“Maintaining an active lifestyle and developing physical fitness is significant in improving the health, fitness and quality of life for Firefighters.

Rapid response to emergency situations, with heavy equipment and protective clothing, may require intense physical exertion. Higher levels of physical fitness have been tied to enhanced psychological resilience.  Firefighters require a high level of physical fitness to meet the demands of their job.”

Damien Cassidy

Health, Fitness & Wellbeing Advisor

NIFRS

Consideration Prior to Participation in Exercise

Prior to adopting any of our fitness advice, please contact your GP if you have not participated in physical activity for some time.

Warm Up & Cool Down

The purpose of warming up before physical activity is to prepare mentally and physically for your chosen activity. Warming up increases your heart rate and therefore your blood flow. This enables more oxygen to reach your muscles.

How do I warm up before exercise?

A warm-up for light physical activity will take around 10 minutes. It involves light aerobic activity and some dynamic stretching movements appropriate for the activity you’re about to perform. This could include:

• fast-paced walking
• walking up and down stairs
• fast-paced side stepping
• jogging on the spot
• arm swings
• lunges
• squats

There’s little evidence that static stretching reduces your risk of injury during physical activity or exercise, or even soreness the next day. However dynamic stretching, incorporated into an aerobic warm-up, remains very popular.

How do I cool down after exercise?

To cool down after exercise, simply reduce the intensity of the activity you’ve been doing. For example, turn a:

• jog into a walk
• run into a jog
• fast swim into an easy swim

This will help you gradually reduce your heart rate and begin the process of recovery. Gently stretching each of the main muscle groups for 10 to 15 seconds will restore their length and can help bring your mind and body back to a resting state.

“Physical fitness and discipline are two important qualities of a Firefighter. We are required to wear Breathing Apparatus and be exposed to high temperatures which can have a massive impact physically, not forgetting having to save casualties and carry them out of a building. We also have to be willing to keep going even when things get tough, the fitter you are the easier that will be.

As a Firefighter, having the discipline for taking personal responsibility for your own health, wellbeing and fitness means you can carry out your role safely and effectively and also without putting yourself or others at risk of injury.”

Lynsey Miller

Watch Commander

Learning & Development Centre

Farmers Walk

• Hold the dumbbells at your side with a firm grip. Stand tall, keeping your shoulders back and core tight.
• Initiate the movement by walking forward at an even pace with your eyes focused straight ahead of you.
• Walk for at least 10 Steps.
• It is best to start with lighter weights when first trying the movement, then slowly advancing until you’ve reached a more challenging load.

Lunges

• Inhale and take a big step forward with your right leg, landing on the heel.
• Bend at the knee until the right thigh approaches parallel to the ground. The left leg is bent at the knee and balanced on the toes while in the lunge position.
• Step the right foot back on an exhale to return to the starting position.
• Repeat the motion with the left leg.
• Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Shoulder Press

• Taking a dumbbell in each hand, stand shoulder width apart with the hips and spine in a neutral position.
• Lift the dumbbells so that they are positioned in between your shoulders and ears, palms facing forward.
• Engage your core and glutes and extend your arms to press the dumbbells above your head. Keep your feet flat on the floor throughout the movement.
• Slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position, making sure to keep the torso stable throughout.

Bent over Row

• Assume a standing position while holding the bar using a double overhand grip.
• Hinge forward until your torso is roughly parallel with the floor (or slightly above) and then begin the movement by driving the elbows behind the body while retracting the shoulder blades.
• Pull the bar towards your belly button until it touches your body and then slowly lower the bar back to the starting position under control.
• Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Squat to Press

• Take a Kettlebell, hold it by the horns, up by your shoulders, close to your chest.
• Stand with your feet shoulder width apart.
• Squat down to a 90 degree angle and then stand back up.
• As you stand back up press the Kettlebell up over your head.
• Bring the Kettlebell back down to your shoulders. This completes one repetition.
• You can also use dumbbells for this exercise.
• Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Press Ups

• Get down on all fours, placing your hands slightly wider than your shoulders.
• Straighten your arms and legs.
• Lower your body until your chest nearly touches the floor.
• Pause, and then push yourself back up.
• Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
• Easier alternative, elevated press ups.

Plank

• Start in a tabletop position on your hands and knees, and then lower down to your forearms with your elbows stacked beneath your shoulders.
• Step your feet back until your body makes a line from shoulders to heels.
• Squeeze your core and think about pulling your belly button towards your sternum to engage the abs.
• Hold the position for as long as possible, over time work up to 30, 45, or 60 seconds, progress until you reach 2mins.

Deadlift

• Stand with your mid-foot under the barbell.
• Bend over and grab the bar with a shoulder-width grip.
• Bend your knees until your shins touch the bar.
• Lift your chest up and straighten your lower back.
• Take a big breath, hold it, and stand up with the weight.
• Hold the weight for a second at the top, with locked hips and knees.
• Return the weight to the floor by moving your hips back while bending your legs.
• Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Bench Press

• Draw your shoulder blades back behind you to keep from pressing with rounded shoulders.
• Grasp the barbell using an overhand grip, pacing your thumbs on the outside of your closed fist. Your arms are slightly wider than shoulder – width apart and the angle of your upper arms is about 45 degrees to the body.
• Remove the barbell from the rack, locking your elbows. (Don’t move the bar in an arc from the rack directly to the chest position.)
• Inhale while lowering the bar to your chest, at the nipple line.
• Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.