Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Thanksgiving (Holiday) Morning Firefighter Workout to Ignite Your Metabolism...

Here is a great way to start your Thanksgiving morning (or any morning).  This is a little workout that will burn some early morning calories, ignite your metabolism, and make room for some good Thanksgiving food.  I always like to do some morning workout or fun run with the family on Holidays, I find that I feel better all day and don't eat as much.  Please give this a try!

Try to do as many circuits as possible in 15 or 20 minutes. Remember to perform an active warm-up before you begin.  (Click here for a good active Firefighter workout warm-up routine.) Do the suggested reps of each exercise then proceed to the next, rest as little as possible between exercises.


  1. Burpees x 10 reps
  2. Pull-ups or Body Rows x 10 reps
  3. Prisoner Lunges  x 5 reps per leg
  4. Squat to Press (around 20% body weight) x 10 reps
  5. Feet on Stability Ball (or bench) Push ups x 10 reps
  6. Plank (hold) for 30 seconds
Repeat the circuit as many times as you can for the allotted time (15 or 20) minutes.

Click on the video below for more instructions...


To help you eat a healthy during the holidays try to incorporate these Holiday Eating Guidelines...
-Always drink water, it will help fill your belly and aid in digestion
-Load up on vegetables not desserts (or sugars)
-Eat leaner proteins
-Avoid seconds
-Don't graze around the appetizer table
-If you really overeat, consider fasting for 14-16 hours after

AND MOST IMPORTANTLY....Remember the true meaning of the Holidays, be safe, be happy and enjoy family and friends.  On that note, Thank You for being a member of the FRF Nation, I wish you a Happy and Safe Thanksgiving (and Holiday) weekend.

Stay Safe and Healthy,
Aaron Zamzow

Thursday, November 13, 2014

Hydrate for Optimum Firefighter Fitness

I have posted this article a couple of times over the past 4 years of the FireRescueFitness.com blog, I think it is one of the most overlooked aspects of firefighter fitness. Its starting to get cold outside (at least here in the Midwest) and its easy to think that hydration isn't as important as staying warm. Dehydration is still very much a threat to firefighters performance (and survival) in winter just as much as it is in summer.   The combination of heavy clothing and high-intensity exercise can lead to increased sweating and the possibility of dehydration. You may not feel as thirsty in cold weather as in other climates, because your body chemistry impairs your brain’s ability to tell you when to hydrate. Cold weather also has the effect of moving body fluids from your extremities to your core, causing increased urine output and adding to dehydration.  Please take note at how quickly a dehydrated fire rescue athletes' performance can diminish.

In most stations, your shift starts with checking your gear, SCBA, med supplies and looking over the apparatus (usually with a cup of coffee in hand), but do you ask yourself, Am I physically ready to do my job? I imagine 100% of you nodded your head in affirmation to that seemingly rhetorical question.

Hydration and the Human Body

The human body is 66–70% water. Under normal circumstances, the human body loses about 35–90 oz. of water a day through body waste, sweat and breathing (Maughan, 2003). During normal athletic activity, the body can lose 8–16 oz. of water per hour. The extreme conditions of firefighting demand more than this. On average, working firefighters should anticipate losing 50–70 oz. of sweat in 30–45 minutes of fireground activity (Levine et al., 1990). For a 200-lb. firefighter, a 2% sweat-induced loss of body weight would require a post-exercise fluid intake of about 96 oz. or more, considering the individual was well hydrated before the call.

A Matter of Life and Death?

Hydration is critical for optimal performance. Progressive dehydration from exercise (or fireground operations) impairs performance, mental capacity and perception of effort, and it can be life-threatening. With as little as a 2% shortage of body water, the ability to perform a high-intensity activity can be greatly impaired (Kleiner, 1999). The combination of the hot environment and the protective gear insulating the firefighter can produce dangerous conditions of hyperthermia and dehydration.

Properly hydrated, well-conditioned firefighters are therefore much better able to contend with heat stress than their unconditioned and/or dehydrated counterparts. Put that into the context of your crew, which is only as strong as its weakest member. If you don’t hydrate yourself properly before arriving on the fireground, you’re not only putting your own life in danger, but the lives of your crewmembers as well, because your performance level could be greatly reduced (IAFF, 2006). For these reasons, dehydration must be addressed before the firefight begins.

How to Hydrate

To stop dehydration before it starts prior to the alarm for a service call, you must limit the use of stimulants, such as caffeine, avoid carbonated beverages, maintain physical fitness and stay adequately hydrated throughout a shift. Drink plenty of water at regular intervals, and aim to replace fluids at the same rate that they’re lost. At minimum, consume 64 oz. of water a day (Casa et al., 2000). Increase that amount when exercising on duty and after you've completed your workout to avoid being dehydrated at the scene.

Follow these recommendations, feel free to print these out and post around the firehouse. (Click here to download a printable version)

This is an insert from an article I wrote from FirefighterNation.com (you can read the entire article by clicking here). Please like and comment on the article.

Stay safe and healthy,
Aaron Zamzow
www.FireRescueFitness.com

Saturday, November 1, 2014

Goblet Squat for More Strength on the Fireground


I often get emails and questions about ways to improve leg strength and recovery while in firefighting gear.  We all know that stairs and climbing are major fire rescue movements performed on the fire ground so... improve your leg strength and you could improve your performance on the fire ground.  One exercise in particular is very good at doing just that....the goblet squat.  The goblet squat is a multi-joint lower body exercise that fires up (no pun intended) the glutes, quads, and hamstrings. Unlike the traditional back squat, the goblet squat is executed by keeping the body in an upright position, which results in less strain on the lower lumbar and spine and places an increased demand on your upper back and core.  It is a great exercise for adding volume to build work capacity or conditioning in circuits. Goblet squats also help improve mobility in the hip, thus helping you out with other fire rescue movement patterns. 

Here is how you can do a Goblet Squat:  Grab a dumbbell and hold it vertically in front of your chest, with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.   Keeping your back naturally arched, push your hips back, bend your knees, and lower your body until the tops of your thighs are at least parallel to the floor. Pause, then push yourself back up to the start.   Your elbows should point down to the floor and your torso should remain as upright as possible. Click the link below to see the Goblet Squat in action.



Incorporating into your workout...
You can use the goblet squat as an addition or substitute for any lower body exercise.  For fire rescue athletes, this exercise is a functional way to help improve your performance.  For more endurance try to perform for sets of 12-15 reps or work heavier loads for sets of 8 reps. Give them a try!