Not All Firemen are Created Equal

Not all firemen are created equal -- because some of them are women. Being a female in a male-dominated world is tough enough, but having to train like a man is even tougher. The number of women in the fire service is growing, slowly, but it is growing.

The job of a firefighter is very demanding both physically and mentally. This requires that firefighters be in top physical and mental condition at all times.  It is imperative that we train for optimum conditioning.

It is important that firefighters use a combination of training types, both strength and cardiovascular. We need to be concerned with strength, power, endurance and cardiovascular health.

Cardiovascular training should not consist of mindless cardio, as very seldom do we go at a moderate pace for long lengths of time, but should be interval-style training to adequately prepare us for the short-to-moderate lengths of time firefighters work at a hard pace. To accomplish this I recommend intervals of 30-45 seconds with active rest; for example, sprinting for 30-45 seconds followed by walking or an active recovery duration of 60-90 seconds.

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This training will also assist with body composition -- a much-welcome added bonus. Some beneficial cardiovascular equipment that is helpful in training for firefighting are the VersaClimber™, stair steppers and/or elliptical trainers. The VersaClimber™ best mimics the climbing of the aerial ladder a firefighter uses.

Firefighters must also focus on strength training.  Your job might require you to be able to lift great amounts of weight -- anything from medical patients to fire hoses to ladders. A well-rounded strength training program including exercises that use multiple joints such as the squat, power clean, bench press and deadlift will be the most beneficial. Female firefighters really need to work on their upper body strength, as this tends to be a woman's biggest weakness.

Training for explosive strength and endurance will greatly assist the firefighter in day-to-day activities. This is true for normal shift work as well as for training to compete in the Combat Challenge.

Most firefighters that I know who have trained for the Challenge think it is necessary to run mile after mile in order to be in shape for this.

I disagree! The complete course, even at a slow pace, should not take more than seven minutes -- and that is if you take breaks.

The course, like the daily job activities, is a very explosive, power-driven activity. The body tends to stay in the lactic acid threshold throughout the activity, as the body systems never enter an aerobic state. That is why I believe that you should run sprints and similar interval activities with short rest periods, never allowing your body to enter recovery and losing the lactic acid threshold. Training with intense intervals will increase your tolerance to lactic acid, pushing the threshold back further and further before the muscles give in to the build-up and must take a break.

This, along with a resistance training program designed for strength and power, will assist you not only in your everyday job, but will prepare you well for the Combat Challenge.