Are you as fit as a firefighter? Fire service fitness guru releases workout video to rival Body Coach Joe Wicks

Joe Astbury, Health and Fitness Adviser for County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service, is responsible for putting firefighters through their paces to make sure they are fit for the job.

But now he is putting the fitness of the public to the test with his own workout video, which demonstrates the moves that help crews keep fire fit.

The 30-minute High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) aims to give people the chance to keep active in the safety of their own homes during the coronavirus pandemic.

Taking inspiration from fitness instructor Joe Wicks, who has live streamed PE sessions for families during the lockdown, the fire service’s very own Joe decided to make his first exercise video.

Joe said: “It was great fun making the video, it's so important for us to help keep people fit and active during this pandemic, not only does exercise improve physical fitness but it helps with mental health too.

“This was a great opportunity to get our communities involved safely and from home.

“We really hope everyone enjoyed the workout and I hope to film more of these exercise videos in the very near future so keep an eye on our social media feeds".

As the fire service’s Health and Fitness Adviser, Joe’s main role is to assess the fitness of firefighters and provide advice and support in order to help individuals improve their overall fitness, health and wellbeing.

He provides physical training sessions for trainee courses and as part of the service’s firefighter apprenticeship scheme.

He also raises awareness and engages with staff through various health campaigns as part of the North East Better Health at Work Award, with the County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service achieving the Maintaining Excellence standard.

The video which has been shared on County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service’s Facebook and Twitter, has racked up 3,000 views and a raft of praise from those who have taken part.

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