Physical FitnessNCT03319394
The First 20 Fire Academy Recruits Exercise Training Program
A study testing The First Twenty and Comparison in people with Physical Fitness, run by Kansas State University at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
"The First Twenty (TF20) Exercise Training Program and Fire Academy Recruits' Fitness and Health" was thesis research completed in the Functional Intensity Training Laboratory (FIT Lab) at Kansas State University. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Physical Fitness
- What is being tested?
- The First Twenty and Comparison
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 13 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 15 Feb 2016to 16 May 2016
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 years and older
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Accepted for admission into spring 2016 Johnson County Community College Fire Academy; did not answer "YES" to any of the PAR-Q questions.
Who cannot join
- Answering "YES" to any of the PAR-Q questions will require physician's clearance for participation in the study; known cardiovascular, metabolic, or respiratory disease, or having an internal pacemaker are all exclusionary criteria.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: The First Twenty Exercise Training Program and Fire Academy Recruits' Fitness and Health
"The First Twenty (TF20) Exercise Training Program and Fire Academy Recruits' Fitness and Health" was thesis research completed in the Functional Intensity Training Laboratory (FIT Lab) at Kansas State University. The purpose was to assess the performance outcomes, acceptability, feasibility, and preliminary efficacy of an innovative 14-week Firefighter Fitness and Wellness Program. This study explored if TF20 program was a valid preparatory program for fire academy recruits training for the physical job of a firefighter compared to standard care of taking a college fitness class. It was hypothesized that TF20 group would see greater fitness improvements than the comparison group, the training program would be acceptable and feasible, and that TF20 group would report higher levels of group cohesion.
Read the detailed description
The First Twenty (TF20) is an innovative computer based firefighter training program that provides foundational educational principles around firefighter physical fitness, mental wellness, and nutrition and is much more cost effective than other fitness program options. The current Fire Academy at Johnson County Community College (JCCC) does little to address the physical fitness of its firefighter recruits other than the physical skills taught in class. The recruits are required to either have previously taken or be concurrently enrolled in a 1 credit hour fitness class offered through the community college. HPER 240, Lifetime Fitness, introduces the student to basic fitness principles, physical activity and the relationship to a healthy lifestyle. The course is graded based on an initial assessment/orientation and participation; the student must log so many hours at the JCCC Gym (JCCC, 2015). This course may be waived at the discretion of the Fire Academy Director if the student can prove they have an active gym membership at a local gym facility. The recruits participate in highly physically demanding tasks as they learn the job of a firefighter. Part of the class is spent indoors for lecture. The remainder of the class is spent on the drill ground learning basic firefighter skills such as donning bunker gear (personal protective equipment) and self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), navigating through dark search quarters, searching and removing a victim in a fire room, climbing ladders, cutting ventilation holes on flat and pitched roofs, and fighting live fire in a propane burn facility. The recruits are also required to take the Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT) during the Fire Academy. The CPAT is a timed physical ability test designed to assess the fitness of firefighter candidates and is used as a screening tool for hiring new firefighters. In addition to completing the current requirements for the Fire Academy, this study included a baseline assessment, 14- weeks of group exercise training, and a post-test assessment. Fire Academy recruits were required to have taken or be concurrently enrolled in a one credit hour gym class; this study took the place of that one credit hour physical requirement. Participants were randomly assigned to one of two exercise groups: TF20 or the Comparison Group (CG). TF20 group exercised five days per week for 14 weeks, similar to the requirements of the Lifetime Fitness (HPER 240) course; the Comparison Group were asked to continue their current exercise regimen (ie: HPER 240 course). Travel workout options were available for TF20 group. It was hypothesized that TF20 group would see greater fitness improvements than the comparison group, TF20 group would find the training program acceptable and feasible, and TF20 group would report higher levels of group cohesion than the comparison/control group.
- Conditions
- Physical Fitness
- Being tested
- The First Twenty, Comparison
- Keywords
- Firefighters, Exercise Training, Resistance Training, Exercise Test, High-Intensity Interval Training
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
The First TwentyBehavioural
The First Twenty workouts were part of an online training program that provided resistance and endurance exercises, nutritional information, and mental performance guidance. The intervention, created by firefighters for firefighters, was a 10-week periodized program with workouts increasing in frequency and intensity each week.
ComparisonBehavioural
Documentation of having previously taken or concurrent enrollment in a 1 credit hour fitness class offered through the community college. HPER 240, Lifetime Fitness, introduced the student to basic fitness principles, physical activity and the relationship to a healthy lifestyle. The course was graded based on an initial assessment/orientation and participation; the student was required to log hours at the community college gym. This course was waived at the discretion of the Fire Academy Director if the student proved they had an active gym membership at a local gym facility.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| The First Twenty | Experimental | TF20 group completed a structured exercise program. Once a week a trained firefighter with current CPR and First Aid certifications met with the group to assess progress and answer questions about the workouts or the program. The rest of the time, the participants completed the workouts on their own time. Workouts contained a combination of aerobic (e.g., running, rowing, jumping), body weight (e.g., air squats, pushups, situps), and weight lifting (e.g., presses, back squats, lunges) exercises with workouts designed to use equipment available in an exercise/gym facility (e.g., weight racks, benches). Sixty-minute TF20 sessions included a warm-up, workout and cool down. All sessions were able to be logged online in TF20 program. Receives: Behavioral: The First Twenty |
| Comparison | Active comparator | The Comparison Group followed and documented their regular workout routine for 14 weeks. Once a week, a trained firefighter with current CPR and First Aid certifications met with the group to discuss questions. Participants were able to choose when to complete their workouts. Receives: Behavioral: Comparison |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Change Candidate Physical Ability Test Time
The CPAT consists of eight separate events. This test is a sequence of events that requires the candidate to progress along a predetermined path from event to event in a continuous manner. This is a pass/fail test based on a maximum total time of 10 minutes and 20 seconds.
Measured: Week 0 and Week 11
Secondary outcomes (11)
Change in Body Mass Index (BMI)
Measured height in meters and measured weight in kilograms were used to calculate BMI as kg/m2
Measured: Week 0 and Week 11
Change in Body Composition
A Tanita TBF-300 scale was used to measure changes in body fat percentage, fat mass, and fat free mass.
Measured: Week 0 and Week 11
Change in Post Exercise Heart Rate
Heart Rate in beats per minute was assessed via a heart rate monitor immediately post-exercise
Measured: Week 0 and Week 11
Change in Blood Pressure
An Omron BP785 10 series monitor will be used to assess blood pressure after the participant has been seated comfortably for at least 5 minutes.
Measured: Week 0 and Week 11
Change in Estimated VO2Max
Sub-Maximal Graded Exercise Test using a StairMaster 7000pt
Measured: Week 0 and Week 11
Change in Hand Grip Strength
A Hand Grip Dynamometer will be used to assess hand grip strength in kg
Measured: Week 0 and Week 11
Change in Vertical Jump Height
A Vertec vertical jump tester will be used to measure jump height in cm
Measured: Week 0 and Week 11
Change in Push-ups
Participants will complete as many push-ups repetitions as possible in 2 minutes
Measured: Week 0 and Week 11
Change in Curl-ups
Participants will complete the American College of Sports Medicine curl-up 12-inch test
Measured: Week 0 and Week 11
Change in Agility
Participants will complete the Agility T-Test
Measured: Week 0 and Week 11
Change in Flexibility
Participants will complete the sit-and-reach test using a Flexometer
Measured: Week 0 and Week 11
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted24 Oct 2017
- Study start15 Feb 2016
- Primary completion16 May 2016
- Study completion16 May 2016
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (1)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Physical FitnessStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 13 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Kansas State University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- National Development and Research Institutes, Inc.
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Katie M. Heinrich, Kansas State University
- Investigators
- Katie M Heinrich, PhD, Principal investigator, Kansas State University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT03319394
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 8063
- Status last verified
- Oct 2017
- First submitted
- 13 Oct 2017
- Last updated
- 24 Oct 2017
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Publications
Hollerbach BS, Jahnke SA, Poston WSC, Harms CA, Heinrich KM. Examining a novel firefighter exercise training program on simulated fire ground test performance, cardiorespiratory endurance, and strength: a pilot investigation. J Occup Med Toxicol. 2019 Apr 23;14:12. doi: 10.1186/s12995-019-0232-2. eCollection 2019.
PubMed 31049072
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 24 Oct 2017. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- The First Twenty Exercise Training Program and Fire Academy Recruits' Fitness and Health
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT03319394
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 8063
- Conditions
- Physical Fitness
- Keywords
- Firefighters, Exercise Training, Resistance Training, Exercise Test, High-Intensity Interval Training
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 13 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Kansas State UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- National Development and Research Institutes, Inc.
- Study start
- 15 Feb 2016 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 16 May 2016 (actual)
- Study completion
- 16 May 2016 (actual)
- First posted
- 24 Oct 2017 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
"The First Twenty (TF20) Exercise Training Program and Fire Academy Recruits' Fitness and Health" was thesis research completed in the Functional Intensity Training Laboratory (FIT Lab) at Kansas State University. The purpose was to assess the performance outcomes, acceptability, feasibility, and preliminary efficacy of an innovative 14-week Firefighter Fitness and Wellness Program. This study explored if TF20 program was a valid preparatory program for fire academy recruits training for the physical job of a firefighter compared to standard care of taking a college fitness class. It was hypothesized that TF20 group would see greater fitness improvements than the comparison group, the training program would be acceptable and feasible, and that TF20 group would report higher levels of group cohesion.
Detailed description
The First Twenty (TF20) is an innovative computer based firefighter training program that provides foundational educational principles around firefighter physical fitness, mental wellness, and nutrition and is much more cost effective than other fitness program options. The current Fire Academy at Johnson County Community College (JCCC) does little to address the physical fitness of its firefighter recruits other than the physical skills taught in class. The recruits are required to either have previously taken or be concurrently enrolled in a 1 credit hour fitness class offered through the community college. HPER 240, Lifetime Fitness, introduces the student to basic fitness principles, physical activity and the relationship to a healthy lifestyle. The course is graded based on an initial assessment/orientation and participation; the student must log so many hours at the JCCC Gym (JCCC, 2015). This course may be waived at the discretion of the Fire Academy Director if the student can prove they have an active gym membership at a local gym facility. The recruits participate in highly physically demanding tasks as they learn the job of a firefighter. Part of the class is spent indoors for lecture. The remainder of the class is spent on the drill ground learning basic firefighter skills such as donning bunker gear (personal protective equipment) and self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), navigating through dark search quarters, searching and removing a victim in a fire room, climbing ladders, cutting ventilation holes on flat and pitched roofs, and fighting live fire in a propane burn facility. The recruits are also required to take the Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT) during the Fire Academy. The CPAT is a timed physical ability test designed to assess the fitness of firefighter candidates and is used as a screening tool for hiring new firefighters. In addition to completing the current requirements for the Fire Academy, this study included a baseline assessment, 14- weeks of group exercise training, and a post-test assessment. Fire Academy recruits were required to have taken or be concurrently enrolled in a one credit hour gym class; this study took the place of that one credit hour physical requirement. Participants were randomly assigned to one of two exercise groups: TF20 or the Comparison Group (CG). TF20 group exercised five days per week for 14 weeks, similar to the requirements of the Lifetime Fitness (HPER 240) course; the Comparison Group were asked to continue their current exercise regimen (ie: HPER 240 course). Travel workout options were available for TF20 group. It was hypothesized that TF20 group would see greater fitness improvements than the comparison group, TF20 group would find the training program acceptable and feasible, and TF20 group would report higher levels of group cohesion than the comparison/control group.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| The First Twenty | Experimental | Behavioral: The First TwentyTF20 group completed a structured exercise program. Once a week a trained firefighter with current CPR and First Aid certifications met with the group to assess progress and answer questions about the workouts or the program. The rest of the time, the participants completed the workouts on their own time. Workouts contained a combination of aerobic (e.g., running, rowing, jumping), body weight (e.g., air squats, pushups, situps), and weight lifting (e.g., presses, back squats, lunges) exercises with workouts designed to use equipment available in an exercise/gym facility (e.g., weight racks, benches). Sixty-minute TF20 sessions included a warm-up, workout and cool down. All sessions were able to be logged online in TF20 program. |
| Comparison | Active comparator | Behavioral: ComparisonThe Comparison Group followed and documented their regular workout routine for 14 weeks. Once a week, a trained firefighter with current CPR and First Aid certifications met with the group to discuss questions. Participants were able to choose when to complete their workouts. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Accepted for admission into spring 2016 Johnson County Community College Fire Academy; did not answer "YES" to any of the PAR-Q questions.
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Answering "YES" to any of the PAR-Q questions will require physician's clearance for participation in the study; known cardiovascular, metabolic, or respiratory disease, or having an internal pacemaker are all exclusionary criteria.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| The First TwentyThe First Twenty workouts were part of an online training program that provided resistance and endurance exercises, nutritional information, and mental performance guidance. The intervention, created by firefighters for firefighters, was a 10-week periodized program with workouts increasing in frequency and intensity each week. | Behavioural | The First Twenty |
| ComparisonDocumentation of having previously taken or concurrent enrollment in a 1 credit hour fitness class offered through the community college. HPER 240, Lifetime Fitness, introduced the student to basic fitness principles, physical activity and the relationship to a healthy lifestyle. The course was graded based on an initial assessment/orientation and participation; the student was required to log hours at the community college gym. This course was waived at the discretion of the Fire Academy Director if the student proved they had an active gym membership at a local gym facility. | Behavioural | Comparison |
Primary outcome
Change Candidate Physical Ability Test Time
Time frame: Week 0 and Week 11
The CPAT consists of eight separate events. This test is a sequence of events that requires the candidate to progress along a predetermined path from event to event in a continuous manner. This is a pass/fail test based on a maximum total time of 10 minutes and 20 seconds.
11 secondary outcomes
Change in Body Mass Index (BMI)
Time frame: Week 0 and Week 11
Change in Body Composition
Time frame: Week 0 and Week 11
Change in Post Exercise Heart Rate
Time frame: Week 0 and Week 11
Change in Blood Pressure
Time frame: Week 0 and Week 11
Change in Estimated VO2Max
Time frame: Week 0 and Week 11
Change in Hand Grip Strength
Time frame: Week 0 and Week 11
Change in Vertical Jump Height
Time frame: Week 0 and Week 11
Change in Push-ups
Time frame: Week 0 and Week 11
Change in Curl-ups
Time frame: Week 0 and Week 11
Change in Agility
Time frame: Week 0 and Week 11
Change in Flexibility
Time frame: Week 0 and Week 11
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 24 Oct 2017.
- Derived from this study: PubMed 31049072Hollerbach BS, Jahnke SA, Poston WSC, Harms CA, Heinrich KM. Examining a novel firefighter exercise training program on simulated fire ground test performance, cardiorespiratory endurance, and strength: a pilot investigation. J Occup Med Toxicol. 2019 Apr 23;14:12. doi: 10.1186/s12995-019-0232-2. eCollection 2019.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Katie M Heinrich, PhD principal investigator
Kansas State University
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing The First Twenty and Comparison in people with Physical Fitness, run by Kansas State University at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 1 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 24 Oct 2017. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Change Candidate Physical Ability Test Time (time frame: Week 0 and Week 11). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT03319394, which also lists 1 linked publication.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 24 Oct 2017.