Welcome to my first solo episode!

A nearly 20-year fire service veteran, Zapp holds the rank of Lieutenant and owns Fire Rescue Wellness, a coaching business dedicated to elevating the mental and physical wellness of firefighters worldwide. She earned a master’s degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the University of South Dakota School of Medicine and is a National Strength and Conditioning Association CSCS *D and TSAC-F *D. She’s also certified by the International Society of Sports Nutrition and the Society for Neurosports.

In 2020, she served on an Illinois Senate task force focused on mitigating first responder suicide. Zapp is a former adjunct faculty member at the University of Denver in the graduate program for Sport Coaching, a recognized industry leader in the firefighter health and wellness field, a co-author of the recently published ISSN Position Stand on Tactical Athlete Fueling, a proud member of the newly formed Associated Firefighters of Illinois Resiliency Committee.

Hear what I have to say about the DIY method for fire department fitness.  Spoiler alert: I haven't seen it work very well.

So what? Now what?

Give your department a fighting chance by hiring a competent and experienced coach.  Peer fitness trainers?  Sure.  Use them as force multipliers for that coach!

Grab a free PDF on setting up a FD health and wellness program!

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Have you ever had the magical experience of meeting someone and just knowing they were going to be important in your life? On October 23, 2015, I had just such an experience.  My physical therapist and I attended a RockTape course in a hotel a few blocks from my fire station, and my instructor was none other than Shanté Cofield.

We kept in touch, and the rest is history.  The Movement Maestro has been an integral part of my business growth and development, and no one on the planet is better at relentlessly pursuing MOAR (just a better way to spell more) happiness.

Physical therapist turned entrepreneur, Dr. Shanté Cofield, aka The Movement Maestro, is the host of Maestro on the Mic, and the founder of The Movement Maestro LLC, a social-media-based company that provides both online and in-person education for health and movement professionals around the world. Shanté’s professional pursuits center around providing business coaching, with a focus on brand strategy and community development in the ever-growing digital marketplace.

 Shanté is a proud SoCal resident, drives a hypergreen Jeep Wrangler, and wishes to leave you with this message:

 Be relentless in the pursuit of what sets your soul on fire.

So what? Now what?

No one says it better.  But I'll repeat her mantra for the kids in back:  "Be relentless in the pursuit of what sets your soul on fire."

Shanté's website

Grab Breathing with the Maestro

Follow the Movement Maestro on IG

Check out AZ's appearance on Maestro on the Mic!

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High-intensity interval training (HIIT), body composition, and good old exercise were discussed in Episode 18 of the Fire Rescue Wellness Podcast. Come along and meet my dear friend Katie Hirsch, a bright new star in the scientific community.

Dr. Katie Hirsch is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Exercise Science at the University of South Carolina, Arnold School of Public Health. Her research focuses on the effects of exercise and nutrition on body composition, muscle and protein metabolism, cardiometabolic health, and performance, frequently studying the utility of high-intensity interval training for promoting metabolic and muscular health. Dr. Hirsch completed postdoctoral training in protein metabolism at the Center for Translational Research in Aging & Longevity at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. She completed her Ph.D. in Human Movement Science, MA in Exercise Physiology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and BS in Exercise Science at Truman State University. Dr. Hirsch is also a Certified Exercise Physiologist with the American College of Sports Medicine and a Certified Sports Nutritionist with the International Society of Sports Nutrition.

So what? Now what?

As firefighters, time is at a premium.  Use Dr. Hirsch's suggestions to optimize VO2Max, body composition, and your health!

Contact Katie!

Connect with Katie on Twitter

Join us at the 20th ISSN Conference!

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Kelly Kennedy is one of the OGs in Tactical, and I had the honor of meeting her by accident at a restaurant and all because of a green backpack!

In Episode 17, we talk about her long career as a civilian health and wellness expert for the largest police agency in the southwestern United States and her personal business Fit-to-Enforce.  We also discuss her lessons learned, the obstacles she's faced, and that sometimes the most valuable part of attending a training or a conference is hearing from other attendees and learning through them.

Kelly Kennedy, Ph.D., is one of the nation’s leading experts in fitness training for police. While working at the largest Police Department in the Southeast United States, she has physically trained and tested thousands of police recruits and officers since 1999. During this time, she has lectured on physical fitness to classes for Police, Corrections, and specialized units such as the Special Response Team, Rapid Deployment Force (RDF), and Defensive Tactics Instructor.

She led the design of an extensive tactical obstacle course and was a part of a committee to create a pretest physical fitness screening for the members of the RDF. Additionally, she created a physical screening standard for readiness for the Aviation Unit, and Marine Patrol Unit. She served as the project manager of a team of physiologists in developing the minimum standards for fitness for the job of Police officer, K-9 Unit, and Special Response Team.

In 2003, she started an education and consulting company, Fit-to-Enforce that takes her all over the country teaching and consulting law enforcement. She has worked as a Subject Matter Expert in physical fitness for the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. She has served on the editorial review for the Tactical Strength and Conditioning Report. In addition, she has presented at Conferences for the International Law Enforcement Educators and Trainers Association (ILEETA), International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN), Tactical Strength and Conditioning Conference (TSAC), and Florida SWAT Association.

After graduating with a master’s degree in Exercise Physiology, she worked as an adjunct instructor at Florida International University for five years.

Kelly is certified by the National Strength and Conditioning Association as a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), with the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) as a Certified Exercise Physiologist, and Certified by the International Society of Sports Nutrition (CISSN). She is a past certified Level 1 Sport Performance Coach from USAW, for 10 years was a Level 1 CrossFit Instructor, is currently Certified as a Defensive Tactics Instructor, is a member of the International Law

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In Episode 16, I was honored to speak with my friend and mentor, Jorge Carvajal. We spoke about the brain and brain injuries, the specificity of training requirements for both hunting elk and fighting fires, and the real challenge of burnout in both fire and the coaching world.

We also riffed on the magic that is Summer Strong. If you haven't attended, you need to go at least once.

Jorge Carvajal is a performance coach and consultant who has worked with elite athletes in multiple sports and the tactical world for over 29 years. Jorge has trained thousands of athletes at the University of Florida, the University of Nebraska, and the US Olympic training center, along with numerous professional athletes from the NFL, MLB, NBA, and NHL; World Surf League Big Wave Tour Surfers, and Tactical Athletes in the fire service, law-enforcement SWAT and SRT, and military communities.

So what? Now what?
Take care of your brain! We work in a career field where TBIs are commonplace and often poorly managed. Regarding training, specificity is key, and a one-week cycle isn't the way in the tactical community. Spread your training out into 9-14 days and watch the magic happen!

Summer Strong

Tacticalories

Twitter Burnout Thread

Find Jorge on Twitter

The Comfort Crisis

Three Signs of a Miserable Job

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Question:  What do pee, poop, and farts have in common?  

Answer:  Sometimes, your ability to keep them where they belong hinges on the efficiency of your pelvic floor!  

Wait! What the heck is a pelvic floor?

In Episode 15 of the FRW podcast, my friend Kyle Brunelle and I discuss all things pelvic floor and the benefits of out-of-network (cash-based ) physical therapy.

Kyle Brunelle graduated from Utica College in Utica, NY, with his Doctorate in Physical Therapy. He has since dove into continuing education to ensure he provides the best and most effective treatment for his patients. He is a Certified Integrative Dry Needling provider and has taken extensive education on modalities like taping, scraping, and treating common musculoskeletal injuries. He also has advanced training in pelvic health for both women and men and is proficient in treating pelvic health concerns.

Kyle’s passion lies in listening to his patients’ full stories. It’s essential to Kyle that you feel heard and listened to. He is dedicated to helping you understand what’s going on so you can work together to determine the best solution for your life and get you feeling better faster.

As an avid outdoorsman and athlete, he’s experienced frustrating injuries and setbacks and can relate to the athlete and active human you are. He’ll be your personal hope dealer and solution provider so you can get back to what you love doing without being held back by aches, pains, injuries, or the fear of getting hurt. His approach is movement-biased, with a great blend of manual techniques like blading, massage, needling, cupping, and more.

So what, now what?

Everyone, including firefighters, has a pelvic floor. And some of the actions we take to survive the day (the safety pee or the 'holding it during a big job') can contribute to issues. You now know you HAVE a pelvic floor, and you can screen yourself for pelvic floor issues below!  Remember, as Kyle states, "you have a pelvic floor challenge until proven otherwise!"

See if you might have pelvic floor dysfunction with the  Nicole Cozean Pelvic Floor Dysfunction Screening tool

Listen to the Renegade Performance Podcast

Check out the pelvic gym DIY program  

Follow Renegade on IG

Schedule an appointment with Renegade:

603-267-0432

Book here!

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Jay Dawes and I were both recently in Indiana presenting at a conference, so as a bonus, we recorded Episode 14 of the FRW podcast in person.

As is typical with our conversations, hilarity ensued, so apologies in advance for the hyena-style laughter throughout the episode.

Jay and I spoke at length about how lifetime consistency and attention to being average are helpful for first responders who are so apt to focus on all or nothing. We discussed his recent unbelievable performance on the Stillwater SWAT testing protocol and took a hard look at fit-for-duty testing and related benefits and pitfalls.

Jay Dawes, Ph.D., CSCS,*D, TSAC,-F, is committed to helping improve first responders' health, fitness, and occupational performance. He is currently an Associate Professor of Applied Exercise Science at Oklahoma State University and the OSU Tactical Fitness and Nutrition Lab co-director.

So what? Now what?

Consistency is critical, and small changes can yield significant results in tactical performance. Fit-for-duty standards, although important, should be validated and non-arbitrary.

Contact Dr. Dawes at:
https://[email protected]

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In episode 13, I chat with Nate Palin while he chokes down a year-old Diet Mountain Dew and talks about his career in the tactical training space.

Nate has decided he isn't a great chef; he's a decent dinner guest, but he excels at hosting 'dinner parties' in the tactical realm. He sets the table and makes sure the best people fill those seats. 

Nate is a coach, speaker, author, veteran, and father of one. He served as a leader in the 2nd Ranger Battalion for seven years before transitioning to strength and conditioning.

Throughout five combat deployments in support of Operations Enduring and Iraqi Freedom, Nate experienced the military’s performance shortcomings firsthand. He observed the need for enhanced physical training to better support mission-critical tasks.

He began his coaching career in 2010 as the owner of The Movement Project LLC, an entrepreneurial personal training effort, then narrowed his focus to tactical strength and conditioning as a performance specialist for EXOS in Washington, DC, in 2012.

Nate coached Special Operations Forces at Joint Base Lewis-McChord from 2015 to 2018 before leading the National Strength and Conditioning Association’s (NSCA) Tactical program, where he co-authored Preparing for the Army Combat Fitness Test for Human Kinetics.

 Nate was an adjunct professor for CalUPenn’s tactical strength and conditioning graduate program and recently served as Director of Education for the FitOps Foundation.

He collaboratively launched The Initiative, a physical and psychological health and performance collective that empowers military, fire and rescue, and law enforcement professionals through coaching, education, and consultation.

So what? Now what?

Nate speaks to putting the brakes on letting best be the enemy of better, and the fire service can undoubtedly take a lesson from that.

Get in touch with Nate:

https://[email protected]

https://www.thestrategicinitiative.com

While you're on the ][ website, check out the sleep module from yours truly!

https://www.thestrategicinitiative.com/azs-course

https://www.linkedin.com/in/natepalin

https://www.instagram.com/strategic_initiative

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Lt Andy Scott was one of the first nine full-time employees hired by the Plainfield, IL Fire Protection District 17 years ago. As his wife, Sarah, might say, he got OBSESSED with fitness and later the health and wellness aspects of his fire department.

He looked at what the hospital was offering for fitness testing and decided that he could do it better in-house, and he was correct.

He's accomplished a lot during his tenure, but he advises to "Never take your foot off the gas and always keep pushing forward!"

Andy and I talk about the tattoo sleeve that his children designed (peep that podcast artwork!), his long path to where the health and wellness program is now, how he effectively worked with his Union on the initiative (Spoiler:  it helped that he was an executive board member!), and how although you can try to test and measure for fit for duty, it's probably more easily measured on the drill ground.

So what? Now what?

Plainfield FPD has come a long way in 17 years and they have resources that your department might not currently have.  That doesn't mean that you can't have a strong program in your department too. 

The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago.  The next best time is TODAY!  Get started!

Email Andy

Or chat with a PFD Deputy Chief:

Reynolds

Bonomo

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Dr. Maura Shea didn't set out to become an Athletic Trainer at all!  Her first career aspiration was serving in active duty military, then she decided Physical Therapy might be her calling.  She found Athletic Training only after she realized that PT wasn't her jam and she set out to become a military AT.

That goal got derailed when she took a grad student position running an AT clinic for the Terra Haute, IN Fire Department and never left public safety.

In this episode, Mo provides lots of intel for ATs that want to serve in public safety.  She advises to ask a lot of questions to help  understand the job demands of fire and police.

So what, now what?

If you are an AT, you can learn a lot more at working in Public Safety at the PSATS website.  

Check out the Public Safety Athletic Trainers website at: www.psatsociety.com

Connect with Mo via email: [email protected]

“I’m debilitatingly Irish”-Mo Shea re: her email address :)

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/mosheaat

Please share, rate, and subscribe to the Fire Rescue Wellness Podcast!

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