By Michael Krueger
One of the hazards of exercising while on duty is the chance that you will get a call in the middle or at the end of your workout. When this happens, you can’t help but wonder whether or not your physical performance on the scene will be compromised by your exercising.
Perhaps the answer lies in exercising smart with a program that is short, intense, and geared toward strength and vitality rather than larded with superfluous bodybuilding exercises.
On-Duty Physical Training
A while back, I attended a convention where one of the speakers talked at length about current research regarding residual fatigue caused by on-duty exercise and the effect it may have on firefighting performance. It was about as interesting as academic research presentations ever are, but it confirmed my own belief that the effect is minimal or, certainly, can be minimized.
In my mind, the research was somewhat flawed; it looked at the effect on-duty workouts had on highly motivated and physically trained individuals. How the results might have gone if they had taken untrained neophyte exercisers is an interesting question. Anyway, the results showed that despite the training session having created some fatigue, the subjects were still far stronger and better conditioned than the untrained “fresh” crewmembers and therefore there was no negative effect. What this showed was that the trained firefighters had much more reserve fitness than the untrained firefighters had primary fitness. So despite their slightly fatigued state, they still outperformed the untrained individuals.
Unfortunately, some departments are still concerned that if its members exercise while on duty their performance will be degraded and therefore they have not embraced on duty fitness training. In my experience I have found that no amount of data will change the minds of anyone on any deeply held belief. I have given talks where people have walked out rather than hear a position with which they do not agree. As a people, we are divided into ideological camps on most subjects, and even listening to the other side is tantamount to treason. When it comes to fitness in the fire service, I hope we can bridge this divide through rational discussion.
Here is my take, and I’d like to hear yours.
Fitness, On and Off Duty
In a perfect world, every firefighter would get into a gym on his day off and do both strength and cardiovascular training, all on days they are not on duty. The next best situation would be to train at the end of their shift. Either of these scenarios would ensure that they are physically trained but also fresh for their shift, but both are somewhat unlikely. Finally, training while on duty would also be effective but, as I said, there is resistance on that front as well.
There are many ways to work out, and there is no reason that a training session has to leave you totally spent. It’s true that many believe (and some trainers and infomercials imply) that you didn’t get an effective workout if you are not sprawled on the floor in a pool of sweat, delirious and unable to move. There is an old saying in the fitness biz, “Any trainer can make you tired, but a good trainer can make you strong.”
Personally, I feel that fitness is such an important part of a balanced life that I almost never miss my scheduled training. If I know that my schedule is going to be hectic and complicated, I sit down and figure out how to make it work. If I am fortunate enough to have advance notice of an impending problem; I either schedule a day off so I don’t have to think about it, or I move or cancel something else from my schedule to accommodate my training.
The benefits of exercise are so great that the arguments that come up in discussions regarding firefighter physical training can seem quite absurd. A few years back when I was speaking in Dallas at the IAFC convention, I had a chief stand up and shout at me, “Nobody is going to force me or my department to exercise and be healthy!” He then stormed out of the room. I was speechless, and quite frankly I am seldom at a loss for words.
It is obvious that being fit would benefit everyone, firefighter or not. It would improve your life and your firefighting performance in so many ways that it seems ridiculous that anyone would pass up the opportunity train on or off duty.
So, what I want to talk about now is how you can train while at the station and not compromise your readiness in any way; who can argue with that?
Sane, Simple Training
A brief, effective workout is the way to go while on duty at the station. A short, full-body program that effectively hits every muscle without beating you up will leave you energized and ready to perform at your highest level.
A basic strength workout will include a vertical push, vertical pull, horizontal push, horizontal pull, and a move for your back and legs; throw in a little core work and you are good to go. The cardio aspect would consist of intervals and for a firefighter they would be preferably done on a stair climber (or just a flight of stairs), since that is a more functional movement for firefighters.
Since this training is designed to provide you with basic fitness, not make you a bodybuilder or a powerlifter, the sets and reps can be at the low end, and you can still accomplish what you set out to do. If you do your cardio first, you will be sufficiently warmed up to go right into the strength portion without any further warmups.
So, a sample workout might look like this (to make it more functional, try doing it all in turnout gear):
1×15 overhead press
1×15 lat pull down or chin -up
1×15 bench press
1×15 one arm rows or machine rows
1×15 squat, deadlift or weighed lunges
Finish with some crunches, leg lifts or your favorite core exercises.
The intensity of the workout should be kept high so that each set will be very difficult by the last three repetitions. Don’t waste any time between exercises, but don’t rush either. Focus on form and working the muscles you are trying to target rather than just demonstrating strength. This whole workout including the cardio should take no more than 30 minutes. If you do the cardio separately, the strength portion would take about 10 to 12 minutes. You won’t feel beat up at all; in fact, you will feel exhilarated.
As you progress, you will add weight to keep the intensity high enough to keep those final few reps difficult. Don’t add anymore exercises such as bicep curls, since their benefit is dubious in the context of this program and they’ll just cut into your recovery and add extra time to the workout.
If you do a simple single set workout at least three times per week for 10 weeks, you will lay down a solid base of fitness. Then, you can simply stick with it or take further. If you decide that you want to do a more complex program it would be a good idea to switch to off-duty training so that you can ensure you won’t be interrupted or be overly fatigued in case of a fire call.
The idea of this short program is to show you what you can accomplish with minimal time but maximum effort and commitment. Consistent, short, and intense (and smart) onsite training will improve your health and fitness without compromising your readiness.
Success
There will be naysayers who will insist that you can’t get a quality workout with only a handful of exercises done in such a short time; prove them wrong. Conversely, there will be people who will insist that any exercise on duty will compromise your performance; prove them wrong too.
Make this commitment for 10 weeks and you will be amazed at what you will accomplish; don’t just take my word for it—prove it to yourself.
Michael Krueger is an NSCA-certified personal trainer. He got his start in fitness training while serving in the United States Coast Guard. He works with firefighters and others in and around Madison, Wisconsin. He is available to fire departments, civic organizations, and athletic teams for training, consulting, and speaking engagements. He has published numerous articles on fitness, health, and the mind-body connection and was a featured speaker at the IAFC’s FRI 2009 Health Day in Dallas, Texas. E-mail him at MKPTLLC@gmail.com.
