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One of the Top 10 "Best Exercises" for Firefighters, EMTs and Medics
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. 1. 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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Firefighter Workout Tip- Proper Firefighter Hydration
Its that time of the year where temperatures climb and so does the chances for dehydration. This is an insert from an article I wrote from FirefighterNation.com (you can read the entire article by clicking here). Please take note at how quickly a dehydrated fire rescue athletes’ performance can diminish. In most stations, your shift starts with checking your gear, SCBA, med supplies and looking over the apparatus (usually with a cup of coffee in hand), but do you ask yourself, Am I physically ready to do my job? I imagine 100% of you nodded your head in affirmation to that seemingly rhetorical question.Hydration & the Human BodyThe human body is 66–70% water. Under normal circumstances, the human body loses about 35–90 oz. of water a day through body waste, sweat and breathing (Maughan, 2003). During normal athletic activity, the body can lose 8–16 oz. of water per hour. The…
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Firefighter Workouts on Shift– To workout or not?
Do you workout on shift? Should you workout on shift and what is the best workout to perform? This is a major concern for the fire rescue athlete. On one hand we know we should be working out to stay and get fit for duty. Yet , if we burn out in the gym we won’t be able to perform when it really matters. I recently posted an interval workout (Click Here to Read it) that received a lot of hits and emails. Most of the emails dealt with this question more importantly asked “what is the best form of exercise to perform on duty?” Here is my take on the question. We all know that when the bell goes off the fire rescue athlete MUST be ready to perform. With that in mind, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to perform a grueling workout on duty. I personally prefer some lighter…
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How to Incorporate Fire Ground Movements into Your (firefighter ) Workout…
If you’ve been following my blog posts you know that I think interval training is very applicable to what we (as fire rescue athletes) do on the fire ground. Many of the programs that I create (FRF Ultimate Fire Athlete) incorporates intervals at the completion of each workout, I call them 10-minute Interval Overhauls. These interval Overhauls are a combination of exercises that challenges the total body, allows me to work on firefighter skills and simulates work on the fire ground. And they can really “jack-up” your metabolism too! You’ll discover these Overhauls can more realistically simulate the exhaustion felt on the fire ground and rescue scene. There are thousands of options for these overhauls (which I blog about often). If you create your own, I would like to know about it so please email me your ideas. Remember these 10- minute intervals are done at the end of your…
Read MoreFire Station Cardio Workout Option
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 28-day Quickstart Program) and/or as a good workout to get the blood flowing. Give it a shot! This is a re-post from one of my more popular fire house workouts. Try this great interval at the firehouse (or any house), 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…
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On-Duty Firefighter (Fire Rescue) Workout…
I get a lot of requests for workouts that can be performed on duty with equipment found at the firehouse. The other day, my crew and I performed this intensive 30 minute interval workout. This workout will get your heart racing, challenge your core and work your muscles. The workout consists of three, 10 minute intervals each with a different focus. The first 10 minutes focuses on anaerobic recovery, the second ten minutes on full body strength and the last ten minutes on fire ground related movements. The only equipment needed for the intervals are a 50 feet bundle of fire hose (2 1/2 inch works best), some stairs if you got them (or a jump rope), a place to do body rows (pull up bar) and an interval timer (there are android phone apps for this). Interval 1. Sprints. This interval requires a little space, you can use the garage bay or parking lot.…
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Tabata Workouts for Firefighters
Have you heard of Tabata? This is an unusual style workout floating around a lot of gyms and firehouses lately. I wanted to explain what it is and how we, as fire rescue athletes, can incorporate it into an effective workout. “Tabata” is the name of a particular type of workout program that provides increased fat burning and oxygen efficiency in a short period of time. Instead of hours upon hours of exercise, Tabata can be completed in just 4minute cycles. Tabata training was developed by a Japanese researcher named Dr. Izumi Tabata who was working with Olympic speed skaters. In his study, he found that a control group using his training method of 20 seconds work, 10 seconds rest, for eight intervals, saw greater VO2 Max improvement than the other group that trained with 60 minute sessions. The real question that you want to know is: “How can this…
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Firefighter Nutrition Tip…Don't Eat This
Try to follow this eating pattern! Don’t Eat this Sweetener… One of the most evil products that is present in huge quantities in our food supply these days is high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). Products that contain HFCS are highly modified from their natural state by mass processing to satisfy economical and/or food preservation needs. This results in products that are much more harmful to our bodies than the original substance. The food manufacturers are only concerned with maximizing profits– and do not take into consideration the consumer’s health. Not only does HFCS contribute significantly to promoting fat storage, but it also contributes to a host of other health problems. If you’re serious about getting “fit for duty,” losing body fat and maintaining a lean and healthy body, you must avoid HFCS as much as possible, if not altogether. The answer to avoiding HFCS is quite simple – don’t buy…
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Firefighter Fitness Predictions for 2014
Now everyone loves predictions and I’m no stranger. After over 20 years in the fitness industry, I’ve seen my fair share of trends (remember leg warmers and step aerobics…). Well, this year I’m going to put my experience to work and create some predictions. Take a look! 2014 Fitness Prediction #1 – Shorter, High Intensity Workouts Will Dominate. This year, your workout is going to get a lot more intense…or at least it should. High-intensity interval training is poised to hit the mainstream in 2014, according to a new survey from the American College of Sports Medicine. High intensity interval training, or HIIT, refers to workouts in which bouts of intense exercise are alternated with bouts of either rest of low-intensity activity. HIIT results in more fat loss than long, slow exercises like jogging, some studies have shown, and it’s beneficial for your heart, too. But the best part: It’s the most…
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