USWFS Fitness Challenge
- The USWFS Fitness Challenge provides a common system by which firefighters can measure current fitness, establish fitness goals, track improvement, and build crew comradery. The Fitness Challenge is voluntary, but firefighters and local units are strongly encouraged to participate.
- The USWFS Fitness Challenge measures fitness in four basic exercises: pull-ups, push-ups, planking, and a 1.5 (or 3-mile) timed run.
- Excellent physical fitness is essential to firefighter performance and health. Individual fitness has a direct correlation to fireline productivity. Fatigue has also been identified as a contributing factor in many accidents and numerous studies have proven that improving physical fitness mitigates fatigue.
- The Fitness Challenge exercises develop core strength, grip strength, endurance, and upper body strength, which directly correlate to typical wildland firefighter job tasks.
Pre-Fitness Challenge Requirement
Participation in the Fitness Challenge is voluntary. Submission of data (challenge results and scores) is also voluntary, but encouraged to improve the program and track trends.
Before participating in the Fitness Challenge, participants should consult their physician or other healthcare provider before starting an exercise program. Participants must be cleared through the DOI Medical Standards program for light, moderate, or arduous duty, or must complete a Health Screen Questionnaire (HSQ). If the HSQ indicates the need for a medical exam, participants are responsible for consulting their physician at their own expense and obtaining permission to participate.
Fitness Challenge Test Administration
- A current risk assessment that addresses medical response must be in place prior to administering the Fitness Challenge.
- Test administrators will ensure all participants are cleared for duty through the DOI Medical Standards program or HSQ.
- Test administrators will ensure an adequate number of assistant administrators are on hand, and ensure other logistical needs (stopwatches/timers, pens, clipboards, scoresheets, etc.) are addressed.
- Participants should be prepared with water, stretched/warmed muscles, etc.
- Test administrators shall read a description of each exercise (see below) and demonstrate proper form prior to the test.
- Exercises may be completed in any order. There is a 5-minute time limit between exercises.
- A 10-minute warm up period is allowed before the run.
- Individuals may test multiple times, but scoring is always based on the results of a four-exercise test conducted as a single event, not amalgamated individual exercise scores from separate events (e.g. combining best pull-up score from last week, with best run time from this week and best plank and push-up scores from last month is not allowed).
- Record individual scores on the scoresheet (provided below). Scores may be submitted for multiple events throughout a season/year. All scores must be submitted by October 31st, 2026.
Exercise Description
- Push-ups: Starting position is back straight and parallel with the ground, arms straight with hands approximately shoulder width apart and elbows locked. Lower the body until the arms form a ninety-degree angle and return to the starting position with the arms fully locked. This is one repetition. The back must remain straight throughout the exercise. All resting must occur in the starting position. Count the number of repetitions successfully completed in three minutes or when the starting position can no longer be maintained (arms collapsing, body not straight, etc.).
- Pull-ups: Starting position is hanging from a bar, hands shoulder-width apart, arms fully extended with elbows locked using either an overhand grip (palms facing away from body) or underhand grip (palms facing toward body). Lift the body until the chin is above the bar and return to the starting position. On each repetition, the arms must be fully extended, and the chin must clear the bar. Count the number of pull-ups completed correctly until proper form can no longer be maintained (drops from the bar, etc.)
- Planking: Plank position is back and body straight, resting on elbows shoulder-width apart. Begin laying in a flat surface with all body weight on the ground. Begin timing after a countdown and when the individual assumes the plank position. Stop the timer when this position cannot be maintained (sagging, moving from one elbow to the other, etc.) or at five minutes.
- Run: 1.5-mile or 3-mile timed run: conducted on flat and smooth surface.
Submit your crew or home unit scores using the attached spreadsheet to [email protected].
You may submit individual Fitness Challenge scores here.
For more program information, contact Mark Skudlarek, [email protected].
