To Workout or Not? When and what type of workouts do you do on shift?

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Permalink Reply by Michael Bricault (ret) on July 31, 2012 at 1:56pm

-Was gonna jump on this one but Shauna covered everything... well stated Shauna. Exercise at work is fine but remember to go easier than usual while on duty, you still have a job to do; save the crazy high intensity for off duty.

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Permalink Reply by Ron Becknell on August 4, 2012 at 8:47pm

Shauna said it well, although I think many times that the competiveness helps with the workouts since it makes us push ourselves a little harder.  I am with an all volunteer FD and a few of us have been meeting in the mornings to do the Insanity Workout.  It is a lot of cardio with strength training but does not require any weights or other equipment which works well for us.  I think the most important thing for us a firefighters is to:1) workout in ways that will help us with "the job" since it does require use and sometimes abuse of muscles that are not normally the focus of standard workouts  2) we should always try to improve on our cardio since that is the #1 killer of firefighters and it will help improve our working time and help us conserve air which will also help us if we are ever the one that has to call a mayday and wait for help.

If you haven't done it, I suggest the Insanity workout it is tough.  And some of the excercises like the "mountain climber" and "V push ups" work those muscles that are often used in pulling ceilings.

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Permalink Reply by Aaron Zamzow on August 5, 2012 at 9:00pm

Great discussion, thanks for the input. I have to agree with Shauna that ultimately we must be ready to perform our job. Whatever workout you do on shift should prepare you to do your job not take away from it. I've received some great emails on this topic (please keep the discussions going) and think that stretching, foam rolling, cardio intervals, and/or steady state are good on duty options. Personally I like to perform "prehab' exercises to avoid back and shoulder injury. I also believe that workouts should be planned around your shift schedule, save the heavy lifting and metabolic resistance training for off duty days and rehab, foam rolling, stretching, cardio for on duty days.....thoughts?

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Permalink Reply by Michael Bricault (ret) on August 6, 2012 at 1:04pm

-Exercising at work is ok but remember you still have a job to do. Generally, from a work out perspective, I count my Duty Days, as recovery and do not exercise at work at all. I do all my exercising, and I do train very hard, Off Duty.

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