My training numbers so far

[shiznizbiz]

Im 23 and I weight 161lbs with a beer gut.
Im training for the fire academy so getting in shape is a must
I can jog 2 miles then walk 1 more
Standard and incline Bench depends on the day I can bench135lbs but if its a monday than i can do 150lbs
Arm curls range from 75lbs to 90lbs depends on the day
Leg press is 200lbs and climbing daily
sit-ups about 20 a day those are killing me
not sure what its called but i sit and pull the handle towards me those i can do around 150-170lbs
steps around 356 in 10 mins with no added weight will nedd to do that with 50+lbs added to me.
all these are 3 sets of 10-15 and its my second week

The only piece of advice i can give you havign taken the PAT for my local FD, is to obtain your local PAT requirments and shoot for those.  And when the time comes, practice with as much of the apparatus' as possible.  running up 14 flights of stairs is one thing.  Add an 80 pound hose strung over 1 shoulder only (testing regulation) and thats a little different.  then run to a cone course to carry a 40lb hose then drop it and run up and do a fire escape  to the 5th floor and back down and around to the cone course again, then the fire escape again, then the 14 flights with an 80lb hose again all with in 11 minutes with no breaks .  sure, Alot of people can walk that but thats no good.  A goal time of 5-6 minutes was idea if you wanted a job.
But I digress. Most FD's want a healthy combo of speed and strength with good endurance to keep that pace up.  You can do. Just be sure you incorperate a healthy amount of stair running.  Its a different beast that runnign on the flats.

[wladziu]

I figure I'd add my 4 cents.  (two 2 cent posts)

Mach1, It's good you realize there are separate mental and physical aspects to the job.  As GI Joe said so elequently (sp) "knowing is half the battle".  You'll see as you go thru your training that "be able to do the job the best I can" isn't really correct.  It should be replaced with "I WILL be able to do my job"

Mentally, If you believe you can do it, you can do it.  You'll know the minute you hit the front door for the first time.  Either someone is fired up, pissed off and nothing will stop them from getting to work inside that burning house, or they'll freeze and their career ends right there.  No hard feelings toward them, some people can't do it. 

Physically, everything in this job is heavy, hard and demanding.  I'm 6'1 194lbs and still struggle on occation.  I think 5 lbs of that is back hair, though. 99% of the time you just have to work harder if you aren't as strong as the next guy.  It's that 1% that messes with your head.  It's a funny feeling to say to yourself this has to be done, there is no option for failure.  If your peers see you can't do your job, your career is done.  You might as well quit. 

Your realization that you must be physically fit and your efforts to get where you want to be are commendable.  We could argue all day on the ideal firefighter build would be.  That you're taking it seriously is what matters most. 

That's my opinion.

+1e19th!


Mach, like I said, don't get upset at a critique of your body.  We're all trying to help. 
That being said, I've spent nearly a decade at about 145 lbs.  I thought that a superior two-mile time from running 5 miles a day (usually) would eventually pay off in strenuous circumstances.  However....... nah, not so much. 
Plus, no one gave a crap.  But, a fella that can toss around heavy things...
 

Now, I don't have a clue about the FD PAT, so take this with a grain of salt. 
I woke up at some point and realized I needed more strength.  I hit up Rippetoe's, and stopped killing myself on runs.  My squat went from 150 to 325 in about a month and a half.  My deadlift went from 125 to 250, etc.  My overall point is to explain that the sheer sense of power that I felt was unexplainable. 
Beforehand, my lungs and heart could support long ruckmarches with a full pack, but my legs and back couldn't.  My legs turned to rubber long before I was even tired, and it was incredibly frustrating.  After strength training, I was BOUNDING up stairs, looking for a reason to use musculature. 

I also support the "70% mental attitude" point of view, to a HUGE extent.  So, start now!  Throw some crap in a backpack and go running around, and not on a stupid treadmill.  Don't stop until something hurts.  That'll give you an idea of what to work on, without listening to all of us.  My bet is that your quads and abdomen will turn rubbery first.  Try it, and let us know. 



In the mean time, good luck! 

[mach1]

I'm raking what you guys and gals say and will work something out ill dig more into the ripptoe and see if its ideal. One guy told me I can bench 400+ squat the same and be able to walk with a few pounds in my hand but endurence is key if I can't last than I'm done so treadmills or the street is my best friend. Plus my 16lb weight vest and the stairs are my obstical I need to pass that's where I have more problems on. Atm I'm working on the tasks for the cpat so doing sitting rows will keep me close to dragging the 160lb human body and leg presses will help that. So I think I'm going in the correct direction. As far as taking it seriously I am if I get this job I can support my family and be able to provide. They are my motivation.

[spc]

  My bet is that your quads and abdomen will turn rubbery first. 

+1 sounds like a pretty classic lazy/no core strength case to me.

I'm going to say this one last time.   DITCH THE f%$king CABLE ROW!!!!!!!  DO A BARBELL ROW!!!!   It works all the same muscles and a few more with 1000000x the effect

[wladziu]

But, Terry, cables are so fun...  And, I can move more weight with a cable.  I can't lift as many of those noisy metal plates, and I look like a weakling! 
And, you're just a powerlifter; what do you know about serious motivation? 

We don't know anything about endooranse and running teh long miles in teh rain.  Puking to shave weight, to lead the battalion on Mini-Marathon Fridays. 

[spc]

Fridays were easy. 0500 Monday 'purification' runs were where the fun was at.

[wladziu]

Ready, stretch.....   "Blaaaaaaaaaaahurhrururg!"  "Jesus, what is that?  Popeye's and vodka?" 

God, that's hilarious.  The stench alone... 
And the night before...



Thanks, Terry, I needed that.  Haven't laughed so hard in a long time.  You KNOW I'm hoisting one tonight!  It's just never gonna be the same, though. 



I'm out. 

[spc]

It didn't take long before I started partying Friday night and DDing Sat/Sun.  I read this post in between sets at the gym and busted out laughing at the popeye's and vodka part.  The 2 other people there probably think there's something wrong with me

[spc]

OK Mach, try this instead of the cable row.  You'll probably want to start light because it's an entirely different world.  Stand over the bar about at the halfway mark, make a 90 degree bend at your waist and pull the handles until the plates touch your chest.

[shiznizbiz]

OH shaZam!, thats a good one.  a very good one. Ive never seen that handle though. I used to use a t-bar 

[spc]

The handle is from one of the cable machines.  I got this specific way of doing rows from one of the bodybuilders at my gym that uses it because it blasts the hell out of lower lats when you bring the plates to your chest.


Mach: a little bit of flex in your legs is fine, just find your comfort point and try to have your back horizontal.