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<sec><h3>Introduction</h3><p>Firefighters’ (FFs) cardiorespiratory fitness is considered an important capacity for workability. To successfully complete safety standards and rescue protocols, FFs are required to accomplish minimum values of relative VO<sub>2max</sub>. Physical fitness programs for FFs must take into consideration physiological demands, being essential not only for professional tasks but also as a guarantee of their personal safety. This research aimed to investigate the influence of specific functional training (FT) with and without personal protective equipment (PPE) and self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) on the FFs’ cardiorespiratory fitness.</p></sec>
<sec><h3>Material and methods</h3><p>Sixty FFs were randomly allocated in three groups (EG1 training with PPE+SCBA; EG2 training with regular fitness equipment and the control group) and enrolled for a 24-week (two sessions/week) FT intervention program. FFs were assessed in anthropometric and 12-minute Cooper test, pre and post-intervention.</p></sec>
<sec><h3>Results</h3><p>Both training groups demonstrated significant improvements from baseline to post intervention EG1 VO<sub>2max</sub> (39.8 ± 6.5ml.kg<sup>−1</sup>.min<sup>−1</sup> and 41.2 ± 5.6ml.kg<sup>−1</sup>.min<sup>−1</sup>, p &lt; 0.001, +3.5%; EG2 VO<sub>2max</sub> 41.5 ± 8.3ml.kg<sup>−1</sup>.min<sup>−1</sup> and 42.5 ± 7.5ml.kg<sup>−1</sup>.min<sup>−1</sup>, p &lt; 0.05, +2.4%).</p></sec>
<sec><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>The proposed FT intervention, considering the provided equipment in all fire departments, and even without running tasks, seems to be adequate for developing FFs’ VO<sub>2max</sub>. Regular FT with PPE+SCAB must be encouraged to improve adequate VO2max and fitness levels related to firefighting specific tasks.</p></sec>
</abstract>

IntroductionFirefighters’ (FFs) cardiorespiratory fitness is considered an important capacity for workability. To successfully complete safety standards and rescue protocols, FFs are required to accomplish minimum values of relative VO2max. Physical fitness programs for FFs must take into consideration physiological demands, being essential not only for professional tasks but also as a guarantee of their personal safety. This research aimed to investigate the influence of specific functional training (FT) with and without personal protective equipment (PPE) and self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) on the FFs’ cardiorespiratory fitness.
Material and methodsSixty FFs were randomly allocated in three groups (EG1 training with PPE+SCBA; EG2 training with regular fitness equipment and the control group) and enrolled for a 24-week (two sessions/week) FT intervention program. FFs were assessed in anthropometric and 12-minute Cooper test, pre and post-intervention.
ResultsBoth training groups demonstrated significant improvements from baseline to post intervention EG1 VO2max (39.8 ± 6.5ml.kg−1.min−1 and 41.2 ± 5.6ml.kg−1.min−1, p < 0.001, +3.5%; EG2 VO2max 41.5 ± 8.3ml.kg−1.min−1 and 42.5 ± 7.5ml.kg−1.min−1, p < 0.05, +2.4%).
ConclusionsThe proposed FT intervention, considering the provided equipment in all fire departments, and even without running tasks, seems to be adequate for developing FFs’ VO2max. Regular FT with PPE+SCAB must be encouraged to improve adequate VO2max and fitness levels related to firefighting specific tasks.

Firefighters Cardiorespiratory Fitness Parameters after 24 Weeks of Functional Training with and without Personal Protective Equipment

Faculty of Educational Sciences & Sports Sciences

Polish Journal of Sport and Tourism

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

IntroductionFirefighters’ (FFs) cardiorespiratory fitness is considered an important capacity for workability. To successfully complete safety standards and...

Firefighters Cardiorespiratory Fitness Parameters after 24 Weeks of Functional Training with and without Personal Protective Equipment

Article Category: Original research papers

Published Online: Jun 30, 2021

Page range: 8 - 13

Received: Apr 15, 2021

Accepted: Jun 15, 2021

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/pjst-2021-0008

Keywords
physical training, physical fitness, self-contained breathing apparatus

© 2021 Nuno Lajoso-Silva et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Firefighters Cardiorespiratory Fitness Parameters after 24 Weeks of Functional Training with and without Personal Protective Equipment

Article Category: Original research papers

Published Online: Jun 30, 2021

Page range: 8 - 13

Received: Apr 15, 2021

Accepted: Jun 15, 2021

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/pjst-2021-0008

Keywordsphysical training, physical fitness, self-contained breathing apparatus

© 2021 Nuno Lajoso-Silva et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Keywords
physical training, physical fitness, self-contained breathing apparatus