Firefighters Lifestyle > FITNESS > Firefighter Workout #5
Firefighter Workout #5
As Firefighters, you guys have one of the most respected jobs around.
Think about it and compare it to some of the other professions that carry a level of professionalism and respect. Lawyers, doctors, police officers, accountants all get a bad rap somewhere along the line, you may have even had a bad experience with someone in one of these professions.
That doesn’t seem to be the case for firemen though.
In the past week or so I’ve been noticing a commercial on television for Firehouse Subs. I was first exposed to this brand last summer while out in Indiana and I am assuming they are making their way into the North East now hence the commercial exposure.
I have never had or am I planning on making a visit to this establishment but the brand uses a portrayal of a fireman to promote the brand. As he makes his way over to the pole he lists the duties a fireman is responsible for. Third on his list was “performing copious kettlebell exercises”, as he slowly slides his way past a floor in the firehouse with some guys working out in the background.
Oddly enough the kettlebells were barely recognizable and the bench press 1seemed to be highlighted. Most people maybe have heard of kettlebells, may not recognize them if they saw them and if that is the case most certainly don’t know how to use them to their potential.
If you haven’t yet been acquainted with a kettlebell yet I suggest you do in the near future.
We have talked about the combination of strength, power, endurance and grit a firefighter needs to be successful in his job and the kettlebell is just the tool that can help you reach all those goals.
Two important foundational exercises you are going to want to learn with the kettlebell are the Deadlift and the Goblet Squat. Now if you are already doing strength training and familiar with kettlebells you might say “I already deadlift and squat why do I need to do this with a kettlebell that may only weigh 40 to 50 pounds”.
The deadlift will establish your hinge pattern that you will need for the swing, clean and snatch. I personally will start almost every kettlebell workout with 20 deadlifts and then 10 single leg deadlifts just to warm up, get that pattern down and feel a good balance throughout the body.
The goblet squat is great because it reinforces proper squatting mechanics and gets the core engaged with the placement of the weight off the chest and away from the body.
Your elbows should be tucked down at your side and as you descend into your squat end up inside your knees. A momentary pause in that position really forces the core to engage.
Once you’ve nailed the deadlift and the goblet squat it’s time to get to work with the swing.
It is been said that the swing in the center of the kettlebell universe.
This movement comes more naturally to some than others and it does take practice. Before I owned any kettlebells I would swing a dumbbell and I learned most of the movements by reading and watching content put out by Pavel Tsatsouline who popularized the Russian kettlebell in America. If you have the time and the money to go out and hire a coach that is always a good idea, if not you can learn the basics on your own with some diligence and persistence.
If you have the time and the money to go out and hire a coach that is always a good idea, if not you can learn the basics on your own with some diligence and persistence.
The swing will enhance your strength, power and endurance while simultaneously improving your flexibility, elasticity and grip strength. If you are a deadlift addict you should know the swing is a progression to the deadlift and the ballistic nature of the movement will fire muscle that in turn can lead to larger numbers on your traditional deadlift on the bar.
In a past article I mentioned Crossfit and a workout that was being done as part of their 2016 Crossfit Open. If your exposure to kettlebells has come through Crossfit then you may have been taught the American style swing in which the bells is swung completely overhead to a locked out position with both hands on the handle of the bell.
I am not a fan of this style for a number of reasons but mostly because I believe that if you are going to move the bell overhead in a pendulum fashion it is much more beneficial to your training if you acquire the skills needed for the kettlebell snatch. The single arm nature of the snatch is more challenging on the grip but also any unilateral (single arm, single leg) exercise leads to an improved range of movement and an increased need for stability (aka more strength).
You need a solid swing before you start to attempt your snatch to ensure adequate power is being generated from the hips and that you body is capable of handling those demands.
If you have a weight that you can swing for 50 reps you may find it difficult to perform 10 quality snatches with that weight before you are feeling your form break down. Before we start to incorporate the snatch into any of of routines I would like to make sure you guys have a solid basis set with the swing and other overhead work with the kettlebell to provide us with some shoulder stability.
So here is a workout I would like you guys to give a shot, it’s actually one of my “go to” workouts when I am pressed for time. As I sit here writing this there are 3 kettlebells which I own sitting in my living room but if you remember I did not own these when I first started I would swing a dumbbell so I will give you some options here if you do not have access to a kettlebell.
Simple Kettlebell Routine:
- Kettlebell Deadlift @ 24kg (53lbs) X 20
- Single-Leg Kettlebell Deadlift x 10 each side
- KB Goblet Squat 3 x 10 @ 24kg
- 20 KB Swing
- 20 Push ups
5 Rounds (with as little rest needed)
(that’s a total of 100 swings and 100 pushups!)
Repeat 5 rounds after full recovery if time and energy allow.
If you only have dumbbells, grab a set and substitute a Romanian Deadlift (RDL) and Single Leg RDL with the dumbbells in lieu of the kettlebell deadlift and a single leg deadlift. Use a single arm to swing the dumbbell through the rounds, remember your arms aren’t doing the work here so don’t think strong side/weak side generate power through the hips.
One tool, a small amount of space and a short amount of time. That’s why I love kettlebell training! We’d love to hear how you are feeling and how your training is going leave a comment in the section below!