Juliet Draper's Firefighter Workout

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Juliet Draper's Firefighter Workout

By Juliet Draper

Fire Fighting Fit | Firefighter Workout | Glossary of Exercises | Glossary of Exercises Pt. II

Day 1
A full-body weight-training circuit is a wake-up call to all the body parts. It uses super sets—two exercises done back-to-back without rest—designed to maximize a targeted muscle's workout. The high repetitions with moderate weights also count as cardiovascular exercise, since you'll move constantly throughout the program. This increases work capacity and muscular and cardiovascular endurance simultaneously.

Start with a ten-minute progressive warm-up on a StairMaster (two minutes at each level: 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8) then immediately begin the workout. Start with a weight that allows you to finish the set. Between each super set and each super-set group of exercises, take a 45-second rest.

Leg press X 20 reps + bench press/high box step-ups X ten reps, each leg = one super set. Repeat three times.

Lying leg curls X 20 reps + reverse lunges X ten reps on each leg = one super set. Repeat three times.

Chin-ups X 10 reps or max + Single-arm rows X 10 reps on each arm = one super set. Repeat three times.

Narrow-grip barbell bench press X 15 reps + push-ups X 15 reps = one super set. Repeat three times.

Seated dumbbell biceps curls X 10 reps + overhead triceps presses X 10 reps = one super set. Repeat three times.

Weighted decline crunches X 20 reps + un-weighted decline crunches X 20 reps = one super set. Repeat three times.

Day 2
Today utilizes power-lifting moves to strengthen your core. It's recommended that you have someone demonstrate the lift for you at the gym and then watch you as you perform the exercise. Done incorrectly, these moves can do more harm than good. For your first day, use weights that allow you to nail the form rather than cause you to struggle to lift the weight. Start with the ten-minute progressive warm-up on a StairMaster (two minutes at each level: 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8).

Power cleans: Five sets of five reps adding five to ten pounds of weight for each successive set. Rest until fully recovered.

Power snatches: Five sets of five reps adding five to ten pounds of weight for each successive set. Rest until fully recovered.

Good mornings (straight-leg dead lifts): Ten, eight, six, and six reps adding five to ten pounds of weight for each successive set. Rest until fully recovered.

Squats: Five sets of five reps + one set of 20 reps, adding five to ten pounds of weight for each of the first five successive sets, then back to weight of first set for 20 reps.

Decline bench crunches: Three sets of 40.

Day 3
Bleacher stair intervals: (Local high school football field with surrounding running track, or a steep hill with 30 seconds of climbing.)

Warm up with two laps around the track or a half-mile jog, making the first lap, or quarter-mile, a walk and the second lap, or quarter-mile, a jog. Now run up and back down the bleachers or hill for five minutes, taking 60 seconds total for each circuit. Recover with an easy lap around the track or a quarter-mile jog. Then repeat the climbing intervals four to six times. At the end of the last two intervals, drop to the ground and do 40 push-ups before the recovery lap.

Day 4
Like the previous power-lifting moves from Day 2, the moves in Day 4 should be done under supervision of a certified trainer at a gym. If this is your first experience with these moves, start with a weight that allows you to perfect the lifting technique before you go on to heavier loads. Start with a ten-minute progressive warm-up on a StairMaster (two minutes at each level: 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8).

Hang snatches: Five sets of five reps adding five to ten pounds of weight on each successive set. Recover fully between sets.

Hang cleans: Five sets of five reps adding five to ten pounds of weight for each successive set. Recover fully between sets.

Standing dumbbell shoulder presses: Five sets of five reps moving up to the next heaviest weight for each set. Recover fully between sets.

Front squats: Five sets of five reps adding five to ten pounds of weight for each set. Recover fully between sets.

Weighted decline crunches X 20 reps + Un-weighted decline crunches X 20 reps = one super set. Repeat three times.

Day 5
Vehicle Push: Today's workout will target your endurance. Warm up by doing jumping jacks or squat thrusts or jumping rope, or any type of calisthenic exercise, until you begin to feel "warm." This usually takes about five to ten minutes. You must have a partner to complete this drill safely, and only do it on a flat surface. Have your partner sit in the driver's seat of a car and place the vehicle in neutral. Your partner's job is to put on the brakes at the end of each rep, or as needed.

From the rear of the car while facing it, push the car 100 feet. Rest until fully recovered. Then go to the front, facing away from the car and push it backward 100 feet. Repeat four times in each direction.

Day 6
High-rise stair run: Warm up by walking up 14 floors in a building, or walk up a steep hill for ten minutes. Then run back down. At the bottom, drop and do 20 push-ups. Recover fully before continuing. Now run to the tenth floor or uphill for seven minutes, skipping stairs on the way up or jumping from footstep to footstep on your way up the hill. On the way down, descend as fast as you can. Rest until fully recovered. Repeat four times. Then run to the fifth floor, skipping stairs on the way up or taking long strides uphill for four minutes. Once at the top, immediately return to the bottom. Once at the bottom, drop and do 20 push-ups. Rest until fully recovered. Repeat four times.

Day 7
Recovery day: Easy 30-minute walk on a treadmill, road, or track and 20 minutes of stretching or yoga.

Day 8
Start with a ten-minute progressive warm-up on a StairMaster (two minutes at each level: 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9).

Dead lifts: Five sets of five reps adding five to ten pounds of weight for each set. Recover fully between sets.

Bent-over barbell rows X 10 reps + straight-leg dead lifts X 10 reps = one superset. Repeat three times, adding five to ten pounds of weight for each set. Recover fully between super sets.

Hyperextensions X 15 reps + Decline bench crunches with weight X 20 reps = one super set. Repeat three times. Recover fully between super sets.

Day 9
Bleacher stair intervals: (See Day 3 and add another rep.)

Day 10
Start with a ten-minute progressive warm-up on a StairMaster (two minutes at each level: 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9). Then, under supervision, complete the following Olympic lifts.

Power snatches: Five sets of five reps adding five to ten pounds of weight for each set. Recover fully between sets.

Power cleans: Five sets of five reps adding five to ten pounds of weight for each set. Recover fully between sets.

Standing dumbbell shoulder presses: Five sets of five reps adding five pounds of weight for each set. Recover fully between sets.

Squats: Five sets of five reps adding five to ten pounds of weight for each set. Recover fully between sets.

Day 11
High-rise stair run: (See Day 6, add one rep to the tenth floor or seven-minute uphill run, and one rep to the fifth floor or four-minute uphill run.)

Day 12
Start with a ten-minute progressive warm-up on a StairMaster (two minutes at each level: 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9). Between each super set, rest 45 seconds before starting the next super set or exercise.

Bench/high box step-ups X 10 reps on each leg + leg press X 20 reps = one super set. Repeat three times.

Reverse lunges X 10 reps on each leg + lying leg curls X 20 reps = one super set. Repeat three times.

Single-arm rows X 10 reps on each arm + chin-ups X 10 reps or max = one super set. Repeat three times.

Push-ups X 15 reps + narrow-grip barbell bench press X 15 reps = one super set. Repeat three times.

Overhead triceps presses X 10 reps + seated dumbbell biceps curls X 10 reps = one super set. Repeat three times.

Un-weighted decline crunches X 20 reps + Weighted decline crunches X 20 reps = one super set. Repeat three times.

Day 13
Wheelbarrow push: Warm up by doing jumping jacks or squat thrusts or jumping rope, or any type of calisthenic exercise, for five to ten minutes.

Using a large wheelbarrow, add dirt, sand, bricks, gravel, or weight plates to create resistance. Once loaded, push the wheelbarrow 100 feet. Repeat up to ten times. Recover fully between sets. You may add weight or increase incline and speed as desired.

Day 14
Recovery day: Easy 30-minute walk on treadmill, road, or track, followed by 20 minutes of stretching or yoga.

Day 15
Start with a ten-minute progressive warm-up on a StairMaster (two minutes at each level: 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9).

Squats: 12, ten, eight, and then six reps, adding five to ten pounds of weight on each set. Recover fully between sets.

Straight-leg dead lifts: 12, ten, eight, and six reps, adding five to ten pounds of weight on each set. Recover fully between sets.

Leg-press calf raises X 20. Repeat three times. Recover fully between sets.

Reverse lunges: 12, ten, eight, and eight reps on each leg.

Day 16
Do this day's exercises on a grassy area or padded surface. Start with a ten-minute warm-up of jumping rope, calisthenics, or jogging. The following exercise should be done in four sets of ten reps. Cool down with an easy ten-minutes jog and light stretching.

Leg bounds: With both feet together, jump forward as far as possible, minimize ground contact, and jump forward again as quickly as possible nine more times.

Box jumps: With feet apart and in line with shoulders, jump up on a sturdy box or bench, then step down. Complete ten jumps as quickly as possible to equal one set.

Single-leg hops: On one leg, jump forward for ten hops, minimizing ground contact. Repeat with other leg to equal one set.

Tuck jumps: With feet apart and in line with hips, jump up and draw your knees toward your chest. Complete ten jumps as quickly as possible.

Day 17
Start with a ten-minute progressive warm-up on a StairMaster (two minutes at each level: 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9).

Power dead lifts: 12, ten, eight, and six reps, adding five to ten pounds of weight on each set. Recover fully between sets.

Barbell bent rows: 12, ten, eight, and six reps, adding five to ten pounds of weight on each set. Recover fully between sets.

Weighted hyperextensions: 12, ten, eight, and six reps, adding five to ten pounds of weight on each set. Recover fully between sets.

Biceps curls: 12, ten, eight, and six reps, adding five to ten pounds of weight for each set. Recover fully between sets.

Day 18
Start with a ten-minute warm-up of jumping rope, jogging, or calisthenics. For this drill you will need a hill or long set of stairs up to 40 yards in length.

Run up to the top and back down five times with out stopping. Recover fully. Now run up and down four times, recover, run up and down three times, recover, run up and down two times, recover, and then run up and down one last time. Cool down with up to ten minutes of easy jogging and stretching.

Day 19
Start with a ten-minute progressive warm-up on a StairMaster (two minutes at each level: 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9).

Narrow-grip flat bench press: 12, ten, eight, and then six reps, adding fiveto ten pounds of weight for each set. Recover fully between sets.

Parallel-bar dips: 12, ten, eight, and then six reps. Recover fully between sets.

Standing dumbbell shoulder presses: 12, ten, eight, and then six reps, adding fiveto ten pounds of weight on each set. Recover fully between sets.

Lying French presses (skull-crushers): 12, ten, eight, and then six reps, fiveto ten pounds of weight for each set. Recover fully between sets.

Day 20
Track workout: Start with a ten-minute warm-up of jumping rope, jogging, or calisthenics. This workout may be done on a treadmill but you must use time instead of distance to measure your intervals. Run hard for 90 seconds, then recover for 90 seconds. Repeat four times. Then sprint for 15 seconds, recover, and repeat four times. On the track, run hard for one lap, then recover for one lap. Repeat four times. Then sprint 100 yards. Recover fully, then sprint 100 yards again. Repeat four times. Cool down with up to ten minutes of easy jogging and stretching.

Day 21
Thirty-minute easy run on a treadmill, road, or track. Afterwards, you should feel like Superman. Go ahead and take four days off to enjoy your newfound powers. Then start the program over; afterall, you can only get stronger and faster.

For more on Juliet Draper's approach to year-long approach to fitness, nutrition and the firefighter's psyche log onto www.firejock.com.

Fire Fighting Fit | Firefighter Workout | Glossary of Exercises | Glossary of Exercises Pt. II

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