BE DYNAMIC Flow Path

 By: Jordan Ponder

How does fire travel? Path of least resistance! Why? Because it does have the ability to think! How do firefighters move when we are focused on tasks at hand? Path of least resistance or in whatever way is easiest. Firefighters continue to experience…

-        Knee Pain

-        Low Back Discomfort

-        Shoulder Injuries

…as a result of moving in unsafe ways. This is because they have poor flexibility and so they move away from the resistance that that inflexibility provides. How can we solve this?
TRAINING!

NOT EXERCISE! NOT WORKING OUT! You solve these issues listed above the same way that you solve any other issue in the  fire service…TRAINING! However, it’s not just ‘training’ it’s the right training!

BE DYNAMIC Training has trained over 300+ firefighters and 70+ fire departments within the last 365 days! These are firefighters have learned that it takes more than exercise and working out to do what we do. It take training to BE DYNAMIC!

Training to BE DYNAMIC is about establishing a healthy and beneficial flow path so that you can move and do all the things to protect you…

-        Knees

-        Low Back

-        Shoulders

…in ways that carry over to moving well when you are focused on tasks. This comes through a continuum of training that these firefighters have used in their department in great and fun ways!

While using affordable and versatile tools such as sandbags and resistance bands along with other inexpensive pieces of equipment, it becomes about education and not the equipment. When we focus on the education over equipment you find that you can work within your department budget and get a better result for yourself and for your department! Education not only will work within your budget but it will also allow you to develop skills that stay with you when it matters most..THE EMERGENCY!

How can you do this? You can do a number of different things…

1 – Contact BE DYNAMIC Training to learn about having a workshop in your area

2 – Learn about what BE DYNAMIC Training event are occurring already

3 – Join in anyone of our video programs

Some of the video programs you may enjoy are…

-        BE MOBILE 40

• 40 movements made into 10 programs designed to address common issues for firefighters

-        BE DYNAMIC 10-4-10

• 10 Movements for 10 Minutes all made to get you moving better and feeling better to start your day, prepare for training or get ready for your workout

-        BE DYNAMIC Training Programs

• Get weekly programs for you and your department based on your particular needs using body weight, sandbags, resistance bands and other affordable pieces of equipment.

I personally utilize the Ultimate Sandbag, which continues to be one of the best pieces of equipment for teaching us to do all the things we need to do while allowing us to emphasis establishing a quality Flow Path! One my favorite movements with the Ultimate Sandbag is Rotational High Pulls.

Rotational High Pulls are essential for training you to…

-        Coordinate upper and lower body to cooperate

-        Increase Heart Rate

-        Develop quality power for moving equipment quickly and safely

Below are some instructions you can use for performing ROTATIONAL HIGH PULLS using the ULTIMATE SANDBAG and see the video link below!

https://vimeo.com/222445291/0d7245e05d

Stand tall with the Ultimate Sandbag on top of your feet. From there control your hips backwards as you grab onto the BRAVO handles. Pull the handles apart and drive your hips forward so that you are now upright. Pivot your feet to one side as you control the Ultimate Sandbag downward still keeping it close to your body. Drive the elevated heel of the foot away from your body towards the ground as you seamlessly explode your hips forward and rotate all while allowing the Ultimate Sandbag to go weightless so it comes about eye level and finishing your rotation to the opposite continuing to let your feet pivot to the other side. Keep your control. Perform the same on the other side!

This is one of many BE DYNAMIC Training movements you’ll learn as you develop a quality FLOW PATH. Your flow path is essential for allowing you to prevent injuries while enhancing your performance all while staying focused on the emergency and tasks at hand!

Interested in learning more about how you can BE DYNAMIC to establish a quality Flow Path? Contact me, Jordan Ponder at jponder@fd-pt.com and start training, not working out, today so you can BE DYNAMIC!

This article was written The First Twenty Firefighter Functional Training Panel member Jordan Ponder. Ponder is a Captain with the Milwaukee (WI) Fire Department assigned to Engine 30. As an NASM and ACE certified trainer, he is the lead peer fitness trainer for the MFD holding multiple functional fitness certifications. Along with being a professional bodybuilder for the WNBF, he is the director of FIREFIGHTER DYNAMIC PERFORMANCE TRAINING which trains health improving safety with workshops, certifications and consultations. You can contact Captain Ponder via email at jponder@fd-pt.com.