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Every Firefighter Workout Needs This…
Attention Firefighters, EMTs and Paramedics! Without proper planning, your fitness program may actually be setting you up for failure. Read the article below…how does your current fitness program measure up? This blog topic is one near and dear to my heart and your career–Workouts for Fire Rescue Athletes. I’ve been in the fitness industry for over 20 years and in the fire service for over 12. This experience has given me the opportunity to write for some of the best trade magazines and present at big conferences (you can/ see read my story here). The most common question I get (either via email or at these conferences) is “What is the best workout for Firefighters, EMTs and Paramedics (Fire Rescue Athletes)? And, more importantly what are the components of the best Fire Rescue Athlete Workouts? Read below to find the answer (drum roll please).. First of all, there is no…
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Best Firefighter Exercise…
I’ve compiled a list of the top 10 exercises for Fire Rescue Athletes. This list is the culmination of over 10 years of research on fire-ground movements and over 20 years experience working with athletes. You can click here to get a copy of that list. Here is one that made the list. Plank (s)—It’s no surprise that the one of the exercises on this list is a core exercise. Back injuries are the number one reason firefighters and medics go on early disability so it’s imperative that as a fire rescue athlete you focus on strengthening the core. The plank exercise requires no equipment and is an incredible exercise for improving core strength, endurance, and power. As mention previously, core strength is integral for the fire rescue athlete, as all movement occurs around the core. The plank will increase core efficiency allowing the body to have greater control…
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5 Reasons Every Firefighter Should do Yoga…
You may never thought the word yoga would be said in the in the same sentence with “firefighter.” If you ask someone who’s never done yoga what they think it involves, the usual response is “stretching and meditation.” It’s always great fun to see someone in a yoga class for the first time who thinks it’s going to be a workout for lightweights. Fifteen minutes into it, when they haven’t left their 6′ x 2′ mat and they’re sweating like crazy, you can tell it begins to sink in that this workout could be better than they’d originally thought. The truth of the matter is yoga can be as mellow or as arduous as you make it, just like any physical practice. The beauty of yoga is that it goes beyond just the physical. For firefighters yoga can be a really great way to relieve stress and center the body and mind.…
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Firefighter "Crew" Challenge Workout
Total Body “CREW” Challenge Workout. Here is a great assessment and/ or workout to challenge your entire body. The workout does not require a lot of equipment so you can do it at the firehouse (or your house). You can substitute these exercises if you want based on your available equipment. You must perform the active warm-up first. This warm-up will increase your core temperature, improve range of motion and get you ready for the workout. (Click here for a quick overview of the warm-up exercises). Perform 2 circuits of the following 5 exercises: 1. Chops (5-10 reps) 2. Knee Hugs (5-10 reps each) 3. Spidermans (5-10 reps each) 4. Knees side to side (5-10 reps each) 5. Quadraped Rotations (5-10 reps each) After completing the warm-up go right into the workout. The goal is to perform as many reps as possible of each exercise in 2 minutes. Rest 1…
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Firefighter "Crew" Challenge Workout
Total Body “CREW” Challenge Workout. Here is a great assessment and/ or workout to challenge your entire body. The workout does not require a lot of equipment so you can do it at the firehouse (or your house). You can substitute these exercises if you want based on your available equipment. You must perform the active warm-up first. This warm-up will increase your core temperature, improve range of motion and get you ready for the workout. (Click here for a quick overview of the warm-up exercises). Perform 2 circuits of the following 5 exercises: 1. Chops (5-10 reps) 2. Knee Hugs (5-10 reps each) 3. Spidermans (5-10 reps each) 4. Knees side to side (5-10 reps each) 5. Quadraped Rotations (5-10 reps each) After completing the warm-up go right into the workout. The goal is to perform as many reps as possible of each exercise in 2 minutes. Rest 1…
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How do you define Firefighter Fit?
Are You Firefighter Fit? Most people, when asked this question, will normally think about how much weight they can lift or if the are overweight or not. I argue that being “firefighter fit (fire rescue fit) is much more than that. You may be able to lift heavy weights but that doesn’t necessarily mean that you are that strong. When talking about Firefighter Fitness you are only as strong as your “weakest” part. True strength comes in the form of functional fitness, fitness that can be applied and used in fireground situations, not just in a gym. When you carry the saw from the truck to the scene or lift a patient into the ambulance you use many muscle groups which have to work together to achieve the job at hand. The Fire Rescue Athletes’ body must work as one unit, integrating all the muscles together. Weight training in its conventional form (on…
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2016 FRF "Fit for Duty" Winners Raffle Prizes Awarded
Thanks again to the FRF Nation! Congratulations to all winners….
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2016 FRF "Fit for Duty" Winners Raffle Prizes Awarded
Thanks again to the FRF Nation! Congratulations to all winners….
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And the 2016 FRF "Fit for Duty" Champion Is…
Last January Fire Rescue Fitness launched the 2016 FRF Fit for Duty Challenge with the hopes of promoting health and fitness within the fire service. The goal of the Challenge was to motivate Fire Rescue Athletes to treat their health like “athletes” do, to workout and eat to better perform the duties of the job. The results are in and I think together we are making an impact. This year over 100 Fire Rescue Athletes entered their results and inspiring testimonials on how the Fire Rescue Fitness Workouts helped them get Fit for Duty and how they motivated others to do the same. I am so proud to announce that Kevin Glover is the 2016 FRF Fit for Duty Champion. Congratulations to Kevin and the other winners of the Challenge! You are all Champions! Click the video below for a complete rundown of the Top 5. 1. Kevin Glover 2. Adam Hurford 3.…
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