Agility test preparation

[miked2424]

Guys, is there any conditioning that can be done to prepare for an upcoming agility test wearing full PPE and SCBA and breathing air? There are 25 different evolutions (hose pull, victim drag, ladder raise, attic crawl, search maze,etc) and I was just wondering if there could be any conditioning done to prepare for this? Im a volunteer so I have gear, would practicing different things in gear work? Or just doing a regular workout at the gym prepare me as well? I haven't taken an agility test wearing full gear and SCBA so just don't wanna get tired out after the second evolution.

[mikeyline]

Just workout with out turnout gear on, but work out harder then what your body will go through durring the test, so that at the test you will be able to compensate for wearing the gear.

[Drjmilus]

Training for agility

There is a bunch of stuff to make sure you fly through it.
Try last month's article on step mill training:

http://cms.firehouse.com/content/section/gen_section.jsp?sectionId=8

Look down until you see: Step Mill Training, and click on that.

Or try reading this:

http://www.fireagility.com/cpat_events.php

Hope it helps!

Dr. Jen

[miked2424]

Dr Jen, how would doing exercises in full gear work? Would push ups, climbing stairs, pulling weights, with full gear on work well?

[Drjmilus]

Full Gear

It would work. It would just be really hot. (Not that you'll be cool on the job or in the academy) You might find that you get really dehydrated very fast. People who train for a marathon which will be on the road don't necessarily train on the road... in fact, they SHOULDN'T train on the road.

Getting used to the weight on your shoulders in important because it makes everything more difficult. If you want to train in full gear, you'll sweat about 3 times as much, and need to drink 3 times as normal.

I would suggest, rather, working out with the weight vest on. Start low and work up slowly, though. Maybe do the full turn outs once a week or once every other week.

Make sense?

Dr. Jen
www.fireagility.com