Episode 6: Travis Rask

"If you want to do something, you'll find a way. If you don't, you'll find an excuse."

Travis Rask joins us on Episode Six of Refined By Fire. Travis is a firefighter with Snohomish District 7 FD in Washington, where he was served since 2008. He is a vocal advocate for barbell training in the fire service and an ardent supporter of the Starting Strength program. Travis was a contributor to the seminal Fire Service Warrior website/movement, and has been heavily involved with the Puget Sound FOOLS, including being awarded with their FOOL of the Year Award in 2016.

Our talk spends a lot of time on the importance of strength training, asking the following questions, among others? 

• Why should firefighters make strength training the foundation of their physical fitness?
• How strong is strong enough in firefighting? 
• How much should firefighters focus on conditioning?

We don't stop there, as we also discuss Travis' near death(?) experience in academy, one way to get good at throwing ladders, the Fire Service Warrior concept, and his time at North Carolina Breathing Equipment School.

Books discussed:

Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe

Peak and Road to Excellence by Anders Ericcson

Fearless by Eric Blehm

The Combat Position by Chris Brennan

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This podcast features the song “Spray Paint it Gold”, by Little Glass Men, available under a Creative Commons Attribution license.