Fire Hose Battle Ropes

This blog was provided by a great friend and true inpiration. Firefighter Nate Koch oBeatrice Fire and Rescue in Nebraska provided us with a simple, yet effective way to use damaged or out of service hose to increase our fitness and conditioning levels in the station.  Thank you Nate for your continued service and hard work.

A YOUNG Nate Koch!!

Hey my Brothers,

 

I decided I wanted a set of Battling Ropes for my guys at the station to use in there workouts.  Good ropes cost a lot of money.  So I got to thinking and searching the net and found some cheap easy solutions to buying real ropes.  

All you need is a 50 foot section of old fire hose, 2 1/2 works good, some type of small rope or twine, and some duct tape!  

All you do is cut off the cuplings, fold the hose down the middle on the end, you want about

10 inches or so for your handles. Take the rope or twine and wrap the ends very tightly, this creates a grip type feel.  All the way to the end and then have someone hold it while you secure it.  Then you just wrap the handles with duct tape and you're all set.  

Pretty simple!  I can't take all the credit though, I found this method on YouTube!  I also made one in 1 3/4 for beginners and for a killer second set when the 2 1/2 becomes too much!  Thanks again Ed Hadfield for letting me share this!

Nathan Koch

Beatice Fire and Rescue

Beatrice, NE

Why is Crossfit 4 Fire? by Larry Manasco

Why is Crossfit for fire?

By: Larry Manasco

I have always been one to state that the best exercise for anybody is the exercise that you will actually do. And that is something that you will enjoy and that you will consistently do, whether it is lifting weights, running, kayaking or walking your vicious attack Pomeranian, Bruiser, around the park every night. That theory holds true with the common layperson, not so much with firefighters.

Crossfit is described as being “constantly varied, high-intensity, functional movement”. Sounds like Firefighting 101 if you ask me. If you arrive on scene to 10 working fires over the course of a period of time, will you perform the same duties at all 10 fires? If you arrive on scene and the fire is not under control and you are assigned a task, is it not performed at varied levels of intensity? When performing those assigned tasks, by their very nature, are they not functional movements? Of course they are; you’re doing them aren’t you?

I have been crossfitting for over five years now after having been casually introduced to it by one of my firefighters when I was a lieutenant. It was the bear complex if you are wondering, look it up, nasty little workout (it says something about me that I actually continued crossfitting after an experience like that, and it says nothing good). Back then I was always at busy stations, running and gunning, and could easily make the case that I had to keep my fitness high due to the everyday demands of my job. Now, I am at a much slower station due to circumstances and I would argue that it is more crucial that I keep my fitness at as high a level as possible.

I have been at my station since November of 2011. Earlier in August of 2012 was my first working fire at this new station. To make things even more exciting, we had another working fire after being back at the station for thirty minutes. Good times. Only that having not made any working fires in a ten month period could easily open me up to fatigue or exhaustion which then opens the door for injury or worse. At the second fire, the quint was first on and pulled the line to attack an attic fire. They called for a hole. One of my firefighters and me went to the roof with a chainsaw. It started and ran like a dream. Of course our dream turned to a nightmare when we quickly figured out that something was wrong with the chain. A butter knife would have been more useful. But by having our trusty backup axe with us, I was able to take over cutting duties and was able to get a hole cut without incident. I was tired and sweaty, but got the job done and was ready for our next assignment. At forty years of age and not having made any type of fires in a ten month span, I have crossfit to thank for me being in good physical condition so that I was successful under that set of circumstances.

Why I believe Crossfit to be the answer for most fire department fitness concerns? At my Crossfit box (another crazy crossfit term meaning gym) , GSX Crossfit, our coach goes by the programming philosophy of Outlaw Crossfit, which is a good warm-up, a lifting element, then a metcon (a fancy crossfit word for cardiovascular workout) lasting no longer than 20 minutes. The theory behind the time limit for metcons is that you cannot maintain a high level of intensity for longer than 20 minutes. Let’s take all of that information and apply it to the fire ground. Is there lifting, pushing and/or pulling involved at a working fire? You know there is. Being first on and pulling a line, does that require a lot of physical intensity?Does it raise your heart rate the second you start pulling the line? Absolutely. At a typical working fire, does it take longer than twenty minutes to extinguish the fire and go into overhaul mode? We all know the answers to these questions.

The great thing about crossfit and the fire service is the equipment that is required is very minimal. Most stations have a barbell, weights, and dumbbells. Every fire station has a spot where pushups, sit-ups, air squats and burpees can be done. Every fire station is located near some type of roadway where running can be done. Most have some type of pull up bar. It’s pretty easy to get a hold of an old tractor tire for sledgehammer strikes, tire flips, and tire jumps. Make no mistake, there is plenty of fancy crossfit; but it is not necessary to have a thorough and constantly changing crossfit workout. I have a great morning wod (more crossfit lingomeaning workout of the day) that involves nothing more than pushups, sit-ups, air squats, calf raises and running. Not one piece of equipment is needed.

Now for all of you guys thinking that because you are not in the best of physical condition and therefore should not be crossfitting, think again. Everything in crossfit is either scalable (meaning the repetitions, sets or weights can be lowered) or in the case that a prescribed exercise cannot be performed at all, alternative exercises are always available. For example, in your crossfit workout it calls for handstand pushups. You absolutely cannot flip upside down against a wall and lower your head to the floor and push your body back up to where your elbows are locked out. No problem. Instead of flipping upside down, you turn around and wall walk up the wall with your feet to whatever angle you can perform the pushups. The closer to the wall your body gets, the harder the pushup gets. Can’t wall walk, no problem. Put your knees on the back bumper of your engine or truck. Place your hands on the ground with your elbows locked and lower yourself down as far as you can and push up back to where your elbows are locked again. Can’t do that, no problem. Go to hand release pushups. This is called a progression. Every exercise has one. Find the spot in the progression that you can manage and slowly build your strength so that you can “progress” in the progression.

Fort Worth Fire Officer Larry Manasco

This may sound complicated but I promise, it’s not. Is crossfit absolutely necessary for firefighter fitness? The answer is no. Running on a treadmill, lifting a few weights are both better than doing nothing. The question is what will provide you with the highest level of fitness for the demands of your firefighting profession? The answer is simply crossfit.

Integrity: By Kelsey Romshek

“Integrity.”  It’s a common word that you’ll see in the fire service.  It can be found on job postings.  It can be found in interview questions.  It can be found in department motto’s or mission statements.  It can be found painted on the side of rigs or embroidered on a duty shirt.  It’s found everywhere in the fire service, and spoken a lot of.  I’m sure in the minds of those we serve, it is a word they use to describe us.  And we too, may throw this word around a lot.  

In many ways, we may display this word with our daily actions and deeds, but let’s take a more in depth look at the word itself.  According to dictionary.com, “Integrity” is:

1. Adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of moral character; honesty.

2. The state of being whole, entire, or undiminished.

3. A sound, unimpaired, or perfect condition.  

So how about you?  Do you have and display “Integrity” as a firefighter?  Let’s take this a step further. Do you display “integrity” with your physical condition and in your physical capacity to do the job well?  This is a question that constantly plagues me and one that I hope plagues you. After reading this it will hopefully be on your mind. 

You see, I’m in the mindset now, through the supportive community of CrossFit 4 Fire, that it’s not necessarily about pursuing perfection in physical fitness. Most importantly, its having the integrity and honesty in asking yourself, “Am I where I should be at fitness wise?”  

Can I climb 60-70 flights of stairs just to get to the fire, just like the 343?  Can I climb 50 flights of stairs period?  Can I perform a functional deadlift and drag in full gear in high heat if my partner were to go down? Above all, have the integrity to ask yourself, “Am I getting better, or am I getting worse?” 

Eventually you need to have the integrity to step up and make a choice.  I am going to get better.  I am going to get more fit than I was a week ago, a month ago, a year ago!  I’m thankful for CrossFit 4 Fire striving to bring us the resources needed to do that.  It all starts however, with the courage to slay the dragon of our EGO, and have the integrity to say I’m not where I should be at, and right now I make a choice to take that step.  CrossFit 4 Fire is here to help you with that step.  It’s a supportive community to direct you in steps that you can start taking now.  

So where do you start?  How much is too much?  You may be saying to yourself, “I’ve seen those CrossFit workouts!  They’re crazy!  I can’t do that!”  And I’m here to tell you that you can.  One step at a time, you can!  The biggest thing is to take that first step.  Make small adjustments, or if you’re the “all-in type” go for it!  Either way, keep in mind CrossFit encourages an approach like this:

Start making adjustments to your nutrition.  Too many people address workouts, but don’t seriously address their nutrition.  Your nutrition is the base of the pyramid, if it’s not sound, the rest of your fitness will topple.  One of the things I appreciate about CrossFit, if your nutrition is terrible, your WOD (workout of the day) will feel terrible!  If your nutrition is good, you will feel much better during the workout.  As you make better nutritional choices, your fitness will surely improve!  

From there, start making positive choices about your activities and workouts.  Keep in mind, CrossFit boils down to “constantly varied, functional movements, done at high intensity.”  Log onto www.crossfit.com and start trying some of the workouts and watching some of the videos under the “Exercises and Demos” tab, it’s all free!  Google search and find the nearest CrossFit affiliate in your area, and go check them out.  Work with a coach and other people.  There’s over 4000 affiliates in the world, check out their web pages for helpful information and workout ideas.  Or even personally email Cole Henn (cole@crossfitlincoln.com) or myself (kromshek@hotmail.com) and we’ll do our best to help you out.  We’ve learned a lot about coaching, from challenging professional level athletes, to scaling for beginners.  

And lastly, as firefighters, we must not neglect the top of the pyramid: “Sport/Specialty.”  We must train for the tasks that we are called to do at a fire scene or a medical.  Throw ladders.  Pull hose.  Swing a sledge.  Lift and carry the hydraulic tools.  Run stairs with gear or weighted vest.  Lift heavy things, to train yourself to lift heavy patients.  “Practice like you play,” or practice like we’re called to perform!

So have some integrity, and be honest with yourself!  Are you where you should be fitness or health wise?  If not, are you taking steps forward, or backwards?  Step out of your comfort zone, check your ego, and seek help.  Keep checking back at www.crossfit4fire.blogspot.com, like us on facebook, listen to us on Fire Engineering Radio, or email us, and we’ll do our best to help you out and connect you with the resources you need.  

Paleo Brownies

This fantasitic Paleo Brownie recipe comes to us from Firefighter and Crossfit athlete Tamra Boyce.  Tamra is a volunteer firefighter and EMT-B for just over two and a half years and recently moved to Coronado to pursue a career as a paid fire service member.  She is currently training at Crossfit Coronado and is one helluva an athlete.

She proudly boast of growing up with two older brothers and a father who is a Vietnam veteran and was Assistant Chief with Stinson Beach Fire Protection District  for over 22 years. With the importance of being fit and in a constant state of readiness in the fire service, she quickly discovered CrossFit and found it to be the best all encompassing workout around. Tamra states, "It's fun, competitive, engaging, always different, and most importantly, extremely effective. Diet is of course a huge part of being fit but by no means should this mean you can't have something great without all the processed garbage and refined sugars found in most food today".   We asked here to give us here favorite snack recipe and this is what she gave us.  Enjoy the Paleo brownies. Easy to make and guilt free.  Enjoy!

Ingedients:

• 1 3/4 cup walnut meal (purchased or ground in a food processor)
• 3/4 cup Dutch process cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 large eggs (room temperature)
• 1 cup coconut milk (room temperature)
• 1/2 cup honey or mayple syrup (I prefer mayple syrup, the honey flavor is a bit strong)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup extra virgin coconut oil (gently melted)
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts for topping (optional)
• Butter for greasing the pan (I prefer coconut oil)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Adjust oven rack to middle postion. Butter a 13x9x2 inch baking pan.

In a medium bowl, mix together dry ingredients until well blended. Set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk eggs for one minute, then add coconut milk, honey or maple syrup and whisk again. Add melted cocnut oil and whisk until completely blended.

Add wet mixture to dry ingredients and whisk well; be sure to scrape sides and bowl bottom so no pockets of ingredient remain. Batter will be thinner consistency then conventional brownies. Pour batter into prepared pan.  If desired, sprinkle chopped walnuts on top of batter. Bake 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completly before cutting.

The Crossfit 4 Fire Grocery List and More Part 2

To continue on with our goal of providing more information related to fitness and conditioning for the fire service and the athletes (Firefighters) within this noble profession, we are going to discuss the foundations of nutrition in this blog article. 

The Foundation to fitness, conditioning and fire ground performance
is rooted in the basis of nutrition and meal planning.

The important factor to understand regarding CrossFit, is the basic principle that Crossfit and the modalities of Crossfit are founded in its principal strength and conditioning program that incorporates functional movements into a high-intensity workout. According to Coach Greg Glassman founder of CrossFit, diet and nutrition along with meal plan's

lays the molecular foundations for fitness and conditioning. To build a solid molecular foundation, CrossFit promotes the Paleo diet.  The Paleo diet is commonly referred to as the caveman or Paleolithic diet for it natural hunter-gatherer approach to nutrition consisting of clean foods.

Considering fire service personnel/athletes are unique in there meal planning and there conditioning needs, it is best recommended to use the approach authored by Loren Cordain, Ph.D in his book, "The Paleo Diet for Athletes".  In the book Loren Cordain, Ph.D. outlines several Paleo foods that are acceptable for athletes or what we would condier fire service athletes. General guidelines for the Paleo diet include lean protein sources, such as lean beef, fish, poultry and wild game with a variety of fruits and vegetables. Foods to avoid include dairy products, sugars, refined carbohydrates, processed foods and starchy vegetables. Fire service personnel/athletes can add certain foods such as pasta, bread and rice in moderation during periods of extended recovery between workouts.  The key to this statement is moderation.  In addition, John Welbourn of Crossfit Football and Andy Stumpf USN, also recommend whole dairy products in moderation as well.  This would include Certified Raw Milk, Certified Raw Butter, and Greek Yogurt. 

Utilizing a nutrition plan and meal planning element that is based in the Paleo diet provides a balanced diet for fire service personnel/athletes that can improve performance. Consuming clean, natural foods on the Paleo diet, fire service personnel/athletes can also eliminate refined and processed carbohydrates that have been linked with obesity, coronary heart disease, diabetes,cancer and Alzheimer's. Utilizing the Paleo concepts and developing a meal planning approach with complex carbohydrates from vegetables and fruit, the Paleo diet controls insulin and overall hormone levels that can improve fire ground performance and your functional approach to strength, conditioning and metabolic conditioning workouts.

According to Greg Glassman of Crossfit, the Paleo diet for CrossFit follows a "Zone" approach to breaking down macronutrient content into 40 percent of the calories from carbohydrates, 30 percent from protein and 30 percent from fat. Protein content should range from about 0.7 g to 1 g of protein per pound of bodyweight. For example, a 200-lb. firefighter will need to consume between 140 g and 200 g of protein. According to "The Paleo Diet for Athletes," carbohydrate intake can increase to as much as 60 percent of the total calories as a sporting event or competition approaches. During this time, fat content will range from 20 percent to 25 percent.

She is looking for her Paleo Man!!!

Pre-WOD and Post WOD Nutrient timing is as important to fire service personnel/athlete success as the selection of foods. According to the book, "The Paleo Diet for Athletes" Loren Cordian, Ph.D recommends eating about 200 to 300 calories with approximately 30 grams of protein at least two hours before an intense WOD.  Immediately after the completion of the WOD within the first 10 minutes and no later than 20 minutes, the fire service athlete should consume approximately 30 more grams of protein and approximately 25 to 35 grams of complex carbohydrates, this is best accomplished in the form of some type of protein shake or easily digestible and cellular uptake type of macronutrient. Water will be sufficient for hydration during heavy or high intensity WOD’s, however, coconut water has been found to provide intensive electrolytes without the sugars found in sports drinks.  If you the need for electrolyte replacement is necessary or a concern, consider coconut water as a natural source. 

Below is a list of foods that are encouraged or discouraged to assist you with your Paleo Meal Planning Guide. Keep in mind, this is a guid to assist you and is not all inclusive nor a total comprehensive listing. 

Proteins:

Lean beef  Flank steak Top sirloin steak Extra-lean hamburger  London broil Chuck steak Lean veal Pork loin Pork chops	Lean poultry (white meat, skin removed) Chicken Breast or Thighs Turkey Meats (Breast) Game Hen Breast	Organ meats Beef, lamb, pork, and chicken livers Beef, pork, and lamb tongues Beef, lamb, and pork marrow Beef, lamb, and pork “sweetbreads”
Eggs (Include the Yolks)	Bison (buffalo)	Bass
Duck	Elk	Halibut
Goose	Ostrich	Orange roughy

Other Fish	Other Fish
Herring	Striped bass
Mackerel	Sunfish
Monkfish	Tilapia
Mullet	Trout
Northern pike	Tuna
Perch	Turbot
Red snapper	Walleye
Rockfish	Shellfish
Salmon	Abalone
Scrod	Clams
Shark	Crab

Fruit	Fruits	Fruits
Apple	Gooseberries	Persimmon
Apricot	Grapefruit	Pomegranate
Avocado	Grapes	Raspberries
Banana	Guava	Rhubarb
Blackberries	Honeydew melon	Star fruit
Blueberries	Kiwi	Strawberries
Boysenberries	Lemon	Tangerine
Cantaloupe	Lime	Watermelon
Carambola	Lychee
Cassava melon	Mango
Cherimoya	Nectarine
Cherries	Orange
Cranberries	Papaya
Figs	Passion fruit
Plums	Peaches
Pineapple	Pears

Vegetables	Vegetables	Vegetables
Artichoke	Bell peppers	Squash (all kinds)
Asparagus	Broccoli	Swiss chard
Beet greens	Brussels sprouts	Tomatillos
Beets	Cabbage	Tomato (actually a fruit, but most people think of it as a vegetable)
Endive	Carrots	Turnip greens
Green onions	Cauliflower	Turnips
Kale	Celery	Watercress
Kohlrabi	Collards
Lettuce	Cucumber
Mushrooms	Dandelion
Mustard greens	Eggplant
Onions	Purslane
Parsley	Radish
Parsnip	Rutabaga
Peppers (all kinds)	Seaweed
Pumpkin	Spinach

Nuts and Seeds	Nuts and Seeds
Almonds	Pine nuts
Brazil nuts	Pistachios (unsalted)
Chestnuts	Pumpkin seeds
Hazelnuts (filberts)	Sesame seeds
Macadamia nuts	Sunflower seeds
Pecans	Walnuts

Foods To Be Eaten In Moderation

Oils

Coconut Oil, Olive Oil, Avocado Oil, Walnut Oil, Flaxseed Oil,  

Beverages

Coffee

Tea

Wine (two 4-ounce glasses)

Beer (one 12-ounce serving)

Spirits (4 ounces)

Paleo Snaks

Dried fruits (no more than 2 ounces a day)

Nuts mixed with dried and fresh fruits (no more than 4 ounces of nuts and 2 ounces of dried fruit a day)

Foods You Should Avoid

Dairy Foods

All processed foods made with any dairy products

Cheese

Cream

Dairy spreads

Frozen yogurt

Ice cream

Ice milk

Low-fat milk

Nonfat dairy creamer

Powdered milk

Skim milk

Whole milk

Cereal Grains

Barley (barley soup, barley bread, and all processed foods made with barley)

Corn (corn on the cob, corn tortillas, corn chips, corn starch, corn syrup)

Oats (steel-cut oats, rolled oats, and all processed foods made with oats)

Rice (brown rice, white rice, top ramen, rice noodles, bas mati rice, rice cakes, Rice flour (all processed foods made with rice)

Rye (rye bread, rye crackers, and all processed foods made with rye)

Wheat (bread, rolls, muffins, noodles, crackers, cookies, cake, doughnuts, pancakes, waffles, pasta, spaghetti, lasagna, wheat tortillas, pizza, pita bread, flat bread, and all processed foods made with wheat or wheat flour)

Wild rice

Cereal Grainlike Seeds

Amaranth

Buckwheat

Quinoa

Legumes

All beans (adzuki beans, black beans, broad beans, fava beans, field beans, garbanzo beans, horse beans, kidney beans, lima beans, mung beans, navy beans, pinto beans, red beans, string beans, white beans)

Black-eyed peas

Chickpeas

Lentils

Peas

Miso

Peanut butter

Peanuts

Snowpeas

Sugar snap peas

Soybeans and all soybean products, including tofu

Starchy Vegetables

Starchy tubers

Cassava root

Manioc

Potatoes and all potato products (French fries, potato chips, etc.)

Sweet potatoes

Tapioca pudding

Great reference source and full
of information which will
help you on your journey of health. 

Salt-Containing Foods

Almost all commercial salad dressings and condiments

Cheese

Deli meats

Frankfurters

Hot dogs

Ketchup

Olives

Pork rinds

Processed meats

Salami

Salted nuts

Salted spices

Sausages 

Soft Drinks & Sweets

All sugary soft drinks

Canned, bottled, and freshly squeezed fruit drinks  

Candy

Sugars