Firefighters are no strangers to working out, it is part of the job and maintaining physical fitness is important for all firefighters whether promoting or not. While working on your firefighter exam prep, be sure you still prioritize exercise as it will help you in more ways than you may realize. 

1. Improves Mental Health

Firefighters endure a lot of stress on a daily basis just from the job. With the addition of anxiety and stress from studying for your fire promotion test the feelings may become overwhelming. One of the best ways to reduce that anxiety and stress is through exercise. Exercise releases endorphins in the brain that relaxes the muscles in your body. This endorphin release will also give you more energy overall and makes you feel more relaxed. Exercise is also a great coping strategy to choose if you are feeling overwhelmed as opposed to leaning on a more unhealthy coping mechanism like alcohol. 

2. Boosts Confidence

Confidence has proven to be a huge factor in achieving your goal of getting promoted in the fire service. This is because if you do not believe in yourself you will likely not do as well as you could have on the test. Exercise is a great way to build the confidence you need to be successful. Not only does exercise release those feel good endorphins, but exercise also changes the way your body looks. As your body changes and fat turns to muscle you will start feeling more confidence in your appearance. That body confidence boost will boost your overall confidence, helping you do better come exam day. There are also quick tricks such as posing that can give you a confidence boost on the day of your fire department promotion test. 

3. Improves Memory

Exercise also has the ability to boost memory. According to an article from Harvard University, it does so by reducing inflammation and increasing the release of growth factor which encourages the growth of new blood vessels in the brain. It has been proven that the part of the brain that controls memory and thinking are large in people who exercise more. So when you exercise you are not only growing muscles, your brain is growing and changing as well in the best way possible. This is very useful when taking a written firefighter test, but who doesn’t need a little better memory on a day to day basis anyway?!

How Much Exercise Do I Need? 

30 minutes. That is all you need to get those endorphins going and your mind and body feeling better. You may already be cramped for time as it is just with studying for your firefighter promotional exam, but don’t let the day go by without getting those 30 minutes in. Make it fun, include your family and friends if they are feeling like they are seeing less of you because you are prioritizing studying. Get up early to get it done before the kids wake up. Whatever you need to do, be sure to prioritize exercise in your day because it is easy to let workouts slip by without doing them when you are focused on other goals. 

What Exercises Should I Do?

The best exercises to get those endorphins pumping is full body exercise. Play a game of basketball, crossfit, go for a jog or hike, swim, the options are endless so long as you get your heart pumping and body moving. If you already have a workout routine in place, then keep that in place for now until you are done with the promotion test.  

The Takeaway

Next time you are feeling overwhelmed while working on your firefighter promotional exam study guides, try taking a workout break for at least 30 minutes. Get your body moving and reap the rewards of a healthier mind and body. This overall feeling of relaxation and confidence will help you do even better on your upcoming firefighter promotional exam.