Hastings Fire Department

TACTICAL FITNESS AND WELLNESS RESOURCE PAGE

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Great resources and workouts to help you improve your performance, reduce injuries, and prolong your career with HFD.

28-DAY CATALYST PROGRAM THUMB FOR WEBPAGE

Get this 28-day Workout Program from FRF that will help you lose weight, gain strength, and improve your overall health and fitness.

Time to start training like a fire rescue athlete.  FRF is offering a free 28-day workout program to help you lose weight, gain strength and take your fitness to the next level.  The program includes access to the FRF tracking app, eating guides, coaching, and more.  It is FREE for all HFD members.  Give it a try!

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Firehouse Fresh- Recipes designed to fuel hungry firefighters.

Designed by registered dieticians, these recipes are easy to prepare and healthy for your crew. Give them a try!

 

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Addicted to Awake: Sleep Deprivation in the Fire Service

The hard truth is that almost 40 percent of firefighters suffer from a sleep disorder. According to a screening of 6,933 firefighters, 80 percent of those who tested positive had no prior awareness or previous diagnosis of their condition. This is a growing concern in the fire service.

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Health & Fitness: Fitness for the Fire Attack

Here is a great article to help you prepare for the basement fire scenario.   Advancing charged hoseline and fire attack are some of the most physically demanding activities we do on the fire ground.   Make sure you are strong, mobile, and ready for the fire attack with these great exercises.

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Functional Fitness for the Fire Service

Click the link below to obtain a copy of the presentation and slides from Aaron Zamzow's seminar on Functional Fitness for the Fire Service.

Additional Resources for you and your crew.

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Foam Rolling Guide for the Fire Service

Muscles sore and tight from a previous shift or workout?  Have you tried foam rolling?  The compressed foam pieces floating around all the stations might just be the fitness tool you need to start feeling and moving better. 

Summary of Foam Rolling Positions
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Five Steps to Better Nutrition

Eating in the firehouse or any house can be a challenge.  This guide simplifies nutrition and gives easy to follow and applicable steps to help you "clean up" your diet and lean up. This manual includes:

-Five easy to follow guidelines to get you lean and “fit for duty.”
-Nutrition Hacks that will help you prepare and plan healthy meals
-Healthy Snack Options to insure you stay on track
-The 90-10 Eating Plan.  Teaches you how to plan your "cheat meals" and stay on-track with your nutrition.
-Example meal plan

Additional Resources for you and your crew

Firefighter Fitness Motivation…

By Aaron Zamzow (ZAM) | 2 Jan 28, 2016

Here is a video I created as an intro my some FRF (Fire Rescue Fitness) presentations.  the goal is to get fire rescue athletes to understand the importance of treating their bodies like an athlete.  Eat…

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Firefighter Tabata Cardio Workout

By Aaron Zamzow (ZAM) | 2 Jan 25, 2016

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…

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Nutritional Myths around the Firehouse…

By Aaron Zamzow (ZAM) | 2 Jan 24, 2016

Today I wanted to post about nutrition, more importantly on some of the biggest nutritional myths floating around firehouses (and other houses).  Eat this, don’t eat that…there is so much misinformation on nutrition that it can get to…

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The Best Firefighter Workout?

By Aaron Zamzow (ZAM) | 2 Jan 21, 2016

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…

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One of the best Exercises for Firefighters…

By Aaron Zamzow (ZAM) | 2 Jan 19, 2016

I recently completed a FREE report of the “10 Best Exercises for Firefighters.” You can get a copy of all 10 exercises for FREE by Clicking HERE Now.  Here is one that made the list. The…

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10 Simple Rules for Firefighter Fat Loss….(2016 Edition)

By Aaron Zamzow (ZAM) | 2 Jan 8, 2016

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…

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Stop Exercising and Start Training to Get Fire Rescue Fit…

By Aaron Zamzow (ZAM) | 2 Jan 5, 2016

Before I worked as a firefighter, I was a trainer in both large and small health clubs.  During that time I would see a lot of people exercising consistently and with intensity but only make a…

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Get Paid to Get Fire Rescue Fit in 2016!

By Aaron Zamzow (ZAM) | 2 Dec 28, 2015

  Over $2,500 in cash and prizes will be given away to Firefighters, EMTs and Medics!  YOU can Win and more importantly Motivate Others!  Don’t wait, get your program and get started today! The purpose of the contest is…

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Happy Holidays Firefighter Workout…

By Aaron Zamzow (ZAM) | 2 Dec 24, 2015

Happy Holidays- Yes that time of the year where we have a tendency to overindulge and workouts seem to take second place to the holiday rush.   To combat the accumulation of holiday pounds I created…

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Why do Firefighters Have Heart Attacks?

Heart attack and strokes are more likely to kill firefighters than an actual fire. A recent research article just confirmed one of the major reasons why. The research confirms that the physical demands of firefighting may trigger the formation of blood clots and impair blood vessel function -- two factors associated with increased risk of heart attack and stroke. (You can read more about that research by clicking here.) 

Improve YOUR Sleep.

Firefighters often don't get enough sleep. Sleep deprivation can lead to real problems, including safety concerns.  For anyone who has worked in the fire service, this is hardly news. One of the most difficult adjustments for new firefighters can be the shift work: the 10/14 split, the 24- or 48-hour workday. As firefighters age, sleep disorders can lead to serious health problems for them. Click here to read about the "7 Ways to improve your crew's sleep and safety

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Why Firefighters Need YOGA

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 firefighter’s yoga can be a really great way to relieve stress and center the body and mind. This is especially important considering the high stress of the job. Yoga, if you allow it to be so, could be one of the best ways to combat PTSD.

 

Click here to discover 5 Reasons Why Every Firefighter Should do Yoga.  (Click here for the article.) 

Goblet Squat for more Fireground Strength

 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 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. Goblet squats also help improve mobility in the hip, thus helping you out with other fire rescue movement patterns.  Click here for a great tutorial on the Goblet Squat

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If you have any questions, please reach out to Aaron (click here).