite. These “Fiber Bombs” have some good protein and a ton of fiber. **Caution only have 1 or 2 of them, any more may cause some good gas (just warning you). These treats are very easy and quick to make- no cooking necessary. Give them to your crew (or family) and let me know what you think. Total Time: 15-20 minutes Prep Time: 10 minutes Fridge Time: 10 minutes Serves: 6-8 Ingredients Peanut Butter- Look for a lower sugar and natural one Special Dark Chips- Again look for a lower sugar option All-Bran (cereal)- You can actually use any cereal, look for an option with low sugar and good fiber Low-sugar Craisins Add 1 cup chocolate chips to microwave…
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Be mobile, Reduce Injury, and Improve Performance with this 4-minute Routine
Mobile and flexible athletes move more efficiently and can be less likely to suffer injury. Unfortunately, from my research I have found that stretching is the most often “skipped” part of an athlete’s workout. For one, it’s done at the end of the workout when you just want to be finished. And, for two, it can be boring. To combat these “excuses” I created these simple and efficient 4-minute stretch routines. These routines should be performed in conjunction with some foam rolling. All you need for these is a small area, an interval timer or watch and a mat or some padding (optional). The routines are divided into 12, 20 second stretches done in succession for a total of 4-minutes. So, you are only holding 12 different positions for 20 seconds each. I like to use the interval timer to keep me honest (I tend to stop early) and on-track. …
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Fit Firehouse Recipe- Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken
Simple, easy and tasty chicken recipe for your crew and/or family. SLOW COOKER SALSA CHICKEN All you need are 2 simple ingredients to make this slow cooker shredded chicken — good salsa and chicken! TOTAL TIME: 4- 6 hours (depending on temperature cooked) PREP TIME: 5 minutes MIN COOK TIME: 2-3 hours on high, 4-6 on low SERVES: 6 INGREDIENTS: (serves 4-6) -6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 3 lbs total)* *You can really use just about any cut of chicken for this recipe. For easy shredding though (so that you don’t have to mess with bones), I recommend boneless chicken breasts or thighs. This should be about 3 lbs of chicken total for 6 people. -2 cups favorite salsa (I like Newman’ Own Mango Salsa) -Spices (salt and pepper, your choice) -Low-fat mozzarella cheese DIRECTIONS: Place chicken breasts in a slow cooker and cover with spices and salsa. Toss…
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Easy Fat Loss Trick for the Firehouse (or any house).
Use this trick to help you manage your nutrion and lose fat. Healthy Eating Habit: Eat slowly and STOP EATING when you are 80% full. To understand why this works, let’s look at the science to support this notion. The brain is always behind the stomach in signaling that we are full. Hunger and satiety cueing are based on the release of hormones within our body. It takes about 15-20 minutes for the body to signal the brain that you are full. If you are eating too quickly while watching TV or distracted then you won’t even sense these subtle changes going on internally. Then, you go back for a second (or third) helping because you still feel hungry. A couple of minutes later you discover you are too stuffed! This is a common occurrence in most firehouses. Eat too fast and miss the “stop” sign our body sends us and…
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