5/6/08 Tuesday (unloading week)

Warm up!

Main Set:
L3:
50 hindu squats
50 hindu push ups
30 V- ups
20 x 15 sec L-sits

L2:
25 hindu squats
25 hindu push ups
15 V- ups
10 x 15 sec L-sits

L1:
15 hindu squats
15 hindu push ups
10 V- ups
5 x 15 sec L-sits


Desoto does box jumps...on command!

Happy Training
Rayne

What is fireground fitness?

The guiding principles I use to design the training contained on Firegroundfitness.com are a composite of assorted modalities. Thus far in life I have spent my time training for assorted athletics; football, track and field, military combat, ultra-distance triathlon, running and finally industrial athletics (Firefighting). These pursuits have given me numerous opportunities to consider what, and how to best prepare for the given challenge.

Many programs I have trained with employ general strength, power or body building concepts. Others focus on the principles of sport specificity so narrowly that broader fitness elements go undeveloped. This just does not work on the fireground.

Firefighting, as industrial athletics, challenges the body on many different levels and requires a diverse training approach that targets these elements in a balanced manner.

Strength = your ability to express maximal force, i.e. lifting a down firefighter or civilian.
Power = your ability to express maximal force in a minimal time, repeatedly i.e. rapidly turning a hydrant and clearing a hosebed.
Cardio-respiratory endurance = your ability to maintain any effort for a sustained period of time, i.e. dragging hose through a structure then pulling lath and plaster, rehab and repeat.
Recovery = your ability to maximize recuperation and tissue healing, i.e. eating good meals, getting plenty of sleep, reducing stress and taking long safety naps.

These four elements of fitness are central to the needs of firefighting. Training one without the other will leave you imbalanced and ill prepared for the multitude of demands that you will face on the fireground. Balance out your body, by training all modalities and you will find yourself stronger, faster, more powerful and with greater endurance.

My approach is simple: 4 week micro training cycle, 3 loading weeks followed by 1 unloading week. Training sessions are in a 2 days on 1 day off rotation allowing you to work around your shift schedule. The different modalities are trained in a random pattern with varying sets, reps and loads in order to prevent a plateau and boredom.

The bottom line:
#1 Stop piddling around when you’re in the gym. You’re there to work; get in, work hard, and get out!
#2 Stop checking yourself out in the mirror. You’re not all that. Moreover, it does nothing to improve your capacity for work!
#3 Do not sit around solving the worlds problems between sets. Do that on your rest days.
#4 You must train all aspects of your fitness; a focus on one without the other is a waste of your time.

Now, quit messing around. Go get yourself Fireground fit!