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by Pete Loeschner
Strength & Conditioning for First Responders
Law enforcement officers, firefighters, and military personnel are tactical athletes and need to train like it. Here’s how.
The Tactical Athlete: Fit to Fight
Long before the term “tactical athlete” was commonplace, service men and women trained to succeed in their jobs. In today’s world, it’s even more important for those working in law enforcement, fire, and the military to be fit to fight. Take a look at a few stats:
LAW ENFORCEMENT
In 2021, the FBI released statistics concerning attacks on law enforcement. In short, 60,105 law enforcement officers were assaulted while performing their duties in 2020, over 4,000 more than the previous year.
No matter what the pencil-neck geek says about how the crime stats are getting “lower,” it’s getting more dangerous for law enforcement personnel to do their duties and make it home safely.
FIRE
A big part of the job deals with medical calls such as falls, cardiac arrests, and other emergencies. Not only are these calls for service frequent, but the population is becoming increasingly obese. Ever try to pick up a limp body? It’s a lot harder than you think. Lifting a 300-pound man feels like lifting a bar loaded with ten plates.
If you’re working as a firefighter, not only do you have to worry about fighting fires to save lives, you have to be strong. If you’re not training to pick up people, you’ll get sidelined with an injury.
MILITARY
Needs no explanation. Our military forces must be the fittest out of all three categories to succeed in their missions.
Here’s what each needs to consider.
What Are YOUR Specific Needs?
Now, I’m not suggesting anyone get away from tried and true general strength training. It’s hard to replace back squats, weighted pull-ups, push-ups, and other pressing variations in any program. However, the following will help you tailor a program to your specific needs in addition to general strength work.
So, begin by analyzing your profession’s specific needs and your assignment. For instance, someone working as a SWAT operator will have different stressors and training needs than a Wildland Firefighter or a Survival Technician in the Coast Guard.
Once those training needs are established, think about the exercises that will provide transference to the activity by using this abbreviated assessment.
Does your occupation expose you to any of the following stressors?
1. HAND-TO-HAND COMBAT (LAW ENFORCEMENT ASSIGNMENTS, MILITARY)
You need:
Core strength and stability
Back strength (prioritize it)
Shoulder stabilization fortification: dynamic push-ups onto box with catch and upper back work
Dynamic and rotational core work
Explosive upper-body strength work
Grip strength: Zottman curls, hammer curls, overhand barbell holds for time
Complexes: barbell, dumbbell, and bodyweight
2. HEAVY CARRYING (MEDICAL CALLS, OFFICER/CITIZEN RESCUE, FIRE MISSIONS)
You need:
Strongman exercises: farmer’s walk, yoke, wheelbarrow
Deadlift variations
Grip strength: Zottman curls, hammer curls, overhand barbell holds for time
Heavy sled drag to simulate officer/citizen rescue and increase knee health
3. RUNNING, INCLUDING OBSTACLE NEGOTIATION (FENCE, WALL, STAIRS, ETC.)
You need:
Box jumps
Depth drops and jumps
Weighted pull-ups
Calves/Achilles tendon strengthening and soft tissue work
Core strength and stability
Sprints from various positions
Ankle, knee, and hip flexibility and mobility
4. EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME SITTING
You need:
Emphasis on exercises to challenge and maintain hip/low-back mobility, stability, strength, and flexibility: single-leg deadlift, front-leg elevated reverse lunges, and Romanian deadlifts.
5. EXTENDED PERIODS OF STRAINING, LIFTING, AND RUNNING
You need:
Aerobic work
Kettlebell training in an endurance fashion
Barbell, dumbbell, and bodyweight complexes
Prowler/sled push
6. SPECIAL EXERCISES
You need:
Specific conditioning related to the job functions (sledgehammer, ram, halligan). Rotational exercises are key for injury prevention here.
Progression
Once your training targets are established, determine a progression.
Training has to get harder over time. Whether increasing weight (overload), decreasing the rest period, or increasing repetitions, develop a method to progress week-to-week in each exercise.
Sample Plan: Putting It All Together
Here’s a sample week from a program designed for a tactical athlete. He was able to lose 27 pounds and gain strength utilizing this template paired with a moderate carbohydrate, high-protein diet.
Some of the exercises were selected for these purposes:
Dynamic stability of core/trunk
Improve knee tendon health
Preparation for lifts/carries associated with firefighting
Shoulder and upper-back specific fortification
Grip strength
Total body conditioning
MONDAY
Push-Up Onto Boxes/Plates
Sets: 4
Reps: 3
Rest Period: 45 seconds
Bench Press, Rest-Pause Method
Sets: 2
Reps: 1-2 reps shy of failure
Rest Period: 20 seconds, 3 minutes between sets
Weighted Chin-Up
Sets: 5
Reps: 2,2,2,2,max
Rest Period: As needed
Weighted Dip
Sets: 3
Reps: Work up to 5-rep max
Rest Period: 180 seconds
Dumbbell Floor Flye, Paused
Sets: 3
Reps: 12
Rest Period: 60 seconds
Incline Biceps Curl
Sets: 4
Reps: 8
Rest Period: 60 seconds
Bodyweight Circuit Finisher (2-3 rounds, keep time):
Push-up w/ 5 second eccentric x 6
Push-up Plank Shoulder Taps x 20
Four-Count Burpee x5
TUESDAY
Split Squat Iso-Hold
Sets: 3
Reps: Hold 30 seconds each
Rest Period: 45 seconds
Backward Med Ball Throw
Sets: 10
Reps: 1
Rest Period: As needed
Split Squat (313 tempo)
Sets: 3
Reps: 5,5,5
Rest Period: 90 seconds
Belt Squat (use dip belt, stand on two benches)
Sets: 3
Reps: 10
Rest Period: 60 seconds
Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift
Sets: 3
Reps: 8
Rest Period: 60 seconds
Facepull
Sets: 5
Reps: 15
Rest Period: 60 seconds
Wall Sit
Sets: 3
Reps: 1-minute hold
Rest Period: 60 seconds
THURSDAY
Power Drop Med Ball (from bench)
Sets: 10
Reps: 1
Rest Period: As needed
Push-Ups Onto Boxes/Plates
Sets: 4
Reps: 3
Rest Period: 45 seconds
Overhead Press
Sets: 10-15
Reps: 1 (singles)
Rest Period: As needed
Dead Bench Press (4 inches off chest)
Sets: 6
Reps: 1
Rest Period: 30 seconds
Inverted Row with Iso-Holds
Sets: 3
Reps: 6-5-4-3-2-1, second holds at top)
Rest Period: 90 seconds
Shoulder Circuit (plate raise, lateral raise, bent lateral)
Sets: 2
Reps: 8 each exercise
Rest Period: 60 seconds
Triceps Weight-Plate Ladder (press + extension)
Sets: 3
Reps: 12-12, 10-10… 2-2
Rest Period: 90 seconds
Sledge Chops (or banded wood chops)
Sets: 4
Reps: 20, or 10 wood chops per side
Rest Period: 30 seconds
FRIDAY
Single-Leg Deadlift
Sets: 3
Reps: 6
Rest Period: 60 seconds
Deadlift (5/3/1 loading)
Sets: 3
Reps: 5,5,5+
Rest Period: 180 seconds
Farmers Walk (trap bar)
Sets: 8
Reps: 15 yards
Rest Period: 30 seconds
Reverse Lunge (front leg elevated)
Sets: 3
Reps: 6
Rest Period: 90 seconds
Peterson Step-Up
Sets: 3
Reps: 10
Rest Period: 60 seconds
Hanging Knee Tuck
Sets: 4
Reps: as
Rest Period: 60 seconds
Kettlebell Conditioning (swings and variations)
Sets: 3-6
Reps: 20-40
Rest Period: 30 seconds
Get Fit, Fight, And Thrive
Be fit to fight, thrive in your profession, and train like a champion!
For us, survival is not the goal; winning is. The citizens in the community need you, and your family needs you. And never forget there’s always someone out there who wants to harm you.
As George Orwell said, “People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.”
Be ready.
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