frizzlerock
Member
- Awards
- 1
is anyone a fireman or has taken the CPAT? im looking to apply for the fire dept here in town. i want to know the best way to prepair. what kind've cardio works best. any suggestions would rock!
Gonzo14
Active member
- Awards
- 1
My CPAT was intense.
Best thing IMO is weighted stadium runs. Find the biggest football staidum you can get into. Strap weight on your back and get up there as fast as you can. This is hard on your knees so plan for that
Also get a sand bag from home depot or whever and work with that.
Me and another fighter help guys train for it using sand bags
Throw the bag, which is usally 50 pounds, if you need heavier, go to a army-navy store and buy an old ruck sack and throw sand in it, seal it up and your good to go, throw it over your shoulder, and run down field.
We work throw the sand bag over head, using a clean and jerk method to work big time on grip and full body power.
Just go out and run too. Make sure you have muscular and cardio vascular endurance and the only way to build that up is to run, run and run.
If your in good shape and healthy you should be fine. its not terribly hard, you just gotta be ready for it, but it sure is a blast, gotta love the stuff.
Also is it a local volunteer? Are you going to a Academy afterwards?
Best thing IMO is weighted stadium runs. Find the biggest football staidum you can get into. Strap weight on your back and get up there as fast as you can. This is hard on your knees so plan for that
Also get a sand bag from home depot or whever and work with that.
Me and another fighter help guys train for it using sand bags
Throw the bag, which is usally 50 pounds, if you need heavier, go to a army-navy store and buy an old ruck sack and throw sand in it, seal it up and your good to go, throw it over your shoulder, and run down field.
We work throw the sand bag over head, using a clean and jerk method to work big time on grip and full body power.
Just go out and run too. Make sure you have muscular and cardio vascular endurance and the only way to build that up is to run, run and run.
If your in good shape and healthy you should be fine. its not terribly hard, you just gotta be ready for it, but it sure is a blast, gotta love the stuff.
Also is it a local volunteer? Are you going to a Academy afterwards?
frizzlerock
Member
- Awards
- 1
hmm. im in iowa & we have 2 feet of snow on the ground. any stadium/stair running would be insanely unsafe. but those are great cheap ideas. hell, i might do those anyway once spring comes. im going to pick up the app tomorrow, so ill have more info. it isnt volunteer tho.
youngandfree
Well-known member
- Awards
- 1
Find a tall office building, hotel or hospital. Or get on a stepmill at the gym. Either way, do it with weight. Find out hoe heavy the dummy is and practice with something that heavy. Your local dept should have guys that could help you train and practice the drills as well. Train for the specific stations in the test.
frizzlerock
Member
- Awards
- 1
i got a couple firemen friends who will help me. one is going to bring in the 75lbs vest they use. so i can at least get an idea. may try a parking ramp. can run the stairs & elevator back down.
frizzlerock
Member
- Awards
- 1
ok, got the app. tests are in 3 months..from today basicly. i will be busting my ass from here on out. think ill have to start a power lifting program. & start running ever day or as often as possible. its is acadamy. yeah!! new motivation for the new year!!!!
Gonzo14
Active member
- Awards
- 1
yeah my house is volunteer (but the perks are nice :biglaugh
, so i didnt have to go to the acadamy, but i'm telling you my buddy that is a firefighter in NYC loved it. Its intense and they really work you, but if you really wanna be a firefighter, you'll enjoy it.Def start power and olyimpic lifting and working on endurance, as much as i hate crossfit, consider add some of that into your workouts as well. what position you looking to get into?
youngandfree
Well-known member
- Awards
- 1
I would do the stairs up AND back down. It will be hard but you can do it. Try to get your buds to set up the stations so you can run through them at least once or twice before your test day. And there is a huge difference between doing one station and resting. Then do the next and then rest and so on. Doing them all with no rest is a different animal all together, so muscle endurance is essential as well as cardio endurance.
Go to the firehouse and practice pulling hose up the side of the stairs or building with the rope so you can see what muscles get worked and can train them. The vest will be key to train in as much as possible as well. I took the test years ago before the CPAT and it was still a beyotch. When they implemented the CPAT here, many of the current firefighters couldn't pass it b/c of the stepper station.