Why Us?

Firefighting, law enforcement, military… they aren’t your average jobs—and your training shouldn’t be either.

Everything in the fire service is heavy. Turnout gear can weigh 45 pounds before you even grab a tool. You’re dragging hoses, lifting ladders, or carrying someone out of a building. In law enforcement, you’re constantly maneuvering people or gear in tight, unpredictable spaces. These aren’t neat barbell movements—they’re messy, awkward, and demanding.

That’s why our programming is built on real-world, functional fitness—not just lifting heavy, but moving well under load, in every direction, and under stress. Because that’s what the job actually requires.

And if you’re not in these career fields?

Life is still physical. You’re either picking up your kids, hauling groceries, or doing yard work on the weekend. Functional training helps you do all of that without pain—and with strength that lasts. It prevents injury, keeps you mobile, and prepares your body for the unexpected stuff that daily life throws at you.

Whether you’re in uniform or not, our goal is the same: to keep you strong, capable, and healthy for the long haul. No fluff, no filler—just smart training designed to make you better at real life.

So what exactly is functional?

“Functional fitness” gets thrown around a lot—but for us, it’s not about rolling around on the ground or doing Olympic lifts you’ll never use in real life. You won’t see us programming barbell snatches or circus tricks. We keep it simple, effective, and grounded in the real world.

Strength

Yes, this includes hypertrophy—building muscle size. But raw strength is what truly matters on the job and in life. The stronger you are, the more you can move, lift, carry, and protect—yourself and others. That said, we’re not chasing size for the sake of size. Our goal is to build the most strength with the least excess muscle, reducing unnecessary strain on your joints and connective tissue. Strength that lasts, not just looks good.

Endurance

You don’t need to run a sub-6-minute mile to be fit. We follow the Maffetone Method, which focuses on training your aerobic system at a lower heart rate to build a strong, sustainable base. It keeps your body in a fat-burning zone, improves recovery, and builds the kind of cardio that actually supports long-term health and performance—in addition to a flashy race time.

This is your ability to do hard work, fast, and keep doing it without falling apart. Think: dragging a hose line, forcing a door, lifting someone off the floor, then doing it again… and again. Work capacity is where strength and endurance meet under pressure. It’s your “gear 5”—when things get intense, this is what carries you through.

Work capacity

Functional fitness comes down to three pilars:

Functional fitness should make you better at life and harder to break—whether that’s on a fireground, a call, or just picking up your kid without pulling something. That’s what we train for.

How It Works

Who is this program for?

Equipment Needed

In order to have success with "Built For Chaos", we recommend the following fitness standards:

• Ability to complete a 40 minute run at a conversational pace. (You may have shorts stents of walking)

• basic knowledge of core lifts; bench, squat, and deadlift

• 5 strict pull ups

• 1 - 2 hours per session to workout

If you have difficulty with one of the standards, please reach out to us for more information on scaling

Most gyms will have all the standard equipment to meet your needs for this program. Below you will find required and recommended equipment

• Barbell with Plates

• Dumbbells

• Kettlebells

• Squat Rack

• GPS Running Watch

• Sled

• Pull-up Bar

• Leg Extension Machine

• Lat Pull Down Machine

• Cable Machine

• GHD

• Wall Ball

• Rower

Recommended

• Heart Rate Chest Strap

• Hex Bar

• Bands

Train Heroic

We use the TrainHeroic app to deliver programming, track progress and stay connected with the team.

Program Flow

The program runs continuously over a 16-week phase.

If you begin on June 1st, you’ll follow the full program alongside the entire team.

If you join after the program has started, you’ll begin at the current week of the cycle. For example, if you sign up during Week 3, that’s where you’ll start. You’ll still have access to previous weeks through the app.

The training is progressive, gradually increasing in volume over the 16 weeks.

At the end of the cycle, you’ll automatically roll into the next phase with the team via the TrainHeroic app.

For those joining mid to late cycle, a short prep program will be available to help you transition smoothly into the current phase.