If you've ever wondered, "what does a workout of a fireman look like?" You're in luck because we spell it out for you here. Whether you're looking to up your workout game or get re-inspired on the fitness front, we've got you covered.
One of the firemen's personal fitness trainers, Jeff Pracella, gave us the inside scoop on what goes into the fire department's workouts, emphasizing the mental-physical correlation that helps combat stroke and high blood pressure, not to mention the increase in serotonin.
From prioritizing weight training to performing cardio, Jeff explains no workout looks exactly the same for two members as everyone has different health needs. Jeff adds that mobility work is recommended for every firefighter as they may find themselves in "tight situations."
"Often times we'll perform group workouts that double as training," Jeff says. "These include long circuits with activities that replicate fire ground tasks." Some of those tasks are stair climbing, equipment carrying, ladder throwing, axe hits, and hose and dummy dragging — all done while the squad is in "full turnout gear on SCBA air," which altogether weighs nearly 55 lbs.
"When you are put in a position to physically exert yourself, the mind will quit before the body will," he continued. "Most people do not know how to push themselves past their so-called, 'breaking point.' Not firemen.
If someone wants to do their own version of a firefighter workout, the trainers recommend wearing a weighted vest anywhere from 40-50 pounds while doing exercises such as bear crawls, air squats, step ups, farmer's carry’s, walking lunges, and extensive cardio.
"This is just a very small taste of some exercises we do," he confirms. "Every workout we do serves a purpose to not only improve our minds and bodies, but also make us better firefighters."
