Firefighting tasks may require near maximal levels of cardiorespiratory fitness. Previous research has indicated that body fat percentage (BF%) and aerobic capacity (VO_2peak) are related to the performance of firefighting tasks. Since a standard submaximal treadmill test for firefighters is terminated at 85% of maximal heart rate (MHR), key performance information relating to maximal cardiorespiratory effort may not be measured in a submaximal test. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between body composition and time spent running at intensities greater that 85% MHR. Height, weight, body mass index (BMI; kg/m²), BF%, MHR (bpm), VO_2peak (mL/kg/min), predicted VO_2peak (P-VO_2peak; mL/kg/min), submaximal treadmill test time (WFI_sub Test Time; min), and maximal treadmill test time (WFI_max Test Time; min) were collected in fifteen active-duty firefighters. The results indicated that significant relationships (p < 0.05) existed between BF% and VO_2peak, BF% and WFI_max Test Time, BF% and T_diff, and VO_2peak and WFI_max Test Time. P-VO_2peak was not significantly different than VO_2peak, and the WFI_max Test Time was significantly longer than the WFI_sub Test Time. These results indicate that a submaximal treadmill test may reasonably predict VO_2peak, but key information about physiological work at intensities greater than 85% MHR may be missed when using submaximal effort tests.

The purpose of this study was to compare the workload of a maximal treadmill test (TREAD) and a fire suppression task (BURN) in firefighters and to examine their relationships to fitness as measured by body mass index (BMI), percent body fat (BF%), and peak aerobic capacity (VO_2PEAK). The amount of time spent in the heart rate (HR) intensity ranges of 50–59% HR_MAX (ZONE1), 60–69% HR_MAX (ZONE2), 70–79% HR_MAX (ZONE3), 80–89% HR_MAX (ZONE4), and ≥90% HR_MAX (ZONE5) quantified the workload as the Edward’s Training Impulse for TREAD (ETRIMP_TREAD) and BURN (ETRIMP_BURN). The ETRIMP_TREAD was significantly less than ETRIMP_BURN. For TREAD, ZONE5 > ZONE2 and ZONE3. For BURN, ZONE4 > ZONE1, ZONE2, and ZONE5 > ZONE1, ZONE2, and ZONE3. A lower BF% and greater VO_2PEAK were related to a greater ETRIMP_TREAD and unrelated to ETRIMP_BURN. For BURN only, a lower BF% and greater VO_2PEAK were related to less time in ZONE5. BMI was unrelated to all workload measures. Laboratory-based maximal exercise testing does not adequately reflect the workload of simulated fire suppression and therefore may not be indicative of firefighter readiness to meet job demands. Less-fit firefighters rely on higher cardiovascular intensities to complete the same workload, and practitioners should consider this when selecting strategies to reduce job-associated cardiovascular risk.

Firefighting is a physically, mentally, and emotionally demanding occupation. These demands are exacerbated by an increase in workload, resulting in an increase in stress and a decrease in recovery. While researchers have examined the influence of workload on stress perceptions, little is known about firefighter perceptions of recovery generally, and no research investigating perceptions of holistic recovery (i.e., physical, mental, and emotional) exists. The purpose of this study was to determine the association between acute workload (i.e., call volume) and firefighter perceptions of stress and recovery from pre-shift to post-shift. Sixteen active-duty firefighters completed the Short Recovery and Stress Scale pre- and post-shift and reported call volume after every shift (N = 156 total shifts). Repeated measures correlations were used to examine the common intraindividual associations between pre- to post-shift perceptions of recovery and stress and call volume. Results indicated that as call volume increased, firefighters perceived themselves to be significantly less recovered overall [r_rm (139) = −0.22, p < 0.001], physically [r_rm (139) = −0.31, p < 0.001], mentally [r_rm (139) = −0.26, p < 0.001], and emotionally [r_rm (139) = −0.27, p < 0.005] and significantly more stressed overall [r_rm (139) = 0.28, p < 0.001], mentally [r_rm (139) = 0.25, p < 0.005], and emotionally [r_rm (139) = 0.21, p = 0.012] post-shift compared to pre-shift. These findings suggest that to optimize firefighter health and well-being, practitioners should monitor call volume and implement appropriate physical, mental, and/or emotional recovery interventions.

To optimise the performance and health of elite athletes, there has been an increase in the development of athlete monitoring systems to measure if athletes perceive themselves to be adequately recovered. While these monitoring systems have been instrumental in describing athlete recovery states, little research has been conducted to establish why and how athletes engage in recovery behaviours or to identify barriers that prevent athletes from initiating the recovery process. As such, the purpose of the current study was to develop and evaluate the psychometric properties of an assessment that will allow practitioners and researchers to measure and monitor the recovery activities an athlete engages in to enhance performance and health. This purpose was achieved through two studies. In Study 1, physical, psychological, and social recovery activity items were generated and content evaluated first by experts (N = 3) and second by elite athletes (N = 8). Results of Study 1 yielded the retention of 71 items. In Study 2, the recovery activity items were distributed to elite athletes (N = 265) and the factor structure, convergent validity, and reliability were tested. Results of Study 2 revealed a 56-item, 10-factor model with support for convergent validity and reliability. Overall, the Assessment of Recovery Activities for Athletes (ARAA) provides practitioners and researchers with a valid and reliable instrument from which to monitor recovery activities engaged in by elite athletes.