We aimed to determine how a bout of resistance or aerobic exercise impacts physiological responses and performance during firefighting occupational tasks. Thirty-two non-firefighters completed two baseline assessments and three trials: resistance exercise (RE), aerobic exercise (AE), or a rested control (CON). Trials were followed by an occupational task assessment (OTA; four rounds of 10 deadlifts (38.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPhysical fitness is mandatory for public safety officers. Police officers experience elevated levels of cardiovascular disease and associated risks making fitness a peak concern. Officers often have more marked fitness level decreases with aging compared to the general population.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRectal core temperature monitoring can help fire services mitigate heat injury but can be invasive and impractical. EQ02 + LifeMonitor provides a non-invasive estimation of core temperature. Therefore, the primary purpose of this study was to determine the validity of the EQ02 + LifeMonitor compared to the gold standard rectal thermometer core temperature assessment, as well as the potential influence of turnout gear on the estimated and physiological strain experienced during these activities.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: This study aimed to assess exercise habits and facility resources accessible to southeastern US firefighters.
Methods: Firefighters completed questionnaires on topics including demographics, work demands, exercise methods, and facility resources.
Results: Sixty-six percent of participants reported they engage in exercise ≥30 min/d.
We sought to determine the skeletal muscle genome-wide DNA methylation and mRNA responses to one bout of lower load (LL) versus higher load (HL) resistance exercise. Trained college-aged males ( = 11, 23 ± 4 years old, 4 ± 3 years self-reported training) performed LL or HL bouts to failure separated by one week. The HL bout (i.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Fitness is a vital component in military success. The Army is in the process of implementing a new assessment for soldier fitness, the Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT). Success on the assessment is a major factor in job assignments and promotional opportunities.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPhysically demanding essential military tasks include load carriage, manual material handling and casualty evacuation. This narrative review characterizes the main physical attributes related to performance of these occupational tasks and reviews physical training intervention studies in military settings to improve performance in these military tasks. Load carriage performance requires both aerobic and neuromuscular fitness with greater emphasis on maximal strength and absolute maximal oxygen uptake, especially when carrying heavier loads.
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