Posted KXLY: Friday, June 19, 2009 9:24 PM
SPOKANE -- It was graduation day for eight new Spokane and Spokane Valley firefighters. But before the recruits made it to graduation, they endured one of the toughest fitness programs there is.
For the first time this year, the Crossfit workout is part of the Spokane Regional Recruit Academy. A Crossfit workout starts with a warm-up and normally ends with exhaustion.
Eight future firemen, three from Spokane and five from Spokane Valley, used the new high intensity workout to get ready to run into burning buildings.
"When we get on the fire scene, we go from 0 to 120 mph in 10 seconds," said Crossfit trainer Lt. Dave Pointer. "That's what this workout does, it brings them in, it's very intense and very hardcore and covers the whole body."
The workout has become popular with the military and first responders like police officers and firefighters.
It uses more conventional exercises like running, jumping and squatting, but also includes other elements like gymnastics rings, sledge hammers and huge truck tires.
"We do everything you typically wouldn't see in a regular gym, or would get kicked out for doing," said Crossfit trainer Mike Gerry.
Gerry owns Spokane's Crossfit Gym. He says the workout is well tailored to firefighting.
"The one time they need their fitness could mean the difference between life and death for themselves or somebody else," Gerry said. "It's very beneficial compared to your traditional type of training."
"The one time they need their fitness could mean the difference between life and death for themselves or somebody else," Gerry said. "It's very beneficial compared to your traditional type of training."
The fire recruits say they can feel the difference the workouts have made.
"You recover so much quicker," said Spokane City Fire recruit Isaac Anderson."We just got done with a half-hour workout and I'm ready to rock-and-roll... I'm not spent for the day."
"This training is fast, intense, hard training and it's geared for what we need to go at a moments notice," said Spokane Valley Fire recruit Kirk Kiefer.
Fire officials say the workouts are helping to create a new generation of stronger, faster and fitter firefighters.
No comments:
Post a Comment