Editor’s note: Don’t miss Lexipol’s First Responder Wellness Week, March 23–27, 2026. We’ll be sharing wellness coverage leading up to the event and all week, including articles, videos and practical resources tied to each day’s theme. You can also register for one or more of the daily live webinar events and share the agency toolkit with your team. Get the full schedule, event links and resources at firstresponderwellnessweek.com.
First responders face intense physical demands on every shift — lifting, carrying, climbing, crawling, sprinting and more in high-pressure situations. Without the right physical resiliency and training, these tasks can tax responders’ efficacy and increase their risk of injury and fatigue, ultimately impacting job performance and longevity. Functional fitness, which mimics real-world movement patterns, is a proven approach to building the strength, endurance and mobility needed for the job.
[Complete the form on this page to download your Functional Fitness Workout Plan]
We asked first responder functional fitness experts Mandy Nice, Traci Tauferner and Dan Kerrigan, MS, EFO, CFO; to share their recommended workouts to improve performance, reduce injuries and promote overall well-being in public safety.
This Functional Fitness Weekly Workout Plan is designed specifically for law enforcement personnel, firefighters, EMTs, paramedics and other professionals looking to improve their physical readiness. This program helps first responders build core strength, enhance cardiovascular endurance and prevent injuries — ensuring they’re physically prepared for the challenges they face in the field, through three comprehensive workouts you can incorporate into your routine.
1. Upper-body strength training
Strength training is essential to increase your physical capacity to push, pull, lift, carry and manipulate loads safely, according to Mandy Nice, Lexipol senior CEM, who has over 18 years of experience developing and implementing national award-winning physical fitness and wellness programs.
“Occupation-specific upper body strength training provides critical protection for first responders and the communities they serve,” Nice explained. “On average days, it enhances the first responder’s internal, musculoskeletal bracing system (which helps protect their vertebral alignment and reduces risk of chronic pain when they are under the weight of their turnout gear, Kevlar, etc.). On high-octane, high-call volume days, having maximum muscular strength to push, pull, lift, carry, etc., helps give first responders the extraordinary physical capacity they need to fearlessly face perilous conditions, perform superhuman job tasks and rescue lives without hesitation.”
Nice’s upper-body strength training workout incorporates bent-over rows into your fitness routine. Proper form is important.
- Bent-over rows instructions: Maintain a neutral spine while pulling the weight toward your lower ribs, keeping your elbows close to your body, Nice instructs. Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the top. Then lower the weight slowly with control to full arm extension.
2. Cardio
Traci Tauferner, a U.S. military veteran and director of Advanced Tactical Medicine, outlined a cardio activity to really challenge first responders’ heart rates and engage the entire body for any public safety professional.
Cardio workouts improve physical capacity to walk on uneven surfaces, jog, run and climb stairs; and also optimize cardiovascular health.
Farmer’s carries are one of Tauferner’s top cardiovascular exercise recommendations.
- Farmer’s carries instructions: Hold dumbbells, kettlebells or even heavy sandbags in each hand. Move briskly and engage your core to maintain a good posture while keeping the weights steady. Walk for 60 seconds carrying the weights, then rest for 20 seconds. Tauferner recommends selecting weights as heavy as are manageable but challenging.
3. Lower body & core strength training
Retired Fire Chief Dan Kerrigan, MS, EFO, CFO, recommends lower body and core strengthening exercises to increase your physical capacity to run, climb, jump, crawl, hinge, lunge and lift safely. Kerrigan suggests adopting a regular functional fitness regimen at the beginning of your career, which will have an enormous impact on your longevity on the job and retirement.
“Replicating movement patterns used on incident scenes conditions the body to better withstand the specific challenges responders face while carrying out their tasks,” Kerrigan noted. “Incorporating functional movements into your functional training regimen will not only improve your performance on the incident scene, they will also reduce your injury and health risks, while at the same time decreasing recovery time after strenuous work and increasing overall longevity.”
Kerrigan touts bear crawl exercises to strengthen the core, shoulders and legs while improving coordination, stability and overall endurance.
- Bear crawl instructions: Begin on all fours with your hands directly under your shoulders and knees under your hips. Keep your back flat and engage your core. Raise your knees slightly off the ground, keeping them bent at about a 90-degree angle. Your weight should be evenly distributed between your hands and feet. Maintain a steady, controlled crawling movement, moving your right hand and left foot forward simultaneously, then follow with your left hand and right foot. Avoid raising your hips too high — your back should remain straight and parallel to the ground.
Begin your functional fitness journey
Consult with your primary care physician to obtain unrestricted clearance to exercise. Then, consider practicing the recommended workouts in our Functional Fitness Workout Plan each week for 4 weeks. Use proper form and an appropriate pace for each exercise, and aim to increase the load/speed of each exercise up to 5% each week.
ABOUT OUR PANEL OF FITNESS EXPERTS
Dan Kerrigan, MS, EFO, CFO, fire chief (Ret.) is a 37-year veteran of emergency services. A staunch firefighter health and wellness advocate, he is the co-author of the best-selling firefighter health and wellness book “Firefighter Functional Fitness” and an international speaker and panelist.
Mandy Nice is senior CEM, Lexipol. She has over 18 years of experience developing and implementing national award-winning physical fitness and wellness programs. Her work has been featured in highly esteemed industry publications, and she has routinely served as a subject matter expert and professional speaker for industry-leading organizations, including the U.S. Bureau of Justice Assistance, the National Justice Clearinghouse, the National White Collar Crime Center, the National Fraternal Order of Police, the National Foundation Research Associates and the International Association of Chiefs of Police.
Traci Tauferner is director of Advanced Tactical Medicine, and a U.S. military veteran with over 15 years of experience working with first responder agencies. A passionate advocate for the health and wellness of emergency service professionals, she specializes in developing tailored wellness programs to enhance physical performance and prevent injury as an athletic trainer. Traci is a respected speaker and panelist who has dedicated her career to supporting the well-being of those who serve on the front lines.
EMS1 is using generative AI to create some content that is edited and fact-checked by our editors.
This article was originally posted March 11, 2025. It has been updated.
