Benefits of Stretching

Unlike athletes firefighters and other first responders don't know when "game time" will be. It could be at 7am or it could be at 11pm but in any case we need to ensure we are at our best when the alarm goes off. As we know, we cannot predict when runs will come in and when they won't but preparation of our bodies before and during shift is just as equally as important as preparing our gear, tools and apparatus. Further, being able to wind down after runs is just as important as preparing for the shift and the potential call volume. This will help prepare the mind and body for work.

So where am I going with this?

I'm going with a focus on stretching. That's right. Stretching.

Stretching, even a short routine, added to your daily routine is a great benefit for overall health and wellness and pays off large dividends. It could be used as a pre-workout or a post-workout routine or both. Stretching can help unwind and release tension after a hectic day or even a long duration run as well as assist in increasing energy levels.

Here are some health benefits to stretching that help can keep you on the path for a long shift in the firehouse and overall better health.

1. Improves flexibility and agility which is important for all firefighters
2. Helps keep a decreased resting heart rate. A health heart is vital for all firefighters
3. Increases the circulation of blood and oxygen to the muscles
4. Helps remove waste from tissues such as lactic acid which is built up during intense exercise. Sometimes causing painful, sore muscles.
5. Helps prevent injuries
6. Increases overall mood and well-being.

Stretching at its best could be used a form of exercise for the body and mind. Keep in mind to only stretch as far as your current level of flexibility and over time the range of motion will gradually increase.

6 Stretches to do everyday to help improve flexibility, blood circulating, oxygen levels, relieve stress and tension. Do all 6, three times for 15-30 seconds each.

1. Quadricep stretch

2. Hamstring stretch

3. Calf raise

4. Spinal twist

5. Kneeling hip-flexor

6. Chest opener

Always remember, before beginning any type of exercise program to consult with your primary physician first.

Side note: As per the 2018 NFPA Journal on firefighter injuries, there was an estimated 58K plus injuries estimated in 2018 and also the lowest since the NFPA has been analyzing this data in 1981. In this report it was noted that the major type of injury during fire ground operations were strains and sprains, which accounted for 38% of all injuries while it accounted for 59% of all non-fire ground injuries.

Until next time; work hard, stay safe & live inspired.

Avoid Exhaustion through Healthy Eating

Exhaustion and burn out are common in all jobs. It's inevitable not to feel exhausted or burnt out from time to time and that's OK. Exhaustion can begin long before the end of shift or the end of your day. Again, that too is OK. When thinking about it and looking at the cause, is it because of the workload? Personal issues? Health? Let's look at the latter. 

As they say, "you are what you eat" and that is in fact true. We can work out all we want. We can lift weights, do bodyweight exercises, cardio, train in our PPE and still feel burnt out and exhausted. Why is that? Simply, it's our nutrition. What we eat has a direct relation to our energy levels and our diet plays a large role in how we produce energy to function through our day.

If in doubt, ask yourselves these 2 questions: 

1. Do I have the right amounts of food in my diet?

2. Am I consuming a diet filled with enough nutrients?

By choosing the right nutrients to consumer in our diets will greatly impact how we maintain and keep energized throughout the day.

Nutrient Dense Foods

Focus on consuming lean meats, whole grains, healthy fats, and lots of fruits and vegetables. Two key nutrients known to help the body produce energy are Magnesium (also good for headaches) and vitamin B. These 2 nutrients can be found in foods such as spinach, avocados, and bananas.

Regularly Eating

Eating small meals every 3-4 hours (if possible) will help in fueling our metabolism and keeping you energized and full.

It starts with Breakfast

Having a nutritious breakfast consisting of healthy proteins (eggs, chicken, almonds, lean meats, etc.), complex carbs (longer to breakdown and provides lasting energy levels such as oats and wheat) with some fruits and vegetables will fuel your body and mind to begin your day properly.

Smart Snacking

Snacking is good if it's done wisely. Nutritious snacking should contain lean protein and fiber-rich carbohydrates to provide lasting energy. Have an apple, nuts, seeds, carrots, or low fat Greek yogurt. Snacks are not intended to fill you up, but to simply bridge the gap from one meal to the next while keeping you energized.

Hydrate

When we feel like we need energy, it's easy to pick up and energy drink or coffee. However, most caffeinated drinks are filled with added sugars which could cause a spike in blood sugar levels and add to a mid-late day crash. Further, dehydration plays a role in fatigue and exhaustion. Swap in the sugary drinks for water and eliminate the added sugars and unwanted/needed calories.

Keys to Hydrations

Hydration varies from person to person. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine determined that an adequate daily fluid intake is:

About 15.5 cups (3.7 liters) of fluids for men

About 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) of fluids a day for women

These recommendations cover fluids from water, other beverages and food. About 20 percent of daily fluid intake usually comes from food and the rest from drinks. Remember, proper nutrition throughout the day will assist in daily hydration. Some examples of foods for hydration are watermelon & spinach (almost 100% water by weight)cucumber, broths/soups and herbal teas to name a few.

The next time you're in need of a boost or a quick pick me up consider the options mentioned above on shift or at home. The more nutritious foods we put in our bodies the better we are able to perform.  Stay ready instead of have to get ready. It starts with you. 

Until next time; work hard, stay safe & live inspired.

Prepare to Perfrom

We are only as good as our last performance but we are also only as we prepare ourselves to be. Preparation begins long before the call comes in. It even begins before any preplanning is done and crew training. It's done, with one's own self. It's called knowing your job and performing it as if it's the championship game each time you're working. Each firefighter is responsible for their assignments and should know their job better than anyone else. On the flipside, each member of the crew should know their fellow firefighters responsibilities just as well as their own. Without knowing and understanding your role and roles around you even knowing the role above you, success is much harder to achieve and days with lower manpower will impact the rate of success.  

Some will say strategic planning is something for the command and company officers to worry about. I disagree, this is something each firefighter needs to be thinking about in some capacity. Without it, responsibilities cannot be done as efficiently and voids cannot be easier filled. When looking at this in a sports perspective, the great dynasty teams all had one common denominator, great preparation and an understanding of each other's roles. If we take the New England Patriots who won 3 Super Bowls from 2014 until now went by the mantra "Do Your Job" which stood for one thing, know your responsibilities better than anyone else on the field and understand the big picture that is looking to be achieved. By doing this, success will come. The same goes for the fire service. The more each member of the crew knows and the better they prepare, the easier a day on the fire ground becomes.

Here are a few steps on how to prepare to perform.

1. Know your role and own it. Be able to understand and explain to others the ins and outs of your role clearly. 

2. Know and understand the other responsibilities of your crew. This helps become multi-dimensional and can easily back fill other roles should there be a short staff or other circumstances that may arise.

3. Consistently train on your responsibilities and rotate through training on other responsibilities as well. By doing so, it bridges any gaps and helps develop a more unified crew. Example using engine company ops: On a 4 man engine, there's an officer (assumes back-up role), driver, nozzle firefighter and control firefighter (also assumes hydrant duty).  This is a prime example of how firefighters are responsible to one role and yet assumes another role. Continually practice in such roles plays dividends when it is used in the field. 

• Use your resources such as google maps to get aerial views, side views and street views of buildings you want to have specific plans for and even use it for the frequent flyers. Never take anything for granted.

• Develop a plan and train on it consistently and then develop contingencies and train on those. 

• Ensure all crew members understand the strategies and tactics and can clearly explain them. This helps show everyone is clear on the assignments. 

Preparation is key to successful fire ground performance. How you prepare is how you perform. Train accordingly.

Until next time; work hard, stay safe & live inspired.

The Social Media Fire Service

In today's world, almost everything is accessible with the press of a button with many of today's arguments behind a keyboard or smartphone finding faults or flaws in what others do or say. As the world changes, the fire service changes. Experience, response area demographics, training and years on the job all play a part in our individual wealth of knowledge and while many share this, others seems to want to tear it down. Is it for personal gain? Or is simply to hide their own insecurities?

There's a growing trend across the world and in the fire service world, called the "Social Media Warrior" trend. Many of you may recall this as being the "Monday Night Quarterback" before the dawn of social media where we'd sit around the firehouse kitchen table, in the bays or day room and critique other departments calls we buffed or heard from a scanner but in any sense, the term has evolved into a worldwide social media trend on all aspects. Nowadays, everything we do and say has potential to be posted on social media for all to see. Sometimes it's good. Sometimes it's bad. 

The fire service has seemed to have been a victim of the social media warrior, as many firefighters sharing training tips, fire departments posting pictures (with reason) of scenes they've worked on find themselves at the hands of a keyboard warrior critiquing their training and operations without adding any valuable insights or takeaways. Granted no one is going to ever please everyone -- I get it but what I'm saying is there's always a time and place for negative banter and social media commenting in my opinion, isn't one of them.  

Is this benefiting the culture of today's fire service? Or is this a hindrance to its growth?

As a fire service family regardless of status (career, volunteer, per diem, etc.) we are all privileged to do this job and should live by that notion to not only improve ourselves but assist in the improvement of the firefighters around us. It's one thing to point out others flaws and assist in correcting them but it's another thing to point out those same flaws to mock them. 

The fire service is known for traditions of honor, commitment and loyalty, to name a few and as such, paying it forward is the best way to keep those traditions alive and avoid bringing downs others.

Until next time; work hard, stay safe & live inspired.

Dedication and Commitment

In order to be in the fire service, each person needs to have a level of dedication to the job and a level of respect for the job. A few years while training in marital arts I had the opportunity to train with a professional MMA fighter, who at the time was in the UFC. Currently, this fighter who I won't mention is now retired from active competition. During this time, I would only train on the techniques while at school I trained at 3 days a week. That was until I met and trained with this pro fighter who did train with former UFC Middleweight and Welterweight Champion Georges St. Pierre. While training with him, I learned tons of techniques, gain valuable tips and other tidbits of information I could use in competitions and also in other facets of my life especially as a firefighter. Along with the information he shared, he asked me one question. "How would I train if no one was watching?" He went on further to say, because we all want to put on a show when the cameras are on us. After that conversation, those words had me reevaluate my training to see if I had that same level of enthusiasm and dedication as I did when I was training by myself or with other people outside the MMA gym and off the baseball field. To be honest, it wasn't as fulfilling and once our training was over, that question changed my course and enhanced my personal wellbeing and dedication to my crafts. 

Why am I telling this story? Because just as a professional athlete will train with or without an audience, us too as firefighter should train. 

This fighter made mention that no matter where he was training he dedicated himself 100% each time he was in there. It didn't matter if the coaches were around or he was alone, he made sure it was everything he had for that session. Cellphones, selfies and social media were nonexistent to him while he was training and for obviously reasons, the work paid off and never took any of it for granted.

Since those training sessions, I took that advise and used it for myself as a firefighter and would like to share them with you. 

Dedicate yourself to the job in the firehouseand also when out of the firehouse. Utilize as many resources as you could to better yourself as a firefighter. Do not just attend certification courses at a fire academy but also read educational books (which my book shelf is now loaded with), understand the changes in the service and how you could adapt to them. To go even further, attend fire service conferences with or without departmental funding so you could attend seminars, see new advancements and network. Networking pay huge dividends when it comes to advancing yourself and gaining wealth's of knowledge from fire service leaders. Also, read and stay on top of NIOSH reports in order to understand the line of duty deaths and the findings reported after the investigations. Make your body your machine and develop a healthy lifestyle through physical and mental fitness along with proper nutrition for an optimal lifestyle worthy of the functionally fit firefighter. Always ask yourself, would you want YOU rescuing YOU? 

Fire doesn't care of your status, career, part time, per diem or volunteer so why should you train yourself as if it's a job I just need to get through to retirement or a volunteer gig I do as a hobby?

Think about why you started with in the first place. What made you sign up for this?

To be successful and dedicated to the fire service it takes hundreds of thousands of hours of dedication and commitment to the books, in the gym, in the firehouse and on your own time to be a battle ready, battled tested firefighter. The time to prepare isn't when the bell rings because then it's too late. To be battle ready is to always stay battle ready. 

Until next time; work hard, stay safe & live inspired.

About the Author

NICHOLAS J. HIGGINS is a firefighter with 17 years in the fire service in Piscataway, NJ, a NJ State certified level 2 fire instructor, a State of New Jersey Advocate for the National Fallen Firefighter’s Foundation and is the founder/contributor of the Firehouse Tribune website. A martial arts practitioner and former collegiate athlete in baseball, Nick is also a National Exercise & Sports Trainer Association Battle Ropes Instructor, Functional Fitness Instructor and Nutrition Coach.  He holds a B.S. in Accounting from Kean University, and a A.A.S in Liberal Arts - Business from Middlesex County College. Nick has spoken at the 2017 & 2018 Firehouse Expo in Nashville, TN as well as at numerous fire departments within NJ and fire service podcasts.

Too much of anything isn’t a good thing. Why rest & recovery are beneficial to firefighters

​As the old saying goes, "too much of anything isn't a good thing". In the case of firefighting, whether it be running calls, fire service skills training, fitness training for the fire service, reading or anything we do to prepare ourselves mentally and physically for the job warrants down time. Just as important is our physical preparation for the job but so is rest and recovery as equally as important. Each time we walk into the firehouse, step into the apparatus, gear up and answer the call, we are putting are bodies and minds through physical and mental exhaustion that will require rest and recovery.

Our minds need some rest to recover and also to assist with setting the right mindset to take all of these challenge's along with whatever life has in store for us. Our bodies need recovery to rebuild and strengthen our muscles and replenish energy stores in preparation for the next day's works. As we've been told many of times, firefighters are athletes and should treat themselves as such. By considering ourselves athletes, we need to know when training is becoming too much and if overtraining has occurred.

Overtraining occurs when the body has not had enough rest to recover between training session of any kind and finding the right balance between rest and work is highly important especially when the demand of the job is critical for everyone involved.

So how do you know when rest is warranted and overtraining has occurred?

1. Mentally and physically drained and sluggish

2. Muscle and joint soreness or pain

3. Decline in performance

4. Insomnia

5. Headaches

6. Lack or loss of enthusiasm

Now, here are 5 ways to rest, recover and prepare for optimal performance in and out of the firehouse.

1. Active recovery: active recovery activities, such as walking, swimming and yoga depend on the current level of fitness, fitness goals and training intensity when determining how intense these activities should be. Active recovery exertion however, should be limited to no more than 75% of typical workout level — just enough to warm up muscles, but not enough to induce fatigue. Further, active recovery is meant to complete a lower impact workout than your regular intensity. By doing so, it helps to lower heart rate, improves form and releases the endorphins usually associated with regular exercise.

2. Foam roller: rolling increases blood flow to the muscles and decreases recovery time. It could. also improve your range of motion and decrease risk of injury.

3. Stretching: Stretching will assist to increase range of motion and help to improve blood flow to muscles, which stimulates healing. A bonus to stretch is that it’s a great way to relieve stress.

4. Mindful meditation: Meditation, such as quiet relaxation and yoga, will help to decrease anxiety, improve emotional stability and decrease stress.

5. Sleep: This is critical for muscle recovery and overall performance. Most athletes (yes, we are functional athletes) need 7 to 10 hours.

The next time you’re feeling exhausted and overworked, try 1 or a few of these tips to recover and get back on the course stronger and ready to get after it.

Until next time; work hard, stay safe & live inspired.​

About the Author 

​NICHOLAS J. HIGGINS is a firefighter with 17 years in the fire service in Piscataway, NJ, a NJ State certified level 2 fire instructor, a State of New Jersey Advocate for the National Fallen Firefighter’s Foundation and is the founder/contributor of the Firehouse Tribune website. A martial arts practitioner and former collegiate athlete in baseball, Nick is also a National Exercise & Sports Trainer Association Battle Ropes Instructor, Functional Fitness Instructor and Nutrition Coach. He holds a B.S. in Accounting from Kean University, and a A.A.S in Liberal Arts - Business from Middlesex County College. Nick has spoken at the 2017 & 2018 Firehouse Expo in Nashville, TN as well as at numerous fire departments within NJ and fire service podcasts.

Blank Slate

This past year my wife and I were blessed to welcome the birth of our first child. For those who are parents know the thoughts that go through your mind; joy, excitement, nervousness, and worry just to name a few. The last 7 months have been the most amazing and important yet difficult time we’ve ever experienced.

Each day we watch our son grow, learn and take on life. He learns a little more and more about himself and us each day and us the same about him. The one thing I’ve noticed as he discovers life and becomes his own little person is his impressionable innocence. Everything he’s exposed to and everything he’s taught is absorbed like a sponge.

The same is true for those entering the fire service. New recruits come in as an empty slate who, for the most part don't know anyone or how anything works and will absorb everything they hear, see and read like a sponge. In order to keep the fire service family and brotherhood alive, it is upon us, the current generation to do our best to not allow any negative emotions or feelings towards a fellow firefighter and departmental policies be absorbed by the newer generations coming in. The best thing we could do is to look at the things we don't agree with and turn it into a positive remembering why we signed up for this job. Just like babies, new recruits are excited and have an eagerness to learn, grow and a hunger to prove themselves worthy of this job. So let's embrace the newer generations entering the fire service and show them that although there is downsides to what we do, we can always walk in with a smile on our face,  have an eagerness to learn and a willingness to always pay it forward with the hopes of developing the generations to come.

Until next time; work hard, stay safe & live inspired

About the Author

NICHOLAS J. HIGGINS is a firefighter with 17 years in the fire service in Piscataway, NJ, a NJ State certified level 2 fire instructor, a State of New Jersey Advocate for the National Fallen Firefighter’s Foundation and is the founder/contributor of the Firehouse Tribune website. A martial arts practitioner and former collegiate athlete in baseball, Nick is also a National Exercise & Sports Trainer Association Battle Ropes Instructor, Functional Fitness Instructor and Nutrition Coach.  He holds a B.S. in Accounting from Kean University, and a A.A.S in Liberal Arts - Business from Middlesex County College. Nick has spoken at the 2017 & 2018 Firehouse Expo in Nashville, TN as well as at numerous fire departments within NJ and fire service podcasts.

What Are You Telling People?

I say “Good afternoon!How are you doing?” I am stopping to getodds and ends at a supermarket. It is atypical day during the summer here in Maryland;so being inside provides a bit of relief from the heat and humidity. The cashier is who I give this standard greeting. He is tall, lanky, and young. My guess is that this is probably his Summer job. Admittedly, I ask the question about his day out of rote practice. I just heard the conversationbetween the cashier and the person before me. I already know his answer. His response?“Oh, I can't complain.” That’s not the answer he gave the other guy.

In speaking with the person just before me, this is the response I hear him say: “Man it’s hot in here. It feels good at first, but then, it’s hot again.” Now, this is a supermarket, not a court of law. I will not prosecute him for telling me one thingand another person something else. And given that he and the other person are wearing the same uniform shirt, it makes sense. He is more comfortable with a known, coworker than anunknown, customer. We all have things that bother us. We are just not up front about telling everyone about them. And that’s fine, until you aren’t fine.

Everyone has problems.Whether or not someone will talk about them is another story. Over the last few months,firefighters in nearby jurisdictions have taken their own lives.An article from CNN article last year* states “Last year (in 2017), 103 firefighters and 140 police officers committed suicide, whereas 93 firefighters and 129 officers died in the line of duty, which includes everything from being fatally shot, stabbed, drowning or dying in a car accident while on the job.” In a discussion I had shortly after that, a question was posed to me; if I had a problem, who would I tell? Who would I tell what I felt, versus what the pre-canned answer of “Oh, I can’t complain.”

There are many people better qualified than I to speak on mental health. What I give you then, is not vast knowledge, but perspective. One that focuses on just on aspect of the problem of mental health in the fire service. Many people wouldn’t know who to tell their problems to if their life depended on it. If you had a problem, who would you tell?Not just any problem, but the kind of problem that would make you question being alive. How much trust you have in another person is proportional with how much would you revel to him or her. Who do you trust enough to tell that kind of problem?

I don’t feel like fire service culture makes it easy to talk about weakness, mistakes, and problems people tend to face. In order to have a conversation on that level, there has to be a sense of closeness between 2 people. A sense of trust.Listening to the comments of the young cashier and the guy he was talking to, they are obviously closer to each other than to me. They know each other. They have history. I'm just some dude picking up some odds and ends. No need to trust me with a problem statement.

As leaders, I ask we all take a look at what we are doing to make it easy for people to talk about problems. To find the common places and build bridges of trust and safety. Part of leadership is figuring out what that is for each individual. That's a pretty tall order. I've had a fewsuccesses and many more failures throughout my entire career.I don't know that I have a set answer. I will tell you what life has taught me so far. Keep saying “Good morning! How are you doing?” If I go back to that same store on a regular basis and interact that same cashier, eventually, we will get to know each other better. Eventually, we will talk about more things. Eventually, he’ll let me know when the heat is getting to him. Eventually, he’ll trust me enough to tell me what he really feels. Relationships are a lot like planting fruit trees. It takes a while to nurture the progress, but in the end, the fruit that is produced is worth it. As a leader, make trust your everyday order of business. Make trust ordinary, and you will see extraordinary impact.   

*From <https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2018/04/11/officers-firefighters-suicides-study/503735002/>

 About the Author

 NICK BASKERVILLE Nick has had the honor of serving in the United States Air Force for 10 years, followed by 4 years in the United States Air Force Reserves. He attained the rank of Technical Sergeant (E-6). Nick also has 18 years of fire service time, with 15 years of that being in a career department in Northern Virginia. Nick has had the opportunity to hold positions in the Company Officer's section of the Virginia Fire Chief's Association (VFCA), The Virginia Fire Officer's Academy (VFOA) staff, and as one of the IABPFF representatives to the Fire Service Occupational Cancer Alliance. Nick is one of the many trainers for Firefighter Cancer Support Network (FCSN) to offer awareness and prevention training about cancer in the fire service. Nick has the honor of being one of the many contributors for The Firehouse Tribune.

Thank You for a Great 2018!

As 2018 comes to an end and we begin a new chapter in 2019, we would like to thank each and every one of our friends and supporters for all of the support and love they’ve shown us this year. It has been a great year as we’ve met with many new people and will continue to work along side them as we continue on our journey. 

We now embark on a new year. With a new year comes new challenges, new friends and new ways to keep our mission going. To all of those supporting us and following us, keep growing each and every day and continue to serve your community with honor, respect and humility. Remember those who have gone before us not just through words but through action. Challenge yourselves to achieve more and in that will come great success. 

Lastly, always remember to work hard, stay safe & live inspired.

From all of us here at The Firehouse Tribune, have a Happy, Healthy & Safe New Year. 

 - FHTribune Staff

Combating Stress

Stress hits us all, at all levels of life and for each of us in different ways for many different things. In the fire service and in life, there is no hiding from stress but it's not how we experience the stress but more of how we handle managing the stress. We all have it in some facet of our life. We have families, a home, a job and because of this stress plays a role in how we take care of these areas. As firefighters and emergency service personnel we experience added stress that comes with the job. I'm not saying other jobs don't have their stressors but in the emergency services, the type of stressors and levels of stress is different. It's been said in this line of work we don't take our work home as opposed to those in certain areas of Corporate America however, all emergency service personnel will take their work home; mentally. 

What is their work you ask? It's the calls that stick with us after we get back to the station. Every call we go on, no matter it's severity can play a role in our stress level. Stress affects each of us differently and what affects one may not affect another. Myself personally, I have been known to stress at times over something I've experienced and over time have learned that it's ok to get help for that and speak to someone about it. Without getting into personal experiences of what stress has done, reaching out and getting help in reality does help. I've also learned to find outlets to combat stress levels.

So what is stress?

Well for starters, stress is your body's way of responding to any kind of demand or threat. Once your body senses this, it will go into what we know as "fight or flight" mode to react to the stress. During this response, the body will have an increased heart rate, quick breaths, muscle tightness and a higher blood pressure.

So how do we combat stress? Here are 5 ways to combat and help lower stress levels.

1. Just breathe. Slowly inhale through your nose and exhale out your mouth. Try this for about 5 min.

2. Decompress. Use a foam roller and massage the tension away.

3. Exercise. This helps the brain release feel-good chemicals and by giving your body a chance to practice dealing with stress. This can be done by taking a walk, weight training and yoga just to name a few.

4. Listen to music. Studies have shown soothing music can lower blood pressure, heart rate and anxiety

5. Reach out. Don’t be ashamed to ask for help and to get help from others.

The next time you feel stress about the job, a coworker, something going on in your life, try these examples and don’t let stress take a hold of your life and service to others.

Until next time; work hard, stay safe & live inspired.   

About the Author 

NICHOLAS J. HIGGINS is a firefighter with 17 years in the fire service in Piscataway, NJ, a NJ State certified level 2 fire instructor and a State of New Jersey Advocate for the National Fallen Firefighter’s Foundation. A martial arts practitioner and former collegiate athlete in baseball, Nick is also a National Exercise & Sports Trainer Association Battle Ropes Instructor, Functional Fitness Instructor and Nutrition Coach.  He holds a B.S. in Accounting from Kean University and is the founder/contributor of the Firehouse Tribune website. Nick has spoken at the 2017 & 2018 Firehouse Expo in Nashville, TN as well as at numerous fire departments within NJ and a guest on fire service podcasts w

Benefits of the Bosu Ball

Functional fitness, strength training and cardiovascular training along with HIIT are essential for athletes of all kinds especially us as firefighters.

Want to add an inexpensive tool to your fitness regime in the gym, at home, on the go and even in the firehouse? Then get on the Bosu Ball.

The Bosu Ball provides a versatile way for functional athletes to get in a full body workout, improve postural stability, as well as static and dynamic balance, thereby reducing the risk of falling. A key aspect to firefighters on the fire ground in many aspects of the job.

There’s multiple ways we can use the ball and multiple purposes for the ball.

Some purposes for the Bosu Ball are:

1. Balance training

2. Flexibility

3. Cardio

4. Strength training

5. Core training

6. Kinesthetic awareness (an 7. awareness of how your body is positioned, which often declines with age)

8. Proprioception (sensing the relative position of neighboring parts of your body)

8. Increased endurance training

One way to use the ball is to keep the domed side up and utilize it much like a Swiss ball which can help with stability, stretching and performing core workouts.

Stretches especially for your calves can be performed by placing the domed side down and stepping on the rim of the platform.

Strength training exercises we can do include:

1. Lunges

2. Squats with overhead press

3. Pushups and planks

4. Plyometric moves

Core exercises we can do include:

1. Crunches

2. Planks

3. Side planks

A balanced body and a strong core are key areas with respect to functional fitness and us, the functional athlete. Between our PPE, SCBA all while performing hose advancements, searching rooms, forcible entry and overhaul just to name a few, our core strength dictates our performance, progress and capability to work more efficiently on the fire ground and in the firehouse.

Don’t be negligent to your body, physically and mentally because in the end you only have one.

Until next time; work hard, stay safe & live inspired.

About the Author  

 NICHOLAS J. HIGGINS is a firefighter with 16 years in the fire service in Piscataway, NJ as well as NJ State certified level 2 fire instructor and currently a State of New Jersey Advocate for the National Fallen Firefighter’s Foundation. A martial arts practitioner in Taekwondo, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Muay Thai as well as a former collegiate athlete in baseball, Nick is also a National Exercise & Sports Trainer Association Battle Ropes Instructor and studying for the Functional Fitness Instructor certification.  He holds a B.S. in Accounting from Kean University and is the founder/contributor of the Firehouse Tribune website.

The Deadlift & Firefighters

Being an avid fitness enthusiast along with multiple fitness certifications, I tend to train numerous times a week with a focus of challenging my body and mind each workout. I tend to focus on overall strength so I’m prepared for the demands of the job at any given notice and also be in the best shape I can be in the process. One of the best overall tests of core strength is the deadlift. We will talk more about what the core consists of and way it is vital to keep this area strong and healthy especially as firefighters.

As firefighters, wearing added pounds of PPE, an SCBA and carrying tools or stretching a hose line are all part of the job. As functional athletes, good posture is important for us to maintain effective and physically strong in the firehouse allowing us to complete our tasks. Unfortunately, the weight of our gear, tools and airpack put a strain on our back, shoulders and affect our posture which could develop into long term issues down the road.

One way we can maintain a good, healthy posture and strength our core, body and maintain proper balance is by focusing on deadlifting. I know what you’re probably thinking, “I’m not a power lifter. I don’t need to do deadlifts”. On the contrary, deadlifts are not just for power lifters.

Deadlifting plays a great role in developing core strength and practical enough to help in your everyday life especially as functional athletes on the fire ground.

As mentioned deadlifting are effective for strengthening your core muscles, which are made up of the central muscles of your body. The muscles that make up the core are your lower back, glutes and abdominal region. All of these muscles in unison will engaged when performing a deadlift.

As a functional athlete and in order to generate maximum power due to the physicality of the job, mostly all movements require the stabilization of your core muscles. In order for your extremities to generate maximum force, you must have stable core muscles.

As firefighters we are frequently required to perform physical labor, from stretching hose lines, raising ground ladders, forcing doors and pulling ceilings. All aspects of using our core muscles. By performing deadlifts, this will develop the muscles and the movements involved in many forms of firefighting.

Normally deadlifting involves lifting heavy weights and therefore they help you develop a strong grip, which is also associated with many physical tasks of firefighting.

When executing a deadlift it is imperative to know your glutes, hamstring and spinal erectors are the primary muscles engaged. However, should you do a knee-bent deadlift I will now engage in using your quadriceps. All the more reason to deadlifts.

It is to be noted deadlifts are intense and require the use your entire body. As such, it is vitally important to warm up thoroughly before engaging in heavier weight lifting. To avoid injury, keep your back straight as you lift, and push with your thighs. Always consult with your physician before getting into physical activities while recovering from any injury or surgery. It may not be the best treatment option after an injury or surgery or may be limited to particular modalities.

​Until next time; work hard, stay safe & live inspired.

About the Author​

NICHOLAS J. HIGGINS is a firefighter with 16 years in the fire service in Piscataway, NJ as well as NJ State certified level 2 fire instructor and currently a State of New Jersey Advocate for the National Fallen Firefighter’s Foundation. A martial arts practitioner in Taekwondo, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Muay Thai as well as a former collegiate athlete in baseball, Nick is also a National Exercise & Sports Trainer Association Battle Ropes Instructor and studying for the Functional Fitness Instructor certification. He holds a B.S. in Accounting from Kean University and is the founder/contributor of the Firehouse Tribune website.

The 10 Minute Workout

One of our biggest excuses for lack of exercise is simple, it’s lack of time. Most of our time is spent working, sleeping, family obligations and friends. Very rarely do people say they have or make time for exercise, which in our profession is very unfortunate since as we’ve said in numerous posts thus far, we are “functional athletes” and need to behave, think and train like one; mentality and physically. 

In order to enjoy our life, our family, friends, combat the stress of the job and continue to feel healthy for the long haul, exercise is essential to this and what I am sharing with you all today is the 10 min work out you can do at home, in the gym, on the go and even in the firehouse alone or with your crew.

Why am I saying all of this?
According to the Department of Health and Human Services, it is recommended to have at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic pace exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise per week. Depending on how hard you work out that will equate to 21 minutes per day of moderate aerobic pace exercise or 11 minutes per day of vigorous exercise.

So here are a few options of the 10 minute workout:

1.    Jogging: This is great for cardiovascular health, lowering your blood pressure and cholesterol and is known to decrease the risk of osteoporosis. The American Council on Exercise states that an individual weighing 180lbs can burn up to 170 calories by taking a 10min jog.
2.    High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT): This is my personal favorite and although it burns calories and fat quickly, it is not recommended for beginners. HIIT is a form of interval training and cardiovascular exercise training alternating short periods of intense anaerobic exercise with less intense recovery periods. This type of workout will challenge your cardiovascular system more than jogging along with added benefits such as increasing your metabolism, improves cholesterol profile and increases insulin sensitivity. A bodyweight HIIT Workout would look something like this: 50 sit-ups, 40 jump squats (or body squats), 30 pushups, 20 split jumps, 10 triceps dips, as many burpees as possible in 30 seconds. You will take a 30 second rest between each exercise in order to perform each exercise with 100% effort. 
3.    Circuit Training: This a great strength training workout due to strength training .Generally strength training requires rest periods between sets for muscle recovery however with circuit training uses antagonistic muscles (when one muscle contracts, the other relaxes, i.e. biceps and triceps) allowing for shorter rest periods An example of this would be as follows: 3 sets of 10 reps.
a.    Pushups
b.    Hollow body hold
c.    Squats
d.    Glute bridges
e.    Bench dips
f.    Plank hold (30-60 sec holds)
4.    Jump Rope: Jumping rope can burn more than 10 calories in a minute and a great way for overall body toning. Here is a quick jump rope workout you can do anywhere. 60 seconds regular jump, 60 seconds rope side to side, 60 seconds single leg (left), 60 seconds single leg (right). The goal is to do this routine non-stop for 2 rounds. If you are new to this, do regular jumps for 60 seconds for 4 rounds with 30 second rests. For the single leg jumps, start with the weaker or less dominant side first. 

So, there you have it. Four different workouts we can do any time, any where for overall health. Incorporate these into your daily life will have you feeling healthier, stronger and battle ready to perform when the alarm goes off.  

Please note: Always consult with your physician before getting into physical activities while recovering from any injury or surgery. It may not be the best treatment option after an injury or surgery or may be limited to particular modalities.

Until next time: work hard, stay safe & live inspired.

About the Author

NICHOLAS J. HIGGINS is a firefighter with 16 years in the fire service in Piscataway, NJ as well as NJ State certified level 2 fire instructor and currently a State of New Jersey Advocate for the National Fallen Firefighter’s Foundation. He has also been elected as a township elected District Fire Commissioner for 1 term (3 years) in Piscataway, NJ from 2008-2011. A blue belt in taekwondo and former collegiate athlete, Nick is currently studying to complete his certification as a TRX Instructor and a Battle Ropes Instructor. He holds a B.S. in Accounting from Kean University and is the founder/contributor of the Firehouse Tribune website.