# Help with fitness



## AND1 (Jan 16, 2010)

Hello lady's and gents. I recently was in the fire academy down here in south florida. I did well on my pat. 3:43 first time. But as far as running i'm not doing so well. I was told to change my class so that i won't fail out. I don't know what to do to be abel to run two miles. Without being out of breath. So i'm asking for some pointers from others. Any ideas would help so i can make it to the march class. 

Thanks: And1


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## spikestac211 (Jan 16, 2010)

Practice! Lots of it. There are tons of methods online to best maximize your training (Run a certain miles on one day, a different number the next, mixing sprinting and jogging, etc)... I can't get into those too much.

Get good running shoes that fit YOUR feet, hydrate lots, and remember mind over matter. Your mind gives up much sooner than your body does.


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## fit4duty (Jan 16, 2010)

duplicate..........oops


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## fit4duty (Jan 16, 2010)

AND1 said:


> Hello lady's and gents. I recently was in the fire academy down here in south florida. I did well on my pat. 3:43 first time. But as far as running i'm not doing so well. I was told to change my class so that i won't fail out. I don't know what to do to be abel to run two miles. Without being out of breath. So i'm asking for some pointers from others. Any ideas would help so i can make it to the march class.
> 
> Thanks: And1



1. Buy a pedometer

2. Buy a stop watch

3. Buy a properly fitting comfortable pair of running shoes

4. Run for 2minutes at a comfortable pace then walk for 3minutes (1cycle=5minutes). Complete 6 cycles so that your total activity time is 30 minutes. As your fitness improves, and it will if you do this AT LEAST 3 times a week your running portion will lengthen and your walking/recovery period will shorten and you are now running continuously for thirty minutes.

5. Now start using the pedometer on your runs so you know how far you are going in the 30 minutes.

6. Once you know the distance, forget running for thirty minutes. Start running your course faster - shoot to make improvements of 10-30s per run. The increase in intensity (by running faster) will greatly improve your work capacity and ability to tolerate what gets thrown at you at the academy.

7. Keep a training log (so you always press forward and don't stagnate) and keep us updated on your progress.

8. After step 6 let the board know  you have accomplished the first part so that speed work can be added to your regime.

9. Remember: you are capable of much greater performance than what you think. Its going to be uncomfortable, embrace it, don't fear it. When the training gets uncomfortable, that is when the body makes the greatest adaptations. 

10. It doesn't hurt to check in with your doc to make sure there are not any hidden predispositions that could trip you up

have fun


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## airraid (Jan 17, 2010)

AND1 said:


> Hello lady's and gents. I recently was in the fire academy down here in south florida. I did well on my pat. 3:43 first time. But as far as running i'm not doing so well. I was told to change my class so that i won't fail out. I don't know what to do to be abel to run two miles. Without being out of breath. So i'm asking for some pointers from others. Any ideas would help so i can make it to the march class.
> 
> Thanks: And1



Please tell me you don't smoke.


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## Aidey (Jan 17, 2010)

Make sure your diet is sufficient for your needs also. If you don't give your body the fuel and recovery it needs you will have a much harder time. 

What is the PAT down there?


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## AND1 (Jan 17, 2010)

The pat is 3 flights of stairs, pull up a hose, keiser sled, a hose drag for 100 feet., and a dummy 175 for 100 ft. I did good 3:43 and they give us 7 min. Then on the last day to pass you have to do all that in gear in under 5 min. I did all the other training good, just haven't ran in a long time. Also i didn't run before i went into the academy. Cause all academy's train different. The one i was suppose to go to they only build you up to run 1 mile. That's i.r.sc. I believe from what other students told me. But at coral springs fire academy, it's like a military training. Not a bad thing cause we can all use discipline. So i just got to ready my self for them..  Thanks for all you help guys.


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## AND1 (Jan 17, 2010)

airraid said:


> please tell me you don't smoke.



no i don't smoke.. Just not in cardio shape yet.


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## Aidey (Jan 17, 2010)

Hopefully you don't chew/dip either.


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## NC_EMT (Jan 17, 2010)

I definitely agree with the mind over matter statement.  When I first enlisted in the Navy I was a pack a day smoker.  Our first PRT was 60 sit-ups and 50 push-ups I believe, and 1.5 mile run in under 12 minutes.  I failed miserably on the run.  A week later I put my mind to it (along with popping 1600mg Ibuprofen about an hour before) I whipped that A**.


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## AND1 (Jan 18, 2010)

nc_emt said:


> i definitely agree with the mind over matter statement.  When i first enlisted in the navy i was a pack a day smoker.  Our first prt was 60 sit-ups and 50 push-ups i believe, and 1.5 mile run in under 12 minutes.  I failed miserably on the run.  A week later i put my mind to it (along with popping 1600mg ibuprofen about an hour before) i whipped that a**.



what does the 1600 mg of ibuprofen do ?


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## NC_EMT (Jan 18, 2010)

AND1 said:


> what does the 1600 mg of ibuprofen do ?



kept my shins and calves from hurting so bad during the run.


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## spikestac211 (Jan 18, 2010)

Aidey said:


> Hopefully you don't chew/dip either.



I've always wondered, how much of an impact (if any) does that have on physical fitness?

Repulsive habit regardless, but I've always wondered.


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## AND1 (Jan 18, 2010)

nc_emt said:


> kept my shins and calves from hurting so bad during the run.



gonna have to try that cause my shins be killing me..


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## tjbroussard (Jan 19, 2010)

*1600 mg?*

Might want to check that dose first IMHO.   Lot's of potential issues with Ibuprofen at that range.


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## fit4duty (Jan 19, 2010)

tjbroussard said:


> Might want to check that dose first IMHO.   Lot's of potential issues with Ibuprofen at that range.



Agreed. Popping NSAIDs to mask pain and exercise induced inflammation isn't exactly the brightest move in terms of long term health. This is especially true with shin splints as it can develop into something very nasty if left unchecked but is entirely within your scope to fix if addressed early and appropriately. Get to the root of the problem don't just treat the symptoms.


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## triemal04 (Jan 19, 2010)

fit4duty said:


> Agreed. Popping NSAIDs to mask pain and exercise induced inflammation isn't exactly the brightest move in terms of long term health. This is especially true with shin splints as it can develop into something very nasty if left unchecked but is entirely within your scope to fix if addressed early and appropriately. Get to the root of the problem don't just treat the symptoms.


Wait a minute...didn't you do some exercise Q&A for EMS personnel awhile back?  What were the results?


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## AND1 (Jan 19, 2010)

Well i'm on my second day of spin class, plus going jogging a little at a time. I appreciate all of you guys help. Will keep you posted as my results progress.


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## 46Young (Jan 19, 2010)

Do what those on the job do:
http://www.firegroundfitness.com/

I learned a lot from this site while I was training for my CPAT, and I absolutely blew it away:
http://rosstraining.com/blog/

Also if you can do the 100 burpee challenge in under 7:00 (legit burpees, not a weak 2" of air) you can pretty much conquer the world. 10:00 should be a good starting point for the academy.

Circuits of DB/KB swings will condition you for running, although you'll need to condition your shins for 5 mile + runs.

Burpees, burpees, and more burpees. You'll be c**k diesel in no time.


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## z_14k (Jan 20, 2010)

crossfit is by far one of THE best health and fitness medicines out there..if you really want to stay in shape, crossfit workouts are the best


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## z_14k (Jan 20, 2010)

if you go through a gym it can get real pricey, but theres websites that you can base your WOD (workout of the day) on..   crossfit.com


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## fit4duty (Jan 20, 2010)

The Crossfit ideology like most other methodics out there has its place in the training continuum if and only if it is utilized correctly. And1 (and anyone else starting over) PLEASE take the time to develop a strong base in cardiovascular conditioning and body mechanics with respect to whatever resistance program you chose to employ before taking on the work loads espoused by programs like Crossfit, Gym Jones (my personal preference), Fireground fitness or even the latest offering by Beach Body. All of those programs require a pre-existing moderately high level of fitness and knowledge to not only complete many of the sessions but to also be able to perform the movements in a bio-mechanically correct and efficient manner. Finishing a session without regard for the correct execution of the exercise is not only a waste of resources but will lead to injury. Additionally, trashing your system session after session with no real goal or direction that the training is supposed to lead to is not cutting edge or revolutionary or cool its just retarded. There is no shortcut magic pill or special exercise that magically changes the world. Train smart, train hard, recover well and DOMINATE.


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## fit4duty (Jan 20, 2010)

triemal04 said:


> Wait a minute...didn't you do some exercise Q&A for EMS personnel awhile back?  What were the results?



The survey turned out to be quite interesting on a number of issues:

1. Nearly everyone reported participating in some type of physical activity at least 2 times/week. Most were 3+

1a. The activity participated in ranged across the entire spectrum.

2. The BMI which I personally think is a horrid tool to assess ones fatness had >85% over weight and obese. This equates to BMIs over 30. Now obviously a great many of the respondents could have been straight up diesel hard-bodies (stop laughing) but I highly doubt it. 

3. The injury rate of all the respondents was about 35% which is about what was expected and more than half had repeat injuries.

4. The range of injuries were primarily joint/back issues--shouldn't be a surprise.



I will see if I can dig up some of the graphs for it and post them up on the board.


The thing that I took from the survey was that people especially EMS peeps need to have a directed approach to exercise and nutrition. If the frequency of exercise/activity was accurate then the number of us teetering on obesity and a 30+% injury rate should be remarkably lower than what was reported. Once again assuming the reporting was accurate, there is definitely a big disconnect in reaping the benefits of a reasonably healthy lifestyle.


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## NC_EMT (Jan 21, 2010)

fit4duty said:


> Agreed. Popping NSAIDs to mask pain and exercise induced inflammation isn't exactly the brightest move in terms of long term health. This is especially true with shin splints as it can develop into something very nasty if left unchecked but is entirely within your scope to fix if addressed early and appropriately. Get to the root of the problem don't just treat the symptoms.



I'm not saying I do it all the time.  There were one or two times where 
I was out of shape and pain was going to be the deciding factor if I passed or failed.  I never use analgesics when training and I don't recommend doing so.  Like you said, you don't want to mask pain especially when correlated with shin splints, heel spurs or muscle strain/tear.


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## Aidey (Jan 21, 2010)

It's not only that masking the pain can hide a bigger problem, it is that high doses of Ibuprofen can also cause serious kidney damage. Especially when used long term. Sometimes the damage isn't permanent, but there are people on dialysis because they overused/overdosed on ibuprofen.


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## spikestac211 (Feb 12, 2010)

Also, I came across this guy a while ago... his ipod "treadmill trainer" tapes are great!!!

You can get Vol 1 on iTunes for 9.99, the rest you have to buy on his website. Well worth the money to me. He follows interval training, with helpful tips and stuff along the way.

Highly, highly recommended. His accent is fun to listen to as well 

http://www.mytreadmilltrainer.com/

I'm not affiliated with him at all, just a very happy customer.


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