Stair Climber Training?

[xstalkrx]

I've taken one physical test and passed it. But the part that zapped me the most was the 5 story stair climb while holding a 50lb high rise bag and wearing a 35 pound vest.

i have access to a stair climber in the gym...but whats the best way to train for this?

Just do the stair climber for like 20-30 minutes at a slow pace so that I can last for that long?

Or do I get a 30-40 pound curl bar and put it on my shoulders and walk at a slow pace up the climber for 20-30 minutes?

[edpmedic]

DO NOT put a bar on your back, then attempt the climber. Way too dangerous. Try holding weight plates, or dumbbells. When you need to end the session, you can put one plate/bell down in the middle, freeing up one hand. Do you have access to a weight vest? What are the parameters of the test you're training for? How many minutes, and at what intensity? When I trained for the cpat, this is what I did - I wore a 35 lb vest, held two 35 lb plates, walked at level 7(tested at level 6), went to near failure, ditched the bells, continues to near failure again, then five minutes weightless. At first I could only manage 1 1/2 min/2 min/3 mins, but one week prior to test day, I did 6/6/5. I felt that overpreparing, in this manner, left me quite fresh for the remainder of the cpat. This workout was repeated every other day, AFTER my conditioning session, never fresh. I weighed 215-220 lbs just prior to the cpat, and the actual test was a joke. I hope it will be laughable for you, as well. Good luck!

[Drjmilus]

edPmedic, your post is right on. Just training with a weight vest would not ready your hands for carrying something as your idea would. I agree that putting a bar on the shoulders is a very bad idea (I did it once years ago... and hurt myself see how smart I am? LOL)

Here’s a plan for you to use. It will take you 11 (plus) weeks to get through it. If yu are in good shape, you might be able to add weight or increase your time faster, but I warn against it.

Train a day on the step mill, and lift weights with your upper body on other indicated days. One thing I would avoid, though, is weight training for your traps specifically during this time. So: don’t do shrugs or upright rows. The weight vest is tough enough on them.

I say strongly: some people might also like to lift with their legs stepping days, but it’s too much to cover here.
This workout is longer than you will be required to do for the step mill on test day. This will make test day easier, plus make you more than ready for the additional demands of test day! For more information on what is expected on test day, read here: http://www.fireagility.com/index.php
Make sure you warm up 5 minutes easy on the stationary bike, and stretch after wards- especially your calves!

For a printable chart of this workout, see this on my web site:
http://www.fireagility.com/articles.php
and scroll down to Step Mill Training article!

Weight Vest Pounds Time: minutes Steps/minute
Day 1 10 2 60
Day 2 Upper Body Upper Body Upper Body
Day 3 15 2.5 60
Day 4 Upper Body Upper Body Upper Body
Day 5 15 3 60
Day 6 Upper Body Upper Body Upper Body
Day 7 15 3.5 60
Day 8 Upper Body Upper Body Upper Body
Day 9 20 3.5 60
Day 10 Upper Body Upper Body Upper Body
Day 11 Rest Entire Day
Day 12 Upper Body Upper Body Upper Body
Day 13 20 4 60
Day 14 Upper Body Upper Body Upper Body
Day 15 20 min . other Form of cardio Run, swim, bike
Day 16 Upper Body Upper Body Upper Body
Day 17 25 4 60
Day 18 Upper Body Upper Body Upper Body
Day 19 Rest Entire Day
Day 20 Upper Body Upper Body Upper Body
Day 21 30 4 60
Day 22 Upper Body Upper Body Upper Body
Day 23 35 4 60
Day 24 Upper Body Upper Body Upper Body
Day 25 35 4.5 60
Day 26 Upper Body Upper Body Upper Body
Day 27 Rest Entire Day
Day 28 35 4.5 60
Day 29 Upper Body Upper Body Upper Body
Day 30 35 5 60
Day 31 Upper Body Upper Body Upper Body
Day 32 40 5 60
Day 33 Upper Body Upper Body Upper Body
Day 34 20 min. other Form of cardio Run, swim, bike
Day 35 Upper Body Upper Body Upper Body
Day 36 45 5 60
Day 37 Upper Body Upper Body Upper Body
Day 38 Rest Entire Day
Day 39 45 5.5 60
Self evaluation: How do I feel? Neck? Knees? Back?
Day 40 Upper Body Upper Body Upper Body
Day 41 45 6 60
Day 42 Upper Body Upper Body Upper Body
Day 43 20 min. other Form of cardio Run, swim, bike
Day 44 Upper Body Upper Body Upper Body
Day 45 50 5.5 60
Day 46 Upper Body Upper Body Upper Body
Day 47 20 min. other Form of cardio Run, swim, bike
Day 48 Upper Body Upper Body Upper Body
Day 49 50 6 60
Day 50 Upper Body Upper Body Upper Body
Day 51 55 5.5 60
Day 52 Upper Body Upper Body Upper Body
Day 53 Rest Entire Day
Day 54 Upper Body Upper Body Upper Body
Self Evaluation: How do I feel? Back? Neck? Knees?
Day 55 55 6 60
Day 56 Upper Body Upper Body Upper Body
Day 57 20 min. other Form of cardio Run, swim, bike
Day 58 Upper Body Upper Body Upper Body
Day 59 60 5.5 60
Day 60 Upper Body Upper Body Upper Body
Day 61 60 6 60
Day 62 Upper Body Upper Body Upper Body
Day 63 Rest Entire Day
Day 64 Upper Body Upper Body Upper Body
Day 65 65 5.5 60
Day 66 Upper Body Upper Body Upper Body
Day 67 Rest Entire Day
Day 68 Upper Body Upper Body Upper Body
Self Evaluation: How do I feel? Back? Neck? Knees?
Day 69 65 6 60
Day 70 Upper Body Upper Body Upper Body
Day 71 20 min. other Form of cardio Run, swim, bike
Day 72 Upper Body Upper Body Upper Body
Day 73 70 5.5 60
Day 74 Rest Entire Day
Day 75 70 6 60
Day 76 Upper Body Upper Body Upper Body
Day 77 Rest Entire Day
Day 78 75 5.5 60
Day 79 Rest Entire Day
Day 80 75 6 60


From here forward, you should be able to be step mill ready if you do the last workout twice a week!

Best of Luck!

Dr. Jen
www.fireagility.com

Have you seen our other websites?

www.backsafegolf.com
www.girlslax.org

[owenscott]

Might look silly but, local public access buildings have stairwells ... that's where I am going to get my stair workout.

Hospital has 4 story high parking garage.

[hefightsfire99]

I've taken one physical test and passed it. But the part that zapped me the most was the 5 story stair climb while holding a 50lb high rise bag and wearing a 35 pound vest.

i have access to a stair climber in the gym...but whats the best way to train for this?

Just do the stair climber for like 20-30 minutes at a slow pace so that I can last for that long?

Or do I get a 30-40 pound curl bar and put it on my shoulders and walk at a slow pace up the climber for 20-30 minutes?

When is your test? What does your current workout look like? How long have you been working out?

[TerraDactyl]

Might look silly but, local public access buildings have stairwells ... that's where I am going to get my stair workout.

Hospital has 4 story high parking garage.

When I first got hired by my department we would go to the local hospital everyday and climb the stairs. We would all carry the hose pack, tools, high rise bag and whatever else....it was great! I wish we still did it

[owenscott]

I did 4 stories up and 4 stories down .. sneakers with no extra weight for 22 minutes. I'm trying to figure out how to get some stable weight to work with ....thinking about weight lifting weights in a back pack but i think it'll tear. Cannot afford even gas to get there so buying a weight vest is out of the picture.

[Fatkid4]

I'm 35 years old, 215lbs and just under 5'9". I just got 7:50 on my CPAT after getting zero sleep the night before. I left with my 5 year old at 1:30 in the morning to stand in line for an application before heading to my CPAT. I wasn't early enough to get an application, because they ran out. I should have camped out the night before.

My point is lift, run, and eat healthy. If you're going out of your way just to pass the stair climb then you should likely look for something else to do. People's lifes are on the line.

Train, Train, Train!!! If the best you can do is pass the CPAT then please find something elso to do. I don't want some sloppy piece of **** showing up when my wife and kids need to be saved.

SERIOUSLY!!!!!!!!!!!

[yjbrody]

Might look silly but, local public access buildings have stairwells ... that's where I am going to get my stair workout.

I'm cheap so I second this idea!

Over the years, to get ready for stairclimb events I have used walking lunges to train. I didn't have a gym membership nor a vest so I would do walking lunges on a soccer field with a backpack for extra weights.

Worked every time and I still use this method to stay in shape. A walking lunge is way harder than climbing stairs anyways so I was always more than prepared for the test.

Just don't do too much weight, go too deep in the lunge or let your front knee extend over your toes. Don't want to injure yourself.

Best of luck!

[Breech31]

Well, I'll agree with the 'Fat Kid,' on preparing for the whole deal, instead of just the CPAT, the CPAT is a critical part of the interview process that unfortunately, some of the most knowelegable of candidates stumble on...pardon the pun.

Where the stepper is concerned, my gym has a flight of stairs that I use. I grab a set of 40 lb dumb bells and do 4 reps (one time up and down= one rep), then grab a 45 lb dumb bell, do three reps, then go weightless for a rep, then grab the 50's for one rep, then go weightless for 4 reps. So far so good! We'll see what happens.