By JIM MOSS and DAN KERRIGAN
There is a myth among firefighters and fire departments that needs to be dispelled: Building a “firehouse gym” is expensive and cost prohibitive. Unfortunately, there are many who believe that fire station gyms need to be equipped with $20,000 in fitness equipment to be effective, but this couldn’t be further from the truth.
- Four Fundamentals of Firefighter Functional Fitness
- The Three A’s of Firefighter Fitness Success
- No Gym? No Problem? Functional Fitness in the Firehouse
- The 2022 Firefighter Wellness Supplement
As we travel the country and share our message, we are commonly asked for our advice on the best pieces of equipment to help firefighters get fit for duty. Although some robust fire departments can dedicate tens of thousands of dollars to firehouse gyms, the vast majority cannot. For those who want to squeeze the most out of every penny, we want to share 10 pieces of functional fitness equipment for less than $1,000 total.
Firefighter Functional Fitness book ($35). Before we can discuss the specific fitness equipment firefighters should use, we must educate them with the proper methodology and mindset. Our best-selling book Firefighter Functional Fitness (photo 1) teaches firefighters everything they need to know when it comes to optimizing fireground performance and career longevity. Firefighters learn the “what, why, and how” of functional fitness: (1) what firefighter functional fitness is; (2) why it is critical to have the right approach to fitness, recovery, hydration, and nutrition; and (3) how to put it all into action with more than 100 exercises, movements, and stretches.
(1) Photos by Jim Moss.
Self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) air-restriction device ($120). A key element to making fitness functional for firefighters is replicating the demands of the fireground. Wearing an SCBA and breathing from it reduce a firefighter’s aerobic capacity by 22%. SCBA air restriction devices (photo 2) replicate the same reduction in aerobic capacity and connect directly to a firefighter’s SCBA face mask.
Instead of using and refilling SCBA cylinders, these devices simply restrict ambient air at the same intensity. Not only can they be used for functional fitness training during firefighter fitness circuits, but they can also be used on the drill ground during hands-on training.
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Suspension strap trainer ($50). If you are ready to take your core workouts and bodyweight exercises to the next level, suspension strap trainers are the way to go. Suspension straps anchor to a high point (i.e., pull-up bar, doorway, high point fire truck) and have handles that you can hold or loops in which you can place your feet.
To spice up your planks, simply put your feet in the loops and add some knee tucks or mountain climbers. Alternatively, you can hold the handles while performing a plank. You can make push-ups easier or more difficult by holding the handles and changing the angle of your push-up. There are also plenty of row variations to try (e.g., inverted rows, single-arm rows, rotational rows, and so on).
Battle ropes ($65). Want a fun way to boost your cardio? Battle ropes (photo 3) are great for high-intensity workouts because they work your arms, core, and lungs. Another benefit is that they have low impact on a firefighter’s joints—an essential element to longevity. You can also wave and slam battle ropes with your arms or tie them to a weight sled for drags and pulls. If you want to take it to the next level, combine lower-body exercises (e.g., squats, lunges, jumps) while you are waving them. Although a wide variety of sizes are available, we recommend a 50-foot rope with a 1½-inch diameter.
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Slam ball and medicine ball ($70 for both). Slam balls and medicine balls (photo 4) are great for building explosive strength, cardio, and core strength. They are typically thick rubber balls filled with a mixture of sand and air. Slam balls are typically underinflated, while their counterparts are rigid and full of air. The balls can be used for ball slams, rotational throws, Russian twists, plank variations, “wall balls” (a squat and overhead throw against a wall), and many more types of exercises. We recommend purchasing a 15- to 30-pound slam ball and medicine ball.
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Training sandbag ($125). On the fireground, items that we pick up and carry rarely have convenient, ergonomic handles on them. Hose bundles, hose rolls, ladders, and especially victims are all oddly shaped objects that require us to train accordingly. Training sandbags (photo 5) are ideal for functional fitness training because they encourage development in all functional strength categories such as pushing, pulling, lifting, carrying, and dragging. A full-body sandbag circuit could consist of squats, stair carries, bear crawl-and-drags, bent-over rows, overhead presses, and deadlifts. Sandbag weights can vary from 25 to 150 pounds, with 50 to 75 pounds being an ideal weight range for a wide variety of exercises.
Weighted sled ($200). As we mentioned above, pushes and drags are quintessential functional strength movements. Weighted sleds (photo 6) encourage full-body strength development because we use our legs, core, and arms to move the weight across the ground. These sleds can accept a wide variety of weight in the form of steel weight plates or bumper plates (up to 300-plus pounds), or heavy fire hose can be placed on them. In addition to pushes and drags, we can execute hand-over-hand pulls with a hose or battle rope attached to the sled. We encourage you to use the “high-low push-pull” sled with plastic glides because of the variety of exercises that you can perform with it.
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Weighted vest ($81). Retired U.S. Navy SEAL Jocko Willink once said, “You can’t carry anyone else’s weight until you can first carry your own.” Did you know that a firefighter’s full personal protective equipment (PPE) ensemble typically adds 60 to 70 pounds? In addition to our PPE, we carry heavy ladders, fire hose, extinguishers, tools, and much more. With that being said, firefighters must get accustomed to carrying extra weight on their shoulders.
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Weighted vests (photo 7) are a quick and easy way to add weight to a wide variety of workouts and exercises: walking, running, stair climbs, squats, lunges, and firefighter fitness circuits. We recommend a weighted vest that can have an adjustable weight of 25 to 75 pounds.
Step boxes (large and small) ($140 for both). Step boxes (photo 8) are excellent for improving lower-body strength and endurance. If your fire station doesn’t have stairs or a step mill, step boxes are a good substitute. You can execute a wide variety of exercises with these, including step-ups, step-downs, box jumps, Bulgarian split squats, weighted hamstring stretches, and more.
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Resistance band set (with handles) ($35). Resistance bands (photo 9) don’t get the credit they deserve. They are lightweight, very portable, and low impact and don’t take up a lot of space. You can use light-duty resistance bands for upper-body warm-ups (e.g., deltoid flys, anterior and lateral raises, upward and external arm rotations, and so on). You can use heavy-duty resistance bands for upper-body strength training for pushes and pulls. Another benefit is that their resistance increases as they stretch, whereas a weight like a dumbbell or kettlebell is constant. We recommend purchasing resistance bands that have handles.
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Free Bonus Item
Big tire (free). Perhaps no piece of equipment screams “functional fitness” more than a big tire. You can use a “retired” tractor tire for sledgehammer tire strikes, tire flips, carries, drags, and even step-ups. We wanted to include this as an option for your fire station gym because you can acquire them for free by contacting a local tire store.
Additional Options
If your fire department is fortunate enough to have more money in the budget, consider purchasing these additional items to improve your functional fitness:
- Kettlebell set (four- to 28-kg pairs): $900.
- Dumbbell set (10- to 60-pound pairs, hexagonal, rubberized): $900.
- Wall-mounted squat rack (with pull-up bar): $250-500.
- Barbell and bumper plates ($300-$600 total, depending on quantities ordered).
- Air bike: $800.
- Row machine: $800.
When it comes down to it, firefighters desire a simple approach to all aspects of their training—including their physical fitness training. Building a firehouse gym with functional fitness equipment is within the reach of every fire department, regardless of budgetary restrictions. If you want healthier, better performing firefighters at your fire department, equip them with the tools they need to succeed.
JIM MOSS and DAN KERRIGAN are the authors of the best-selling book Firefighter Functional Fitness: The Essential Guide to Optimal Firefighter Performance and Longevity. They speak internationally at fire departments and conferences, including FDIC International.
