Welcome to the FRF Blog
Please scroll through our 200+ posts.
Hydrate for Optimum Firefighter Fitness
I have posted this article a couple of times over the past 4 years on the firerescuefitness.com blog, I think it is one of the most overlooked aspects of firefighter fitness. Its starting to get cold outside (at least here in the Midwest) and its easy to think that hydration isn’t as important as staying warm. Dehydration is still very much a threat to firefighters performance (and survival) in winter just as much as it is in summer. The combination of heavy clothing and high-intensity exercise can lead to increased sweating and the possibility of dehydration. You may not feel as thirsty in cold weather as in other climates, because your body chemistry impairs your brain’s ability to tell you when to hydrate. Cold weather also has the effect of moving body fluids from your extremities to your core, causing increased urine output and adding to dehydration. Please take…
Read More
Goblet Squat for More Strength on the Fireground
I often get emails and questions about ways to improve leg strength and recovery while in firefighting gear. We all know that stairs and climbing are major fire rescue movements performed on the fire ground so… improve your leg strength and you could improve your performance on the fire ground. One exercise in particular is very good at doing just that….the goblet squat. The goblet squat is a multi-joint lower body exercise that fires up (no pun intended) the glutes, quads, and hamstrings. Unlike the traditional back squat, the goblet squat is executed by keeping the body in an upright position, which results in less strain on the lower lumbar and spine and places an increased demand on your upper back and core. It is a great exercise for adding volume to build work capacity or conditioning in circuits. Goblet squats also help improve mobility in the hip, thus helping you…
Read MoreThe Best Firefighter Workout?
This topic is near and dear to mine and your hearts and careers–Workouts for Firefighters and Fire Rescue Athletes. Over the last couple of months I’ve been researching, talking, tweaking and writing about some of the more popular workouts seen in firehouses across the world. You can read about them here and here. I’ve received a ton of feedback about those articles both good and bad (please keep it coming) and used all of this information to create one of the BEST Workouts for Firefighters. The Ultimate Fire Rescue Workout is one of the most effective and efficient workouts for firefighters. Why? Because it contains these five vital components that are essential for the Fire Rescue Athlete. Does your program include these components? 1. The program must be planned using sound periodization and science. The program must be planned using sound periodization and science. Training should follow a developmental approach or progression. This means there should be…
Read MoreFirefighter Cardio Interval Workouts
Cardiovascular fitness is obviously a very important concern for the fire rescue athlete (firefighters, paramedics and EMTs). Lately I’ve been researching, creating, and then performing a lot of 10-minute interval overhauls and wanted to share them with you today. You can do one of these separately after a strength workout or combine all three for a good cardiovascular workout. These only take 10-minutes but you sweat (and burn calories) a lot longer than that. Give these a try. 1. The Uphill Grind. This is a great treadmill interval, if your just getting started with a fitness program (click here for a great workout to establish your FRF Foundation) you want to decrease the speed and incline to a level that is a little more obtainable. Start minutes 0-2 with a warm-up at 3.5mph and 3.5% inclinenext 30 seconds crank it up to 8.0 mph at 8.0% inclinerest 30 seconds (I stand on the side rails of the treadmill)repeat 7…
Read MoreFirefighter Workout- Progressive Bodyweight Challenge
I get a lot of requests for workouts that require a minimal amount of equipment. Here is a great Firefighter Bodyweight workout that doesn’t require a lot of equipment and is very efficient (like you need to be on a fire/rescue scene).Click on the video below for a recap. Please like, comment and share this video! Here is a recap of the workout (you can change the exercises based on your available equipment)… 5 burpees 10 Pull-ups (or body rows) 15 Push-ups 20 Prisoner Squats 25 Biker crunches (25 each side) 30 seconds plank 1 minute of running stairs Repeat for time a total of 5 rounds (if your just starting out, aim for 3 or 4 rounds). Looking for more great challenge workouts? Check out the Ultimate Fire Rescue Athlete Workout Program, a comprehensive 12-week Firefighter Workout Program designed to get you in the shape of your life!
Read More
Fight Fire not the Flu….
Its that time of the year again, the cold and flu season. Each year the common cold affects the average person two times, and can affect the fire rescue athlete even more. The sneezing, coughing, aching, stuff head, 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 5 ways and stay healthy: 1. Drink Plenty of Fluids. General good health practices keep your body strong and ready to fend off cold germs and the flu virus and this especially includes…
Read More
The Ultimate Firefighter 9-11 Tribute 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 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. You will climb 110 flights of stairs and perform 343 reps of various strength exercises. Before you begin this workout, like every workout, perform an active warm-up. Active warm-up (perform for 30 seconds or 10 reps of each exercise for 2 circuits wit no rest between exercises) Standing Chops Step Forward toe reaches Spidermans Knees side to side Cross overs (Repeat for a total of 2 circuits) Now that your ready…its on to the fun. All you need for…
Read More
Fat Loss Tips for Firefighters….
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. Are you Fit for Duty? This is a common question you should ask yourself everyday as a fire rescue athlete. Are you a leaner, more efficient athlete, better yet, do you make…
Read More