Dept. looking for some equipment

[Breech31]

I've volunteered to take part in a search for a new peice of fitness equipment for our dept. I personally have an idea of what might be best, and we do have some servicable free weights, but I'd like to ask some of you, if you could have one peice of fitness equipment, what would it be? Thanks!

[@the1house]

My personal favorite piece of exercise equipment is a kettlebell. I was introduced to them about 18mo. ago and love them. I have got several others in and around my department hooked on them. You can work so many different areas. We have 2 - 20lbs., 2 - 35lbs, 1 - 44lbs., and 2 - 55lbs. My core hasn't been as strong and conditioned since I was in high school athletics. There are many videos available on youtube and around the internet. We incorporate them into our conditioning courses (a course that simulates actual fireground activites i.e. hitting a tire with a sledgehammer, dragging hose, running stairs). Before you buy any equipment I would assess what you have and what you can buy to accomodate it. Another route you might try is to get with the ones who use your eqipment and develop a workout plan and buy equipment specific to what everybody wants to be doing. However do not fall for the do-it-all machines most I feel they are useless. Most generally they don't make you stabilize the weight or allow for the proper range of motion. I am 6'4" and many machines don't allow the proper range of motion for my body size and type. I like items such as free weights, dumbells, kettlebells, and just using our everyday gear to enhance the difficulty of a workout like wearing a SCBA with an old steel cylinder while running/walking stairs. Be job specific. Don't get caught up in the bench press craze. Being able to bench press 300lbs does you no good on the fireground. Well I'll let that be my two cents. Enjoy.

[Firemikeb1]

The most used piece of equipment at our fire stations are the treadmills. We have Precor's and have had great luck so far with them. One of the most important thing in buying equipment for firefighters; don't get residential quality, commercial will cost more, but in the long run it will be cheaper. Good luck, Mike