Summer 2022 - 12

EMT & FIRE
Time-Effective Workouts for Power & Stamina
By Zar Horton, Master Kettlebell Instructor at StrongFirst
T
he demands of firefighting are rigorous
and varied. The job is demanding not only
from tasks involved in fighting fires in superheated
environments, but also rescues of many
types including, confined space, water, trench,
hazardous material mitigation, automobile
accidents, vehicle extrications, and emergency
medical procedures. Once on scene, there is
no pause button, so it is critical your body and
mind are prepared to successfully respond to
chaotic and uncertain situations at all times.
Proper physical preparation not only ensures
your body is ready to take on the mechanical
and environmental challenges of the job, but
it also has a positive impact on your cognitive
performance in perception, information
processing, and decision-making.
I recently attended a fire cadet graduation
ceremony where all of the cadets that made
it through, 12 of the original 25, are men and
12 | Tactical Training & Conditioning | Summer 2022
women I trained using the firefighter prep
program I developed. In 2004, I had the great
fortune to evaluate and change the physical
fitness program at the Albuquerque Fire
Department Training Academy, and below are
some lessons learned from my experience as a
firefighter and strength and conditioning coach.
When I was developing and refining the
program, I was acutely aware that firefighters
must be strong and fit enough to successfully
perform tasks required on the fireground for
extended periods of time and for multiple
repetitions. They are required to move
heavy loads using proper mechanics and
often encounter unstable loads in awkward
positions. These factors combine to create
a fairly unique mixture of mobility, strength,
power, endurance, and work capacity
requirements. Add to this, finding windows of
time for training can sometimes be challenging
Summer 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Summer 2022
