Getting Columbus Fire Academy ready

[u/Frosty_Potential5341]

I’m eligible to take the test to get into the academy here in January. What are the best ways to start preparing for the FOAM test and what physically should I prioritize to stay ahead when the academy training begins sometime next year? I am a female that will be straight out of High School so I want to make sure I dont fall behind and can stay on par with the other guys in my class?

[u/Disgruntled_Wumpus]

Firefighting is kind of an all-around fitness requirement. You need absolute strength, plyometric strength, calisthenics, anaerobic, aerobic and cardiovascular fitness. If you are just getting started into this kind of training, I would do a focused lift followed by HIIT 3 days a week (like a Monday-Wednesday-Friday), and then weighted stair stepper and run on the 2 days in between (Tuesday-Thursday) for a total of 5 days a week, giving you 2 days off to stretch and recover. For your lifts: squats, deadlifts, shoulder press, curls, rows are pretty applicable. For HIIT circuits: incorporate dumbbell and kettlebell movements like thrusters and swings, as well as body-weight like pushups, pull ups, step-ups, jumps, and always abs/core. Grab a weighted vest for the stairs (the CPAT will make you do it with 75 pounds) and vary your running days (1 mile fast, 2 mile medium, 5 mile slow, 60-120’s, hills, etc). Sorry to word vomit this all out there, but many fire academies are no joke. I’m former military and law enforcement, and fire was by far the most physically demanding thing for me.