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Get Strong and Lean with this FRF Bodyweight Workout.
It can be very difficult to try to stay “fit for duty” on vacation, during the Holidays, or if you don’t have access to a lot of equipment. This workout will help you stay FRF (fire rescue fit) on vacation or when you are at a firehouse that doesn’t have any fitness equipment. I actually performed this workout when on the road, all you need is a little floor space and a towel (or webbing). The objective of the workout is to complete all the assigned reps of each exercise for a total of 500 reps. **You can substitute out any of the exercises if you would like. Beginners can bounce around from exercise to exercise until all reps are completed. For a more challenging workout you should try to complete all the reps of one exercise before moving to the next. Perform a couple of minutes of active warm-up movements first…
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10 Tips to Avoid the Flu and Cold in the Firehouse
I’s that time of year again when the common cold and flu begins being passed from one person to the next. Each year the common cold affects the average person two times, and can affect the fire rescue athlete even more. The sneezing, coughing, sore throat, and runny nose leave you wanting to curl up under the bed covers. To avoid this misery, prevention is the best cure. So with over 200 mutating cold-causing viruses floating around, what’s a fire rescue athlete to do to avoid getting sick? While in our profession it can be hard to dodge every germ, there are proactive ways to boost your immune system and help prevent catching a cold or the flu. Take a look at these 10 ways: Wash Hands Frequently. One of the most effective ways to prevent colds and the flu is simply washing your hands properly and frequently. Wash your hands…
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Firefighter Exercise to Improve Shoulder Strength
Improve your performance on (and off) the fireground with this exercise. Shoulder and upper body strength are an essential fitness trait required on the fire ground. Hoisting ladders, hoseline, carrying equipment all require strength of the shoulders AND good core stability to support the movement. Yet, I still see a lot of fire rescue athletes doing isolated shoulder exercises (from a seated position). So, today I wanted to give you an exercise and a that actually comes from the king of bodybuilding…. Arnold. He created a shoulder press variation that effectively worked all three “heads” –front, middle, and back– of your shoulders. And, by changing the stance and performing the movement from a standing position it will definitely help with your performance on the fireground. FRF “Arnold” Press- Stand holding a pair of dumbbells in front of your shoulders, with your palms facing your body and your elbows in…
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Get Fire Rescue Fit in 2018! Win Cash, Prizes and Motivate Others…
Over $3,000 in cash and prizes will be given away to Firefighters, EMTs and Medics! YOU can Win and more importantly Motivate Others in the Fire Service! Get Your Plan Started Today! The purpose of the contest is to motivate Firefighters, EMTs and Medics to change the unhealthy culture of the fire service. Statistics show that the obesity rate in firefighters is higher than the general population. Sadly, firefighters are more likely to die from a heart attack or stroke than in a fire related incident. WE MUST CREATE a HEALTHY CULTURE IN THE FIRE SERVICE as lives, communities and our families are counting us! Take the “fit for duty” challenge, get others in your department involved and help change the fire service industry! See the complete entry instructions below. Deadline to submit your results entry is April 15th, 2018 Good luck! Rules of the 2018 FRF “Fit for Duty” Challenge Contest Important Dates: The Contest officially starts on…
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3 Exercises Every Firefighter Must Do!
Before I got into the fire service (almost 15 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 that 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…
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Healthy Turkey Loaf for the Firehouse
Tis the season for Turkey…loaf. I know how difficult it can be to find some good staple healthy meals for the firehouse (or any house for that matter.) Here is a great recipe that I use. It is easy to prepare and takes only 30 minutes. Add a salad or some vegetables to the plate and you have a great meal. FRF Healthy Turkey Loaf Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: 25 minutes Ready In: 30 minutes Servings: 4 INGREDIENTS: 1 pound ground turkey 1 egg, lightly beaten ¼ cup salsa 1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper 1/4 cup chopped yellow bell pepper ¼ cup chopped onion ½ cup dry bread crumbs Lemon pepper to taste DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 350°F and coat lightly a loaf pan with olive oil cooking spray. In a large bowl combine the turkey, egg, salsa, red bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, onion,…
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Get Fire Rescue Fit- Thanksgiving Workout Option
Happy Thanksgiving! Here is a great “FRF” way to celebrate. This is a little workout that will burn some early morning calories, ignite your metabolism, and make room for some good Thanksgiving food. I always like to do some morning workout or fun run with the family on the Holidays, I find that I feel better all day and don’t eat as much. Please give this a try! Try to do as many circuits as possible in 15 or 20 minutes. Remember to perform an active warm-up before you begin. Do the suggested reps of each exercise then proceed to the next, rest as little as possible between exercises. Click on the video. Start with these active warm-up exercises. Perform each exercise for the prescribed number of reps. You only need to perform each one of the active warm-up exercises one time. Step forward lunge with twist (5 each leg)…
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Essential Fitness Equipment for Fire Departments
I get a lot of requests to address the “best” equipment to put in fire stations, which is the topic of today’s post. Unfortunately, the biggest factor in firehouse gym set-up is price and budget so I will try to keep this in mind. First off, I want to address the what we don’t need in firehouse gyms. I actually created a special report that addresses the 5 worst exercises for firefighters in which we cover the lack of need for a leg press, leg extension and leg curl machine (you can get that report by clicking here). These machines, like the pec deck, chest press and shoulder machine press don’t fit the natural movement patterns of the joints they are supposed to work and promote bad form and injury. So, let’s avoid putting these types of machines in our firehouses. What we do need are pieces of equipment that…
Read MoreFRF Special Workout to Honor Veterans…
Today I have a special Firefighter Challenge Workout to honor America’s true heroes….our Veterans. Thank you for your service and sacrifice! This workout is 11 minutes of strength exercises followed by an 11 minute cardio interval (11-11 for Veterans Day). The exercises can be changed based on available equipment and level of fitness. Of course, make sure you thoroughly and actively warm-up before starting the workout. Active Warm-up (perform the suggested reps for 2 rounds) Chops (10x) Inverted Hamstrings (5 ea) Spidermans (5 ea) Knees side to side (5 ea) X-overs (5 ea) Perform 2 rounds or circuits then progress to the 11 minute strength portion. Click below for an overview of the FRF 11-11 Veterans Day Workout The strength portion of the workout consist of 4 exercises performed for 2 minutes (as many reps as possible) with 1 minute of rest between them. To add to the…
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