ATTN: First Responders! You Don't Need To Be A Hero Everyday
Written by Rokki Brown, our newest instructor here at Limber Arts!
Let’s be clear, you are absolutely a hero. And you will remain a hero even when you set down the burden and pressure that this role entails. My goal with this blog is to give you practical, actionable tips that will help you recover faster and remain strong and resilient in the face of all that you do.
My husband Jon is a firefighter here in Olympia WA, and I’ve seen with my own eyes just how tired and exhausted he is when he comes home from a shift. He has expressed to me that it can be very difficult to chill out and relax after being at the station for 24 hours.
For one, there’s the constant unpredictability of the job. The high stress situations. The lack of sleep. The constant exposure to traumatic events. The physically demanding tasks. The expectation of saving someone’s life.
Over an entire career, this really adds up and the stress takes a toll.
I have so much respect for first responders, especially in the fire community. It’s an honor to be in a relationship with a firefighter and an honor to be connected to this community. I truly have never witnessed a community quite like this. First responders are an amazing bunch! The strong bonds and deep connections they form with each other ripples out into our entire community, making us all feel supported and safe.
This is why I feel called to give back to this community, and really everyone that struggles with high stress and high intensity jobs. I love to use my skills as a yoga and pilates teacher to help alleviate stress, to ease the immense amount of pressure and responsibility, and to help reduce fatigue.
Breathing Exercises For First Responders:
My husband has shared with me that the fire department is starting to focus more on the psychological toll the job can take on firefighters. They have begun to introduce therapists and other holistic systems that allow them to process trauma in a more healthy, productive way.
So this got me thinking.
In high-intensity moments, firefighters are trained to control the chaos around them, but what happens when they become disconnected from the body, mind, and breath that carries them through it?
Research suggests that roughly one in seven first responders experiences symptoms consistent with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) which is a good reminder that recovery isn't just about muscles and joints; it's also about supporting the nervous system and long-term well-being.
I can honestly say that introducing breathwork and meditation practices has greatly improved my husband’s overall mental health and has enhanced his ability to process difficult situations and emotions.
In a career where you are expected to bounce back quickly, give patients the highest quality of care, and make crucial decisions in a matter of seconds, while also remaining calm, cool and collected…
You have to be connected with yourself to find clarity.
What I have learned from yoga is that with time and patience, finding a rhythmic sensation with your breath can help slow the mind and heart down so you can feel grounded and centered.
Yoga inspired breathing exercises for stress relief and recovery
Here is 3 breathing exercises you can do anywhere at anytime:
Diaphragmatic breathing: deep belly breathing that allows the diaphragm to expand to its fullest extent, allowing a deep softening effect in the body. We often breathe with our chest without even realizing it.
Box breathing: a more tactical breathing exercise that involves counting your inhales, exhales and pauses in between for a count of 4 seconds. This method is useful for the mind-to-body connection.
Bee breathing: a sensational form of breathwork that consists of closing one nostril and then the other while activating the parasympathetic “rest and digest” mode. Ideally done by making a quiet buzzing sound.
Pilates For First Responders:
Together, my husband and I noticed that after a session of lifting weights at the gym, muscle tightness and range of mobility was reduced. He was feeling very stiff and tired after an intense lifting session.
While strength is necessary for the requirements of this job, let’s talk about what you’re missing from your average weight lifting or cross-fit workout.
Here’s what is usually missing from purely strength based workouts:
Mobility training with a functional approach to help increase both power and agility
Core strength that teaches you how to keep your spine healthy and injury free even when you carry heavy loads at strange angles
Breath work that calms the nervous system and helps detox stress/trauma
Low impact workouts that help you recover faster even when your totally exhausted
If you're a first responder then you need strength, but you also need all these other things. Keep in mind that mobility naturally declines as we age, stress hormones make it harder for you to switch out of “go-mode” and the last thing that you want to deal with in this line of work is chronic back pain, so a strong core is basically non-negotiable.
This is where functional approaches to pilates really check all the boxes. It’s no wonder that more men are turning to pilates as a compliment to heavy lifting.
We aren’t saying you should replace the gym with pilates. We’re suggesting implementing functional pilates into your already established workout routine. Especially off shift.
In fact, functional pilates can actually better improve your strength training and vice versa.
With time and consistency, functional pilates can provide many benefits to your career, such as:
Better movement in turnout gear and SCBA.
Increased shoulder and hip mobility for crawling, lifting and over-haul.
Improved core stability for carrying equipment and patients.
Reduced back, knee, and shoulder pain.
Injury prevention and career longevity.
Pilates Is For Men Too!
Now let’s get something straight. Pilates is not just for females.
There seems to be a misconception about pilates being a "feminine" workout and this makes sense because of the way it’s portrayed on social media. But I am here to say that pilates is for everyone.
While more brave females are starting to enter the fire department (hell yeah), it is still very much a male dominated field. Same thing with pilates. It is very much so female dominated.
My intention is to help ALL first responders by bridging that gap, but since being married to one of them, I also feel called to encourage more men to try pilates.
Pilates, when approached in a holistic and functional way, meets you exactly where you are at. Also, it’ll kindly kick your ass a little bit. As well as humble you.
That is my job as an instructor as well.
I strive to encourage movement and mindfulness to first responders that help them feel more energized and inspire them to breathe, slow down and hopefully feel rested.
I want to provide a space where more intentional, gentle, and controlled movement sounds better than doing a workout that is going to amp you up even more. Trust me, you get enough of that.
This kind of balance is so beneficial for the body, mind and spirit.
Remember, just because you are a hero, doesn’t mean you need to armor up every day.
Join The 5 Week Pilates Mat Class Series!
If this is speaking to you, I will be instructing a 5-week beginner friendly mat pilates series starting September 26th on Saturday’s at 10 AM for just $132. Can’t wait to see you there!
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