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One of the questions we are asked most often is, “What are the best exercises to improve firefighter fitness?”  Although we share over 100 highly-effective exercises, movements and stretches in our book Firefighter Functional Fitness, this article will provide you with the best...

You don’t need to work out for hours at a time to dramatically improve your health. In fact, short bouts of exercise can be more effective at improving your aerobic fitness than longer workouts, as long as they’re done right. Having good aerobic fitness is extremely important for...

Do you think that to dramatically change your health you will need a complete lifestyle overhaul?   Well, that’s wrong. Although well-meaning “health nuts” may tell you that you must work out for hours at a time, the actual science shows that just 10 minutes of...

In this series I’m explaining the 5 most important things firefighters must do to avoid suffering a fatal cardiac event, because heart attack is still the leading cause of death in the fire service and these events are completely preventable. To start from the beginning...

As I’ve discussed in the prior articles in this series, there are many exercises that we do in the gym that, although they may work the intended muscle group, they place too much stress on the spine. Firefighters should avoid these exercises like the plague because, due to...

The Situp This exercise has been around for a long time. You’ve likely done them a gazillion times throughout your adolescence in your physical education classes and in sports practices. So it’s hard for people to accept that they’re not really a very good exercise. Change...

Extensions Whenever I see people doing this exercise at the gym I cringe. While using the back extension machine it may feel (and sound) like you’re working your back muscles but you’re straining the joints in your spine so much that you may be doing more damage than good. See,...

Today we take a look back at the top 5 firefighter fitness/health and wellness articles for 2013; as determined by you the readers. Taking care of yourself  is of utmost importance to do the job of a firefighter. Being in fit condition and eating properly not only helps you...

Mistake # 5:  Eating Too Much Protein Protein History One trend that I have observed among firefighters is the tendency to eat a lot of protein. Protein is abundant in a lot of foods including grains, nuts, dairy, and of course meat. In general, many firefighters over-consume...

One of the biggest mistakes firefighters make with their health is giving into negative peer pressure In any group setting, people are influenced by the actions of their peers. This is especially true in the fire service, as firefighters eat, sleep and work as a group.  The group...