Preparing for the Academy

[jcorey1]

Hello all, I'm taking my fire academy this upcoming summer and I'm curious as to what the best things to focus on with my workouts are. I've been doing lower weight + more reps to work on muscular endurance and fitness, which I've read many places is what I need to really focus on, opposed to mass and size. Here is my current workout, mind you I just started it maybe 3 weeks ago so it's somewhat of a beginner routine.

Mondays- Arms+Shoulders

Hammer Curls- 3 sets of 15 reps, 25lb weight.
Standard Curls- 3 sets of 15 reps, 25lb weight.
Skullcrushers- 2 sets of 16 reps, 20lb weight
Dips- 4 sets of 10 reps, 1 set to failure
Seated Dumbbell Press- 3 sets of 15, 12, 10 with 30lbs
Dumbbell Lateral Raise- 3 sets of 12, 15lbs
Reverse Dumbbel Fly- 2 sets of 12, 20lbs

Tuesday- Legs
25minutes cardio, running
Leg press- 3 sets of 15 180lbs
Leg extension- 3 sets of 15 80lbs
Leg Curl- 4 sets of 12 90lbs
Working towards squats

Weds-
25mins cardio, running

Thursday- Chest and Back
Cardio, 25mins running
Flat Bench Press, 3 sets of 15, 12,10 150lbs (my forms so-so focusing on that)
Incline Bench Press, 3 sets of 15, 12, 10 150lbs
Dumbbell Flys- 4 sets of 15 25lbs
Inclined Dumbbell Flyes- 4 sets of 15 25lbs
Push ups 4 x25
Rowing Machine, 4 sets of 12, cant recall the weight...
Lat Pulldown- 4 sets of 12...cant recall weight.

Friday- Rest
Saturday- Run 25mins
Sunday-Rest

Phwew. Okay, well thats been my routine for maybe the past two weeks or so? I was a soccer player so I used to just do mostly cardio...free weights are somewhat of a new thing to me. I would love any input anyone might have, feel free to throw in your 2 cents and pick it apart. My main concern is if I need to add any strength building i.e.- low reps high weight, or is it okay for me to focus on high reps lower weight for endurance?

As always, appreciate any feedback!

[zzyyzx]

Weight routines are great, but depending on the academy you go to, most of your physical fitness will be "job related" activities. Check out places like firegroundfitness.blogspot.com for different ideas.

There are two things I'd add into your routine now: a job skills circuit training consisting of a variety of skills you'll encounter on the fireground (hitting wood with a sledge hammer, carrying a heavy bag up stairs, lifting and lowering a weight via rope, etc); and also some sort of stair march with a weight vest or backpack with some weights. Just a few minutes of this will usually tear up your legs and surprise you.

Good luck.

[MjMart85]

Look into crossfit . I just started and its awesome

[jcorey1]

I think I am going to check out crossfit. I've been looking into it and it looks like the real deal for this kind of job and for getting me ready. Do I just do the workout of the day? Or do they have workouts that are scaled for fitness level?

[nicollsj]

check out www.crossfitbrandx.com. On the forums board all of the workouts are scaled to your ability

[edpmedic]

Absorb the material from those sites. In the meantime, work deadlifts, power cleans, renegade rows, olympic style front squats, pullups, hanging toes to bar, inverted rows, bulgarian split squats, KB/DB swings, snatches, clean & jerks, prone planks, romanian deadlifts. Burpees. Lots of burpees.

Curls, benching, leg extensions and flies will get you nowhere in preparing for the academy. Bodypart splits and isolation movements were invented shortly after steroids became popular. Those things work for sauced up bodybuilders, but not occupational athletes such as FF's.

Also, no more doing anything seated. Fireground tasks are done from a standing or kneeling position, resistance is typically front loaded, and your training should reflect that.

[jcorey1]

Thanks for the input everyone. I just made that routine from my previous knowledge of how I used to work out for sports...I'm learning through research and from you guys that this is totally different. I'm going to probably order that book Michael Stefanos wrote, The Firefighter Workout Book, just to give me a good basis and foundation to work from.