Participation in empowering physical activities may increase self-efficacy and facilitate long-term engagement. This explanatory sequential mixed-methods study examined the relationship between physical activity empowerment, exercise self-efficacy, and engagement. Midwestern women (N = 147) aged 18–65, 90% white, completed an online cross-sectional survey that captured exercise engagement and self-efficacy for exercise. Participants entered up to five types of physical activities and ranked them from most to least empowering. Physical activities were coded by training type for statistical comparisons using independent t-tests. After survey completion, seventeen women completed a 30 min, 8-question semi-structured interview. Women ranked resistance training as the most empowering physical activity type (38%), followed by running (14%). Total and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and self-efficacy for exercise scores did not vary between women empowered by cardiorespiratory or resistance training (i.e., total physical activity t(136) = 1.13, p = 0.11; moderate-to-vigorous physical activity t(136) = 2.42, p = 0.06; and self-efficacy for exercise t(136) = 0.66, p = 0.07). Themes identified from the interviews included: (1) women’s physical activity participation barriers are gender-centric, (2) physical activity participation benefits extend beyond physical health, (3) some exercise types are more empowering than others, and (4) empowerment and enjoyment are closely related. Exploring empowerment in exercise may reveal mechanisms to facilitate exercise self-efficacy and engagement in physical activity.

The aim of the study is to validate a customized V ˙O2max Graded Exercise Test (GXT) protocol specifically to accommodate firefighters with different cardiovascular fitness levels. Methods: Career male firefighters (N = 15) completed 3 customized GXTs on a treadmill: 1 in athletic clothes and 2 in their bunker gear to determine maximal oxygen uptake (V ˙O2max ). Results: The on-duty task protocol was reliable, V ˙O2max values of 40.2 ± 4.6 mL•kg•min −1 and 40.3 ± 5.3 mL•kg•min −1 between trials yielded an interclass correlation of 0.911 with a typical error of 1.48 mL•kg•min −1 and a coefficient of variation of 4.0%. The validity analysis indicated consistent maximal V ˙O2 values for the GXTs yielding mean interclass correlation of 0.94 with typical error of 1.16 mL•kg•min −1 and a coefficient of variation of 2.9%. Conclusions: The customized GXT for structural firefighters has shown to be a reliable, valid, and applicable method of testing cardiovascular fitness in firefighters.

The aim of the study is to objectively assess if firefighters are meeting the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and American College of Sports Medicine/American Heart Association physical activity (PA) guidelines. Methods: Two independent fire departments from the Midwest participated in the study. Firefighters wore an accelerometer to track PA and associated intensities. In addition, firefighters completed a stage-graded exercise test TO determine their maximal oxygen uptake (V ˙O2max ). Results: A total of 43 career firefighters completed the study (fire department 1 [FD1]: n = 29, FD2: n = 14). Almost half (44.8% FD1 and 42.9% FD2) met the NFPA CRF guidelines. Compared with the American College of Sports Medicine PA Guidelines of 30 min/d of moderate-to-vigorous PA, more than half of FD2 (57.1%) met the recommended amount of PA, whereas FD1 had less than half (48.3%). Conclusions: These data demonstrate the need to improve firefighters' PA levels, CRF, and overall health.

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