Training Focus Shifts to Functional Fitness
A recent video on the “Fire Up Your Fitness” channel promotes CPAT-style circuit training for aspiring firefighters, focusing on short bursts of maximal effort with minimal rest. This trend toward job-simulated fitness is also seen in firefighter competitions, such as the “Ironman of firefighting” in New Zealand, which includes tasks like water target shooting and rescue carries to mimic fireground demands. The consensus is to prioritize functional movements like sled drags and weighted carries over traditional gym routines.
- The Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT), a standard for many departments including Seattle, must be completed in 10 minutes and 20 seconds. The test involves eight sequential events, including a stair climb with a 75-pound load and a forcible entry simulation, all while wearing a 50-pound vest to mimic the weight of firefighter gear. - A 2021 study on recruit firefighters found that High-Intensity Functional Training (HIFT) significantly improved both general fitness and specific firefighting abilities. This type of training led to an 11% increase in aerobic capacity and a 37.2% increase in push-up performance over a seven-week period. - The New Zealand firefighter competition, known as the United Fire Brigades' Association (UFBA) Firefighter Challenge, is a demanding race simulating real-world tasks. Events include climbing a six-story tower carrying a 19kg (42 lb) hose, hoisting another hose from the top, and using a 4kg (9 lb) shot hammer to drive a beam 1.5 meters. - Functional strength training for firefighters focuses on the ability to carry, lift, drag, push, and pull, rather than just lifting weights. A firefighter in full gear with a set of "irons" (forcible entry tools) and a water extinguisher can be carrying an additional 124 pounds on top of their body weight. - Core strength is a critical and often neglected area of firefighter fitness, with studies showing it can improve the efficiency and safety of performing high-intensity functional skills. One study found that core stabilization training led to an average 43.8-second improvement in the completion time of a functional task course. - The Seattle Fire Department's Cadet Program utilizes its own Physical Ability Test (PAT) which includes tasks like carrying two 55-pound hose rolls, low-shouldering a 72-pound ladder through a course, and dragging a 150-pound mannequin.
