MRP's Firefighter Training

[MRP]

I am embarking on a new phase of my training. I have graduated my Fire Academy, thus allowing me to keep my new job. I still have 6 months to go on probation but the Academy is the Rite of Passage. I learned a lot about myself at academy. I can do things I previously thought impossible. I can work past the point of fatigue that I previously thought was impossible as well. I also learned that I am still too weak for my liking, and very much need to improve my conditioning as well. I have done a round or 2 of SS with average results. My previous log is here: http://startingstrength.com/resource...ad.php?t=13674 . But for the past 6 months I have been working on exclusively conditioning, thus suffering a huge hit on my strength. Which brings me to my proposed solution. Strength and Conditioning. I realize I am going to have to hinder my ultimate development in strength to support the conditioning that I feel is necessary for my job. And I am fine with that. I don't want to be the one my brothers have to worry about. I want to be the one they know will be there working right beside them, and if necessary to save their butt. I have decided to do a modified CFWF program that Justin Laseck designed. I used some suggestions from a post about military training as well. So here it is.

A Day: Squat 3x5
Alternating: Press/Bench Press 5x3
Conditioning

B Day: Alternating: Power Clean 3x5/ Dead Lift 5 Reps
Conditioning

The A day will be done day after shift, B day day before shift. So I will have 4 training sessions a week. I will take Sunday's off to observe the Sabbath on the Sundays I'm not on shift. It will look like this.

SUN MON TUES WED THURS FRI SAT
Work A Day B Day Work A Day B Day Work
Rest A Day Work B Day A Day Work B Day
Rest Work A Day B Day Work A Day B Day

I haven't nailed down my conditioning yet. I want to do job specific stuff but don't have the equipment yet. So as of now my A day conditioning will be a 1 mile run and my B day conditioning will be a 1.5 mile run. I have ideas on conditioning which I will post later. In the morning I will be doing a fasted walk of about 3 miles. Eventually that will be done with a 50lb weight vest.

So there it is. Wish me luck and I will be posting as it goes.

Matt Phillips
Taylorville IAFF Local 3144

[MRP]

Body Stats
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 236
Waist: 44"
Hips: 43"

WARMUP: ROW 500M TIME: 4:30

SQUAT
WU: 45 X 10
WU: 95 X 5
WS: 135 X 3 REPS X 5 SETS

PRESS
WU: 45 X 10
WU: 55 X 10
WS: 65 X 5 X 3

CONDITIONING:
STATIONARY RECUMBANT BIKE 10 MINS ON LV 10 CARDIO PROGRAM

Decided to go light on the conditioning this week because my legs were already getting real tight from the squats. Also starting very low on weight to prevent DOMS.

[MRP]

Deadlift
WU: 135 X 5
WU: 155 X 5
WS: 185 X 5

CONDITIONING:
Mowed Yard

Like I said. Legs still quite sore. If they're better this Thursday I'll start the running. If not It'll be next Monday.

[MEbigUsmall]

Curious if you are lean right now?
I'm also curious if you lifted any weights while in the academy?

[MRP]

No I'm not lean. I'm much leaner than I was a year ago, but nowhere where I would consider acceptable. The online estimators put me high 20's low 30% bf. And that correlates to what I see in the mirror as well. No I didn't lift any weights in academy. Our "strength" PT days were pushups and situps. My body wasn't recovering from the rigors of academy, throwing lifting in would have hindered more than helped me complete it successfully.

[MRP]

Today is a shift day. So we did ladder training in the morning for about an hour. Throwing ladders, raising ladders, doing bailouts from the window, and rescue down ladders. Then in the afternoon I did what we call the "stair drill". It is in full gear, with airpack on, and on air. You stop when you run out of air.

* Climb stairs to 2nd floor w/50' 3" section of hose on shoulder
* Raise a 50' roll of 2.5" hose tied to utility rope from ground level to 2nd floor window then back down to ground level
* Descend stairs w/50' 3" section of hose on shoulder
*10 swings of 8lb sledge hammer to utility pole on ground per side (20 swings total)
Repeat until out of air

Did that for 1 bottle which is appx. 15-20 mins. I didn't time myself today. I didn't count but I think I did 5 or 6 rounds.

3" section weighs 38lbs
2.5" section weighs 30lbs

[Jamie J. Skibicki]

For conditioning, sleds, farmer carriers, heavy bag carries, sprints and high rep kb/db work is good stuff. Barbell complexes are good as well.

I like doublets and triplets.

[jerji]

For conditioning, sleds, farmer carriers, heavy bag carries, sprints and high rep kb/db work is good stuff. Barbell complexes are good as well.

I like doublets and triplets.

Great suggestions. Also, it's worth noting that heavy walk variations also develop a lot of full body strength that would surely help out the firefighter training.

Dan john has a nice article about this with some ideas for how to do it cheaply.
http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_...ed_carries&cr=

[MRP]

For conditioning, sleds, farmer carriers, heavy bag carries, sprints and high rep kb/db work is good stuff. Barbell complexes are good as well.

I like doublets and triplets.

Those sound like great Ideas. They all would have applications to the job. I'll work on incorporating them.

[MRP]

Great suggestions. Also, it's worth noting that heavy walk variations also develop a lot of full body strength that would surely help out the firefighter training.

Dan john has a nice article about this with some ideas for how to do it cheaply.
http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_...ed_carries&cr=

Thanks for the link. Lots of good ideas.