The First 20 Fire Academy Recruits Exercise Training Program

NCT03319394 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: 8063
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 13
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

"The First Twenty (TF20) Exercise Training Program and Fire Academy Recruits' Fitness and Health" was thesis research completed in the Functional Intensity Training Laboratory (FIT Lab) at Kansas State University. The purpose was to assess the performance outcomes, acceptability, feasibility, and preliminary efficacy of an innovative 14-week Firefighter Fitness and Wellness Program. This study explored if TF20 program was a valid preparatory program for fire academy recruits training for the physical job of a firefighter compared to standard care of taking a college fitness class. It was hypothesized that TF20 group would see greater fitness improvements than the comparison group, the training program would be acceptable and feasible, and that TF20 group would report higher levels of group cohesion.

Conditions

Physical Fitness

Keywords

Firefighters; Exercise Training; Resistance Training; Exercise Test; High-Intensity Interval Training

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Change Candidate Physical Ability Test Time

  The CPAT consists of eight separate events. This test is a sequence of events that requires the candidate to progress along a predetermined path from event to event in a continuous manner. This is a pass/fail test based on a maximum total time of 10 minutes and 20 seconds.

  Week 0 and Week 11

Secondary Outcomes (11)

• Change in Body Mass Index (BMI)

  Week 0 and Week 11

• Change in Body Composition

  Week 0 and Week 11

• Change in Post Exercise Heart Rate

  Week 0 and Week 11

• Change in Blood Pressure

  Week 0 and Week 11

• Change in Estimated VO2Max

  Week 0 and Week 11

Study Arms (2)

The First Twenty

EXPERIMENTAL

TF20 group completed a structured exercise program. Once a week a trained firefighter with current CPR and First Aid certifications met with the group to assess progress and answer questions about the workouts or the program. The rest of the time, the participants completed the workouts on their own time. Workouts contained a combination of aerobic (e.g., running, rowing, jumping), body weight (e.g., air squats, pushups, situps), and weight lifting (e.g., presses, back squats, lunges) exercises with workouts designed to use equipment available in an exercise/gym facility (e.g., weight racks, benches). Sixty-minute TF20 sessions included a warm-up, workout and cool down. All sessions were able to be logged online in TF20 program.

Behavioral: The First Twenty

Comparison

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

The Comparison Group followed and documented their regular workout routine for 14 weeks. Once a week, a trained firefighter with current CPR and First Aid certifications met with the group to discuss questions. Participants were able to choose when to complete their workouts.

Behavioral: Comparison

Interventions

The First Twenty BEHAVIORAL

The First Twenty workouts were part of an online training program that provided resistance and endurance exercises, nutritional information, and mental performance guidance. The intervention, created by firefighters for firefighters, was a 10-week periodized program with workouts increasing in frequency and intensity each week.

The First Twenty

Comparison BEHAVIORAL

Documentation of having previously taken or concurrent enrollment in a 1 credit hour fitness class offered through the community college. HPER 240, Lifetime Fitness, introduced the student to basic fitness principles, physical activity and the relationship to a healthy lifestyle. The course was graded based on an initial assessment/orientation and participation; the student was required to log hours at the community college gym. This course was waived at the discretion of the Fire Academy Director if the student proved they had an active gym membership at a local gym facility.

Comparison

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Accepted for admission into spring 2016 Johnson County Community College Fire Academy; did not answer "YES" to any of the PAR-Q questions.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Kansas State University: lead
• National Development and Research Institutes, Inc.: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Kansas State University

Manhattan, Kansas, 66506, United States

Location

Related Publications (1)

• Hollerbach BS, Jahnke SA, Poston WSC, Harms CA, Heinrich KM. Examining a novel firefighter exercise training program on simulated fire ground test performance, cardiorespiratory endurance, and strength: a pilot investigation. J Occup Med Toxicol. 2019 Apr 23;14:12. doi: 10.1186/s12995-019-0232-2. eCollection 2019.

  PMID: 31049072 DERIVED

Study Officials

• Katie M Heinrich, PhD

  Kansas State University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Masking Details: Study statistician did not know which condition participants were assigned to.
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Associate Professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: October 13, 2017
• First Posted: October 24, 2017
• Study Start: February 15, 2016
• Primary Completion: May 16, 2016
• Study Completion: May 16, 2016
• Last Updated: October 24, 2017

Record last verified: 2017-10

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)