Exercise Snacks: Fitness Appetizers for Firefighters

Photo courtesy of Indianapolis (IN) Fire Department PIO

When most people think about physical fitness training, they picture a 60-minute block of structured exercise: changing into workout clothing, warming up, lifting weights, or conducting a cardio session. But in the fire service, long, tightly scheduled workouts can be unrealistic. Between calls, mandatory training, and station duties, some firefighters find little time to spare for the gym. This mismatch between the demands of the job and the “traditional” exercise model creates a gap that can negatively affect performance, health, and career longevity.

That’s where the concept of exercise snacks comes in. No, this isn’t an article about protein shakes or energy gels. Exercise snacks are brief, sporadic bursts of physical activity interspersed throughout the day. Recent research indicates they may offer significant benefits for cardiovascular fitness, metabolic health, and overall physical performance. For firefighters, exercise snacks could be the most practical and sustainable way to stay fit both on and off duty.

What Exactly Are Exercise Snacks?

The idea is simple: rather than relying solely on structured, longer-duration workouts, individuals engage in short bursts of exercise, typically lasting one to five minutes, performed multiple times per day. These “snacks” can be as straightforward as brisk stair climbing, bodyweight squats, push-ups, or short sprints.

According to a research publication by Islam and colleagues in 2022 (2), the physiological principle behind exercise snacks is that even very short, vigorous bouts of activity can stimulate improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), glycemic control, and vascular health. Importantly, these gains don’t require a gym, equipment, or a dedicated hour carved out of the day. For firefighters, who often work in time-pressured and unpredictable environments, the portability and convenience of exercise snacks make them highly appealing.

Why Firefighters Should Care

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) has long been and remains the leading cause of on-duty firefighter fatalities (4). Many risk factors—poor fitness, obesity, insulin resistance, and high blood pressure—are directly influenced by physical activity, yet firehouse culture and operational realities create barriers to exercise (1).

In a recent review by Jones and colleagues (3), the authors note that intermittent physical activity, the exercise snack, has the potential to bridge the gap for populations with limited time or inconsistent schedules. Their findings highlight several key themes that resonate with the fire service:

1. Accessibility: Short bouts of exercise can be performed in nearly any setting, from the apparatus bay to the kitchen to the top of the hose tower.
2. Adherence: Because exercise snacks are less intimidating and more flexible, firefighters who don’t currently exercise might be more likely to stick with them.
3. Health Impact: Even in small doses, movement reduces sedentary time and improves markers of metabolic and cardiovascular health.

When combined with structured workouts on days off or during longer periods of downtime, exercise snacks provide firefighters a practical “best of both worlds” approach: frequent microdoses of activity at work, paired with traditional training when possible.

What the Science Says

Evidence from controlled trials indicates that stair climbing, performed as “exercise snacks” three times per day, can improve cardiorespiratory fitness in previously inactive individuals within just six weeks (2) Other work they reviewed demonstrates improvements in insulin sensitivity and blood pressure with similarly brief interventions.

Jones and colleagues (3) expanded on previous research, reviewing both experimental and epidemiological data. Their analysis reveals that intermittent activity strategies, including exercise snacks, movement breaks, and brief walking bouts, are linked to improved health outcomes and a reduced mortality risk, particularly among older adults (citation).

While none of these studies are specific to firefighters, it is worth noting that firefighters are simply a subset of the human population, and the findings are likely to apply regardless. The physiological principles are universal: short bursts of vigorous activity stimulate adaptations that improve fitness and resilience. In a profession where physical readiness can mean the difference between life and death, these findings are highly relevant.

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Practical Examples for the Firehouse

Here’s what exercise snacking could look like in a firefighter’s day:

• Stair Intervals: Sprint up two flights of stairs, walk back down. Repeat 2–3 times.
• Apparatus Bay Push-Ups: Drop for 15–20 push-ups every time you walk past the engine. Bonus points for emphasizing the eccentric (lowering) portion.
• Wall-Sits While the Coffee Brews: Hold for 30–60 seconds, repeat twice.
• Tailboard step-ups: While the rest of the crew is shopping, the engineer completes two rounds of one-minute continuous stepping.
• Farmer’s Carries: Grab two heavy tools or sandbags and carry them 50 feet. Repeat a few times.
• Bodyweight Circuits: 20 squats, 15 push-ups, 10 rotating planks.

None of these micro-sessions require scheduling, but over the course of a shift, several rounds can add up to meaningful training volume.

One key thing to remember, though, is that anchoring your exercise snacks to another habit or activity tends to work better than leaving it to chance. The following are potential anchors:

• Returning from a call
• Meals
• Filling up your water bottle
• Even setting a two-hour reminder on your phone

Addressing the Objections

You may wonder whether such brief exercise bouts really make a difference. The research says yes! While exercise snacks don’t fully replace structured training, they provide measurable health and fitness benefits. For firefighters contending with irregular sleep patterns, high stress, and unpredictable call volumes, exercise snacks can be a powerful supplement to traditional exercise.

Another common objection is cultural: firefighters may worry about looking silly doing push-ups in the bay or running the stairs in their uniform during downtime. But if the culture shifts to normalize micro-workouts, crews may even start competing in friendly “exercise snack challenges,” building camaraderie alongside fitness.

The Big Picture: Movement as Medicine

At its core, the exercise snack concept reframes physical activity. It reminds us that fitness doesn’t have to be all-or-nothing. You don’t need a perfect 60-minute block or a fancy training plan to get healthier, stronger, and more resilient.

For firefighters, this mindset is crucial. Every flight of stairs climbed, every set of push-ups squeezed in between calls, every farmer’s carry with equipment—all contribute to a healthier, fitter firefighter. Over weeks, months, and years, those “snacks” accumulate into serious resilience against the demands of the job.

Takeaways for the Fire Service

1. Exercise snacks are short, vigorous bouts of activity (one to five minutes) repeated throughout the day.
2. Research supports their effectiveness in improving cardiovascular fitness, insulin sensitivity, and vascular health (2).
3. Broader benefits for adherence, accessibility, and health outcomes across populations (3).
4. For firefighters, they fit the schedule—exercise snacks can be completed at the station, between calls, or even while waiting at a standby.
5. They complement rather than replace structured training. Both are important for long-term health and performance.

Keep Moving

The fire service demands peak physical readiness under unpredictable conditions, and although traditional exercise programs remain essential, they aren’t always feasible on duty. Exercise snacks offer a flexible, science-backed strategy to keep firefighters moving, fit, and resilient, even when time is short and calls are constant.

The main point? Don’t overlook the impact of small, microdosed exercise sessions. In the fire service, the “snacks” you do today could pay off significantly when the job requires everything tomorrow.

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Annette Zapp recently retired after a 20-year career in the fire service, where she served as a lieutenant. She is the founder of Fire Rescue Wellness, a coaching business dedicated to advancing the mental and physical health of firefighters worldwide. She holds a master’s degree in biochemistry and molecular biology from the University of South Dakota School of Medicine. She is a National Strength and Conditioning Association CSCS*D and TSAC-F*D and is certified as a sports nutritionist through the ISSN. She previously served as adjunct faculty in the University of Denver’s graduate program in sport coaching. In August 2024, she began her PhD studies in Health and Human Performance at Oklahoma State University.