fitness and wellness question

[joehale2317]

I posted this to the grant boys on this forum as well, but I'm looking for information about fitness equipment designed specifically for firefighters. Anyone know some vendors with such equipment? Cost? etc...

Any information will help. Thanks.

[Fitguy51]

Unless you are training for CPAT or the combat challenge you would want equipment that works on general fitness. Even if you are training for those tests you can still find exercises that mimic the event. Don't buy cheap equipment as it will not hold up to heavy use.

[GaiusPaul]

Functional workouts are best. We lift stuff, we pull stuff, we hit stuff. So lift, pull , and hit stuff during your workout.

Crossfit is good, and if you Youtube "Firefighter workout" you'll come up with some great workouts.

[joehale2317]

Thanks for the leads... I'm still researching over here so all of your help is appreciated.

[gilnorwalk]

I am taking my CPAT on Aug 6 in Connecticut. Has anyone enrolled at the same date? Also how's your training regimen.

[ogomez]

You have to look at it like a machine. The human performance: strength, power, endurance (respiratory & muscular) , ROM, balance, agility, proprioception. All of these are required for a FF to function at 100%, I have alot of "Big, Strong" (with Betty Boop voice) FF who have poor endurance and or poor ROM. Guess what? their ability to last (no joke please) and injury rate are higher than someone who has all of the above.
I am a proponent of overall-body training (functional if you want to use that term). To be specific to either muscle groups or movements can lead to injury by creating muscular imbalances and limitation in movement. The body will then cheat to get around a lack of any of the above. The brain says "GO" it doesn't care how it gets done. Example: to lift a loaded back board requires a "butt-to-heel" squat (full hip/knee/ankle ROM) and maintain a neutral spine thru the lift. If a FF is lacking ROM then the technique is compromised, if strength is lacking then he/she will recruit unintended muscle groups and the rick of injury is exponentially increased.
Educating guys to realize the importance of the complete athlete is difficult with the mentality of either bigger is better or "I can do the job" and they don't maintain fitness over their career and let themselves get overweight/out of shape.
I recommend general fitness first, including all of the above. You caninclude FF specific exercises into a workout as well. You can email me for ideas. Good luck.

Orlando Gomez FF/PT/PFT-I
www.adapttraining.com
orlyg1521@gmail.com

[hammerhome]

I am taking my CPAT on Aug 6 in Connecticut. Has anyone enrolled at the same date? Also how's your training regimen.

One that I did before my CPAT:

with a weight vest, I started out at 20lbs in the vest and would do 20-30 minutes on the stair stepper(start with 20sec at 50steps/min, then do 3 min at 60steps.min) to simulate the CPAT and then do the rest at a high rate that makes you tired. Be careful that you don't lean forward if you use a weight vest as it will put stress on your back. Step without holding the rails and stand up straight.

Then jump over to the pull up bar, and then pushups. I would do the pull ups with the vest on for the first set to failure, then I would do two more sets. When I could do 10 pullups in a row I added 5lbs. Push ups were four sets of 10 with the weight vest on.
I would alternate the push ups and pull ups without the weight vest every other workout and go for more reps without weight.

I also worked on the ax pull machine, full body range of motion, low to high, mid range, and high to low(for core). Basically I looked at the CPAT online and tried to simulate all the workouts in the gym.

On the non-weight days I would ride my road bike 2-3 hours for endurance fitness, or run a few miles.

At the CPAT i got a 7:35, I was winded after the dummy drag but recovered by the time I got to the pike pull/push, and I know that my workouts helped a lot. You wont even feel the weight of the vest because of your adrenalin but if your core isn't in shape you may hurt yourself through bad body mechanics.

If I was to change anything I would have added some 100meter sprints at the track to work more on explosive power.

I started with a good base, I work hard every day as a carpenter/contractor and I have cycled for 4 years. The sledgehammer and the ladder can get you so if you can get practice using these it would help. The goal is to get below 10 minutes so as long as you put some time into your body you will make it. Im sure that an academy will be much tougher though so you will want to make fitness a part of your schedule so you don't end up injured.

go to www.adapttraining.com and check out what ogomez is talking about. Lots of good info there.

Good luck on your CPAT and beyond, sorry its a long post.