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Nutrition Tips for the Firehouse
Eating healthy in the firehouse (or any house) can be a difficult task. But, in order to change the culture of the fire service (to a healthier one) cooks and food choices in the firehouse need to get better. Here are 3 easy and healthy tips that can help. 1. Serve meals on smaller plates.– One of the biggest fears of every firehouse chef is not preparing enough food for the crew. This fear usually leads to an excess of available food and larger portions around the table. Most firehouses not only serve an abundance of food but they usually serve them on large plates. A simple switch of dinnerware size could be incredibly useful solution to the large firehouse serving size. Research suggests that people eat up to 22% fewer calories when they’re able to decrease the amount of empty space on their plate. Larger plates can make a serving of…
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Post Holiday Metabolic Firefighter Workout
Its now July, hope you enjoyed America’s Birthday! I do not hope you carry the extra weight and lethargy that can occur after Holiday weekends. We all have a tendency tendency to overindulge and workouts seem to take second place during any Holiday weekend. To combat the accumulation of holiday pounds and feelings of sluggishness I created this Fire Rescue Metabolic Workout… This workout requires minimal time, maximal effort and will give you an extreme calorie burn (throughout the day). Intermediate/ Advanced athletes should use weights that they can handle for 15 reps (even though you will only be performing 10 reps) while beginners will use body-weight for each exercise. Each rep should be performed with control (safety first) and good form. You must perform 2 circuits of the warm-up. After the warm-up follow the appropriate circuit (beginner or intermediate/ advanced) as quickly as possible. Your goal is to complete the entire…
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Fire Rescue Fitness Holiday Weekend Workout
Here is a great way to start your 4th of July weekend. This is a little workout that will burn some early morning calories, ignite your metabolism, and make room for some good summer food and spirits. I always like to do some morning workout or fun run with the family on 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. (Click here for a good active Firefighter workout warm-up routine.) Do the suggested reps of each exercise then proceed to the next, rest as little as possible between exercises. Burpees x 10 reps Pull-ups or Body Rows x 10 reps Prisoner Lunges x 5 reps per leg Squat to Press (around 20% body weight) x 10 reps Feet…
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The Most Important Firefighter Fitness Component?
I often get asked by Firefighters, EMTs and Paramedics to evaluate their current fitness programs and to possibly give some suggestions. I always try to explain to the individual or group that in order to evaluate the program we must understand the physical demands of the job. Research conducted by York University (Ontario) about the physical demands of Firefighting stated– The most commonly encountered applications of strength and endurance were lifting and carrying objects (up to 80 lbs), pulling objects (up to 135 lbs), and working with objects in front of the body (up to 125 lbs). The most demanding firefighting operations required a mean VO2 of 41.5 ml/kg.min-1 with peak lactate concentrations of 6 to 13.2 mM. Ninety percent of the demanding firefighting operations that were studied required a mean VO2 of 23 ml/kg.min-1. These aerobic energy requirements corresponded to 85 and 50% VO2max, respectively. Therefore a minimum VO2max standard for firefighter applicants of…
Read MoreFire Station Workout- Intervals for Cardiovascular Fitness
I’ve had a lot of requests for workout options that can be performed at the station with minimal equipment. Here is an option I created for a firefighter/medic that has no equipment and only some stairs and a parking lot. This can be used as a cardio interval training workout day (for those following the FRF Workout Programs) and/or as a good workout to get the blood flowing. Give it a shot! This is a great interval to perform at the firehouse, it doesn’t require a lot of equipment and is very short in duration yet effective. The work intervals can be adjusted to your level of fitness. Beginners should perform 20 seconds of work followed by 40 seconds of rest for each exercise. Intermediates should perform 30 seconds of work followed by 30 seconds of rest and advanced (Firefit) athletes should perform 40 seconds of work followed by 20 seconds…
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Is P90X a Good Workout for Firefighters?
It’s often said that any movement is better than no movement at all. I personally have to agree with that statement, I think its imperative that everyone (especially FireRescue Athletes) are active. The big question milling about in the Fire Rescue field is what is the most effective type of activity for firefighters? Ideally, we should be performing movements that support, enable, and enhance our physical skills and add to the quality of life. Our exercises should make us stronger, faster, and more capable of accomplishing just about any physical feat a “job” throws at us. One of the more popular programs floating around firehouses these days is P90X. P90X is the extensive fitness program from Beach Body fitness created by Tony Horton that claims it can get you “ripped in 90 days….guaranteed.” Does it work? Maybe, but as Firefighters, EMTs and Paramedics we need to be more than just “ripped”…
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FRF Exercise Upgrade- The Row
This exercise changes the traditional row to integrate more core and balance. We, as Firefighters, emts and paramedics are constantly required to lift loads in very awkward positions. In order to prepare for these scenarios fire rescue athletes must focus their workouts on training not only on and in stable positions (machines) but unstable as well. Here is a great row exercise upgrade to engage more stabilizing and core muscles. Please note that this exercise requires a lot of core strength and shoulder stability, lower your weights until you feel comfortable with the exercise. Remember to focus on your form and posture. For more exercise upgrade idea, please continue to check back to www.firerescuefitness.com. For a great workout program that incorporates exercise upgrades for Fire Rescue Athletes, get great results, just like Will Bitting, with the FRF Ultimate Fire Athlete Workout (click here for special bonus pricing on the…
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The 2015 FRF Fit for Duty Champion is…
Last January Fire Rescue Fitness launched the first 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. After all, we owe it to our crew members, our families and those that we serve to perform our jobs to the best of our ability. I would like to thank the over 100 Fire Rescue Athletes that entered their results and inspiring testimonials on how the Fire Rescue Fitness Workouts helped them get Fit for Duty. I am so proud to announce that Doug Franklin is the 2015 FRF Fit for Duty Champion. Congratulations to Doug and the other winners of the Challenge! 1. Doug Franklin 2. Will Bitting 3. Reiley Grasshoff 4.…
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Vote for the 2015 FRF Fit for Duty Challenge Top 5.
Congratulations too all the 2015 FRF Fit for Duty Challenge participants! The first annual contest had over 100 Firefighters, EMTs and Paramedics enter their results. There were many, many great and inspiring results and stories showing how the Fire Rescue Fitness Workouts have changed their lives and careers. Most importantly, these results will help motivate more fire rescue athletes to join the FRF nation and change the fitness culture of the fire service. Please read and share these awesome transformation stories. And, please comment with your thoughts on the winner, 2 through 5 places and most inspiring. Winners (final spots) will be announced May 26th. Here are the Top 6 (vote for 5) entries (listed in random order) in the 2015 FRF Fit for Duty Challenge. Doug Franklin Fire Department or Employer Name: Trenton Fire Department, Trenton, MO FRF Program(s) used: FRF Ultimate Fire Rescue Athlete Doug’s FRF Story Last…
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