Basic guidelines
-One to two times for every three day work period.
-Progress by no more than 10% each week.
-Some of this type of training is completed at a sustained moderate pace for 30-60 minutes while other types are conducted in a much shorter (but much faster) method and pace. This will depend on your fitness goals and the phase of training you are in.
-The pace of constant pace heart and lung training should be at a “talking” pace, or pace in which you have enough breath to carry on a conversation while exercising. Interval training pace should be done at prescribed pace but is typically done at a much faster tempo.
It does not matter how experienced, technically proficient, or strong the firefighter athlete is, if you are fatigued you are vulnerable. As firefighters we know cardio respiratory refers to the heart and the lungs. These are the “engine” of the body, the more tuned they are the better and longer we can perform. A strong heart and set of lungs is obviously important since our time period we work in is typically determined by air management with an SCBA. A realistic goal for firefighters is to plan on conducting heart and lung training two times for every three day work period, such as once on “A” and “B” shift, taking “C” shift as a rest day or selecting exercise from another category. The typical progression should be no more than a 10% workload increase each week and determined by either time or distance. It is important to remember that we are not training to be distance runners or tri-athletes, so hard and/or long runs are not necessary and the impact may hamper physical progression rather than improve it when combined with strength training and plyometrics. It is also advisable to use every fourth or fifth week as a recovery week from impact. This is a low impact and slower consistent pace done in the pool or on low impact cardio machines at a gym such as an elliptical machine or rowing machine, allowing the body to recover.
In the heart and lung program the bulk of our training is done either running, swimming or on low impact cardio machines. However, it should be noted that some muscular endurance and tabata routines, as well as some skill specific tasks listed later, can also be categorized as cardiovascular and therefore substituted in.
Most athletes/firefighters find endless hours behind a treadmill or on the road running boring. It is unrealistic to think “non-runners” will dedicate four hours a week to this for the length of their fire service career. To counter this there are multiple methods we can vary our methods and environments. Interval training is one way in which we can do this.
Intervals
-30/30’s. The name is derived from the work to rest ratio that we follow when exercising. 30 seconds of “pretty hard” running (80-90% max effort) and 30 seconds of walking. This is repeated for the duration of the heart and lung training. A great thing about this routine is it can be done on a treadmill, on the road/track or on any cardio machine.
-Track intervals. This is a prescribed distance, using a prescribed effort level for a prescribed amount of time. Rest is determined by the amount of distance run.
Distance (yards)/ effort/ # of intervals/ rest between intervals in minutes
200/ 90% / 15/ 1.5-2
400/ 80%/ 6/ 1.5-3
800/ 2 mile pace/ 3/ 2-3
This method can also be based on time if no track is available
Time (min:sec)/effort/ # of intervals/ rest between intervals in minutes
0:45/ 90%/ 15/ 1.5-2
1:30/ 80%/ 6/ 1.5-3
3:00/ 2-mile pace/ 3/ 2-3 minutes
-Swimming. The purpose is to improve cardio vascular health while lowering the overall impact on the joints of the body. At the current time the Savannah Fire department/GSAR has a contract with the Savannah aquatic center. In general, the workouts should be done at a slow, steady pace for periods ranging from 30 minutes to an hour. A wide variety of swimming strokes should be used in order to reduce over use injuries and in order to add variety to the fitness bout.
-Shuttle runs, 300 yards. While it is sprinting, the repetitive returning to the cones makes this an ideal candidate for aerobic exercise that can be done at a fire station with traffic cones if space is available, or on a day at home.
-Stair climbing. This has obvious work related benefits. To increase difficulty and/or realism the addition of a weight vest and high rise pack may be added. The increase of 10% per week still applies, whether it’s in time or stair flights.
-Rope jumping
Use of the heart rate monitor
This is a very valuable tool for training. It can tell us how hard we are working, how well our body is adapting to the exercise over time and if we are over training. When lifting weights, it is easy to tell if you are improving, you are lifting heavier weight. For heart and lung training it is more difficult.
Having a heart rate monitor on during heart and lung training is like having a speedometer in a car, you now know what it feels like to go at that speed. This feeling can be transferred across the board to all the types of cardiovascular training as a gauge or a standard. By wearing a heart rate monitor during training you have more feed back to not only how fast your legs are moving but how fast your heart is moving. This information logged over time with the details of the exercise bouts can be useful in the long run when determining how well your current routine is working. See “putting it all together” for more heart rate monitor techniques.
Advanced techniques,
Iron lung training, level 1-5.
Simply put, this is a heart and lung training method based on time and heart rate (you will need a heart rate monitor to do this properly). Any exercises can be substituted once the basic “blueprint” is understood and is in 5 different levels of difficulty. These are intense, yet brief bouts of exercise designed to train the firefighter physically and mentally. Remember! Proper warm up is mandatory before participating in any sprinting or lifting activity! Because of the intensity this is especially important when doing Iron lung training.
Iron lung level 1,
The purpose here is to introduce the Iron lung to beginner firefighter athletes with no experience in this type of exercise.
You will need the following items=
-Treadmill
-Heart rate monitor
Workout blueprint=
-10 second sprints on treadmill at moderate to low intensity.
-After each repetition of sprinting wait until heart rate has returned to at least 120 beats per minute before starting next sprint.
-6-10 reps are completed.
-Rest periods should be timed and recorded. These are compared over time to ensure the overall rest time in the workout is shortening, meaning the heart and lungs are getting stronger.
-The Iron lung level 1 training should be done for two weeks in order to condition the body properly before moving on to the next phase, or level 2.
Sample Circuit=
Treadmill at 9 mph and at 6% incline for 6-10 sets with recovery periods in between (recover until heart rate has dropped to at least 120 bpm).
Iron lung level 2,
As time progresses in the initial phase (level 1) your body adapts to the workload. It will be time to introduce longer sprint periods (up to 12-15 seconds) and medicine ball training in between bouts to ensure we force the body to continue adapting. Do for two weeks of training before moving to level 3.
You will need the following items=
-Treadmill
-Heart rate monitor
-Medicine ball
Workout blue print=
-12-15 second sprints, for 9 total sprint sets. The pace for the first 3 is moderate to low, but the pace increases by 1 mph every 3rd set.
-2 sets of medicine ball exercises are completed in between each set.
-All of these medicine ball sets are completed at maximum speed.
-It is not necessary to monitor heart rate before moving onto next set, though it may be useful for keeping track of progress.
Sample circuit=
-Treadmill at 9mph and 8% incline for 20 seconds for 3 sets, with 2 sets of the following medicine ball drills in between. 10 reps med-ball toe touches, 10 reps med-ball pike ups.
-Treadmill at 10 mph and 8% incline for 20 seconds for 3 sets, with 2 sets of the following medicine ball drills in between. 2 sets of 25 repetitions, boxer’s dumbbell speed twist w/ med-ball.
-Treadmill at 11 mph and 8% incline for 20 seconds for 3 sets, with 2 sets of the following medicine ball drills in between. 2 sets of 12 repetition med-ball triangle crunches.
Iron lung level 3,
By this point in time the abdominals have adjusted to the workload, and full body exercises are introduced into the progression for a specific time frame. Sprints will now be 15-18 seconds. Do for two weeks before moving to level 4.
You will need the following items=
-Treadmill
-Heart rate monitor
Workout blueprint=
-15-18 second sprints, 9 sets.
-1 minute of full body exercise in between, no rest or pause.
-It is not necessary to monitor heart rate before moving onto next set, though it may be useful for keeping track of progress.
Sample circuit=
-Treadmill at 10 mph and 10% incline for 18 seconds, with 1 minute of burpees (see exercise library) continuously in between, this is one set. Repeat for a total of 9 sets without stopping.
Iron lung level 4,
After six weeks of training, higher intensity can now be tolerated. Weights are introduced to the formula. Sprints are now 20-25 seconds. When choosing weights to lift, the general rule of thumb for level 4 training, pick a weight that is 30%-50% of your maximum for that exercise. Level 4 training should be done for a two to three week period before attempting level 5.
You will need the following items=
-Treadmill
-Heart rate monitor
-Dumbbell or barbell
Workout blueprint=
-The workout is now split into three exercise blocks. Each block consists of three sprints with two lifts separating them.
-The sprint speed is now increased, as well as time sprinted.
Sample circuit=
-Block 1. Treadmill at 9 mph and 10% incline for 20 seconds. Bent over rows (see exercise library) for 8 repetitions. Treadmill at 9.5 mph and at 10% incline for 20 seconds. Shoulder press for 8 repetitions. Treadmill at 10 mph and 10% incline for 20 seconds.
-Block 2. Treadmill at 10.5 mph, 10% incline, 25 seconds. Chin-ups for 8 repetitions. Treadmill at 11 mph, 10% incline for 25 seconds. Weighted dips for 8 repetitions. Treadmill at 11.5 mph, 10% incline for 25 seconds.
-Block 3. Treadmill at 12 mph, 10% incline for 25 seconds. 8 barbell squats. Treadmill at 13 mph, 10 % incline for 25 seconds. 8 barbell squats. Treadmill at 14 mph, 10% incline, 25 seconds.
Iron lung level 5,
This level of training is reserved for highly fit firefighters with two off days of recovery time. Sprints are 20 seconds or more. Full-body exercises are used exclusively.
You will need the following items=
-Treadmill
-Heart rate monitor
-Dumbbell or barbell
Exercise blueprint=
-3 blocks of 3 sprints with 2 exercises in between.
-Sprints vary from 20-30 seconds.
-Exercises vary.
Sample Circuit=
-Block 1. Treadmill at 9 mph, 10% incline for 30 seconds. Farmers walk (see exercise library) 40 yards. Treadmill at 9.5 mph and 10% incline for 30 seconds. 12 push presses (see exercise library). Treadmill at 10 mph, 10% incline for 30 seconds.
-Block 2. Treadmill at 10.5 mph, 10% incline for 25 seconds. 10dead lifts. Treadmill at 11 mph, 10% incline for 25 seconds. Lunge 10 repetitions each leg. Treadmill at 11.5 mph, 10% incline for 25 seconds.
-Block 3. Treadmill at 12 mph, 10% incline for 20 seconds. 10 push presses. Treadmill at 13 mph, 10% incline for 20 seconds. 10 push presses. Treadmill at 14 mph, 10% incline for 20 seconds.
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