The Firefighter Workout # 1

Firefighter Workout

Hey everyone! Juan here.

If you have looked at any blogs or websites about firefighting then you will almost always see a “Fitness” section. Whether the show a Firefighter Workout, recipes for healthy eating, or tips on how to not hurt your back, they are there and for a reason. The reason for that is because fitness and firefighting go hand in hand. Now you don’t have  to be able to bench a couple hundred pounds or have the rock hard abs, you just need to have some strength to you.

I have a fitness section because I wanted to help you guys with some tips and workouts you can do. That being said, I wanted to put out some information that would actually help you and not just what I think would help you.

I’m no fitness expert by any means, so what I decided to do for you guys is hire someone who was.

I went to a freelancer website called upwork.com and after interviewing over a handful of potential writers I found one that I thought would be perfect for you guys.

His name is Jon and he is a certified strength and conditioning coach at with National Council on Strength and Fitness (NCSF). Not to mention he is alsoH a certified personal trainer, kettlebell enthusiast, and current AKA American record holder in kettlebell sport.

So before I start to ramble like I always do, I’ll just let him get to it. Here is Jons awesome post:

There are many physically demanding jobs that make up the “blue collar” workforce but the job of the firefighter may be at the top of that list for a number of reasons. Firefighters must perform their duties under constantly changing conditions and environments. Every situation presents a new challenge and, of course, the element of dangerous that a firefighter accepts with every new call.

Being physically capable of handling these challenges is extremely important to those taking on these daily risks. The proper training could make all the difference when it comes to successfully answering the call to duty. Not being able to answer the physical demands could lead to injury to one’s self or others.

Firefighter Workout

There are a number of physical components that should be addressed when considering what a training program should look like in order for a firefighter to perform their duties. Some of the components that should be addressed are flexibility/mobility, power, strength, and endurance.

The ability to bend, duck, reach, crawl, hurdle and adeptly maneuver will depend on the individual’s ability be mobile and flexible.

Tightnesses and restrictions in the body will not only limit performance in the field but also performance in training and can ultimately lead to unnecessary injury.

A warm up done before a workout incorporating corrective exercise and dynamic movements will help mobilize the muscle and the joints and raise the muscle tissue temperature which is what a good “warm up” should do. Traditional stretching after the workout will aid in increasing flexibility.

Power is the ability to apply force in a given period of time. For a firefighter, power may be needed in two forms. Being able to heave an object up off the ground onto your shoulders is an example of maximum power while having to repeatedly apply force is an example of power endurance.

Traditional exercises such as the barbell power clean are excellent at improving max power and your ability to apply force at will. If you have ever had to lift a heavy object into the back of a truck you most likely “cleaned” the object to get it up there, it is a fundamental movement. Once form is acceptable, in training keep this movement to low reps (1-5 reps) and the loads heavy to reap the benefits.

If you have access to Kettlebells or medicine balls, utilize these tools to increase your power endurance.

These moves do not have to be fancy or complicated.

Master the kettlebell swing, two handed and one handed, and move on to the snatch. Do swings for time, focus on form and the ability to generate power. You’ll not only get the heart rate up and have your muscles burning your grip will get a superior workout.

With the medicine ball, slams and side throws into a wall will do and mimic movements you may encounter while on duty. No kettlebells or medicine balls, no problem. Swings and snatches can be performed with dumbbells, jump squats, and low box hops are good bodyweight options.

Firefighter Workout

If you are a firefighter you should be familiar with strength training if not, now is the time to get started. Get strong and everything else will get better! Two focuses while strength training should be maximum strength, the greatest tension a muscle can achieve to overcome resistance, and strength endurance, being able to utilize that tension over an extended period.

When training maximal strength reps should remain low (1-5 reps) and load should remain high. Exercises selection will focus on complex movements, utilizing multiple muscle groups. For this, we are looking at the deadlift, back squat, front squat, bench press, rowing variations and overhead press.

Strength endurance could mean performing these exercises and their assistive counterparts at lighter loads but a firefighter may want to turn to some more unconventional training method at this point to develop the type of strength that will be useful when called into the line of duty.

Here you may want to consider farmers carries, keg/stone carries, sled drags, sled pushes, log presses or moving other objects in a manner similar to real world situations. Moving for distance, time and as in many directions as possible, (e.g. forward, backward, laterally) varying the load and the position of where the load is (e.g. shoulders, arms, overhead, dragging) will provide training adaptations that useful to all areas of your daily life.

Moving for distance, time and as in many directions as possible, (e.g. forward, backward, laterally) varying the load and the position of where the load is (e.g. shoulders, arms, overhead, dragging) will provide training adaptations that useful to all areas of your daily life.

As a firefighter your job requires you to be consistent and reliable.

Random workouts will just give you random results, nothing you can count on. If your goal is to see real progress then your training will need to be just as consistent as you are. Commit to an exercise program and allow enough time for the training adaptations to take place, this will usually occur after 4-6 workouts of a particular program.

Here is a sample program that will provide two separate days of training variables that can be performed over the course of a few weeks.

Firefighter Workout #1

 

Warm Ups: (Before Every Workout)

 

You do not need to overcomplicate this or need to have an exercise encyclopedia on how to do this.  Foam Roll First if you have one available. Let’s keep it simple.

Muscle Activation

  1. Mobilize all the joints (wrists, shoulders, hips, knees ankles) by moving them in all ranges of motion
  2. Hip Bridges (10)
  3. Bodyweight Squats (10)Firefighter Workout
  4. Walking Lunges reaching arms overhead as you descend (5 ea. leg)Firefighter Workout
  5. Lateral Squats (5 ea. leg)                                 Firefighter Workout

Dynamic Movements

  1. Jumping Jacks  (30 sec.)
  2. Butt Kickers (30 sec.)
  3. High Knees (30 sec.)
Day 1:

1a. Dumbbell Snatch 2 sets x 5 reps each side (80% max)

1b. Barbell Power Clean to Military Press 2 sets x 5 reps (75% press weight)

2. Deadlift 3 sets x 5 reps (85% max)

3a. Dumbbell Split Squat 3 sets x 10 reps each side

3b. Dumbbell Single Arm Row 3 sets x 10 reps each side

3c. Dips (weighted if possible) 3 sets to failure.

4. Farmers Carry 4 sets for distance or time

Day 2:

1a. Box Jumps 3 sets x 10 reps

2. Back Squat 3 sets x 5 reps (85% max)

3a. Bench Press 4 sets, (10, 8, 5, 3RM)

3b. Dumbbell Single Leg Deadlift 4 sets x 8 reps ea.

3c. Barbell Bent Over Row (underhand grip) 4 sets x 8 reps

4. Sled Drags 4 rounds; 60 seconds work/60 seconds rest

Cool Down: (After Every Workout)

 

Address flexibility of muscles worked while warm.

1. Standing Hamstring StretchFirefighter Workout

2. Standing Quad Stretch Firefighter Workout

3. Standing Cross body Shoulder Stretch Firefighter Workout

4. Standing Tricep Stretch    Firefighter Workout

Foam Roll if possible.

Remember that consistency is key, progress when possible and always use great form. Stay strong and stay safe!

Juan here again, hope you liked the guest post. There will be more to come.

Jon talked about some tools like the kettle bell and I know some of you guys don’t have them at home. Here are some that I found on Amazon that you guys may purchase to help with the workouts:

                       

 

If you would like updates about more blog posts like this then please subscribe to my blog. Comment below if you have any questions or concerns about this post. Thanks again for reading, I appreciate it.

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