Exercise Regimen

[Pony boy]

Hey guys. This past August, I took an EMT course at my local college here in Los Angeles. After passing the course, I took the National Registry test and I passed about a month ago.

As much as I'd love to start shooting out applications to different Ambulance companies, I'm a pretty skinny guy at 5' 11" and 135 lbs and I don't think I can lift an 80 pound gurney with a 200 pound patient on top.

What sort of exercise regimen would you suggest I take up that might help get my strength up within a couple months?

 

[DesertMedic66]

Alot of the lifting (most of it actually) is in your legs. So running, squats, lunges, any excersize that works out your thighs will help alot.

 

[STXmedic]

CrossFit is my new addiction with great full-body workouts

 

[ATrain]

If you're looking for strength, check out Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe.

It's a really good beginner's lifting program focusing on the big compound lifts like squat, deadlift, and bench press.
A lot of the information can be found on this page:
http://startingstrength.wikia.com/wiki/Starting_Strength_Wiki

The FAQ on there is great for really laying the program and the lifts out in laymen's terms. It doesn't require a lot of extra accessory lifts, and it's set up so you don't spend hours in the gym every day. Just helps you get strong.

I used the program when I got back onto working out after a 5 year layoff, and was really amazed with my results.

Let me know if you've got any questions about any of it.

 

[46Young]

If you're looking for strength, check out Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe.

It's a really good beginner's lifting program focusing on the big compound lifts like squat, deadlift, and bench press.
A lot of the information can be found on this page:
http://startingstrength.wikia.com/wiki/Starting_Strength_Wiki

The FAQ on there is great for really laying the program and the lifts out in laymen's terms. It doesn't require a lot of extra accessory lifts, and it's set up so you don't spend hours in the gym every day. Just helps you get strong.

I used the program when I got back onto working out after a 5 year layoff, and was really amazed with my results.

Let me know if you've got any questions about any of it.

Excellent book, and I'd follow that up with Rippletoe's Practical Programming for Strength Training. Wendler's 5/3/1 program might be worth a look as well.

If you're going to do Crossfit, I'd stay at the www.crossfitfootball.com end of the spectrum.

 

[Canadian Travel Medic]

The best advice i can give you is find a program you like and will stick too. When i started Ems i was 6ft 155, now I'm 217. a lot of that is good weight, but a bunch of it is from the 3am night shift corn dog runs to 7-11 haha. But the people above were right, most of the lifting is in your legs so squats, presses, etc are all great, but the most important is your core. Most paramedics i work with that have been doing this for years, and even younger ones, have blown out there backs. So it may not help you with your lifting as much as working on your legs, but it will improve the length of your career and decrease the likely hood of an injury.

 

[ATrain]

Excellent book, and I'd follow that up with Rippletoe's Practical Programming for Strength Training. Wendler's 5/3/1 program might be worth a look as well.

If you're going to do Crossfit, I'd stay at the www.crossfitfootball.com end of the spectrum.

Wendler's is amazing. That's what I'm using now, but I figure for someone who hasn't lifted before, SS might be the way to go.

Wendler kind of goes into it on an assumption that you know the basics. At least that's what I've taken from it. I wouldn't use it as a real beginner program.

 

[Feliks]

I think cardio exercise is best way to get good results in natural way and be fit,
i also doing cardio exercise in morning....

 

[Aidey]

Good results for what? The guy is scrawny, he wants to build muscle and strength. Cardio is not well known for accomplishing those things.

 

[BADDLEGG]

hands down crossfit will blow doors on anything else. That is why it is used by elite level people. Fire dept, police, army, navy, special forces all are going to a crossfit type system. My brother in law is a marine sniper what do you think they used for pt in sniper school, crossfit. I have worked out using all kind of rep schemes and regimins. Nothing compares to it, nothing is equal to it, many copy it. I dare anyone who feels as though their work out is superior to compete in the crossfit games. If they can beat the super human crazy nut job crossfitters I will switch to what they are doing. Crossfit was designed to prepare you for everyday life no matter what happens. I have seen amazing results and am addicted to it. If you like to abuse yourself then crossfit is the answer. Only a crossfitter would do GHD situps that could possibly put you in the hospital or kill you. I dont care your age, shape, or what you think you can do start crossfit now. Go to main page crossfit.com then start up, brand x forums, they scale the workout for us humans. I guarntee that many of the big dog women of crossfit could out lift and out work most men on this forum. Its crazy try it.

 

[Handsome Robb]

Good results for what? The guy is scrawny, he wants to build muscle and strength. Cardio is not well known for accomplishing those things.

Agreed.

Cardio isn't going to do a lot for your lifting ability.

Dude just because you are skinny doesn't mean you can't move weight. I'm 5'8-9" and 155-160 lbs and have never had a problem lifting someone.

Anyone over 250-300 should have more than 2 people lifting them anyways. Can it be done with just two? Yes. Is it the most efficient and safest way? Absolutely not.

Also, I don't understand why people add the weight of the gurney into lifts, you shouldn't be carrying the gurney, we have other tools for tasks that require carrying a patient. Ok you can add it if you use manual gurneys when you're talking about lifting from the ground to the top position but if that's the case your manual gurney isn't going to weigh 80 lbs. Our power cots don't weight much more than that. I've heard people throw around the 100-150 lb range but I really doubt that seeing as I work with them every day.

 

[Anonymous]

This is the class I take http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhg22LMh_Ks

 

[thomasmite996]

I'm also doing cardio exercise in the morning for 30 to 40 mints.
It help build strong muscles and make body flexible.
I know many persons in Los Angles who work out of cardio regularly.

 

[movimini]

Make sure to eat lean sources of protein after a workout such as chicken, fish, lean beef, peanut butter, almonds, or beans. If you're using protein powder, make sure the kind you are using is not too high in calories and sugar.

 

[MSDeltaFlt]

Hey guys. This past August, I took an EMT course at my local college here in Los Angeles. After passing the course, I took the National Registry test and I passed about a month ago.

As much as I'd love to start shooting out applications to different Ambulance companies, I'm a pretty skinny guy at 5' 11" and 135 lbs and I don't think I can lift an 80 pound gurney with a 200 pound patient on top.

What sort of exercise regimen would you suggest I take up that might help get my strength up within a couple months?

Actually yes you can. It's not how much muscle you have, but how you use it. In other words technique is everything. Period.

If you're worried about being able to lift that much weight in the field, then start doing exercises that resemble the movements of moving deadweight pts.

Bench press
Military press
Wide grip rows
Deadlifts
straight leg deadlifts

Bare in mind some of these are advanced exercises. You MUST get the technique down. If you do not then you WILL injure yourself. Move the weight up slowly and with proper form. Just like moving a pt. Slowly, proper form, and IN UNISON.

I have never hurt my back lifting a pt. I hurt mine falling out of a helicopter. To this day I am yet to hurt my back lifting a pt. Why? I move them slow, in proper form, and in unison.

When I did squats I started with the bar only and in front of the mirror. Got my technique down. THEN I added weight. Focusing on technique.

I realize I'm beating a dead horse here, but you get my point.

 

[citizensoldierny]

I'll echo the previous statements of Starting strength or Wendler 5/3/1. Doing wendler and I like the low volume idea as I rather not spend all day lifting. Plus with an emphasis on squats and deadlifts either is very applicable to the lifts you'll do in EMS.

 

[FourLoko]

Have you tried to gain weight previously?

Reason I ask is despite all of those fancy workouts you won't gain muscle unless you can eat to grow that muscle. Trust me I wasted plenty of time in the gym. Not a single pound gained.

 

[FourLoko]

Your abs are there, you just can't see them. The only way to reveal them is to reduce your total body fat percentage. No amount of crunches is going to make magic.

Even then, the six pack can be hard to come by. I've kept mine around since high school but I haven't gained a pound since then either. Focus on the total body and then you can think about the abs later.

 

[Uclabruin103]

I too am a believer in CrossFit. I like it because it tells you what to do everyday. You dont have to do anything but check out the website in the morning. I trid insanity but felt my knees were protesting it too much, so back to Crossfit I went.

It's all in finding something that you're going to stick to. I never have been able to gain mass, it's just painful for me to eat that much food but strength will come fairly quickly. Just stick to whatever you do.

And best bit of advice, find a friend to go with.

 

[Doczilla]

This made my back almost impervious to injury: www.militaryathlete.com