Maximize Your Shift: Simple, Quick Workouts to Keep You Fit On Duty

By, Matt Cady – O2X Strength & Conditioning Specialist

Training to improve your physical fitness has many health benefits. In addition to all those health benefits, physical training becomes even more important as a firefighter due to the rigorous nature of the job. Carrying equipment, carrying patients, stretching hoselines, and doing overhaul are all strenuous activities that require strength and endurance. In order to be ready to carry out all the demands of a firefighter, one must continually train to maintain and or improve one’s physical attributes. Even though this is designed for firefighters on shift, this micro dosing workout style can be tailored to anyone with a busy schedule including, law enforcement, military, executives, parents etc.

Ideally, I recommend following a periodized training program on your off days that is designed with your health, fitness and performance goals in mind. This periodized training program should also include a full dynamic warm up for before your workout and a cool down/stretch after you are finished. A program such as this will provide the best results and training on your off day and will ensure your workout will not get interrupted. Therefore, I recommend using your “on shift” workout as supplementary.

On shift workouts can be difficult. You never know when the tones are going to go off. A high call volume and the run reports that have to be written for each call fill your day. Poor sleep and lack of equipment can all lead you directly to the recliner at the first sign of down time. Getting the motivation for an hour-long workout knowing it might get interrupted can be a challenge. With that said, instead of planning an hour long training session, try to set your workout up in 10 minute increments/segments. With this 10 minute “micro dosing” set up, you can get a lot of work done in a short period of time and it is adaptable to your specific station and the equipment you have or don’t have. You may need to be creative if your station does not have a weight room. Using hose bundles and wearing your SCBA are a couple options to add weight to an exercise without dumbbells and barbells. Below are some different examples of how to implement the 10 minute micro dose workout.

Option 1:

A 10 minute workout per hour for however many hours your schedule allows. The most I have done is 12 hours. Pick a different exercise each hour and perform EMOM (every minute on the minute). Perform your reps and however much time is left in the minute is your rest. You can obviously choose whatever reps you want but I typically do sets of 10 and progressively increase the weight each minute. The idea is you get 100 reps accomplished in 10 minutes. The warmup is built into the workout because you are starting with lighter weight and if the tones drop it doesn’t feel like your workout is ruined. This is adaptable to bodyweight exercises if your station doesn’t have a gym or can be done using whatever equipment you have.

Example of a 12 hour workout with a different exercise each hour

Hour 1: Squats 10×10 EMOM

Hour 2: Pull Ups 10×10 EMOM

Hour 3: RDL’s 10×10 EMOM

Hour 4: Curl to Press 10×10 EMOM

Hour 5: Front Plank to Toe Touch 10×10 EMOM

Hour 6: 10 minute Incline Treadmill Walk, 10 incline 3 mph

Hour 7: Renegade Rows 10×10 each side EMOM

Hour 8: Step Ups 10×10 each side EMOM

Hour 9: Push Ups + Shoulder Taps 10×10 EMOM

Hour 10: MB Slams 10×10 EMOM

Hour 11: Farmers Carry 10x EMOM

Hour 12: 10 minute Stretch

Option 2:

Pick 2-3 different exercises and perform a 10 minute AMRAP (as many reps/rounds as possible). Once you have chosen your exercises, select your reps for each, set your timer for 10 minutes and begin. Rest as needed. Again, this can be performed with or without equipment. If you are lucky enough to make it through 10 minutes without a call, you can adjust your exercises and start another 10 minutes. A couple examples of exercises I have supersetted (paired together) at my station are Goblet Squats with RDL’s. Step Ups with Bench Press. Curl to Press with Pull Ups. Med Ball Slams with a Farmer’s Carry and Renegade Rows.

Option 3:

Low impact, steady state cardio. This will be very dependent on the equipment you have at your station. I like this as an option because if a call does come in during your workout, you should not be gasping for breath or profusely sweating. Some examples I have done for this option are inclined treadmill walks holding dumbbells in each hand for added resistance and to improve grip strength. Walking the stairs of our hose tower with my SCBA on and/or carrying a hose bundle. I have used our Jacobs Ladder as a Stairmaster or if you want it to be more challenging, climbing with both hands and feet. A final option I have done are continuous step ups onto a bench or box.

Option 4:

This option is similar to option 2 but it is done with a partner. Pick 1 exercise, and set your timer for 10 minutes. “You do 10 reps, and I rest and then I do 10 reps and you rest.” The rest in this option is the time your partner is training. Similar to the other options above, you can switch the exercise when the timer goes off and start another 10 minutes. This is also adaptable to what equipment is available.

On shift workouts can be challenging and riddled with reasons as to why they didn’t/ can’t/ won’t happen. High call volume, paperwork, station duties, lack of equipment, lack of motivation etc. Some days, you may actually be too busy or tired to train. On days that is legitimately the case, try to take 10 minutes and stretch. However, changing your mindset and finding at least 10 minutes throughout a 24 hour shift for a “micro dosed” workout is very reasonable and the physical and mental health benefits will pay off in the long run on and off shift.

About O2X Specialist Matt Cady:

Matt Cady is an O2X Strength & Conditioning Specialist with expertise in physical performance and strength and conditioning. He has been training traditional athletes, military, and first responders for 15 years. Matt has been certified through the National Strength and Conditioning Association, USA Weightlifting, Precision Nutrition, and Functional Movement Screen. He has authored articles, spoken at seminars, and been a guest on various podcasts. Matt was a 4-year college ice hockey athlete at Miami University where he received a bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science and a minor in Coaching. Upon graduating, he was a member of the University of Denver hockey coaching staff, where the team won the National Championship. Matt returned to Miami University to continue his strength and conditioning career and earn a Master of Science degree in Kinesiology. Matt was a collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coach for 8 years. His teams won world medals, national championships, and league championships. His individual athletes earned All American honors, became league MVPs, and received the Hobey Baker (the highest individual award for men’s collegiate ice hockey). Many of the athletes he has trained have also competed at the professional level. In 2016, Matt took his expertise and collegiate experience to the military where he was a Tactical Human Performance Specialist for 7th Special Forces Group. There, he was privileged to train and educate some of the military’s finest soldiers on smarter ways to train. He created specific programming to prepare them for deployments and specialized selection courses. Matt now works in the private sector for Impact Sports Performance.

About O2X Human Performance:

O2X Human Performance provides comprehensive, science-backed programs to hundreds of public safety departments, federal agencies, and the military. O2X works with clients to elevate culture, improve mental and physical wellbeing, support healthy lifestyles, and reduce healthcare costs associated with injuries and illnesses. Driven by results and cutting edge research, O2X programs are designed and delivered by a team of Special Operations veterans, high level athletes, and hundreds of leading experts in their respective fields of human performance.