training

[LtBlondie]

CPAT training, anyone have a plan?? I have a couple of guys I'm training for the Markham test and just wondering what others are doing to prepare??

[FFWannabe]

hey Lt. Surprisingly, the program I used to prepare for the CPAT the last time I did it was quite simple. Hard work, but simple. I did a two day split full body circuit, that eventually went to a one day full circuit done twice a week. The weight was determined by technical failure, not complete failure, so I could lift the weight for the perscribed reps, and could feel that I could only do one or two more. Usually about 85% of your one rep max. That circuit consisted of, squats, dead lifts, spilt squats (fixed lunges), sometimes I would do jump squats instead of the split squats and leg press instead of the squats, but the coach was pretty concerned with core work, so if it made you unstable, you did it! haha! Also, flat bench press or stability ball dumbbell press, seasted row, shoulder press, bicep curls, tricep extensions, full sit ups. For cardio I ran 45-60 minutes in a low zone 4 days a week, hard intervals one day (Tuesdays - 2 minutes up, 2 minutes down, 5 times, with a 20 minute recovery run), and one day sprints (Saturday - 45 seconds up at 14.5 MPH and 1.5 minutes down, 5 sprints, with a 20 minutes recovery run). I also biked three days a week, where ever I could fit it in, but that was because I was also thinking of doing duathlons last summer. That didn't pan out because I really couldn't afford to make my bike race worthy, the derailleur (sp) alone is about $600.. sigh... becoming a fire fighter comes first.
I also did stair work once a week and then about 6 weeks out I did them twice a week. I loaded up a bag with about 60 lbs (all that would fit) and would walk up and down the stairs for 3.5 minutes, take a 2 minutes break and then go again - 5 sets. Oh, and I definitely tapered the week before. I did no weights after Monday, no hard runs, two days before I took a rest day, the day before I did a 30 minute light jog. I also carb depleted two weeks out and carb loaded the week of.. my muscles have never been more full! Carb depleting was incredibly tough, I love my oatmeal, hahaha, and my last interval and sprint days the week before were hellish, I wanted to die without carbs.. but it was well worth it, in the end!!!!

I found the cardio work helped a lot. It really improved my V02. This wasn't tested of course, but it helped to get me through and not struggle at all. I alo found the recovery runs helped to teach my body to get back to work after each event. A couple of guys in my group struggled with their cardio and afterwards said they were going to start running! Also cardio was the only thing that saved one of the smaller girls... she was a slight little thing, about 135 lbs(ish) and 5'5(ish) and not the strongest in the world, but she finished and mostly because she was fast!


Sue :)

[dat1fire]

Some good web site links to look at

www.strengthcats.com/firepower.htm
www.topendsports.com

Top end sports explains VO2 max really good and how to improve on it.