The Physical Fitness Of Excellent Firefighters And Its Relationship Between Firefighting Task Perfomance

Objective:The purpose of this study was to measure the physical fitness variables and physiological responses of 100 excellent firefighters in Shanghai during or after a battery of physical fitness test and combined firefighting tasks performance.This study was also aim to build the relationship between physical fitness and firefighting tasks performance and identify the best indicators of firefighting tasks performance.Methods: In this study,cluster sampling was conducted according to each region of Shanghai.100 elite firefighters were recruited from 63 fire services by Shanghai Fire Bureau according to age,working experience,BMI and the rank of past physical fitness test.100 firefighters were tested for physical fitness and fire-fighting tasks.Firefighters were divided into the passing group(N=35)and the non-passing group(N=65)according to their performance in the fire-fighting task test.The Pearson Correlation Coefficient was used to analyze the correlation between various physical fitness variables and fire-fighting task performance.The blood lactic acid(BLA)and heart rate(HR)was recorded after 300-yard shuttle run or during 1.5-mi run.Compare the BLA and HR in the firefighting task to determine whether these two test could be applied into daily training of the firefighters.Results:(1)The physical fitness variables of two groups.PG group was significantly better than NPG group in 300-yard shuttle(F=1.582,P=0.001).There was no significant difference between PG group and NPG group in 1.5-mi run(F=1.665,P=0.214).There was no significant difference between PG group and NPG group in 1RM bench press and 1RM bench press/body weight(F=0.196,P=0.063;F=1.501,P=0.349);The results of 1RM squats and 1RM squats/body weight in PG group were significantly higher than those in NPG group(F=1.835,P=0.000;F=1.402,P=0.005);There was no significant difference between PG group and NPG group in Sit-and-Reach test(F=0.764,P=0.347).The score of Partial Crul-Up test in PG group was significantly better than that in NPG group(F=1.848,P=0.020).PG group was significantly better than that of NPG group in Pro-aglity test(F=1.716,P=0.023).(2)The relationship between the physical fitness variables and different parts of the combined simulated firefighting tasks performance.There was a weak correlation between the 300-yard shuttle and "Stair climb" and "Lift weights"(r=0.33,0.35).It was moderately correlated with "Hose drag" and "On-site rescue"(r=0.44,0.47).The score of 1RM bench press was weakly correlated with " Lift weights ","Hose drag" and "Onsite rescue"(r=-0.26,-0.22,-0.23).1RM bench press/body weight showed a weak correlation with "Lift weights"(r=-0.21).The 1RM squat score showed a moderate correlation with "Stair climb","Lift weights","Hose drag"(r=-0.45,-0.41,-0.42),and a weak correlation with "On-site rescue"(r=-0.20).The 1RM squat/body weight showed a moderate correlation with "Stair climb" and "Lift weights"(r=-0.44,-0.49),and a weak correlation with "Hose drag"(r=-0.39).There was no significant correlation between Sit-and-Reach test performance and all parts of the firefightering tasks test(r=-0.17,-0.16,0.09,-0.18,-0.06).There was a weak correlation between Partial Curl-Up test performance and "field rescue"(r=-0.20).PRO sensitivity performance was moderately correlated with "hose drag" and "On-site rescue"(r=0.42,0.40).The 1.5-mi run showed a moderate degree of correlation with the four links of "Stair climb","Lift heavy objects","Forced entry" and "On-site rescue"(r=0.48,0.42,0.46 and 0.38).(3)The physiology responses of the 300-yard shuttle,1.5-mi run and firefighting tasks.The mean heart rate of the 2400 m run was maintained at 176.34±8.97 bpm,the maximum heart rate was 190.77±8.82 bpm,and the maximum heart rate was 89.73±4.59%.After calculation,the maximum oxygen uptake of the firemen was 52.63±4.24 m L/kg/min.The blood lactic acid value was 12.96±3.54mmol/L after the 300-yard shuttle.The mean heart rate was 175.08±8.23 bpm,the maximum heart rate was 188.49±8.94 bpm,and the HR-max% was 88.98±4.42%.The blood lactic acid was 15.17±2.41mmol/L after the firefighting tasks test.There were no significant differences in mean heart rate,maximum heart rate and percentage of maximum heart rate in the 1.5-mi run and fire-fighting task(PHrmean=0.357,PHrmax=0.022,PHrmax%=0.300).The blood lactic acid after the end of the 300-yard run was significantly lower than that after the fire-fighting tasks test(PBLA=0.000).Conclusion:(1)Except for flexibility,firefighters' anaerobic endurance,aerobic endurance,strength muscular endurance and agilty showed a certain degree of correlation with firefighting tasks test;The high level anaerobic endurance,lower body strength and agility are the best indicators of firefighting tasks performance.(2)The 300-yard run,as a daily training subject for firefighters,has limited improvement in anaerobic endurance,while the 2,400-meter run,as the same intensity as the firefighting tasks test,can be used as a daily training subject for firefighters...