Life is a marathon, not a sprint, especially in the Fire/Rescue and EMS services. Personnel in those careers are wildly underserved in terms of credible resources and strategies to improve their lives both on and off duty. Hence the birth of FireSQFitness (pronounced Fire Rescue Fitness)!
Coach Annette Zapp’s (AZ’s) fitness philosophy includes training moderation and sustainability for the long haul as well as intelligently fueling the body for performance in lieu of soul crushing dieting. AZ strongly believes that every Emergency Services employee has an obligation to both themselves and their teammates to procure the minimum skills needed to perform basic upkeep and maintenance on their own bodies. Firefighters and medics lose the right to be complacent and “out of shape” the moment they raise their hand and swear their oath. Further, physical fitness is the key to opening the door to both mental and physical well-being and movement IS medicine. Much of health and fitness related to mindset and discipline and she meets her clients “where they are” to enable them to make positive and sustainable health changes.
A 16-year veteran of the fire service, she holds the rank of Lieutenant on a busy engine company in the suburbs of Chicago and has over 25 years’ experience in fitness coaching and training. Her career has come full circle as she started out as a full-time coach in the private sector, then transitioned into full time firefighting. She is currently a proud career firefighter alongside owning several fitness related businesses operated under the umbrella of AZ Fitness, LLC.
AZ earned a master’s degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and is credentialed through the National Strength and Conditioning Association as a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and a Tactical Strength and Conditioning Facilitator (NSCA CSCS and TSAC-F). She is also certified as a PN-1 coach through Precision Nutrition and as a CISSN through the International Society of Sports Nutrition. Zapp employees the Functional Movement Screen (FMS) and is certified in Reflexive Performance Reset (RPR) and Functional Range Conditioning (FRC). Strategies from both FRC and RPR are integrated into performance programs to help her firefighters live their best lives.
A specialist in training the tactical athlete as well as the desk warrior, there’s a special place in her heart for those individuals who simply just want to move better and FEEL BETTER. Finding the sweet spot of the appropriate goal and the most effective methods of safely and effectively meeting that goal is her overreaching focus. Her article on fire service training appears in the September 2018 issue of FireHouse Magazine®.
Zapp is an adjunct professor at the University of Denver in the Sport Coaching Master’s program and is a proud veteran member of the Illinois Firefighter Peer Support team. She recently served on a panel of experts who revised the NSCA TSAC Practitioners course and has een appointed to a First Responders Suicide Task Force in the Illinois State Senate.
Firesq Fitness Website: Click Here
Recommended Books:
The Beauty of a Darker Soul: Overcoming Trauma Through the Power of Human Connection - Joshua Mantz
Deep Survival Book - Laurence Gonzales
Recommended Movie:
Concussion