Tactical Action Fitness

10/21/2021

Recruit Class 49 - Firefighter Fitness- Week 6

09/16/2019

09/12/2019

CPAT mentees completed 110 flights of stairs as their warm up this evening to honor the 343 firefighters who gave their lives on 9/11.

The 110 flight-climb is meant to simulate the heroic distance those fallen men and women had to travel inside the World Trade Center that day.

Katie Dennison, MS, TSAC-F

09/11/2019

08/31/2019

I have my Masters in Exercise Physiology, so not only do I know the latest and greatest training techniques, I also know why these techniques work. This background also allows for careful tailoring of activities based on your past injuries, current strengths and any health or physical limitations yo...

08/30/2019

Some caffeine can increase alertness and productivity during your shift. Unfortunately, the benefits of caffeine can fade with tolerance.

The main concern with caffeine is the tendency to overdo. More is NOT better. If your tolerance to caffeine is too high, consider cycling off. Cut your intake in half for 4 days, then cut it in half again for another 4 days, then go without it for another 4 days.

For those who never take caffeine or are adding it back in after cycling off, start off slow. Start at 100mg (8oz coffee) as needed. To promote optimal sleep, take your last sip of caffeine no later then 2pm.

NFPA 1584 strongly discourages consumption of energy drinks by firefighters at any time, as energy drinks significantly raise the risk of cardiac stress and death in firefighters.

Caffeine will not cause dehydration, but may increase body temperature and heart rate in high doses (>400mg). Increased body temperature and heart rate can be of concern during fire suppression.

Caffeine may need to be avoided or limited to less than 100mg per day if you have high blood pressure, acid reflux, GERD, insomnia, migraines, or take certain medications.

Megan Lautz, MS, RDN, CPT

08/29/2019

Stronger grip strength will improve your weightlifting, gymnastic abilities and technique, as well as reduce the chance of injury.

08/09/2019

As tactical athletes, there are many situations where sports drinks are a better choice than water for firefighters.

Sports drinks contain carbohydrates, electrolytes, and fluid designed to replace burned fuel and lost fluid. Dehydration and depleted carbohydrate stores can negatively impact physical and mental performance, increasing the risk for injury.

Exercise intensity, prolonged physical activity, outdoor temperatures, and sweat rate can all indicate a need for sports drink over water alone. If you are a heavy sweater or notice white salt rings around your clothes or hat, you will need to drink on the higher end of the range. Salty sweaters and those who experience exercise induced muscle cramps may need to add 1 tsp of salt to their water or sports drink.

If outdoor temps are higher than 85°F and you’ve been running calls for 1 hour or more, it may be a good idea to grab a can of Gatorade from commissary. If you have had a meal in the last 2 hours, water may be a better option.

Megan Lautz, MS, RDN, CPT

06/12/2019

I’ve always been one that’s quick to adapt to ideas, concepts, and practices that produce better results than what I was previously attaining. Letting go and moving on to better methods helps my clients achieve better results. This is why one of our core values for our gym, Enhancing Life, is Pr...