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By Rich Meyer, CSCS, USAW
Heat, smoke, and flames rise during any type of fire. Many searches and rescues are performed from
the floor, and you’re taught in the academy to “stay low” when you’re
dragging a line into a burning building.
With 50-60 pounds of resistance added to your body in the form
of gear, plus the weight of a charged line, it seems as though performing
at this low level is nothing short of an extremely athletic event.
But, then why aren’t many fitness programs including
exercises of this nature to help improve performance?
The principle of specificity applies to all aspects
of a training program. Specificity
is the concept that you get what you train for.
In order to maximize the effectiveness of a program, at some
point the exercises must mimic the activities performed on the fire
ground. The purpose of training is to prepare your
body for the working conditions of a fire scene. If your body is prepared, you lessen the chance of injuries from
the increased activity and workload.
Running, sprinting, lifting weights, and climbing stairs
are great for overall conditioning, but they don’t specifically prepare
your body to crawl on the floor. While
crawling, your center of gravity is different from its normal standing
position. Anytime your COG changes,
your body must adapt to maintain balance.
If your balance is off, your ability to perform any work is limited.
It’s kind of like firing a canon from a canoe.
So, to help prepare your body for the demands of staying
low, the following three exercises can be incorporated into your training
program:
Forward Crawl:
Give yourself about 5 yards of space.
Get into pushup position. Make
sure your hips are in line with your shoulders and your abs are tight. Begin moving forward by picking up your hand
and putting it down a few inches ahead of you.
At the same time, drag your opposite foot forward the same distance.
Make sure your leg stays straight.
Continue with the opposite hand and foot until you reach the
end.
Starting position Middle position End position
Lateral Crawl:
This is similar to the forward crawl, but you’re moving from left to
right. In pushup position, pick up one hand and place
it a few inches to the right or left of your body (depending on which
direction you’re going). At
the same time, pick up your opposite leg and move it the same distance,
keeping it straight. Make sure
you keep your abs tight, hips in line with your shoulders, and head
‘tucked’ so your chin isn’t hanging towards the floor.
Starting position Middle position End position Spiderman Crawl: Begin in pushup position. Starting with the right side, bring your right
leg forward towards the outside of your right hand. At this point, keep your left leg straight,
tighten your abs, sink your hips a bit, and activate your left glute
muscle (butt cheek). Hold for
2 seconds. Then, move your right hand forward about 6
inches, and bring your left leg forward towards the outside of your
left hand. Again, tighten your abs, sink your hips, and
activate your right glute muscle. Hold
for 2 seconds and continue moving forward.
Starting position Middle position End position
These three exercises can be done
in the warm-up phase of your workout.
They are great for:
ü
Developing dynamic flexibility in the
hips and low back
ü
Activating the essential “extension”
muscles (rhomboids, glutes, hamstrings, erectors, and rotator cuff)
ü
Raising your core temperature
ü
Strengthening your core musculature
By adding these exercises into your workout, your body
will be more prepared for the next time you have to crawl into a burning
building.
Rich Meyer is a firefighter and Rescue Technician with
the Bloomfield Volunteer Fire Rescue Company in Bloomfield, NJ. Rich is also a Certified Strength and Conditioning
Specialist who specializes in assessing and designing training programs
for athletes and firefighters. For
more information or questions, check out www.functionalfirefitness.com
or send Rich an email at richmeyer@functionalfirefitness.com.
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Low to Get Low: 3 Exercises to Increase Your Agility Below the Heat
