Hi guys,
I am heading back home after two years in CHina. I have applied to join the federal police and the state fire service.
I lift two to three times a week (low volume), play rugby twice a week and train martial arts (low intensity) twice a week. My conditioning is about average. To be in the fire/feds i would need to be much fitter and stronger i think.
Can anyone recommend a program for me to utilize while preparing for the entry tests for these services?
cheers
B
this should help
http://www.T-Nation.com/findArticle.do?article=04-009-training
Id say do what your doing. Add in some jogging for endurance maybe a day a week. Things like strong man are great for the Fire DEPT dragging, carrying, tire flipping, etc. it will raise your GPP/ conditioning/strenth endurance through the roof.
Id do a lot of that type work strong man odd lifts etc limit the gym to a day or two a week. make it count, the fight training wont hurt.
Just try and get in freaky good condition and preserve or slowly build the strenght you have.
Heck even chads series for MMA atheletes would translate fairly well.
Best of luck,
Hope something here helps.
Phill
Personally, I would scrap the jogging altogether, waste o time.
Depending on when the testing is will depend on what type of activity you do. If it is fairly soon, then you will want to do a different program than if it is sometime late next spring.
Ty-rone
the first testing wont be for at least 4 months, probably 6. The plan would be to hold the conditioning over for training and work (for my own safety and that of others).
thanks for the replies so far
The strongman type training is a pretty good tip.I can only talk from a firefighter’s point.The first time you have to drag a fully charged 2 1/2 inch hose up stairs and around corners,you will appreciate it.The jogging is not a bad idea either.
Depending on what type of fire scene you’re on,you may be working your ass off for awhile.On top of that,you will be under air while you are working.If you’re huffing and puffing after climbing a flight of stairs with your gear on,your 20 minutes of air will be gone in 5.Above all else ,are you able to keep cool when the shit hits the fan?
[quote]TWalton wrote:
Personally, I would scrap the jogging altogether, waste o time.
Ty-rone[/quote]
I kind of agree with this as Jogging is really more mind over matter once you get going If you dont mind it dont matter its just about keep going though it sucks I HATE IT.
But many departments etc its a huge part of testing and couldnt hurt to have a basic foundation like I was saying maybe once a week.
I do agree depends on the tests and how long just throwing out general things there.
www.rosstraining.com/articles.html if you want to know about conditioning, go here. That would be my advice. This dude obviously knows something about it.
If you have to do any VO2 max type tests stay away from jogging other than in small amounts. If you are a long distance runner you VO2max test will be much longer and you wont necessairly score any higer. Much better off with sprints.
Also another thing to keep in mind is that with the V02 max tests is your score does directly correspond with bodyweight. Ive had friends that have scored lower on their tests despite being in better cardiovascular shape because of a higher bodyweight.
See Ya
Join the London Fire Brigade! Since the “standards” for the entrance tests have been watered down time and again to allow for more firetarts only a paraplegic could fail to pass!!!
i couldnt say it any better than that. jogging is a must! and i would suggest keeping the free weight taining. your strength is of most importance. practice control breathing too. hold your breath off and on. if your on air with full gear you’ll need all the air that you can get. so jogging,weight training and control breathing will help out alot. be safe, stay healthy.
thanks for all the input so far, I am taking it all in.
i am a queenslander so London is out of the question (for visa reasons more than anything else). as for the QFS from what i have read and heard, entry is extremely competitive. The physical tests look pretty hard core and they only take the best, I cant wait!!
Being a queenslander myself, and interested in these lines of work I have opted to join the police force in Northern Territory. They offer a good package and I’ ve aslways wanted to move interstate.
For the brigade I suggest joining as an auxillary then get it
otherwise think specificity do the crappy sit ups and road running it well be good for your shins especially when you march.
[quote]banana wrote:
Hi guys,
I am heading back home after two years in CHina. I have applied to join the federal police and the state fire service.
I lift two to three times a week (low volume), play rugby twice a week and train martial arts (low intensity) twice a week. My conditioning is about average. To be in the fire/feds i would need to be much fitter and stronger i think.
Do you know what the tests will be ahead of time? I know that you said it won’t be for another 4 months? What will these tests consist of?
In the US for the Army Miltary Police they have the various courses but really no other standards other than the standard Army PT tests. I know a few local police officers also and they seem to be all over the place in terms of what their standards are.
Can anyone recommend a program for me to utilize while preparing for the entry tests for these services?
cheers
B[/quote]
ok this is what i could find out about for the feds. I cant access teh fire service site ATM but will post their stuff soon.
there doesnt seem to be a whole lot of specific standards quoted here (Im sure they are high), but you get the idea.
Multistage fitness test
General
The multistage fitness test is a simple test produced by the Australian Coaching Council to measure maximum oxygen uptake. The test measures an officer?s ability in running a distance of 1000 meters, which may be required in the line of duty if responding to either a Code 1 or Duress alarm.
Action
The test is conducted on flat ground with two lines 20 meters apart. The person being tested runs to and fro (shuttle run) along the measured lines, keeping up with a series of bleeps on a cassette. The timing of the bleeps starts slowly and gets progressively faster, so that it becomes harder and harder for the runner to keep up. The runner stops or is stopped when they can no longer maintain the set pace.
Agility test
The agility test assesses strength and agility in negotiating obstacles, which maybe required by the nature of the duty a PSO may encounter. It has been identified that an obstacle course comprising of various stations at which a specific activity will have to be performed, will test agility. The stations are:
3 stage push ups
Action
The person assumes a position with the body resting on the ground at full extension; this is known as the ?start position?. Keeping the body in a generally straight line, the body is lifted until the arms are fully extended, this is known as the ?up position?, after a pause, the body is then lowered until the ?start position?, this constitutes 1 repetition. The person continues repetitions at his/her own pace until the required standard is reached.
3 stage push up standards
The standard required is 5 repetitions at each designated station.
Scaling low walls
Action
The person approaches the wall with momentum, leaps, gripping the top of the wall, pivoting at the torso then swinging the lower body over the wall using the natural momentum to carry over, ensuring the person lands with their feet at approximately shoulder width apart to cushion the impact through the natural mechanisms of the body. They continue through to the next station
Scaling low walls
The standard required is negotiating walls of 1.5 meters in height in a safe and controlled manner within the activity.
Zig zags
Action
The person is required to run and swerve in and out of the cones.
Zig zags
The standard requires placement of cones 2 meters apart in series of set intervals of 1 meter. The person should not touch or knock over the cones.
Ground obstacles
Action
This ability is tested by placing round hoops on the ground, side by side in lines. The person must place the right foot in all the right hoops and alternatively the left foot in the left hoops. The person is not to kick the hoops and must maintain the alternate left, right foot action.
Ground obstacles
The minimum standard required is placement of feet alternatively in hoops placed on the ground without touching or displacing them.
Crawl
Action
Lying on the stomach, alternatively using an elbow and knee action, the person propels himself/herself along the ground maintaining a low profile.
Crawl
Crawl along distances of up to 20 meters as laid as stations.
Balance beam
Action
The skill is tested by placing a beam of approximately 15 centimetres in width and 5 meters in length, which is raised off the ground.
Balance beam
Rapidly move along the beam from one end to the other without falling off.
High knee lifts
Action
The skill is tested by placing obstacles at a height of 70 centimetres evenly in a row, causing the person to use a high knee lift action to step over the obstacles.
High knee lifts
Step over obstacles with out knocking them over or displacing them.
Step ups
Action
Having a step of approximately 30 centimetres in height tests the skill. The person is required to step up to and down from the platform.
Step-ups
Step up to and down from platform constitutes one repetition. The person must complete 20 repetitions.
Conduct of the agility test
Persons are timed over the agility activity as laid out in the attached diagram. Each must complete the course, ensuring all components are achieved within in the requirements laid down. If a person does not complete an activity correctly they may reattempt that activity. The person may make three attempts to make the required standards and if this is not achieved a ?fail? will be recorded.
Standards levels
A) 1 minute 30 seconds
B) 1 minute 45 seconds
C) 2 minutes
Lift and drag
General
The lift and drag has been designed to test the person?s ability to drag an object or person, if needed in the line of duty. This skill may be required when clearing obstacles, or dragging an injured person to safety, or placing an uncooperative person into a vehicle.
Action
The person will be required to lift and drag a weight of approximately 75 kg over a distance of 20 meters using correct techniques, ensuring they use leg strength.
Lift and drag
Approximately 75 kg weight to be lifted and dragged over a distance of 20 meters. This is not a timed activity.
[quote]banana wrote:
ok this is what i could find out about for the feds. I cant access teh fire service site ATM but will post their stuff soon.
there doesnt seem to be a whole lot of specific standards quoted here (Im sure they are high), but you get the idea.
Multistage fitness test
General
The multistage fitness test is a simple test produced by the Australian Coaching Council to measure maximum oxygen uptake. The test measures an officer?s ability in running a distance of 1000 meters, which may be required in the line of duty if responding to either a Code 1 or Duress alarm.
Action
The test is conducted on flat ground with two lines 20 meters apart. The person being tested runs to and fro (shuttle run) along the measured lines, keeping up with a series of bleeps on a cassette. The timing of the bleeps starts slowly and gets progressively faster, so that it becomes harder and harder for the runner to keep up. The runner stops or is stopped when they can no longer maintain the set pace.
Agility test
The agility test assesses strength and agility in negotiating obstacles, which maybe required by the nature of the duty a PSO may encounter. It has been identified that an obstacle course comprising of various stations at which a specific activity will have to be performed, will test agility. The stations are:
3 stage push ups
Action
The person assumes a position with the body resting on the ground at full extension; this is known as the ?start position?. Keeping the body in a generally straight line, the body is lifted until the arms are fully extended, this is known as the ?up position?, after a pause, the body is then lowered until the ?start position?, this constitutes 1 repetition. The person continues repetitions at his/her own pace until the required standard is reached.
3 stage push up standards
The standard required is 5 repetitions at each designated station.
Scaling low walls
Action
The person approaches the wall with momentum, leaps, gripping the top of the wall, pivoting at the torso then swinging the lower body over the wall using the natural momentum to carry over, ensuring the person lands with their feet at approximately shoulder width apart to cushion the impact through the natural mechanisms of the body. They continue through to the next station
Scaling low walls
The standard required is negotiating walls of 1.5 meters in height in a safe and controlled manner within the activity.
Zig zags
Action
The person is required to run and swerve in and out of the cones.
Zig zags
The standard requires placement of cones 2 meters apart in series of set intervals of 1 meter. The person should not touch or knock over the cones.
Ground obstacles
Action
This ability is tested by placing round hoops on the ground, side by side in lines. The person must place the right foot in all the right hoops and alternatively the left foot in the left hoops. The person is not to kick the hoops and must maintain the alternate left, right foot action.
Ground obstacles
The minimum standard required is placement of feet alternatively in hoops placed on the ground without touching or displacing them.
Crawl
Action
Lying on the stomach, alternatively using an elbow and knee action, the person propels himself/herself along the ground maintaining a low profile.
Crawl
Crawl along distances of up to 20 meters as laid as stations.
Balance beam
Action
The skill is tested by placing a beam of approximately 15 centimetres in width and 5 meters in length, which is raised off the ground.
Balance beam
Rapidly move along the beam from one end to the other without falling off.
High knee lifts
Action
The skill is tested by placing obstacles at a height of 70 centimetres evenly in a row, causing the person to use a high knee lift action to step over the obstacles.
High knee lifts
Step over obstacles with out knocking them over or displacing them.
Step ups
Action
Having a step of approximately 30 centimetres in height tests the skill. The person is required to step up to and down from the platform.
Step-ups
Step up to and down from platform constitutes one repetition. The person must complete 20 repetitions.
Conduct of the agility test
Persons are timed over the agility activity as laid out in the attached diagram. Each must complete the course, ensuring all components are achieved within in the requirements laid down. If a person does not complete an activity correctly they may reattempt that activity. The person may make three attempts to make the required standards and if this is not achieved a ?fail? will be recorded.
Standards levels
A) 1 minute 30 seconds
B) 1 minute 45 seconds
C) 2 minutes
Lift and drag
General
The lift and drag has been designed to test the person?s ability to drag an object or person, if needed in the line of duty. This skill may be required when clearing obstacles, or dragging an injured person to safety, or placing an uncooperative person into a vehicle.
Action
The person will be required to lift and drag a weight of approximately 75 kg over a distance of 20 meters using correct techniques, ensuring they use leg strength.
Lift and drag
Approximately 75 kg weight to be lifted and dragged over a distance of 20 meters. This is not a timed activity.
[/quote]
One of the best ways to prepare for a test like this is to break the test down into stations, training each station at least once a week. Working on form and speed for each one. Then puting it all together once a month to see how much you have improved. You should also continue your general training – weights and conditioning – but it should be somewhat specific to the above stations.
[quote]Tsypkin wrote:
I may get flamed for this, but…
Don’t hurt me![/quote]
Crossfit is alright when used in addition to a good weight program, I think it is anyways. You could also check out thesealquest.com
Will42