Need endurance help!

[Davidlee]

So heres the memo.. I have 2 weeks and 2 days to prepare for cpat test to become a firefighter. The major thing about the cpat is the stairclimber. You have to walk up stairs for 3 minutes and 20 seconds with 75 pounds of weight on you. I put 75 pounds in my back pack and went the levee and walked. Does anyone know what I can do? I'll do anything for some confidence.

[Cordeen]

MAN Clout

[panmerc]

With only two weeks left, not much. hehe Do stairs everyday for little less than two weeks then take a couple days off to let your body recupe for the actual test.

Also, if you dont have to make a minimum amount of stairs to make in that time just start out slow and take your time. That way you keep your energy for the whole time. Don't start out sprinting or you may not make it.

Without knowing the specifics of the test its hard to give you more advice. post the requirements of the test and youll probably get more returns.

Good luck and be safe. Im a police officer so have an idea of what your getting into.

[Davidlee]

Well I'll have about 9 minutes, 3:20 is on the stair climber. Then the rest they say is not bad. The stairclimber is the challenge I face. I guess I'm just going to strap 100 pounds to my back starting tomorrow and so the 75 will be easier.

[jtp217]

Starting your conditioning in check 2 weeks prior to the test is cutting it close man. Go heavier and longer than you have to for the test.

[cmc]

Stairman..not much time left. One positive thing that you can do is to make sure that you are very well hydrated when it comes time..drink water and lots of it! A dehydrated muscle(many individuals are dehydrated and dont know it) severely drops in performance compared to a muscle that is well hydrated. Its one of the most simple things that you can do with such little time left.

[Davidlee]

I've been lifting 5 days a week for a long time and was doing cardio every day up to a month ago when I started trying to gain weight. So I have 15 days to get my breathing right and legs stronger than ever. I have only been quit smoking for about 3 - 4 months also..

[youngandfree]

You need to be on a stairmaster or walk stairs. Just walking with the weight will not compare to the stairs for the test. Do you have access to a stairmaster like for the test? Get on it if so. If not, go to the tallest building in your area that you can go into and hit the stairwell. Load up vest start humping it. Take a watch and keep track of your times and number of flights. Around here, the stairmaster is done on level 6, 1 step/second. Use that as a guide to help you keep pace. I know many firefighters that were grandfathered in prior to the CPAT and flunked it because of the stairmaster. The only way to build the endurance is to climb stairs. And man does it suck. 15 minutes on level 6 for me with no weight sucks. I can't imagine doing it with weight.

Oh BTW, the rest isn't that bad if you didn't have to do the stairs. I took a firefighter test years ago prior to the CPAT, and each station wasn't bad at all. It was doing them in order without stopping that caught up to you very quickly. Definitely hydrate well with Gatorade prior but not last minute so you don't hurl it up. GOOD LUCK!

[lennoxchi]

i felt the same way when i started testing for LEO. my pain in the ass was the 1.5 mile run in 14:00 min. my advise to you is pick a day close to the event and decide that your going to do it, decide that your going to go into the gym and do it on the stairmaster that day, so that when the test comes you have already done it and your head and body will remember it.....thats confidence

[Davidlee]

Thanks for all comments. I've been walking with 85 lbs instead of 70 and going for 5 - 6 minutes instead of 3. I have done it over and over today. I have became quite comfortable with 85 lbs..

[lennoxchi]

Thanks for all comments. I've been walking with 85 lbs instead of 70 and going for 5 - 6 minutes instead of 3. I have done it over and over today. I have became quite comfortable with 85 lbs..

wait a minute. how long do you have to walk on the stairmaster with 75? **revised*** just read you 1st post again. WTF are you tripping about? you have already done it, you've done it X2. it doesn't change or get harder when you do it for the FD. if anything it gets easier cause there will be more people around you doing it too. i know you've never done it before, not for the FD anyways but, man, you're fine...stop it already. you're going to go in there knowing that you can do it, and do it with more weight. fear is what you're experiencing right now, fear of not having done it in that kind of a setting before, not fear of not doing it or being capable of doing it, you know you can do it. believe me when i say, it's easier doing it there than at home or a gym. keep telling yourself "pain is fear leaving the body" and "pain is only temporary"....stuff like that, i'm sure you have you own phrases you can use. when i took the police tests (and are still taking them) i tell myself "my son, my daddy is a cop", yea it's stupid but it works for me.

[youngandfree]

But walking with 80lbs is NOT the same as climbing stairs with 75lbs. Where I live, you can't hold on to the side rails either. If you haven't been climbing stairs with the weight, start. Walking with the weight will help, but the test is climbing stairs. i can't power walk like a champ with no weight for 60 minutes. 5 minutes into the stairmaster is COMPLETELY different. It will destroy your quads. Trust me. You will be able to do it, it will just suck. I agree with the above. You need to "practice" doing what the timed test calls for. At least once or twice. I would recommend "training" for a longer time period, 10-15 minutes, working up, and maybe dropping the weight after 15 min. But you will need to practice the test at "full speed" at least once prior. When I tested, they had a training night where they showed us the drills and let us practice the stations. The problem was we couldn't "run the test" at speed. So each station wasn't bad, but stringing them together was way different. keep walking with the weight, just get on some stairs too.

[Davidlee]

I have been walking up and down the levee i said.. I have been jogging with 85 pounds while pulling a cooler with about 50 pounds in it. I have made a step and stepping on it and off it over and over and over.. and i think you have the wrong idea young and free.. the test is only 3 minutes on stair climber.. not 15 man.. and i have been doing what i call climbing stairs with more weight for longer times... Thanks lennox

[davez325]

If you're still doing cardio, use the HIIT method. Builds a lot of endurance. Also, if you're still lifting weights, rest 60 seconds or less between sets and do supersets with little to no rest between sets. Helps a lot with endurance as well.
Try doing some walking lunges with sandbags and irregular objects on your shoulders, or hug-holding on your chest.
And dont forget to eat your carbs before the test.

Good luck!

[youngandfree]

I understand the test is only 3 minutes. Stepping up and down on 1 step is not the same as stepping up only for 3 minutes. Trust me. Take your weight and go to the tallest office building you can get into, or hospital with at least 10-15 floors, more the better. If you step for 60 steps/minute should equal about 18 floors if you count 10 steps/floor. Start in the basement and go up for 3 minutes. Much different than up and down on 1 step. If you don't have access to that, go to your local gym, ask for a free day pass, and get on the stepper, the kind you will use in the test. Try it. Sure all the other stuff will help with endurance, but if you don't practice like you will be tested, you might be in for a surprise.

[youngandfree]

BTW, has anyone here that is responding actually done a CPAT?

[Davidlee]

BTW, has anyone here that is responding actually done a CPAT?

Alright and i dont only walk for 3 minutes I have been walking for 5 at least with 95 pounds today instead of the 70 we will be using. I hope to be alright..

[jim623]

Walking lunges would help however, this late in the game, it may just make your legs too sore come test time.

[youngandfree]

Alright and i dont only walk for 3 minutes I have been walking for 5 at least with 95 pounds today instead of the 70 we will be using. I hope to be alright..

I got it. You came looking for help to pass the test. Is there any reason you can't find a tall building or stairmaster? I'm not trying to be a prick or anything, I've done the firefighter test. I know how bad it can be if you aren't ready. You have to practice like the test so there won't be any surprises. Yes walking with the weight will help overall, but I don't think you want the first time you get on a stairmaster with weight to be with the test judge standing over you with the stop watch. Find out what the other stations are and go to your local fire station and ask the guys if they will help you practice. Most are willing if you don't act like a no it all, since you are going to be joining the team if you pass your tests and get hired.

[Davidlee]

Yeh bro, I have been busy so I wasn't worried about explaining everything. The reason for not finding a tall building is the fact that I am from a small town in Mississippi with the tallest building being probably the hospital that is 4 stories.. And i made a step and have been stepping on and off of it for 5 minutes at a time. I think im doing all I can.. Thanks for all your info. Im going to get a few of the guys down at the station to take me to do the stair master. I still have about 12 days left to get ready. I did use 95 pounds today to do my stepping. Might move up to 100 and stay there for the next 10/11 days.