There is no argument that periodization is successful, and that different models can be applied with success in different fashions. The question of how shift work really affects a periodized program—more specifically firefighter shift work—is less clear.

This article explains the importance of educating and supplying firefighters with the right tools for hydration and optimal body composition to safely and effectively execute their job tasks.

This excerpt explains the importance of optimal nutritional strategies in conjunction with good sleep hygiene and how that can help mitigate damaging effects of deployment and shift work on performance.

The purpose of this article is to identify considerations that are to be taken into account when designing and implementing an annual training program for firefighters, as well as to discuss strategies for implementation.

The purpose of this article is to review the physiological determinants of police work, provide the strength and conditioning professional with an overview of comm on constraints associated with training police officers, discuss the role of autoregulated training, and provide programming recommendations for training police officers around their patrol shifts.

This excerpt from NSCA's Essentials of Tactical Strength and Conditioning explains the importance of wellness programs for tactical athletes.

Tactical athletes, due to the nature of their jobs, may have sleeping problems (such as falling asleep and/or staying asleep) which is indicative of poor sleep quality. This article shares sleep hygiene strategies that can help tactical athletes achieve better rest.

Although fatigue is commonly experienced in many highly demanding occupations (e.g., military, first responders, etc.), it is poorly defined. Fatigue can strongly affect occupational performance by negatively influencing the ability to interact with the world by altering the capacity to think, move, feel, see, and speak. The first step in fatigue risk management strategies is to establish a context. The context of this narrative review is to specifically describe and discuss the 6 overarching types of occupational fatigue: cognitive, physical, burnout, emotional, visual, and vocal fatigue, and how each affects varying occupations. Furthermore, fatigue type can be influenced by several intrinsic factors, such as sleep deprivation, circadian alignment, ultradian process, sleep homeostasis, and health factors. Similarly, extrinsic factors influence fatigue, such as workload, shift work, and environmental issues. Understanding the types and contributors to occupational fatigue may help clarify the context of occupational fatigue and serve to guide future occupational fatigue management.

In order to effectively prepare an ice hockey player for the season, it is necessary to have a thorough understanding of the specific demands of the sport.

The purpose of this article is to identify and discuss the difficulties that can arise when performing physiological-based research with firefighters.