A Description of Exercise Programs Implemented During a Firefighter Training Academy.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study is to thoroughly describe exercise programs that were performed during a firefighter training academy, including their effects on body composition and physical fitness. METHODS: Fourteen recruits performed exercise programs during a 24-week training academy and several components of their body composition and physical fitness were measured. Moreover, their heart rate (HR) and session rating of perceived exertion (sRPE) were recorded during and after every training session, respectively. RESULTS: Fat-free mass, subcutaneous fat in the abdomen, cardiovascular fitness, flexibility, lower-body power, and muscular endurance significantly improved during the study ( P ≤ 0.05). The highest HR and sRPE responses were observed during aerobic training (AT) sessions. The average HR responses relative to maximum HR were similar during AT, high-intensity circuit training, multimodal high-intensity interval training, and high-intensity functional training; however, the sRPEs during high-intensity circuit training and multimodal high-intensity interval training were significantly lower than AT. CONCLUSIONS: Several effective exercise programs can be implemented during firefighter training academies.

Utilizing multimodal high-intensity interval training for a firefighter training academy during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Firefighters typically undergo a 16-24-week training academy during which they perform a variety of traditional exercise programs such as cardiovascular, resistance, and concurrent training. Because of limited facility access, some fire departments seek alternative exercise programs, such as multimodal high-intensity interval training (MM-HIIT), which essentially combines resistance and interval training. OBJECTIVE: The primary purpose of this study was to assess the effect of MM-HIIT on body composition and physical fitness in firefighter recruits who completed a training academy during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. A secondary purpose was to compare the effects of MM-HIIT to previous training academies that implemented traditional exercise programs. METHODS: Healthy and recreationally-trained recruits (n = 12) participated in 2-3 days/week of MM-HIIT for 12 weeks and had several components of body composition and physical fitness measured before and after the program. Because of COVID-19-related gym closures, all MM-HIIT sessions were performed outdoors at a fire station with minimal equipment. These data were retroactively compared to a control group (CG) that previously completed training academies with traditional exercise programs. RESULTS: Subjects in the MM-HIIT group significantly improved several components of body composition and fitness, including fat mass, fat-free mass, body fat percentage, aerobic capacity, and muscular endurance. Moreover, there were no significant differences for any dependent variable when MM-HIIT was compared to the CG. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that MM-HIIT may serve as an effective substitute for traditional concurrent training paradigms that are typically used for firefighter academies.