Why Tactical Fitness is Built Different,
But Similar in Many Ways Too...

I recently received a fantastic email from a career firefighter about tactical fitness training.  It was so good I asked him if I could share his 25 years of experience with others seeking (or currently serving) in the tactical professions.  This email applies to all tactical athletes - not just fire fighters,  wildland firefighters and smoke jumpers:  Check out some of the reasons why we train the way we do, using seasonal cycles, and a wide variety of cardio, calisthenics, weights, and more. 

From my friend and longtime user of Seasonal Tactical Fitness Periodization Training and Tactical Fitness for the Athlete Over 40, the following: 

Stew, I really appreciate the time you helped me prepare for the smokejumper detail- I learned a lot! Anyway, while doing my workout today, a few things became clear to me about why you do what you do and why I appreciate it so much. The young guys don’t necessarily understand, but for people who’ve done these tactical jobs for a while, it makes so much sense. These are things that YOU know, obviously, but some of the young folks looking around for workouts don’t understand sometimes. Hope this is helpful to you in some way:

That said, I’ve been working in the tactical arena as a federal wildland firefighter since 1998, and I just wanted to share a few of the things I’ve noticed about Stew Smith’s methodology that DIRECTLY relate to how we get things done on the ground. Check out the job-related performance parallels to the tactical fitness training (that I’ve noticed) below:

Don't Skip Leg Day - Multiple leg exercises (squats and lunges) add up to burning quads and long rucks up mountainous terrain to get you to the job site. Lunges with weight equate to long travel leg stretches needed to climb over rocks, boulders, trees, etc in the field. Mixing these with cardio (Run and Leg PT) is the ideal mix for getting the job done when carrying equipment on any terrain. You need strong legs, legs with endurance, and a strong heart and lungs.

Mentally Pushing Through the Pain / Exhaustion - Pushing through when tired in workouts applies to the long days and nights and it happens all the time. Some days you just have to embrace the suck and push through. Those are the shifts everybody talks about though, not the easy days on the job. Making yourself do things when your body is screaming no happens constantly on the job.

- Another Subset of Moving Through Exhaustion is THINKING CLEARLY Through Exhaustion as well - Keeping cool under stress is built in the gym too, as well as training. Resting between sets with job-related skills or flashcards can be valuable for a stressful thinking job. The job's not going to change, so you have to. Thinking clearly when exhausted is absolutely critical and happens a lot. Train the way you work, and you will one day be able to rely on your training in serious life-or-death situations. 

Mixing cardio with strength training - The job is a mix of moving yourself and your gear around (sometimes in steep, rough terrain), then working, then moving again, then working again. All day long. This is a blend of muscle stamina, work capacity, strength and durability the tactical athlete needs. Most athletes have a weakness in one or the other (strength or endurance). Having both in training and getting good at both is critical to the job.

Off-Season Training - Whether you are working up to deploy in the military or have an upcoming fire season in your region, make training way harder than the real job in the off season.  You’ll save yourself a lot of stress and heartache and be able to think and make smart decisions when others can’t. This is what Seasonal Tactical Fitness Periodization methodology is all about. 

Load Bearing Skills - Whether it is equipment carry or just rucking with a back pack, it is part of the job so practice it. Some type of ruck or distance run at the end of the workout is similar to the time after a long, exhausting shift; you still have to hike your butts back to the rigs! Or a helispot or some type of extraction site- very real world. The final part of every mission is getting back home safely.  Be prepared to exfiltrate and extract at the end of the training or mission.

Teamwork Training - Get a partner and work together to accomplish your goals in both the gym and the field.  This is something we constantly harp on when you get hired. You do nothing alone. There is accountability, vulnerability, and cooperation/coordination whether it's time to PT or you’re working a piece of active fireline. Help each other out! My bad day today might be yours tomorrow. 

Lift Weights - Get Big? Or Not? It Depends - You’ll notice I didn’t say anything about lifting heavy weights or having big impressive muscles. These things are just products of the training in my opinion. Strength without muscular endurance can actually be a hindrance on the fireline or in the field. I’ve seen plenty of big buff dudes bonk out after a few hours and I’ve also seen little guys literally tip over from the weight we load them up with (100+ pounds) if they haven’t done any strength training at all. I’ve also seen big guys lose a lot of that size in one two-week fire assignment just due to the change in activity level. Training for the job is different from bodybuilding. You may end up looking and feeling good after doing Stew’s programs, but more importantly, you will be prepared for the job.  That is what Tactical Fitness is - being able to do a very dangerous job and come home safely. 

Don't Forget Grip Training- Often grip strength/endurance is the first to go when working hard on the job carrying equipment and pulling. Add hanging, farmer walks, deadlifts, and old-school exercises using a weight/rope/stick, and even rice buckets, to supplement any resistance-training workout. 

Avoid Injuries - Build a lifestyle of fitness -  In wildland fire (and other tactical professions) you will have some sort of off-season, but if you let your fitness slide during the down times, you will eventually have a difficult time getting back into “fire season shape” and this is where we see a lot of injuries. Injuries not only make it tough on you, but they also take you out of your crew, and someone else is going to have to pick up the slack while you recover.

Stew’s Winter Lift Cycle (periodization models) works perfectly for us to take the time to focus on your strength training while maintaining the other aspects of fitness (stamina / endurance). Have a plan for working your way back to endurance calisthenics and cardio BEFORE your start date. You can thank Stew later when you’re at the front of the pack.

Critical and Flexible Thinking - Be flexible and adaptable with your thinking without being lazy. This is something we see all the time on the fireline. We have “turndown procedures” for when an assignment is given but we as module leaders might not feel comfortable with the risk present vs the experience of our crew or predicted weather or any number of other factors. Part of our turndown is thinking critically about the situation and offering an alternative solution to the problem. This is not a lazy crew not wanting to do the work- instead, this is an intelligent leader looking for a more tolerable risk solution to the problem.

Same goes for a tough training day; it may call for a stress-relieving workout rather than a super intense one. Be flexible and replace with a mobility day if you need to de-stress.  Part of being a tactical athlete is mitigating the stresses of the job, too.  Mobility Days offer this and should be used when needed.  Another thing - do not skip MOBILITY DAY either!

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