Improvements In Recruit Fitness During A 6-week Firefighter Training Academy

Abstract

Firefighting is a unique and dangerous career in that, unlike some sports and careers that primarily focus on one training goal, firefighters (FFs) must train both aerobic and anaerobic systems. The leading cause for death of on-duty FFs is sudden cardiac events. Emphasizing physical training early in a firefighters career (academy training) has the potential to impact fitness and perceptions of the importance of fitness, and hence to decrease the risk of sudden cardiac events. PURPOSE: Examine physical fitness parameters, assessed during the first and last week of a 6-wk firefighter (FF) training academy, in male recruit FFs from 2004 through 2016 to establish the effectiveness of the training regimen employed by the Illinois Fire Service Institute (IFSI). METHODS: Participants were male FF recruits (N = 383; 26.2 ± 4.2 yrs, M ± SD) from the IFSI who completed baseline fitness measures including measures of weight, estimated VO2max (1.5-mi run), muscular endurance (60-s sit-ups, 60-s push-ups, bench press), and flexibility (sit and reach). Following the 6-wk fire academy, which included daily physical training, recruit FFs repeated the fitness test battery. RESULTS: Results indicated significant improvements (Mdiff± SE; all Ps < 0.001) for weight (1.12 ± 0.14 kg, Cohen’s d = 0.08), 1.5-mile run (0.92 ± 0.04 min, d = 0.57), 60-s sit-ups (5.11 ± 0.25 reps, d = 0.60), 60-s push-ups (13.21 ± 0.38 reps, d = 1.08), bench press [i.e., 38.6 kg; 2.56 ± 0.26 reps, d = 0.23), and flexibility (2.15 ± 0.19 cm, d = 0.28). CONCLUSIONS: Following a 6-wk training academy, including daily physical training, recruit FFs made significant improvements in weight, BMI, estimated VO2max, three measures of muscular endurance, and flexibility. Since the majority of on-duty deaths can be attributed to stress or overexertion-related cardiac events, it is important to recognize the importance of a varied fitness regimen for FFs’ health as well as performance. All areas of fitness need to be examined with training modalities and performance goals that are consistent with the physical demands of firefighting.