“Just Get Started”: Top Step Strong Steppers Share their Fitness Tips and Motivations

November 25, 2025

JT Bass was one of the top step earners in the inaugural NVFC Step Strong Challenge.

The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) hosted its first Step Strong Challenge in October, and 900 participants took part to increase their fitness and get moving. The NVFC spoke with some of the challenge’s highest step earners – some achieving a step count of over 1,000,000 for the month – to find out their secrets to success, what motivates them, and tips to help others get moving.

Incorporating More Activity

The key to incorporating more steps into your day? “Get up and MOVE,” says JT Bass from Abbeville County, SC. That was a common theme among the top steppers, with many starting and ending their day with a walk or run to get more steps in during the month.

Jeff Futtner from South Windsor, CT, woke up extra early to make sure he got his workout in so that there were no excuses at the end of the day that he was too tired. And it paid off. “I actually felt better, got healthier, and slept more soundly at night,” he says.

Anthony DeMarco from Caledonia, NY, started his day with a 2-hour walk or run. One of his tricks for getting in more steps at the end of the day was to hop on the treadmill while watching TV.

For Amanda Henkle of Garrison, IA, the challenge was to find ways to move despite needing to be at a desk all day. Her solution? Investing in an adjustable desk and a walking pad so she can work while moving throughout the day. “It’s been a great way to stay active, boost my energy, and stay focused during long hours at my desk,” she says.

Stephen Krajewski from Stonewall, MS, made a point of making fitness a bigger part of his everyday routine. He took short walks during breaks, around the station, or in the evenings after work. He also found other ways to move throughout the day, such as parking further away from his destination.

Quentin Cash of Cherryville, NC, has made fitness a part of his everyday life, even when on vacation. He sees it as a critical part to being a firefighter. “We are professionals, whether volunteer or career. We have to be and stay prepared to do the job. So that’s my reasoning for continuing.”

Challenging Yourself

Participating in the Step Strong Challenge proved to be a strong motivator for the top steppers. Many pushed themselves beyond their usual step count once they saw how well others were doing.

“On Day 1 of the challenge, I remember feeling accomplished after hitting 10,000 steps early in the morning – until I logged in and saw that a chief had already hit over 20,000 steps!” says Henkle. “That friendly competition pushed me to raise my own bar. I ended up doubling my daily goal and challenged myself to keep going further each day.”

This sense of friendly competition also motivated Cash to step it up. “I get around 20,000 steps a day with my general exercise and routine,” he notes. “Once I saw how quickly steps were rising, I wanted to keep up. My goal was to stay in the top 10 and then the top five.”

For others, it was the pride in continually improving that served as the best motivation. As Krajewski says, “Seeing my daily numbers and trying to beat my own goals kept me motivated. It became a fun way to stay accountable and reminded me that even small efforts add up over time.”

Having a group challenge also helped our top steppers motivate others. “As a leader, one of my jobs is to inspire confidence, competence, and caring,” says Bass. “We should always be an example to others, and so I hope that’s what we did with this.”

Advice for Improving Fitness

What advice do the top steppers have for others looking to improve their physical fitness? “Just start – no step is too small,” says Henkle. “Even the smallest efforts add up over time, and consistency makes all the difference. You don’t need to run marathons to see results; simply moving can have a big impact.”

Bass echoes that sentiment. “Discipline is key. It’s the ‘start’ that stops most people,” he says.

Krajewski emphasizes the importance of starting where you are. “You don’t have to do anything extreme, just move a little more each day. Whether it’s walking with family, coworkers, even your dog, those steps build up and help you feel better overall.”

Cash warns against pushing yourself too hard too fast. “If you really want to be more active, start small and build up,” he says. “If you try to take on too much too fast, you’ll be sore or get injured and will not want to continue. Also, you have to keep pushing, even when you don’t feel like it.”

Henkle suggests finding others to share your fitness journey with can help. “Joining walking challenges like this one or finding an accountability group can make it easier – and more fun – to stay motivated.”

Seeing progress is also important. Cash notes, “Get a fitness tracker of some sort and track yourself getting better and in better physical shape. Seeing improvement is a huge motivator.”

“Just get started,” Futtner urges. “The results will come! I never ran my first 5K until this year, and now I am working on hopefully doing a 10K. Keep at it, eat healthy, get regular check-ups, stay positive, and feel good about yourself.”

As Cash notes, if you want to do something hard, you have to choose your hard. “Rorke Denver, a retired Navy Seal and owner of Ever Onward, discusses this in one of his monthly email videos. Being in shape is hard, being out of shape is also hard. You have to choose your hard.”