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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)…
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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Do These 3 Things to Stay Fit in (and out) of the Firehouse.
It seems like fitness information is coming from every angle these days. Experts tell us that we need to “do yoga, do crossfit, do low intensity, do high intensity, do weights, don’t do weights.” It can get to be very frustrating and in some cases overwhelming. My goal with FRF is to sift through all the so-called research and experts predictions to give you solid resources that will get you “fit for duty.” today I want to give you 3 (actually I threw in a bonus 4th) things you can do to stay fit in and out of the firehouse. These are very easy tasks and will help you get your fitness on-track. Click the video below to discover the 3 Things you Need to Do to Stay Fit in the Firehouse. Try to do these things every shift (and every day). Stay hydrated. Water is the source of energy,…
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Are you FRF (Fire Rescue Fit)?
Are you FRF (Fire Rescue Fit)? We all may answer that question differently. The reason behind that question though is simple… Are you ready for the demands of the day, of the job, of the tasks that you must do as a fire rescue athlete? Sometimes our fitness gets away from us and we may not even realize it. So, today, I wanted to give you a workout that has a twofold purpose. First, its a very efficient workout that you can literally do anywhere and it will help you get “fit for duty.” Second, its a great way to measure you current level of fitness and motivate you to improve it. Check out the video below for details. Click here to get a “printable” PDF of the FRF 5 Exercise Bodyweight Test -FREE This is workout #1 from the new FRF Foundations Workout Program (click here for more…
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What is your why?
Why do you workout? Why do you, or should you make healthy choices? The answers to this question are different for different people. For me, personally, I workout and stay fit because I never want to tell my crew, my family or my department that; “I was not fit enough to accomplish my task.” I like to take pride in my work and want to do everything I can to be ready to serve… this includes staying fit. I started Fire Rescue Fitness because I really wasn’t in good shape (for firefighting) and was training improperly. You can learn more about that story by clicking the video below. How did Fire Rescue Fitness begin? Click below to find out. Sometimes, we may lose track of “why” we should stay fit. Sometimes, we may lack motivation to workout. Personally, when I am lacking motivation I like to assess my current situation,…
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Take the "Get FRF" Challenge and Win Cash and Prizes…
Over $1,500 in cash and prizes will be given away to Firefighters, EMTs and Medics this Fall! YOU can Win and more importantly Motivate Others! Don’t wait, get your program (click here) and get 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 “Get FRF” challenge, get others in your department involved and help change the fire service industry! See the complete entry instructions below. Contest runs from October 1st to December 15th. Rules of the 2017 “Get FRF” Challenge Contest Click the video below for more details… Important…
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The Fire Rescue Fitness 9/11 Memorial Challenge Workout…
Every year around September 11th I like to take a moment and reflect on the significance of the day and honor those that sacrificed (and continue to sacrifice to this day). I truly believe that one of the best ways to honor those that paid the ultimate sacrifice is to put forth the effort to be the “best” we can be at our profession. Training to be our best, not only physically but mentally as well… I created this workout to help motivate me (and other fire rescue athletes) to stay in shape. I encourage you to do this workout, share your results and challenge others to do the same, at least once a year (on September 11th). This “tribute” workout is difficult but has a great significance to September 11th. There are previous versions of the workout, you can see them by clicking here. This workout challenges you…
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