Tactical Athlete Program (TAP)

Fit By Fire

First Responders, Tactical, Functional Fitness
Coaches
TJ Johnston and Amber Bowman

The Tactical Athlete Program (TAP) is a structured strength and conditioning system designed to help you look good, move better, and perform under pressure.

Whether you're a firefighter, paramedic, law enforcement officer, or simply someone who trains with purpose, this program blends functional strength, tactical conditioning, mobility, and recovery into a weekly training structure that delivers real-world results.

Every phase is built around the physical demands of the job—helping you build muscle, improve stamina, and stay durable through high-stress environments.

Backed by experience and grounded in proven methods, TAP is adaptable to your schedule, whether you train 3, 4, or 6 days a week. This is more than just a workout—it's performance-ready training for those who want to be unshakable in life and on the job.

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BUILD TACTICAL STRENGTH
Develop functional strength for real-world performance. Whether you’re a firefighter, first responder, or tactical athlete, TAP prioritizes compound lifts, unilateral control, and job-specific movements like sled drags, carries, and stairs — helping you stay ready for anything.
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TRAIN SMARTER, NOT JUST HARDER
Structured progressions for consistent results. You’re not just chasing sweat. Each workout builds on the last, balancing strength, power, mobility, and energy system development — backed by real-world performance coaching.
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SCALABLE & PRACTICAL FOR REAL LIFE
Train anytime, anywhere — and make it stick. Whether you’re in a commercial gym, garage, or firehall, TAP adapts to your space and gear. Fits your shift life with no wasted time.
Features
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Programming 5 days per week
Daily strength, conditioning, and skill training that’s accessible and challenging for athletes of any level or background
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Mental Exercises
Structured mental training exercises to cultivate your inner strength
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Exercise Video Guidance
Instructional videos to guide your practice and make execution easy
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Detailed, expert instruction
Coaches who will hold you accountable and provide the feedback you need to grow
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Committed Teammates
A vibrant community that will keep you pushing to unlock your best
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Delivered through TrainHeroic
Sweating over a lifeless PDF is so last year. Your coaches and team will push you harder, know you better, and keep you going longer, all through an app.
Equipment
Required
​Dumbbells // Kettlebells // Bands (looped and handled) // Chin-Up Bar // Box (for step-ups and jumps) // Bench (substitutes are given) // Barbell & Plates (substitutes are given) // Slamball and/or Medicine Balls
Recommended
Rower or Skiierg // Airdyne, Assault Bike or equivalent // Treadmill or Outdoor running area // Functional Cable Machine
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Sample Week
I will write fresh programming weekly. You’ll get notifications when they’re ready
Sunday
Summer  Cycle- Lower Body Strength + Tactical Finisher

WARM-UP

A

2 Rounds: Spiderman + Reach 5/side Cossack Squat 5/side Banded RDLs 10 reps

B1

Half Kneeling Side Tosses

2 x 5

B2

Broad Jumps

2 x 5

B3

Laying Banded Hamstring Curl

2 x 10

C1

Barbell RDL

4 x 6 @ 70, 75, 75, 75 %

C2

Knights Stretch

4 x 1:30

D1

FFE Reverse Lunge

D2

Bear Crawl DB Pull Through

D3

Elevated Childs Pose

3 x 1:00

Optional Finisher

E

3 Rounds for Quality: 20 Sandbag Walking Lunges in Zercher Carry 10 Sandbag Clean to OH Rest 60s Move with control — don’t rush. This is about quality work under fatigue, not speed. Keep the bag tight in the Zercher position — elbows high, core braced. On the clean to overhead, use a strong hip drive — catch and stabilize at the top. If form slips, scale volume or reduce bag weight.

Monday
Summer Cycle - Upper Body Strength + Rotation

Warm-Up

A

2 Rounds: Alternating Scorpion 5/side Light Landmine Press 10/side (empty bar is fine) Palms Up Banded Pull-A-Parts 15

B1

Elevated/ Assisted Plyo Push-Up

B2

Half Kneeling Pallof Presses

C1

Incline Barbell Bench Press

4 x 5 @ 60, 70, 75, 80 %

C2

Powell Raise on Incline Bench

3 x 20

D1

Half Kneeling Landmine Rotations

3 x 8

D2

Single Arm Seated Row

3 x 10

D3

Banded Chest Flys

Optional Conditioning – Anaerobic Intervals

E

Option A – With Rower or Assault Bike: 6–8 rounds: 20 sec hard effort 40 sec recovery Option B – No Equipment (Burpee Intervals): 6–8 rounds: 20–30 sec burpees 30–40 sec rest (match to your work time) Coach’s Note: Stay consistent with effort — this isn’t max-rep burnout. Each round should be fast, clean, and repeatable.

Tuesday
Mission Mobility + Aerobic Work

A1

90/90 Active Stretch

3 x 10

A2

Down Dog to Pidgeon

3 x 10

A3

Thread the Needle to Reach

3 x 10

A4

Cobra Stretch

B

Aerobic Intervals

Wednesday
Summer Cycle - Full Body Strength + Tactical Grit (Optional Finisher)

WARM-UP

A

2 Rounds: Single Leg RDL to Jump– 5/side Side Lunge to Cross Under 5/side Yoga Tables- 10

B1

Barbell Front Squat

4, 2, 6, 6 @ 60, 70, 75, 77 %

B2

Half Kneeling Banded Rotations

3 x 16

B3

Bar n' Rack Banded Lat Stretch

3 x 1:00

C1

Weighted Pull Ups

3 x 6

C2

2-Arm Floor Press

3 x 10

C3

Double Dumbbell Deadlifts

C4

Laying Toes to Rig

Optional Tactical - Carry & Drag

D

3-4 rounds of Sandbag or Heavy D-Ball Bear Hug Carry – 10m down, 10m back Reverse Sled Drag – 10m down, 10m back Rest: 60–90 seconds between rounds No sled? Use a dummy drag or heavy object drag as a solid alternative.

Thursday
Summer Cycle - Guns & Lungs

Warm-Up

A

2 Rounds (No Rest Between): Dead Bug – 20 (10/side) (focus on breathing) 3- Position Pull-a-parts 5/position Scap Push-Ups 10

B1

DB Upright Row

3 x 10

B2

Incline Bench Reverse Fly

3 x 10

B3

Incline Bench Bicep Curl

3 x 10

B4

Incline Bench Tricep Extensions

3 x 10

B5

Incline Bench Pidgeon Stretch

3 x 1:00

ANAEROBIC MIXED MODALITY INTERVALS

C

6 Rounds of: 10 cal Echo/Assault Bike 15 KB Swings 5 Burpees → Rest 90 sec after each round 💾 Score = Total Time (including rest) Log how long it took you from start to finish (including all 90-sec rests). 📝 In Notes: Kettlebell weight used Bike substitute if needed (run 100m, row 10–12 cal, jump rope 45 sec) Burpee style or reps if modified 🎯 Goal: Hard but clean rounds — push the pace, don’t crash. Optional: Wear a vest if you want an extra challenge.

Friday
Summer Cycle - Tactical Conditioning Circuit (Optional)

WARM-UP

A

2 Rounds: 10/side Heel to Butt with Lean 10/side leg swings 10/side walk the dog 5/side Push-Up to T-Rotations

B1

Stair Climb on Stairmaster

4 x 50

B2

Sled Push

4 x 10

B3

Double Dumbbell Farmers Carry

4 x 20

B4

Tire Flip

4 x 20

B5

Tire Strikes

C1

Twisted Cross (Scorpion Hold)

2 x 1:00

C2

Banded Lat Stretch

2 x 2:00

Saturday
Recovery / Catch-Up
Coaches
coach-avatar TJ Johnston

The definition of busy, T.J. is a full-time firefighter, father of four, and has owned a successful strength & conditioning center for over 10 years. Over his coaching career, T.J. has trained hundreds of clients at all levels. Delivering programs and advice to Police, Military, EMS, Firefighters, Professional athletes, and moms/dads.

coach-avatar Amber Bowman

A Division One Captain for the Ohio State Buckeyes Women’s Hockey and a Firefighter Combat Challenge 25x World Champion. Amber is an athletic powerhouse! She has also recently chosen as 'Trainer of the Year' for the Dr.OZ show! Amber’s dream is to empower others to take control of their lives, to believe in themselves, and go after their dreams!

The Proof
verified-athlete-avatar Karen Parker

Mom of 4 training to be a Firefighter.

Verified Athlete

"So many people have commented on how much my body has changed since starting the program. I cant stop! I'm hooked on training this way."

verified-athlete-avatar Megan Sutherland

Personal Trainer & Volunteer Firefighter

Verified Athlete

"I always look forward to the next week of workouts. I give the Fit By Fire Crew a 5 Star Rating!"

verified-athlete-avatar Rod Beckett

Fire Captain with 32 Years of Service.

Verified Athlete

"The workouts are perfect for overall fitness., increasing your the amount of work you can do at calls while keeping you injury free. The app is easy to use and the videos are a great reminder of how to do everything properly. Im really enjoying the workouts!"

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Tactical Athlete Program (TAP)
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Tactical Athlete Program (TAP)
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Tactical Athlete Program (TAP)
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Tactical Athlete Program (TAP)