Utilizing multimodal high-intensity interval training for a firefighter training academy during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Firefighters typically undergo a 16-24-week training academy during which they perform a variety of traditional exercise programs such as cardiovascular, resistance, and concurrent training Because of limited facility access, some fire departments seek alternative exercise programs, such as multimodal high-intensity interval training (MM-HIIT), which essentially combines resistance and interval training OBJECTIVE: The primary purpose of this study was to assess the effect of MM-HIIT on body composition and physical fitness in firefighter recruits who completed a training academy during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic A secondary purpose was to compare the effects of MM-HIIT to previous training academies that implemented traditional exercise programs METHODS: Healthy and recreationally-Trained recruits (n=12) participated in 2-3 days/week of MM-HIIT for 12 weeks and had several components of body composition and physical fitness measured before and after the program Because of COVID-19-related gym closures, all MM-HIIT sessions were performed outdoors at a fire station with minimal equipment These data were retroactively compared to a control group (CG) that previously completed training academies with traditional exercise programs RESULTS: Subjects in the MM-HIIT group significantly improved several components of body composition and fitness, including fat mass, fat-free mass, body fat percentage, aerobic capacity, and muscular endurance Moreover, there were no significant differences for any dependent variable when MM-HIIT was compared to the CG CONCLUSION: These results suggest that MM-HIIT may serve as an effective substitute for traditional concurrent training paradigms that are typically used for firefighter academies