Staying Firefighter Fit at Home

As you probably know, being Firefighter Fit is crucial if you want to land a Firefighter job.

However, with the pandemic affecting us all, and many premises being closed it’s impossible for many of us to keep to the exercise routine we’re used to – like hitting the gym or going to classes.

But don’t worry. It’s actually pretty easy to get fit in the comfort of your own home!

Keeping up with your fitness routine can seem like a bit of a mission at the moment. However regular exercise has so many benefits apart from maintaining your fitness – it helps keep your mindset and mood positive, and prevents against illness and chronic disease.

Here’s our top tips for staying Firefighter Fit.

Check Out No Equipment Workouts

There are so many types of exercise you can do from home with little to no equipment. Calesthetics, HIIT, cardio and bodyweight workouts…the list goes on.

You could even try your hand at yoga or pilates – seriously, give it a try! These disciplines are incredibly beneficial for strength and flexibility and for calming your mind too. Some FRSs even include these in their suggestions for Firefighter fitness plans.

Make the Most of Social Media

Most of us are spending hours aimlessly scrolling through social media at the moment. Why not put this time to good use!

Follow online fitness coaches, bloggers and influencers in an area you’re interested in. They’ll quite often post workout tips and routines on their channels, as well as providing you with motivation for when you start to flag!

YouTube is another great source of resources – there are hundreds of free workouts to follow that you can do from home.

Make your Home your Gym!

You may think working out from home is restrictive – but you’d be surprised!

Use your stairs to do exercises like tricep dips or step ups. Or chairs to preform seated squats.

You can do squats, push-ups, burpees, lunges or planks (and many more exercises) anywhere you have the space – the living room, the hallway, the garden. There are a huge number of options when you get creative.

If you do want to invest in some equipment you don’t need to go crazy. A kettle bell or some mid-weight dumbbells (you can order these online easily) can be used for a multitude of exercises. they’re also handy for adding some weight to the exercises mentioned above!

How about skipping? It’s quick, easy and very effective for building cardiovascular strength. Ropes can be picked up very inexpensively. Resistance bands are another handy and inexpensive bit of kit that’s easy to store and very versatile. You can do exercises like kickbacks, shoulder raises, bent over rows…the list goes on!

Make your Running More Enjoyable

Running is one of the best exercises for getting you Firefighter Fit, and it’s easy and free!

Make your workout a bit more fun and challenge yourself by using an app – there are simple ones like Couch to 5k, to ones that provide detailed feedback on your progress and fitness levels.

For a bit of fun there’s also apps like Zombies, Run! This is a cross between a fitness app and a computer game! In it you’re a survivor of a zombie apocalypse, and have to run certain distances to complete ‘tasks’ like gathering supplies, rescuing survivors and defending homes.

If you can’t currently get outdoors jogging on the spot is a surprisingly effective workoutI It lets you burn calories, and get some good cardiovascular conditioning in from your own home. You can also do high-knees or jumping jacks as part of your workout to switch it up and make things more challenging.

Remember to warm up and cool down after exercise to prevent injury, and if you’re not used to regular exercise at the moment, or returning to it after a break, then start small and build up!