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Are you having trouble training for your Agility testing?
There is no reason to fail this "pass fail test! Simple, yet intense, time effective training will put you on the path where you need to go. You may not even know where to start on the training process.

The agility is an important event in the hiring process to become a firefighter that you have to pass to move on to the next step to gain a badge.  This is one step where you need to start preparing well in advance in order to make the cut. More and more Fire Departments are hoping to get the ones who do the best on this "pass-fail" test!

The Problem is not Being in Shape!
Too many candidates think they are in great shape. One who did not take advantage of the practice session told me, ìHey, that 75 pound hose pack was heavy. Humping that hose bundle up the tower, hoisting, and other manipulative skills, then coming back down the tower steps made my lungs burn! For days! It cost valuable seconds! Even though the CPAT is "pass/fail", the reality is, there are scouts from departments watching! They know when you barely pass! They know who struggles! They know who breezes through! 

The secret to passing the agility is to be in shape with a high cardiovascular fitness level and to know the proper techniques to make the cut. The average time is between nine minutes and ten minutes, twenty seconds. Try to think of the CPAT (or any agility) as a marathon where you are trying to complete. It's good to finish, but it's GREAT to finish first! So why wouldn't you train to be the best, hot shot?

You don't want any surprises during the physical agility. You need to train for your agility by upping your cardio and have practiced hands on training with every segment of the CPAT/agility.

Often, candidates don't realize that it's not just strength in the CPAT/physical agility. The "Nugget" is technique, momentum and grip. If you are uncertain or having problems in the physical, you can get into shape without causing injuries.

It's not uncommon during an agility to see candidates run out of steam, air and ability.  Some fall, get injured and require medical attention.  Not pretty. Don't let this be your struggle!

The secret "Nugget" here is to pace yourself. You need to move steadily through the process as if you have done it a thousand times. You don't have to break the record... but it wouldn't be the end of the world if you did. Be careful, heed my words, and train properly. If you are not careful, in your haste, you might injure yourself or fall down the stairs in the tower . . . and, then you don't even pass. Now, you not only didn't pass the agility, you're out of the hiring process. How would you feel? Don't go there. Come here!

Program Overview about the CPAT
Candidate Instruction video

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Are You Ready for the Fire Academy?
Just because you passed the physical agility doesn't mean you are ready for the fire academy. Whether you agree or not, the physical agility has been watered down to be politically correct. Departments know this. So, the training division is going to put you through the wringer to make sure you can do the job before you go on line.  If you can't keep up they will wash you out.  You have to maintain good physical conditioning during your probation and through out your career. While this program is very important to prepare for your CPAT, adding back in regular weight training and cardio (thus cross training) after your exam, is a good idea.

Showing up at the academy is not the time to start getting ready. You need to be in shape and hit the ground running. It's tough enough getting a job. Keeping it can be a challenge. If you are let go by one department, it is going to be difficult if not impossible to get another department to take a chance on you.

Here are some of the incidents where candidates were let go:

• A candidate shows up at an academy not in shape even though he knows they will run 3 miles a day, he can't. Result. They run him into the ground the first week.
  
  
• Another recruit knew he had to lose weight for the academy. He did not reach his goal. His weight caught up with him trying to hump hose up the tower with a SCBA. Result: Got his marching orders because he didn't have the wind to complete this tough academy. Good news again. Regrouped, lost the weight, got in shape and convinced a department with an easier academy he would be an asset.

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