Fire & Rescue Plan Tree

Firefighting demands peak physical and mental performance. Our firefighter workout program is built to prepare you for the extreme challenges of the job—hauling gear, forcing entry, climbing stairs, and carrying victims under intense conditions. This firefighter fitness program develops strength, endurance, and durability to help you perform at your best when lives are on the line.

Click the tabs below to see the individual training plans under each category.

• Competition Plans (1)
  • LLS Firefighter Stairclimb Training Plan
• F/R Academy & Schools (2)
  • Smoke Diver Training Plan
  • Fire Academy Training Plan
• F/R On-Ramp & Base Fitness (8)
  • Leopard: Slight Strength & Work Capacity Emphasis
  • Jaguar: Balanced Base Fitness
  • Panther: Slight Strength & Work Capacity Emphasis
  • Lion: Balanced Base Fitness
  • Tiger: Slight Strength & Work Capacity Emphasis
  • Daily Urban Fire Rescue Training Subscription
  • Fire/Rescue “Big Cat” Training Packet: Base Fitness – 5x Plans
  • Fire/Rescue On-Ramp Training Plan
• PFT Plans (5)
  • Firefighter Combat Challenge Training Plan
  • Urban Fire Fitness Assessment Training Plan
  • Cooper Physical Fitness Test Training Plan
  • CPAT Training Plan
  • Beep Test Training Plan
• Wildland Fire (6)
  • Daily Wildland Training Subscription
  • Wildland Fire Fitness Assessment Training Plan
  • Wildland Fire Training Packet: 5x Base Fitness Plans
  • Smokejumper Selection Training Plan
  • Hotshot Crew/Smoke Jumper Pre-Season Training Program
  • Wildland Firefighter Pre-Season Training Plan

Programming Philosophy

Fire Rescue Professionals are Tactical Athletes. They should train like it.

The traditional firefighter fitness approach, especially urban firefighter fitness, is rooted in “soft” wellness efforts and dumbed down, or non-existent fitness assessments.

How the fitness culture at many fire rescue units became so poor we’re not sure. Some blame unions. Some blame firehouse life.  Some blame “legacy” members and leadership.

Our approach is different. We believe an unfit fireman can get him or herself killed. Worse, an unfit fireman can his or her teammates killed.

Job-specific fitness for fire rescue athletes is not a joke. It should not be an afterthought. It is a professional responsibility as important as equipment maintenance, communications and firefighting tactics.

“Professional Responsibility” = the responsibility of the individual athlete. Don’t expect command support for equipment or training time. It’s on you.

As well, do expect strange looks, jokes, and resentment from fellow firemen who don’t agree fitness important. For most who believe like we do, not only will you face headwinds from command, but you’ll also deal with opposition from unions and other firemen.

Know that the fire doesn’t care. You can get by being unfit …. until you can’t.

Our programming for Fire Rescue Athletes reflects the dark reality that they can die at work. We believe fitness can save lives.

Fitness Attributes of a Fire Rescue Athlete:

• High Relative Strength
• High Work Capacity for Short/Intense Events
• Tactical Speed, Explosive Power, and Agility
• Sprinting Speed and Explosiveness
• Grip Strength
• Durability for a long career
• Mountain Endurance (Wildland …. running, rucking, uphill movement under load)

Wildland ….. 
Most wildland firefighting units, especially hotshot crews and smokejumper teams, have relatively strong fitness cultures. However, we’ve found unit fitness training at many of these units is driven not by the demands of the job, but the fitness strengths and opinions of the current leadership and a “this is what we’ve always done” ethic. Correspondingly, much of current wildland fitness training is dominated by unloaded running and bodyweight calisthenics.

However, in the field, never do wildland firefighters move unloaded, and rarely, if ever, are their hands free.

Our fitness programming for Wildland Firefighters reflects the mountain-specific aerobic endurance, especially uphill and downhill movement under load, demands of the job. As well, our programming includes intense upper body, lower back, and mid-section strength training that is functional and transferrable. Finally, sprinting based work capacity is hammered home.

There are two ways to access MTI’s fitness programming:

1. Purchase and Individual Training Plan (see links above)
2. Subscribe. With a Subscription you get access to our daily training sessions for Military, Law Enforcement, Fire Rescue and Mountain Athletes, as well as access to 120+ Individual Training Plans. (Click Here for a Full List of Plans)

Questions?
Don’t know where to Start? Looking for a specific plan or guidance for a goal? 
Please read:  Individual Training Plan or Subscription? or E-Mail us at coach@mtntactical.com