tfa 2013 conditioning program 2

7/28/2019 TFA 2013 Conditioning Program 2

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TFA 2013 Conditioning Program Prep Manual

This is a 9 week conditioning program to help you prepare for the rigorous tasks involved in the Toughest Fire-fighter alive challenge (TFA).Please be aware that this program is very physically demanding, and as such should you have any concerns or doubt whatsoever about your ability

to safely participate in this training program, you should consult your doctor before commencing. The program is easily tailored to ones current

fitness levels and different progression methods will be provided for different levels of fitness. As all individuals will respond differently to the

program, it is highly advised that you stick within your known physical limits to avoid injury, and follow the progression plan to elicit the desired

performance gains.

The TFA is a gruelling event which focuses a lot on anaerobic as well as aerobic endurance, coupled with moderate amounts of strength. It is with

this in mind that the focus of the program is mostly anaerobic and aerobic work, and modest yet sufficient amounts of task specific functionalstrength training. The exercises techniques and equipment is unconventional, and focused more towards the intermediate to elite trainer who has a

relatively good training background (training for at least 6 months in conventional gym style training). There are also alternative exercise

selections and equipment for those who do not have access to some of the main pieces of equipment in each specific program.

Program snapshot:

2 MONTH (9 WEEK) CONDITIONING PROGRAM LEADING UP TO TFA CAPE TOWN 2013

WEEK MONDAY TUES WED THURS FRI SAT SUN

1 WEIGHT

TRAINING -HEAVY

STRENGTH

AEROBIC RUN REST WEIGHT

TRAINING -LIGHT

MUSCULAR

ENDURANCE

INTERVALS RECOVERY RUN/

FLEXIBILITY +CORE

REST

2 WEIGHT

TRAINING -

HEAVY

STRENGTH


TRAINING -

LIGHT

MUSCULAR

ENDURANCE


FLEXIBILITY +

CORE

REST

3 WEIGHT

TRAINING -

HEAVY


TRAINING -

LIGHT


FLEXIBILITY +

CORE

REST


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STRENGTH MUSCULAR

ENDURANCE

4 WEIGHT

TRAINING -

HEAVY

STRENGTH


TRAINING -

LIGHT

MUSCULAR

ENDURANCE

RECOVERY RUN/

FLEXIBILITY +

CORE

REST REST

5 WEIGHT

TRAINING -

FUNCTIONAL

STAIR WORK -

ANAEROBIC

REST FARTLEK TASK SPECIFIC

METABOLIC

CIRCUIT

STAIRS -

AEROBIC

REST

6 WEIGHTTRAINING -

FUNCTIONAL

STAIR WORK -ANAEROBIC

REST FARTLEK TASK SPECIFICMETABOLIC

CIRCUIT

STAIRS -AEROBIC

REST

7 WEIGHT

TRAINING -

FUNCTIONAL

STAIR WORK -

ANAEROBIC


METABOLIC

CIRCUIT

STAIRS -

AEROBIC

REST

8 WEIGHT

TRAINING -FUNCTIONAL

STAIR WORK -

ANAEROBIC


METABOLICCIRCUIT

STAIRS -

AEROBIC

REST

9 REST WEIGHT

TRAINING -TASK SPECIFIC -

LOW INTENSITY

RECOVERY

RUN/FLEXIBILIT

Y + CORE

REST COMPETITION

DAY

COMPETITION

DAY

Weight training heavy strength program weeks 1-4

Exercise Sets Reps wk 1-2 Wk 3 &4 Rest Intensity wk 1-2 Intensity wk 3 Intensity wk 4

Squat */ deadlift * 4 6-8 4 6 150s 8rm 6rm 8rm

DB Bench press 4 8-10 6 8 120s 10rm 8rm 10rm

RDL/Leg press 4 8-10 6 8 120s 10rm 8rm 10rm

Military press * 3 10-12 8 10 90s 12rm 10rm 12rm

Bent over rows 3 10-12 8 10 90s 12rm 10rm 12rm


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Task specific Farmers carries, tyre drags, tyre hammer slams,

tyre drags forward (prowler)

4 20-40m 90s

This second phase of the strength program focuses more on movement patterns specific to tasks experienced on the fire ground, but achieved with

conventional or unconventional training equipment. For instance doing a thruster simulates the action of putting heavy equipment onto a fire

appliance shelving rack or lifting a ladder to be under run. Or pike pole presses which simulates the action of breaching and ventilating a ceiling.

This program follows the same principles of weeks 1 -4, but has no lighter week until week 9, as you want to load the body progressively for a full

4 weeks, and then week 9 becomes a relatively light week for recovery, adaptation and accumulation of fitness prowess to take place. Each

exercise mode has a list of alternatives, which you can choose from to add variety to each session. The 1st

and second exercises must be done in

opposition. Therefore if you do a pushing exercise for the exercise 1, then you must do a pulling exercise for exercise 2, or vice versa. This can be

alternated every week. The exercises with a star (*) next to them, denote a technically demanding Olympic or power exercise, and should only be

performed by individuals who have experience performing them or under the supervision of a qualified trainer. All those exercises without stars

next to them are appropriate for beginner to intermediate trainers. An appropriate warm-up, highlighted in this manual, needs to be conducted

before this session, and only a warm-up set for the first exercise is required.

Weight training muscular endurance weeks 1 4 (beginner to intermediate)

Pair Exercise Sets Reps Alternatives

A1 Burpees 2-3 10-12 Thrusters

A2 Plank with 1 arm orleg raise

2-3 15-20sec/side Fury rows

B1 Bulgarian split

squat

2-3 10-12/leg Lateral squat, step ups,

lateral step ups

B2 Incline push ups 2-3 12-15 Dips, pike pushups

C1 Oblique crunches 2-3 10-12/side Cycle crunches

C2 Suitcase deadlift 2-3 8 -10/side Sumo deadlift

D1 Chin-ups 2-3 6-8 (chin-ups)

10 12 inverted rows

inverted rows

D2 Dumbbell swings 2-3 12-15 Mountain climbers, bear

crawls


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Here you must complete a pair of exercises in succession and then rest for 30 seconds before doing the next pair of exercises. Complete the entire

circuit in this fashion and then rest for 2 min before doing a second and a third circuit if possible. For each exercise use a load which you can

comfortably hand le for the required number of repetitions.

Weight training power endurance/ functional weeks 1 4 (advanced trainers)

Option 1:

Pair Exercise Sets Reps Rest

A1 single leg squat 2/1 4-6/leg Must complete 1 set of each pair, rest as little

as possible, then complete the same pair

again, rest for 60-90s, then move onto the next

pair. Once completed all pairs in that fashion,

you can do 1 entire circuit, resting as little as

needed, if able to.

A2 Weighted fury rows 2/1 6-8/side

B1 Medicine ball push up 2/1 6-8/arm

B2 Towel pull-ups 2/1 6-8

C3 1 legged deadlift to press 2/1 4-6/side

C3 Lateral db swings/med ball

diagonal chops

2/1 6-8/side

Option 2:

Pair Exercise Sets Reps

A1 Single leg push press 2/1 4-6/leg Same as previous superset

A2 4 way squat jump 2/1 2 rotations/ way

B1 Single leg alt arm row/pull 2/1 6-8/leg/arm

B2 Side to side explosive pushup 2/1 4-6/side

C1 Db swing with box jump 2/1 4

C2 Med ball slams 2/1 4-6

This muscular endurance program, is focused at more advanced trainers, and is more of a power endurance program. Each pair of exercises must

be done as quad sets, meaning 2 rounds of each pair of exercises before resting. i.e. perform exercise A1 then immediately do A2, then go back

and immediately do A1 followed by A2, before resting for 60-90 secs and then moving onto B1 and B2 in the same fashion. Use a load/resistance

which you can comfortably complete 2 reps higher than the designated repetition requirement, as fatigue will set in quickly. Methods of

progression can be by either adding in a second circuit of the quad sets rather than just the final single circuit allocated or you may decrease the

rest intervals between each successive quad set, and test yourself to complete the entire session as quick as possible.


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Task specific metabolic circuit weeks 5 8

This circuit will have three specific alternatives for use with crews in the yard, working without equipment at home, or alternatively working withold school equipment, to get maximum transference to actual real life situations.

Mode bodyweight Equipment Task specific

Squat Travelling squat jumps, lunge and

squat, walking lunges, box jump, step

ups

The same with dumbbells, box jump

with dbs, step ups with dbs

Tyre drags, sled drags, sandbag squats,

hosebundle squats and prisoner squats

Push Pushup variations, handstand pushup Dumbbell press, military press, floor

press

Tyre partner pushes, medicine ball putt, wall

balls. Sled pushes, car pushes

Lift 1 legged deadlift Dumbbell deadlift, powerclean* Tyre lift, sand bag lift, or sand bag clean

Pull Pull-ups & variations, inverted rows,

rope pull-ups

Dumbbell rows, high pulls*,

pulley/cable pulls

Sled pull ins, tyre pull ins, chain pulls,

Carry Person carry, firemens carry Farmers carry Foam drum carry, hose bundle carry, tyre ring

carries

fuel mix Burpees, jumping jacks, weightedsprints, burpee-to-jump pullups Snatch*, db swings, burpee andmedicine ball putt, clean and box

jump*, db swing with box jump

Tyre flips, tyre flip with plyo jump, lateraltyre throws, sled pulls, sled forward drags,

tyre hits with sledgehammer

This session is fairly intense and should be done in a circuit fashion. The circuit should be completed for time and improvements can be judged by

decrease in time to completion of 2-3 complete circuits, and progressions can be made by increasing load, reps or distance of exercises. Basically

one should only rest as long as required between stations and no longer than 2min between circuits. Mix and match exercises according to thealternatives given. It is also fine to mix various modes of training in one session, such that 1 exercise might be a bodyweight, the next an

equipment based exercise and the other an task specific exercise. One can even mix the order of exercises around, but ensure that a predominantly

lifting and squatting exercise are not consecutive, and a lifting and pulling exercise are not in succession.

The repetitions for bodyweight exercises should be between 15 and 20, and increases can be initiated if desired. For exercises involving distances,

utilise a weight that allows the movement of that weight, with sufficient effort, over 20-30m, and lastly for equipment exercises, 15-20 reps. If


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Interval training:

Find a soccer field or a long stretch and perform the following routine, after you complete a 5min warm-up jog at recovery run pace

- Run at pace (pace at which youre barely able to say 1 word) for 1min (between 250-350m) and then immediately follow that with aslow jog at recovery run pace for 2min

- Continue this cycle 6 more times- Finish with a 3-5min cool down jog at recovery run pace- Each subsequent week, decrease the recovery phase by 15sec until you are working at a 1:1 work/recovery ratio, and then proceed to add

in extra intervals up to a maximum of 8.

- Another option would be to start increasing the working/running interval by 15 sec once you have reached the 8 interval maximum orfurther decrease your rest times. See which works best but if you at this point of training.

Stair work anaerobic

Find a staircase and perform the following anaerobic stair drill after a 5-10min warm-up:

- 30 sec on/30 sec off x 5-8 reps ascend stairs at a fast pace for 30 secs and then walk back down slowly for 30sec, then turn and repeat forthe required number of repetitions. Take a 2min rest then complete another set.

- 5 flights or 50 stairs x 5-8 reps on a 1:3 work to rest ratio ascend the stairs as fast as possible, then turn around and walk down. At thebottom, rest 3 x the time it took you to get up the stairs before repeating the second next rep. Complete the required reps then rest.

- Improve each week by climbing more stairs (and ultimately going faster) in the first exercise, or by decreasing the rest interval on thesecond exercise, until you are down to 1-1

- In the first week of this session use only your fire gear or a weight vest equal to 10kg, and then in the subsequent sessions use fire gear anda BA set.


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Stair work aerobic

Find some stairs and walk/jog up and down them continuously for 25-30min. Use a consistent pace, and the talk test could be used here as well,

therefore a pace where you can just barely speak. Emphasize placing a foot on every step. For the first week only, use no fire gear, thereon use fire

gear or a 10kg weight vest.

Fartleks

This is a session where you add different modalities of cardiovascular and other training to replicate the demands of a specific competition,

requiring a mix of differing energy systems. You are going to have to be innovative about how you design this session as it will involve hill

climbs, stairs, obstacles etc. Here is how you would set it up. You will complete the following exercises in succession with no rest for the

stipulated amount of time.

1. Warmup jog at recovery pace for 3 min followed by2. A stair climb, ascent and descent for 5min (any staircase will do)3. 5min run at aerobic run pace4. Shuttle run between 4 x 5m cones at pace for 3min5. 4min jog at recovery run pace6. Hill climb for 3-5min7. 5-7min jog at recovery run pace.

This equates to 30min of mixed intensities. The best thing about this session is that you can manipulate any part of it to suit your needs or fitness

level, or add in or substitute other exercises or resistance to make it tougher, such as, adding resistance to the shuttle run by carrying half filled

foam drums coiled hose, or completing the entire course with fire gear or a weighted vest.


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Movement prep and cool down

Best to start at the beginning, and ensuring your body is ready for all the hammering you are going to be handing to it.

Before each session conduct a movement prep session. For all strength sessions your movement prep will be as follows:

- Joint mobility circuit ankle rolls, knee rolls, 90degree hip abduction, side to side hip sways, hip rolls, torso twists, alt toe touches,reverse shoulder rolls, forward arm swings, side to side lateral raises, full body swings, round the world.

- 3min of light cardio- Movement prep circuit 10 x bodyweight squats, 6 x swallow dives, 15 x star jumps, plank (45s)

For all aerobic sessions simply start the activity with 3-5min of a lighter intensity for that session. So if you are going for an aerobic tempo run,

start off running at a comfortable pace in which you can comfortably hold a conversation.

For all interval Sessions do the following warm up which could also be used as a separate movement prep session added to a core session or cardio

session if in need for a lighter alternative.

-Joint mobility circuit ankle rolls, knee rolls, 90degree hip abduction, side to side hip sways, hip rolls, torso twists, alt toe touches,reverse shoulder rolls, arm swings, side to side, lateral raises, full body swings.

- 3min of light cardio- Movement prep circuit below, choose 6 lower body and 3 upper body dynamic stretchesLower body

- Straight leg swings (forward and side on)- Knee ins to chest- Over and under lateral walks- Forward lunge with alternate upper body sway- Reverse lunge with torso twist- Forward lunge with elbow instep- Hip sways


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- Base rotations- Quad stretch with alternate toe touch- Figure 4 1 legged squat- Ankle hops- 1 legged lateral squat jumps- Swallow dives

Upper body and core

- Pushup with lateral shoulder extension- Lateral walk on all fours- Plank- Side plank- Supermans (bird dog)- Stick ups- Shoulder retraction

Cool down/stretching

After each strength and Interval/anaerobic session ensure that you stretch each muscle that was worked in that session, as well as giving extra

attention to those areas that are particularly tight or inflexible. This will also aid with delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), which may be

experienced a day or two following a tough training session, as stretching the muscle, promotes elasticity and elongates the muscle, providing a

greater surface area for muscle repair to occur. The stretches that will follow can be used as a separate flexibility session as prescribed by the

program

Lower body

1. Hamstring stretch lying on your back2. Glute stretch3. Lower back stretch4. Pelvic tilt5. Side lying quad stretch


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6. Groin stretch7. ITB stretch8. Psoas stretch9. Adductor stretch10.Calf stretch

Upper body

1. Pec stretch2. Rotator cuff stretch3. Behind the neck triceps stretch4. Lat stretch5. Abdominal stretch6. Side bend - obliques stretch

Core training

This program is aimed purely at a preventative measures called prehabilitation. This is the prevention of the most common injuries throughfunctional movement corrections and strengthening of the core, which all movement emanates from. This program can be done 1-2 times per week

as per the training program schedule, and only once after the 4th week with the aerobic stair session if desired, as most of the functional movements

one will be doing at this stage will attend to core strength maintenance. Remember these exercises are not mandatory but are advisable if time

avails. Another time efficient option is to do these as a circuit. Progress to the next phase of core training once youre able to do the upper limit of

the allocated rep range.

Phase 1 static floor

exercise sets reps rest betw sets

Plank 2 30-45s 60s

Gluteal bridge 2 30-45s 60s

Side plank 2 20s/side 60s


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Bird dog 2 20s/side 60s

Phase 2 static and dynamic

exercise sets reps rest betw sets

Plank with alt leg and arm lift 2 25s/side 60s

Gluteal bridge with alt single leg lift 2 25s/side 60s

Side plank with hip abduction 2 8-10/side 60s

Seated hip sways/ torso twists 2 8-10/side 60s

Phase 3 - dynamic

Exercise sets reps rest betw sets

Supermans (full) 2 20-30s/side 60s

Reverse hyperextensions 2 8-12/side 60s

Hanging leg lifts 2 8-12/side 60s

Lying windscreen wipers 2 6-10/side 60s

NB PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS PROGRAM IS A GUIDELINE, AND ALTHOUGH IT ENDEAVOURS TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THIS

GRUELLING COMPETITION IT CAN NEVER BE A ONE SIZE FITS ALL PROGRAM. PLEASE ENSURE YOU USE THE GUIDELINES

PROVIDED, TO TAILOR THE PROGRAM TO SUIT YOUR SPECIFIC FITNESS NEEDS.


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tfa 2013 conditioning program 2

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