I like challenge or out-come based (OCB’s) workouts because:  #1 They are tough, #2 They are a great way to measure your level of fitness.  The last 4 years (including this one) I have completed this special “Birthday” workout 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.     This “Birthday” workout is difficult but can be scaled to meet your available equipment and level of fitness.  Before you begin this workout, like every workout, perform an active warm-up. Active warm-up (perform for 30 seconds or 10 reps of…

We as fire rescue athletes are generally moving in unbalanced positions. Whether its climbing a ladder, pulling hose, or ventilating, we are usually in an unbalanced, split stance. Therefore one area of focus should be the deep balancing muscles of the core. These muscles play an important role in holding and stiffening the pelvis to prevent it from bending and can be challenging to train in normal bi-lateral lifting and pulling exercises. In addition, we as fire rescue athletes are routinely required to carry heavy loads and equipment. The farmers carry (and other carry variations) address these issues; it engages the core, improves balance and at the same time improves grip strength. It’s a simple movement, grab some fairly heavy objects, engage the core by bracing your abs and slowly walk (chest up, good posture). The longer and heavier you go the more you challenge the core and your grip.…

Would you agree that a leaner athlete is a better athlete?  I know this is a “loaded” question.  A lot of the answer has to deal with the sport in which the athlete is participating.  One thing that research shows is that a leaner athlete is a “more efficient” athlete.  When it comes to firefighters, this is a valid finding.  Efficiency in general terms, describes the extent to which time, effort or cost is well used for the intended task or purpose. So, a more efficient Fire Rescue Athlete will be able to do more work with less physical effort.  This is especially important since most of our “more intense” work as Fire Rescue Athletes comes when breathing air via an SCBA.    The winter months can be a challenging time to keep your weight in check.  Here are 10 (actually 11) great tips to help you get stronger and leaner in the…