The Fire-Fitness Triangle, Pt. 2

"Cardio"

Several things in the fire service pair up so naturally that they seem out of place – even less effective – without their "buddy." Axe and Halligan. Pants and boots. Hose and nozzle. Strength and cardio.

Strength and cardio?

In my last column, we started equating each side of the fire triangle to a necessary element of overall fitness. If you missed that column, go back and check out how we connected "heat" to strength training.

This month we'll explore "cardio" or cardiovascular exercise – and because a function of the cardiovascular system is supplying your body with oxygen, let's tie this to the "oxygen" side of our fire triangle.

Cardio can sometimes be a hard sell. In fact, one of my most popular exercise classes is group strength training that has no cardio component. Sometimes a specific type of cardio is the turn-off: several personal training clients, when meeting me for the first time, have been quick to point out that they hate running and won’t do it – as if I was going to sign them up for a marathon or something.

Cardio exercise even gets demonized, usually by online "fitness influencers" or amateur bodybuilders who want you to believe it “killz your gainz!” Rest assured: it doesn't. In fact, cardiovascular exercise complements and enhances strength training by improving blood circulation and cell mitochondria, which can boost your endurance, energy, and recovery.

This double pump pays you back not only in the gym, but also on the fireground, helping you work harder for longer while needing less down time between work cycles.

Strength and cardio.

And that's only part of the story. Building up your cardio fitness carries a tanker full of other benefits that you'll notice both on and off the job, including:

A quicker metabolism. Want to burn more calories, all the time, even when just sitting and watching TV? A study published in the journal Cardiovascular Research tracked metabolisms of groups doing a program of cardio exercise and strength training. In less than three months, dramatic metabolic changes had their bodies torching far more calories than ever before. If you're looking at becoming a leaner, meaner firefighting machine, cardio exercise is a must-include.

A stronger immune system. Cold and flu season will be here before you know it. Wouldn't you like a little extra protection? Moderate- to vigorous-intensity cardio exercise (recommended by the ACSM) has immune-boosting benefits – benefits that keep stacking if you exercise regularly, building your immune system stronger and stronger. One way this works is by increasing circulation of immune cells, better equipping your body to search and destroy invaders.

Reduced cancer risk. While it’s boosting your immune system, exercise is also lowering your risk of at least 13 different cancers, including ones firefighters are more likely to get. This may be, in part, because aerobic exercise helps your body fight inflammation caused by the toxins we’re exposed to and the chronic stress that comes with high-pressure calls, traumatic events, and interrupted sleep. Which brings us to the next benefit of cardio exercise…

Improved sleep. Roughly 40 % of firefighters have a sleep disorder – 2 in 5 of us. But that's not very surprising. We answer the call at all hours, sometimes sacrificing shuteye for service. Then we keep ourselves going with coffee and energy drinks and ignore that the crummy sleep is compounding our stress.

Oh, and we don't exercise enough.

On average, we as a group exercise less than the general population. We're shooting ourselves in the foot here, too, because dozens of studies document the positive effect exercise has on sleep – especially as we hit middle age and beyond. People who start exercising regularly start sleeping better and longer, by as much as 40 minutes.

So, while we can’t control what time those tones decide to drop, we can control some things… and the data shows that time and effort spent on movement gets paid back when our head hits that pillow.

Heart Health. It's an unfortunate fact that heart disease remains our leading cause of death, both on and off duty. We know that cardio exercise is good for your heart; and while more is usually better, any amount reduces your risk. It doesn't even have to be intense: a 2001 study found that couch potatoes who start taking brisk 30 minute walks four days per week can bring their heart disease risk down to cardio queen levels.

How much is too much? The jury is still out on that. Experts recommend 150 minutes of moderate-intensity "sweat-breaking" cardio per week (about 30 minutes for five days), less if you're working out harder. While some studies show that going above and beyond lowers your risk even more, others suggest sessions longer than an hour might negatively affect your immune system.

The sweat-fest sweet spot seems to be 20 to 40 minutes most days of the week. If your schedule is packed tighter than a Volkswagen full of circus clowns, just get in as much as you can, whenever you're able. If it's at least 20 minutes, great! But if all you have time for is a quick walk around the block, remember: small amounts add up.

In my next column we'll look at the nutrition side of the triangle, and then talk about how to tie it all together in a fitness plan.

If you've got “burning” questions about my first two fitness/fire triangle articles, feel free to reach out. Find my email, text, and social media links online at www.roysmalley.us.