FHWorld16: Functional Fitness Should be Every Firefighter's Goal

SAN DIEGO – Firefighters spend a lot time working out to get the six-pack or eight-pack ABS and that might not be the best use of their time spent on fitness.

So says Jim Moss, a lieutenant with Metro West, Mo., Fire Protection District, who was a co-presenter of “The Fundamentals of Firefighter Functional Fitness,” one of the classes presented at Firehouse World.

The common misconception is firefighters think they have to work on their ABS,” said Moss. “But, the core is all of our torso, the front, back, sides, high and low.”

Functional fitness means that firefighter focus on the movements that prepare them to do their jobs on the scene, Moss said, adding there are eight big firefighter movements that firefighter workouts should incorporate.

“Rather than focusing on muscle groups, we focus on core strength and improve cardio vascular capacities and flexibility,” Moss said.

Gluts and buttocks exercising should be part of the routine regiment, Moss said. “Core strength is important to so many things we do,” he said. “It helps with balance and flexibility and injury prevention. He added that 44 percent of firefighter injuries involve the back.

“It’s incredibly important to build core strength,” Moss said.

Moss and his co-presenter, Dan Kerrigan, Assistant Fire Marshall of the East Whiteland Township, Pa., Fire Department, have a different approach to firefighter fitness.

“We make sure everything we do in our fitness program prepares us for the job and fireground performance,” Moss said.

He said firefighters are “occupational athletes” and, as such, they need to be mindful of all aspects of fitness, particularly cardio vascular capacity. By doing so, it helps firefighters more effectively breakdown, transfer and use oxygen.

“In the heat of battle, we’re like hockey players or football players,” Moss said. “…We need to be doing the work on the firegrounds as efficiently as possible.”

That’s why Moss said “circuit training” is best for firefighters. He says firefighters should get into their protective gear ensemble and work through five or six stations, such as climbing stairs, striking a tire, crawling with a charged hose line are among the exercises that will work best.

“We need to do exercises that emphasize the movements we use,” Moss said.

The best exercises focus on flexibility training, Moss said.

“Doing regular flexibility training reduces injuries and helps joints have better ranges of motion which help us function better on firegrounds,” he said.

Moss recommends dynamic stretching for warming up, such as walking lunches and natural motions. For cool downs, he recommends reach and hold exercises, and stretching. And, as a general rule, yoga once a week for 30 minutes can help with natural motions as well. He said one doesn’t have to turn themselves into a human pretzel for yoga to be very beneficial.

“For firefighters, it’s not about having that beach body look, the body builder body,” Moss said. “It’s not about getting ripped, it’s about flexibility and natural motion.

Moss recommended that firefighters stay away from weight machines and supine bench pressing. Standing and kneeling, using one’s core is better, he said, adding that cable machines and free weights work well. Firefighters should avoid sitting, or lying down pushing something.

“When you’re working, you are usually in an awkward position,” Moss said. “You simply don’t usual work sitting or lying down.
Moss said he recently did “a little experiment” and he and a group of firefighters weighed themselves with all the turnout gear on carrying a set of irons and a water fire extinguisher. That totaled an extra 124 pounds for each firefighter, Moss said.

“That points out the need for strength training and cardio vascular capacity workouts combined,” Moss said.

Moss said there are five specific functions of physical fitness and they are pushing, pulling, lifting, carrying and dragging.

It’s just as important for firefighters to take time to “roll out” their sore muscle with a foam roller device. Recovery and rest is just as important as the work out itself, he said. Sleep is part of that equation as well, he said.

Hydration is one of the main pillars of physical fitness. Most firefighters are negatively dehydrated to start and drinking too much coffee, energy drinks and soda doesn’t help, Moss said.

Going along with proper hydration is proper nutrition is still another pillar of fitness, he said.

There are four types of food that help firefighters eat right and they are fats, carbohydrates, fiber and proteins, he said.

Despite myths, there are right kinds of fats firefighters should consume, like Omega III unsaturated fats. They can be found in oily fish like salmon and mackerel as well as nuts like almonds, walnuts and peanuts. Even avocados are a good source of the right kind of fat, Moss said, adding that trans fats should be avoided.

“What’s killing us,” Moss posed. “It’s cardio vascular disease.” He said the rate for heart disease is 50 percent more than the standard population.

While there were previous thoughts that carbs were bad dietary choices, that’s no longer the case, Moss said, noting there are good carbs and bad carbs.

“Carbs are good for occupational athletes,” Moss said. “They provide energy to the body in the form of glucose. They make up half of the daily calories.”

Examples of good carbs, according to Moss, are whole grains, fruits and vegetables which have a low glycemic index.

Refined carbs, where the nutrients and fiber has been removed should be avoided, Moss said, commenting that sweets, junk food, soda and white rice are examples of bad carbs.

“You should be looking for fresh, preservative free, carbs,” he said.

Protein, the last food group was once considered the rage in 2010, Moss said, noting that even things like cereal bars had protein in them. Too much protein, however, is bad for the kidneys, can cause cancer and lead to obesity, diabetes and heart disease.

And not all protein is good, Moss said, offering ribeye steak, prime rib, bacon, sausage and brisket as examples of the kinds that should be avoided.

Good protein can be found in skinless poultry, fish, like salmon, beef tenderloin, pork tenderloin, sirloin, nuts, beans and Greek yogurt, Moss said.

“You should also consider things like choosing chicken breasts over thighs,” Moss said.

Lean meats, beans, good carbs are satiating foods, which means they help those who consume them feel satisfied and full longer which helps with weight loss, Moss said.

When all is considered, Moss said firefighters should remember they are occupational athletes and work out, rest and eat like the pros they are.

“When we look at the functions we perform, like forcible entry for instance, it points out the need for strength and cardiovascular capacity combined,” Moss said.