Fire fighter workouts focuses on a mix of strength and endurance.
For a firefighter, fitness is necessary not just to do the job, but to protect your life and the lives around you. Bringing together a unique mix of power and endurance, firefighters must be able to carry heavy loads up and down stairs, hoist hoses up tall building, drag unwieldy objects across large areas and be able to continue such taxing actions for as long as necessary. With lives hanging in the balance, firefighters train year round to achieve and maintain a high level of athletic ability that may be called upon at any time.
Health Considerations
When taking on any new task of physical training, it is a prudent to consult your doctor. When taking on the high level demands of firefighter training, it is imperative that you involve your doctor before beginning. To prepare for the many awkward and jarring movements demanded by the job, firefighter workouts need to be nearly as extreme. As such, injuries or even illnesses can take hold with ease. To begin officially training to be a firefighter a doctor's release is required for all applicants and such should be considered the standard for any recreational training as well.
Base Level of Fitness
Firefighter workouts can be taxing for even the most fit. Before even starting workouts, it is important to attain a strong base of fitness. Plan on spending at least a month or two working out and building a strong base from which to launch your formal training. The program and job require a mix of strength and endurance, so work on a running and weight training rotation. Run every other day, building about 10% on your mileage weekly. Mix in weight workouts on the off days. Though full body weight training is necessary, place additional focus on the your legs, back and shoulders, as they will care much of the load as a firefighter.
Getting Started
Take your time and look at the big picture. Do not put everything you have into the first workout, because the following workouts will suffer. Push yourself to your limits, but never past them. Injuries spring up when you push to hard too fast. Also, firefighting requires some very jarring and explosive movements, so try to find ways to condition your body for them, while protecting it from injury. For instance, chopping at walls and doors with an ax is a necessary in firefighting, but chopping at wood as a training method can wear down the shoulder and elbows, and cause life-long problems. Instead, find a large tractor tire and strike it with a long-handled sledgehammer. This activity will build the same muscle groups and condition the body for the impact, but not jar the joints and connective tissues like the impact of an ax to wood.
Movement Training
Working as a firefighter requires to do whatever is necessary to protect structures and save lives. As such, you will often be called upon to hoist, carry, lift and drag incapacitated people, heavy debris and many other unwieldy objects. To prepare for these tasks, you must practice them. Start working in segments, practicing one movement a day while adding additional movements in the coming weeks and months. As you build your strength and endurance, slowly add additional weight and combine multiple movements until you are able to move through an entire circuit of all applicable movements while in full firefighter protective gear.
Rest and Sleep
Firefighter workouts are very taxing on the body. The constant pounding the muscles and joints take, over time, can weaken and cause sickness and injury. To prevent these symptoms of over-training, give your body time to recover. Rest is great but, sleep is the most most effective manner of recovery. As you are building up your program, listen to your body and get at least eight quality hours of sleep a night, but shoot for more if can, especially after difficult sessions.
Take Breaks
Schedule regular training breaks. Firefighter workouts tax the body and the mind. Beating yourself down day in an day out will take its toll on you and you will become injured or lose all motivation if you do not step away sporadically. If you are having trouble getting out of bed and following through with your workouts, even with plenty of sleep, you have waited too long to take a break. Periodic breaks recharge your motivations and you body, helping you maintain a fitness level that saves lives.
Tags: strength endurance, your body, called upon, Firefighter workouts, high level, strong base