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Firefighter 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 more times…
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!
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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…
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The 10 Best Foods for First Responders
Food is the fuel that helps us think and perform at our best. The right foods can mean energy and nutrients to help you manage the demands of the job. The wrong foods can add to the stress we already go through and leave your mind cloudy and body inflamed. So, if you want to make the most of your shift, your day, and your career, your diet should be a top priority!
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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…
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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…
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Firefighter Workout Tip- The Importance of a Proper Warm-up…
Flexibility is often the most overlooked aspect of a an effective firefighter workout. Participating in an appropriate warm-up and cool down and stretching program has shown to help firefighter performance by: Increasing physical efficiency and performance Can you do this? Increasing neuromuscular coordination Decreasing risk of severity of injury Decreasing risk of lower back pain Decreasing delayed onset muscle soreness Decreasing stress and tension What are the best ways, types and times to stretch (very important)? This is the first of a couple of posts about flexibility. Today I want to talk about the Active Warm-up. If you are like most of us, you were taught how to stretch in your high school weight lifting class and you’ve likely continued with pretty much the same routine ever since. Science, however, has moved on. Researchers now believe that some of the old school workout warm-up regimens are not only a waste of time…
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Firefighter On-shift Interval Workout
I get a lot of emails asking for good workout options for the firehouse when on-shift. Working out on-shift is a major concern, you want to make sure you keep your body in good “fit for duty” condition but also want to make sure you have enough “left in the tank” to respond and perform in an actual response. Over the last couple of years I have toyed with various workouts on shift; high intensity, heavy lifting, stretching only, and even some yoga. I have found that interval workouts are not only the most effective but a great way to incorporate fireground movements (steps, crawls, sledges, drags, lifts, carries, and some core). Here is an example of a “Sunday Funday” workout that I did with my crew. Active Warm-up Perform 2 circuits. Set an interval timer for 35 seconds of movement with 5 seconds between to transition. Chops Step back…
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