Fire Academy Training Plan

$49.00

  • 7 weeks, 5 days/week
  • Designed specifically for those preparing for city or state Fire Academy.
  • This training plan is one of the 200+ Plans included with an Athlete’s Subscription

Description

This 7-Week, 5 day/week Training plan is sport-specifically designed to meet the fitness demands of Fire Academies.  The programming is progressive – it increases in intensity, volume, and difficulty as you work through it. This training plan is designed to be completed 7 weeks directly before you report to the academy. Week 7 is an unload/taper week which will allow to report to the academy fit and rested.

This is Version 2 of the plan, updated in November 2020.

FITNESS DEMANDS

While each state/department is different, in our research we found these common fitness demands:

  • Morning PT – Pull Ups, Push Ups, Sit Ups, Dips, and other bodyweight calisthenics, as well as unloaded running at a threshold to moderate pace.
  • Fire Grounds Training – Multiple hours in turn out gear conducting fire suppression, ladder, rescue, emergency egress, and other drills.
  • Low Movement – Advancing hose line and conducting searches in an IDLH environment
  • Tower Training – Up and downstairs all day
  • Chassis Integrity – Functional, transferable core/mid-section strength and strength endurance for mission performance and overall durability.
  • Multi-Modal Work Capacity – Prepares candidates for hard, intense, threshold rescue and other evolutions
  • Overall Endurance and Stamina – Often in turn out gear and under load during long days of frequent fire grounds training

WEEKLY SCHEDULE

  • Monday: Morning PT Fitness Assessment or Pull Ups, Push Ups, Sit Ups, Dips, and Running work
  • Tuesday: Strength, Fire Ground Endurance
  • Wednesday: Work Capacity, Shuttle Sprints, Chassis Integrity
  • Thursday: Stair Endurance, Moderate Run
  • Friday: Strength, Fire Ground Endurance

REQUIRED EQUIPMENT

This is a limited equipment training plan. The following equipment is needed:

  • Stopwatch with repeating countdown interval timer (smartphone will work)
  • Sandbag (60# sandbag for men, 40# sandbag for women) MTI sells sandbags here. As well, • you can make your own out of an old duffle bag.
  • 25# Weight Vest (We recommend this one.)
  • Pair of Dumbbells (Men – 25#, Women – 15#)
  • 15-18” bench or box for step ups
  • Foam Roller

 

COMMON QUESTIONS

How long are the training sessions?
50-75 minutes.

What does 2/4x Pull Ups mean?
2x for female athletes, 4x for men.

What does 15/25# mean?
Female athletes use 15#, male athletes use 25#.

What if I miss a day?
Begin where you left off when you return to training. This program is progressed – each session builds upon the prior session – so don’t skip a session or skip around. Follow the training sessions in order, regardless.

Where do I find unfamiliar exercises?
See our Exercise Library HERE. The Run/Ruck Calculator is listed as an exercise.

What about nutrition?
See our Nutritional Guidelines HERE.

Can I see sample training? 
Yes. Click the “Sample Training” tab to see the entire first week of programming.

How do I access the plan?
Access is online, via username and password. You can log in either through our website or through our app (Mtn Tactical Fitness) available for IOS and Android.

Can I print out sessions to take to the gym?
Yes – you can print a week of programming at a time.

More Questions? Email: coach@mtntactical.com

 

DISCLAIMER
Before beginning any exercise program, consult with your physician to ensure that you are in proper health. Physical training contains inherent risks including, but not limited to, muscle strains, tears, physical and bodily injury up to and including death. This training program is not meant to provide medical advice; you should obtain medical advice from your private health care practitioner. If you are unable to assume these risks then you should not engage in this training program. No liability is assumed by Mountain Tactical Institute, Inc, its owners or employees, and you train at your own risk. Mountain Tactical Institute makes no warranty, express or implied, of any kind in connection with this training program.

Required Equipment

Required Equipment
This is a limited equipment training plan. The following equipment is needed:




  • Stopwatch with repeating countdown interval timer (smartphone will work)

  • Sandbag (60# sandbag for men, 40# sandbag for women) MTI sells sandbags here. As well, • you can make your own out of an old duffle bag.

  • 25# Weight Vest (We recommend this one)

  • Pair of Dumbbells (Men - 25#, Women - 15#)

  • 15-18” bench or box for step ups

  • Foam Roller

Sample Training

Below is the First Week from this Training Plan:

 

MONDAY
SESSION 1
Obj: Physical Fitness Test #1

Warm-up:

3 Rounds
4/8x Push-ups
4x Walking Lunges
8x Sit-ups
100m Run
Instep Stretch

Training:

(1) Max reps Pull-ups.

** Rest 3 Minutes

(2) Max reps Push-ups in 60 sec.

** Rest 3 Minutes

(3) Max reps Sit-ups in 60 sec.

** Rest 3 Minutes

(3) Max reps Dips in 60 sec.

** Rest 5 Minutes

(4) Run 1.5 miles for time.

RECORD RESULTS

******************************

 

TUESDAY
SESSION 2
Obj: Strength, Fire Ground Endurance

Warm-up:

3 Rounds
4/8x Push-ups
4x Walking Lunges
8x Sit-ups
Instep Stretch
Lat + Pec Stretch

Training:

1) 5 Rounds
3x Quadzilla Complex @ 15/25#
3x Scotty Bob @ 15/25#
Hip Flexor Stretch for 60 seconds

2) 30 Minute Grind ...
Sandbag All Fours Drag @ 40/60#
5x Sandbag Getup and Run @ 40/60#
5x Sandbag Clean & Press @ 40/60#
20x Step Ups @ 15-18” Box

3) Foam Roll Legs/Low Back

******************************

 

WEDNESDAY
SESSION 3
Obj: Work Capacity, Chassis Integrity

Warm Up:

3 Rounds
5x Walking Lunges
5x Burpees
10x Sit-ups
4x 40-Foot Shuttles
Instep Stretch
Lat + Pec Stretch

Training:

(1) 6 Rounds for Time
3x Sandbag Getups @ 40/60#
6x Burpees

Alternate Shoulders each round for the Sandbag Getups

Record Finish Time

(2) 6 Rounds
150m Shuttle Sprint every 1:15

150m Shuttle = set two cones 25m apart. Set a repeating countdown timer for 1 min 15 sec. On “Go” Sprint back and forth between the cones for 6x lengths or 3x round trips. Touch the line at each turn. The faster you finish, the more rest you get before the next round begins. 

(3) 10 Minute Grind …
15/15 Standing Founder
5x Standing Slasher @ 15/25# dumbbell
15/15 Kneeling Founder
10x Sandbag Good Morning @ 40/60#

(4) 2 Rounds
Pigeon Stretch
Lat + Pec Stretch

Foam Roll Low Back

******************************

 

THURSDAY
SESSION 4
Obj: Endurance

Training:

(1) 20 minute Step Ups for Reps @ 25# backpack or weight vest, 15-18” Box

RECORD YOUR SCORE

(2) Run 3 Miles, Moderate Pace

Moderate = comfortable but not easy

******************************

 

FRIDAY
SESSION 5
Obj: Strength, Fire Ground Endurance

Warm-up:

3 Rounds
4/8x Push-ups
4x Walking Lunges
8x Sit-ups
Instep Stretch
Lat + Pec Stretch

Training:

1) 5 Rounds
3x Quadzilla Complex @ 15/25#
3x Scotty Bob @ 15/25#
Hip Flexor Stretch for 60 seconds

2) 30 Minute Grind ...
3x Sandbag Side to Side Push Press
3x Sandbag Clean + Run @ 40/60#
12x Dumbbell Crawl @ 15/25#
200m Run

3) Foam Roll Legs/Low Back

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1)  Mission Direct

Gym numbers mean nothing. All that matters is mission performance. 

To this end, MTI’s fitness solutions and programming are not boxed in by convention, tradition, orthodoxy, public opinion or any other artificial constraint driven by inside or outside forces.

We begin with the raw fitness demands of the mission and build a fitness solution which directly prepares the athlete for those demands.

 

2) Fitness Solutions Built from the Ground Up

MTI’s programming is not “re-tread” bodybuilding, football, CrossFit, kettlebell, strength or general fitness programming. We’ve built our fitness programming for mountain and tactical athletes from the ground up.

The Fluid Periodization methodology we deploy to concurrently train multiple fitness attributes is completely original and has continued to evolve and improve over the years.

Our mid-section training methodology, Chassis Integrity, is also original, as is our endurance programming, 7 strength training progressions, tactical agility, and work capacity programming.

Our mountain sports pre-season training plans, tactical PFT, selection, school, course, and fitness improvement training plans across military, LE and Fire Rescue are MTI-developed, tested and athlete-proven.

Over the years hundreds of athletes and coaches have taken our advanced programming and unit fitness leader programming courses and MTI is widely recognized within the mountain and tactical professions and fitness media as a thought leader in fitness programming for military and tactical athletes.

 

3) The MTI Method

→ Research: MTI begins program design with extensive research of the fitness demands of the mission, sport or event, identifies the exercises and progressions which sport-specifically meet those demands, chose end-of-cycle goals, and program backward to design the training plan.

→ Deploy & Assess: We deploy the training plan “Lab Rats” at our Wyoming facility. Training session and cycle issues are identified and fixed as we work through the training plan. Post cycle we assess the programming’s effectiveness and efficiency. We keep the stuff that works, and fix or toss the stuff that doesn’t.

→ Publish & Assess Again: Plan is published for purchase as an individual training plan and made available to our subscribers. Feedback/results are assessed.

→ Iterate: We take what we learn from lab rats and athletes, re-visit, update and improve already published training plans. Several of our individual training plans are on their 4th or 5th version.

 

4) Mission-Direct Research

MTI exists to “Improve Mountain and Tactical Athletes mission performance and keep them safe.” To that end, we have developed a unique research methodology aimed at identifying real world areas of improvement and identifying immediately deployable mission-direct solutions. Click HERE to learn more about MTI’s Mission-Direct Research methodology, and Here to read about just few of our research efforts.

5) Field Proven

Our stuff works. Weekly we receive unsolicited reviews of our programming and testimonials to its effectiveness.

 

6) Programming Breadth

MTI’s library of 200+ sport-specific fitness plans for mountain and tactical athletes is unmatched. Resources range from specific programming for tactical special forces selections, to specific plans for climbing Rainier and Denali, to general fitness solutions such as running improvement, to post-rehab from injury.

Over the past decade, MTI has partnered with hundreds of athletes throughout their individual mountain and tactical careers, and provided fitness solutions as they face new mountain objectives, tactical schools, selections, PFTs and deployments, and came back from injury.

 

7) Worldwide Influence

Our work is not limited to US Athletes.

We’ve developed selection-specific training plans for Canadian, UK, Australian and German Special Forces Selections and worked with individual military personnel from Scandinavia, South, and Central America.

Canadian, Australian, UK and western European law enforcement and fire/rescue athletes have used MTI programming for mission-direct fitness.

On the mountain side, Alpinists from Japan to Slovakia have consulted with MTI and used MTI’s programming to prepare for mountain objectives.

 

8) Mission Performance beyond Fitness

MTI’s exists is to improve Mission Performance for mountain and tactical athletes and keep them safe. 

This focus on “mission direct” solutions, enhancements and improvements drives our work and research and extends beyond fitness solutions to include training, leadership, gear, team culture, and safety. 

Fitness is just one area of our work.

Our non-fitness research has included tactical cultures, combat uniforms, and gore-tex performance, and effect of stress on marksmanship.

Our work on defining what it means to be a Quiet Professional has had penetrating influence and driven healthy conversations with both mountain and tactical professionals.

 

9) Direct, Honest, Clear Answers

Since 2007 we’ve taken and answered dozens of questions weekly from mountain and tactical athletes. We’ve saved these individual Q&A’s and now thousands are archived on our site.

We’re not salesmen, and our answers are noted for their directness, honesty, and clarity. Our stuff isn’t for everyone. If we can help, we’ll let you know. If we can’t, we’ll let you know that, too.

– Rob Shaul, Founder

 


All of the Above is Backed Up By Our Promise: Our Stuff Works. Guaranteed.

Our Stuff Works. Guaranteed.

By Rob Shaul

I received notes frequently from athletes hesitant to purchase a subscription or training plans asking me to sell them on why they should make the purchase.

While I understand the question, I’m not a salesman – so I can’t put a hard sale on anyone for our programming.

I can tell them the process we go through to design our programming.

We begin with extensive research on the fitness demands of the event, identify the exercises and progressions which sport specifically meet those demands, chose end-of-cycle goals, and program backward to design the plan.

Then we test the cycle on ourselves and our lab rats here in Wyoming. We document, note what works and doesn’t work, re-assess, and make changes and modifications.

Then we publish the programming in the form of one of our plans or as part of our subscription daily training sessions for tactical and mountain athletes.
We don’t stop there – our daily programming is the “tip of the spear” for our programming evolution. We use these sessions to learn and make continuous improvement.

As we learn more and improve, we go back, and update the sport-specific training plans on the website. For example, we’re currently on Version 5 of our Ruck Based Selection Training Plan and Version 3 of our Dryland Ski Training Plan and Version 4 of our Big Game Back Country Hunting Training Plan.

We understand our programing isn’t cheap, but we believe it’s a great value. The $79 for the Ruck Based Selection Training Plan, and $39 for the Dryland Ski Training Plan reflect the, research, work, innovative theory, iteration, testing and feedback we’ve put in and received to make these plans effective.

All that matters for us is outside performance, and we feel strongly that Our Stuff Works in the real world.

Here’s our guarantee:

1) Individual Training Plan Purchase:
If you purchase an individual training plan, follow it as prescribed before your season/event/pft/selection, and if you don’t feel you were physically ready for your season/event/pft/selection, and/or didn’t see dramatic improvements in your early season performance, we’ll refund your money, no questions asked.

2) Athlete’s Subscription
If you purchase an Athletes’ Subscription, follow the training sessions as prescribed, and are not satisfied with the quality of the programming, notify us within 30 days of purchase, and we’ll refund your money, no questions asked.

Questions?
Email: rob@mtntactical.com

COMMON QUESTIONS:

Do you have any reviews or testimonials from athletes who have used your Athlete’s Subscription
Yes. Click HERE.

Is it true you guarantee your stuff works?
Yes. If you purchase an Athletes’ Subscription, follow the training sessions as prescribed, and are not satisfied with the quality of the programming, notify us within 30 days of purchase, and we’ll refund your money, no questions asked.

How is MTI programming different than CrossFit?
This is a common question. Read our answer HERE.

You have a lot of competitors. Why should I choose MTI?
MTI is driven to improve mountain and tactical athletes’ mission performance and keep them safe. This emphasis and focus on mission performance sets us apart. Read about more that sets us apart HERE.

If I purchase a plan or subscription, how do I access the programming?
All of our plans are online, accessible via username and password.
You can log in through our →Website  or Mobile App →IOS and Android.

Do you have downloadable .pdf’s of the training plans?
No. But you can print the programming, by week, from your browser. You access individual training plans online via a username and password.

Do you have a mobile app?
Yes, we do. Available for IOS and Android.

What is the difference between purchasing an individual training plan, packet of plans or an Athlete’s Subscription?

  • Plan – Like purchasing the DVD of the first Star Wars movie. You own it forever, including any updates we make to the plan.
  • Packet – Like purchasing the DVD’s of all the Star Wars movies. You own them forever, including any updates we make to the plans.
  • Athlete’s Subscription – Like subscribing to Netflix. You get access to all 200+ plan in our library, but lose access if you unsubscribe.

If I purchase an Athletes Subscription Can I cancel on my own, anytime?
Yes.

Do I have to contact MTI to cancel or can I do it myself?
You can do it yourself. Instructions HERE.

If I purchase a subscription and have questions about where to start or what plans(s) to use for my goals, will you help?
Yes. We answer dozens of training questions from athletes weekly. Email coach@mtntactical.com.

If you add new plans or update existing plans after I subscribe will I have access to them?
Yes. We are continuously adding training plans and packets (2-5/month) and updating plans. With your subscription you’ll have access to all new plans, new courses and plan updates.

What Equipment is Required?
Click the “Required Equipment” tab to find out what equipment is required for the specific plan you are interested in.

Where do I find unfamiliar exercises?
See our Exercise Library HERE. The Run and Ruck Calculators are listed as exercises.

What about nutrition?
See our Nutritional Guidelines HERE.

Can I see sample training?
Click the “Sample Training” tab to see the entire first week of programming.
You are encouraged to do it before purchasing.

What if I have more questions?
Email rob@mtntactical.com

Testimonials

3/16/22

I just wanted to thank you and the staff for putting together some great materials. I got hired by a fire department and start academy in a couple weeks. They did another fitness test and just wanted to share my results with you guys. I have done your Johnny workout program and just did your fire Academy program.


Each exercise is for max reps in 1 minute with a 2 minute rest in between except the rest between burpees and the Beep test which is a 15 minute rest. If you haven’t heard of the Beep test you can find a video on YouTube that LA County Fire did. Basically shuttle sprints that get quicker each time until you can’t keep up and that’s your score. I did your fire academy program last year before my first baseline fitness test in May and put those results in parentheses.


Pull-ups - 19 (18)

Push-ups - 42 (35)

Air squats - 55 (51)

Burpee’s - 25 (20)

Beep test 9.10 (previous test was 1.5 mile run 8:57)


I also did a 10k in 43:21 2 weeks ago. Needless to say I am impressed with your overall programming. The real test will be day. When I get out on the other side of academy I will let you guys know how functional I felt the program worked for me.


Thanks again!
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