hero lite
this program helps firefighters reach optimal performance through focusing on CALISTHENICs, cardio and core
No weights, no problem
HERO Lite is created for those who have limited or zero equipment at home or the station. We took common body weight movements and turned them into fun and challenging workouts to help you look, feel and perform better.
All fitness levels welcome
It doesn’t matter if your starting from scratch or have already been working out for decades, the workouts are designed for all fitness levels to get the same level of intensity. The workouts don’t become easier, you just get better.
Easy to follow
With the training app, you are able to complete the workouts on your own time. With a week posted in advance, you can modify the training based on your own unique schedule. Complete with video tutorials for all movements.
“I have to say this is the best fitness product that I have ever come across for our job. All of the workouts fit in perfectly with the movements that we do. I have always worked out but never had any true guidance or plan for improvement, but the train heroic app motivates me every day and i am excited to try out the next days workout. Also seeing the interaction between members, motivating each other, and sending some knowledge each other’s way is another great aspect of this product. The community is worth more than anything”
“This program is seriously one of the best programs I have ever been a part of! I have been active all my life all the way up to playing college football and this is the best shape I have ever been in! With the direction of Donny and Hero Elite community I have learned to be able to push my body past my mind. This program has made me mentally and physically tough, it has also shown me I still have a long ways to go to get where I want to be but I am now WILLING TO DO WHAT IT TAKES TO GET THERE”
The instructions and constant help along the way have increased my performance immensely! To be able to have a plan in place is a life saver! I am in paramedic school, life is anything but calm and organized. This program has become my go-to stress relief and the one constant thing I can count on while I’m in school. Hero Elite has helped me to become better both physically and mentally. I’m not just in better shape, I’m a happier and healthier person in general! This program is the real deal! Thank you for everything Donny!”
“I had tried many other programs that were designed for firefighters. None of which I thought quite prepared me for the job. As many of you know firefighting can be very demanding at times. Firefighters need to have strength, endurance, and flexibility when it matters. I truly believe this program helps prepare firefighters in all these categories. Since I started this program I have noticed a big difference not only in the weight room where I have PR’d all my lifts but also in the field when running calls. I have really enjoyed this program”
hero lite benefits

Ignite Fat loss
Reducing your body fat percentage is important for health, performance and confidence. The more you lose the better you’ll feel, look and perform. Once we get you to a good percentage, that is when we will work on fine tuning your engine.
INcrease performance
Fitness is more than lifting weights. We must utilize all energy systems to increase overall performance building you into a more well rounded firefighter/athlete. This program will help you excel at your strengths and work on weaknesses at the same time.
Decrease Pain
Mobility and posture are crucial because they help you perform while supporting injury prevention. Our mobility sessions will help fix any issues you have as well as prevent future incidents, so you can be at your best and achieve peak on-scene performance.
Boost Endurance
Supplying your heart and lungs with oxygen-rich blood is essential to health and wellness. That is why cardiovascular endurance is so critical. HERO lite will help build your engine while producing stronger and longer work on the fire ground.
Stay consistent
Staying consistent is the number one reason for fitness success. The HERO Lite program is well structued to provide you with a solid routine you can do anywhere without any gym equipment. Simply follow, work hard and repeat for optimal performance.
Stay motivated
Having the support of other HERO Athletes is what keeps everyone motivated when things get tough. With friendly competition and strong support from the community, we will all work together to healp you reach your goals. We are all family.
View hero lite Sample Week
This program is designed to give you structure and guidance with friendly competition to keep you motivated. Each workout comes with a specific warm up and recovery session with video tutorials. Check out a typical week and see if this is something you can use to take your fitness to the next level.
MONDAY
A. Warm Up
1 min Jumping Jacks
1 min Arm Circles
3 rounds:
5
B. Front Squat
Work up to a moderate set of 5 front squats in 5 sets
Notes: Think about smooth/non-stop reps. No stopping at the top or bottom. NOT A MAX.
C. Bench Press
Work up to a moderate 5 rep bench press
Notes: Same as front squat, smooth reps here. NOT A MAX
D. Climb the Ladder
Complete as many reps as possible in 8 minutes:
1 push up
1 pull up
1 air squat
1 butterfly sit up
* Increase by one each round.
Notes: For example, 1,1,1,1/2,2,2,2/3,3,3,3… repeat pattern for 8 minutes. Your score is competed reps in 8 minutes.
This will be easy for about a minute. Think about working at a moderate pace for you. Any pullup form will do.
E. Recovery/Mobility
Seated quad stretch – 2 min
Chest stretch – 2 min
Ankle mobility work – 2 min
TUESDAY
A. Warm Up
3 rounds with dowel (PVC or broom stick)
10 pass throughs
10 good mornings
10 high pulls
Front rack mobility
2 rounds with light dumbbells:
5 dead lifts
5 high pulls
5 hang cleans
20 scorpions (10 prone/10 supine)
B. Spanner
For time:
800m run or 1000m row
21 DB power cleans
800m run or 1000m row
15 DB power cleans
800m run or 1000m run
9 DB power cleans
RX – 50lb DBs men/35lb DB women
Scaled – anything modified
If you need to measure distance, place a cone @ 100m (about 130 walking paces) and run to it and back 4x for 800m
C. Recovery/Mobility
2 rounds alternating between each movement every 5 deep breaths:
Sampson stretch
Spiderman + reach
Upward dog
Downward dog
Child’s pose
Plank
WEDNESDAY
A. Warm Up
20 leg swings (20 each direction)
20 arm circles (20 each direction)
3 rounds:
10 dowel pass throughs
10 dowel good mornings
10 beat swings
2 rounds:
10 walking lunges
10 spiderman+reach (5 each side)
5 push ups
20 scorpions (10 prone/10 supine)
B. Deadlift
Work up to a moderate 5 rep deadlift in 5 sets
Notes: Warm up to your first weight and give me 5 good sets of 5. NOT A MAX. If you can, go barefoot, no belt and overhand grip only
C. 4 Alarm
Complete as many reps as possible in 8 minutes:
1 shoulder press
1 bar facing burpee
1 sumo deadlift high pull
1 toes to bar
RX is 95lbs men/65lbs women and toes to bar.
Scaled is modified weight and hanging knee raises. Be sure to enter score as scaled if you do scale this workout. Shoulder press is to be strict.
* Increase by one each round
Notes: For example, 1111,2222,3333… repeat pattern for 8 minutes. Calculate all reps as your score
D. Recovery/Mobility
Wide leg seated fold – 2 min
Thread the needle – 2 min each side
Wrist stretch – 2 min
THURSDAY
A. Mobility Day/Active Recovery
Squat hold – 2 min (supported)
Sampson stretch – 2 min each side
Groiner stretch – 2 min each side
Pigeon stretch – 2 min each side
Squat hold – 2 min (unsupported)
Notes: For the first squat hold, hold on to a post or your couch and keep your knees out, chest tall and feet flat. Complete the other stretches and for the second squat hold, perform the same way but don’t hold on to anything and focus on maintaining proper squat form.
FRIDAY
A. Warm Up
3 rounds with dowel (PVC or broom stick)
10 pass throughs
10 good mornings
10 high pulls
Front rack mobility
2 rounds with empty barbell:
5 dead lifts
5 high pulls
5 hang cleans
20 scorpions (10 prone/10 supine)
B. Power Clean
For Quality:
1×10
2×8
3×5
4×2
Notes: Take your time and work on form. Feel free to post video within facebook group for advice. Instead of going for a max, use a moderate weight and focus on explosiveness.
Start light and slowly work your way up.
Post heaviest weight used.
C. Floor Wipers
Complete 3 sets of 20 reps
95lbs men/65lbs women
Notes: One rep is both sides. Don’t just think about core. Lock your shoulders in place and focus on shoulder stability as well.
D. Recovery/Mobility
Twisted groiner – 2 min each side
Bretzel stretch – 2 min each side
Frog stretch – 2 min
SATURDAY
A. Warm Up
200m run or 250m row (slow)
5 rounds alternating between each movement every 2 deep breaths:
Sampson stretch
Spiderman + reach
Upward dog
Downward dog
Child’s pose
Plank
B. Tempo Run
Complete 4 rounds on track, treadmill or outside the station:
3:00 moderate pace (70%)
1:00 hard pace (90%)
1:00 walk
C. Recovery/Mobility
5 min walk
Now is the time to work on tight areas. If you need some assistance or not sure what to stretch, let us know in the group and I will post some videos.
Great job HERO Elite team!
SUNDAY
REST DAY
Meet your training coach
Donny pearson
I have had a passion in fitness and nutrition form an early age. Since then I have held multiple personal training certifications up to an elite level. I was a physical training leader within the U.S. Air Force helping members pass their PT tests. I then became a crossfit coach and even worked as a strength and conditioning coordinator for professional sports teams in Atlanta that led me to starting Firefighter Furnace in 2015.
Since then we have helped thousands of firefighters reach their goals and transform their lives through the same method used in this program. Right now you have a unique opportunity to change your life today and become part of our HERO lite team.
we are letting you test drive hero elite for only $1 for the next 7-days
This is a serious program that produces serious results and it will require a lot from you. We have created the tools to help increase your overall health and wellness and now it is up to you decide to make a change. That being said the price for HERO Elite is $27/m after your 7 day trial – less than $1/day.
Team membership
- 7 Day Trial
- Training App
- Leaderboard and Data Tracking
- Real-Time Feedback
- Video Tutorials
- Mobility Sessions
- Warm Up/Recovery
- Coaches Notes
- Modifications
*You may cancel at anytime. After 7-days you will be charged $27/m. Your results may vary. Testimonials and examples used are exceptional results and are not intended to guarantee, promise, represent and/or assure that anyone will achieve the same or similar results through our firefighter workout programs.
FAQ
what's the difference between HERO Elite and hero comp
HERO Elite is our functional body building /athletic performance program that does not utilize movements such as hand stand push ups, snatches and muscle ups. HERO Elite focuses on performance training rather than complicated skills. However, HERO Comp is built for competitive Crossfit Athletes
Insanity – Doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results. Why are you here?
What equipment do I need?
What separates us from other programs is that we only use basic equipment because we want our approach to be highly accessible and convenient. All you need for our firefighter workout programs is a barbell, weights, dumbbells a place to run and do pull ups. If we program exercises beyond that, we give you alternatives with the basics mentioned above. For example, if we ask you to do KB swings, we will show you how to do it with a dumbbell.
We don’t use machines, we build them
What fitness level do i need to be in?
All fitness levels are welcome in to HERO Elite. It doesn’t matter if you’re starting from scratch or have already been working out for 20 years. These workouts will challenge you helping you build an elite level of fitness required to do our job. We post scaled options for most workouts meaning you can scale down the intensity until you can do all tasks as prescribed.
It doesn’t matter where you are now, all that matters is where you believe you’re going.
How much does it cost?
The HERO Elite Team membership is 27$/m after your 7-day $1 trial. The money made from this program has allowed us to produce more free and professional material for those that need it most. That has allowed us to reach an estimated 45k lbs lost since 2015 and closer to our goal of helping eliminate health related LODD for present and future firefighters.
Invest in yourself, if it was free you wouldn’t do it.
How long do the workouts take?
On average you can get done with a session in less than an hour. Some days will be short and others will be long, just like our calls. However, you have to make fitness a priority with our jobs. We post a week in advance so you can tailor it around your own unique schedule.
Compare time set aside for fitness to the time scrolling the internet.
What if i don't have time?
I want you to really think about how important it is to make fitness a normal part of our lives, especially for us. Instead of saying “I don’t have time to workout” try saying “it’s not a priority” and see how it feels. Use that to motivate you to make fitness a normal part of your life.
It’s not about having time, it’s about making time for your health
our GUARANTEE
We want you to experience the whole HERO Elite program before fully commiting. If you decide it’s not for you, we will cancel your membership, no questions asked. There is no contract. We will also point you in the right direction based on what your goals are.