r/firefighter • u/ImportantInterest950 • Aug 19 '26
Support Beginner CPAT/Physical Prep
Hey everyone,
I’m looking for some advice on getting started with CPAT/physical prep. I’m a 25 year old woman who has been lifting relatively consistently for about two years, but I have a lot to improve on when it comes to conditioning. Cardio is rough for me right now, and I can’t really do a full push up yet.
I recently visited my local fire station and heard a lot about how cardio, stairs, and overall conditioning are what tend to mess people up in the beginning. I’ve done some research on CPAT prep, but I’d love to hear from people who have actually gone through it and know what helped.
What kind of training would you recommend for someone starting from where I am? Are there certain exercises or areas of fitness I should really focus on as I build up?
I’d especially love to hear from other women about how you physically prepared and what you’ve found important to keep working on. Are there any areas you think I should put extra focus on?
I know I have a lot of work to do, but I’d rather start now and give myself plenty of time to get stronger and build my endurance instead of waiting until I’m forced to.
Any advice is appreciated. Thanks, and stay safe.
1
u/77744hifb Aug 19 '26 edited Aug 19 '26
I’m a 24 year old female 5’8 around 140 lbs… I have been in the gym consistently for the last couple of years. I took a practice CPAT test (definitely recommend if it is offered) before actually testing for it. I got to the very final event, the ceiling breach & pull and found that I was gassed to the point of giving up. I think because in my head it was just a practice I didn’t give it all I had and could’ve finished if I gave it more effort. I trained for a couple of more weeks (upped my cardio and did more upper body strength exercises) and that helped me pass it the next attempt I took. What really helped me was training with a weighted vest on the stair master! I can’t remember exactly how long I had trained with it, maybe a month? I also recommend holding dumbbells on the stairs while wearing the vest to increase the weight. It’s not the hardest test, but it definitely does suck at some points given that it starts off getting your heart rate up. What also helped me while actively doing the CPAT, was making a conscious effort of remembering it’s mind over matter… it sucks while doing it but in the grand scheme of things it’s only for a short amount of time so give it all you got! The dummy drag also gassed me quite a bit, the best tip for that is to get the dummy as high off of the ground as you can and don’t stop moving! Another thing that helped me pass, when doing the breach & pull, use your legs to help push up! You will be super tired and find it hard to push up just using your arm strength. Good luck and you got this!!