Tequila: Balanced Base Fitness

$59.00

7-week, 5 Day/week, balanced training cycle.
This training plan concurrently trains total body strength, upper body hypertrophy, work capacity, endurance, and Chassis Integrity (functional core strength).
This training plan is one of the 450+ Plans included with an Athlete’s Subscription.

Description

Tequila is the 2nd Plan in our “Spirits” packet of plans for full-time LE Patrol Officers and Detectives.

Tequila is a 7-week, 5 Day/week, balanced training cycle. This training plan concurrently trains total body strength, upper body hypertrophy, work capacity, endurance, and Chassis Integrity (functional core strength).

This is Version 2 of the plan, updated March 2019.

Strength
Tequila’s strength work deploys MTI’s “Efficient Strength” progression methodology using dumbbells and/or kettlebells. Efficient Strength circuits combine a total body, lower body, upper body pull, and upper body press exercises in the same circuit, and have the athlete work through the circuit steadily.

Upper Body Hypertrophy
A large, muscular, upper body can be a deterrent for Patrol Officers and Detectives. Tequila trains upper body hypertrophy (mass) two days per week.

Work Capacity
Tequila deploys two 15-minute work capacity events which increase in difficulty as you work through the plan: (1) repeat Prone to Sprint Shuttles, and; (2) Power Clean + Push Press + Box Jump density efforts. You’ll train work capacity twice per week.

Chassis Integrity
Tequila deploys ARTE (Anti-Rotation, Rotation, Total and Extension core exercises) You’ll chassis integrity circuits 2 times per week after strength training. These circuits are 15 minutes long.

Tactical Agility
Tequila deploys two of MTI’s tactical agility drills to train this fitness attribute. You’ll train these drills once per week.

WEEKLY SCHEDULE

Monday – Strength, Chassis Integrity
Tuesday – Work Capacity, Upper Body Hypertrophy
Wednesday – Tactical Agility, Endurance
Thursday – Strength, Chassis Integrity
Friday – Work Capacity, Upper Body Hypertrophy

REQUIRED EQUIPMENT

Tequila requires a fully outfitted functional fitness gym with barbells, bumper plates, racks, dumbbells and/or kettlebells, plyo boxes, pull up bars, sandbags, etc.

COMMON QUESTIONS?

What if I miss a day?
Begin where you left off when you return to training. This program is progressed – each session builds upon the prior session – so don’t skip a session or skip around. Follow the training sessions in order, regardless.

Where do I find unfamiliar exercises?
See our Exercise Library HERE. The Run/Ruck Calculator is listed as an exercise.

What about nutrition?
See our Nutritional Guidelines HERE.

Can I see sample training?
Yes. Click the “Sample Training” tab to see the entire first week of programming.

How do I access the plan?
Access is online, via username and password. You can log in either through our website or through our app (Mtn Tactical Fitness) available for IOS and Android.

Can I print out sessions to take to the gym?
Yes – you can print a week of programming at a time.

More Questions? Email: coach@mtntactical.com

DISCLAIMER

Before beginning any exercise program, consult with your physician to ensure that you are in proper health. Physical training contains inherent risks including, but not limited to, muscle strains, tears, physical and bodily injury up to and including death. This training program is not meant to provide medical advice; you should obtain medical advice from your private health care practitioner. If you are unable to assume these risks then you should not engage in this training program. No liability is assumed by Mountain Tactical Institute, Inc, its owners or employees, and you train at your own risk. Mountain Tactical Institute makes no warranty, express or implied, of any kind in connection with this training program.

Required Equipment

Tequila requires a fully outfitted functional fitness gym with barbells, bumper plates, racks, dumbbells and/or kettlebells, plyo boxes, pull up bars, sandbags, etc.

Sample Training

Below is Week 1 from this Training Plan

******************

MONDAY
SESSION 1
Obj: Strength, Chassis Integrity

Warm Up:
3 Rounds
Dumbbell Complex @ 15/25#
Lat + Pec Stretch

Training:

(1) 5 Round Grind …
3x Dumbbell/Kettlebell Hang Squat Clean - increase load each round until 3x is hard, but doable
5x Kneeling Curl to Press - increase load each round until 5x is hard, but doable
5x Walking Lunge - increase load each round until 5x is hard, but doable
3/6x Pull Up

“Grind” = work steadily, but not frantically through this circuit. Expect it to take around 25 minutes

(2) 15 Minute Grind …
5x 1-Sided Dead Lift @ 15/25#
5x Seated Keg Lift @ 16/20kg kettlebell or 35/45# dumbbell
5x Sandbag Getup @ 40/60# (alternate sides each round)
10x Face Down Back Extension

“Grind” = work steadily, but not frantically through this circuit. Expect it to take around 25 minutes

(3) Foam Roll Legs, Low Back

******************

TUESDAY
SESSION 2
Obj: Work Capacity, Upper Body Hypertrophy

Warm Up
3 Rounds
10x Squats
5x Hand Release Push Ups
5x Walking Lunge
6x 40-Foot Shuttles
Instep Stretch

Training:

(1) 6 Rounds
1 Minute Prone to Sprint
1 Minute Rest

Go as hard as possible during the 1 minute Prone to Sprint work period. This should suck…

(2) 6 Rounds
8x Arnold Press - increase load rapidly each round until 8x is hard but doable
8x Bent Over Barbell Row - increase load rapidly each round until 8x is hard but doable
Lat + Pec Stretch

******************

WEDNESDAY
SESSION 3
Obj: Tactical Agility, Endurance

Warm Up:
3 Rounds
10x Squats
5x Hand Release Push Ups
4x Prone to Sprint
Instep Stretch

Training:

(1) 6 Rounds
TAC SEPA - 10 Yard Sprint from Perpendicular Prone
Walk Back to Start

(2) Run 1 Mile for Time

RECORD FINISH TIME

(3) 2 Rounds
Hip Flexor Stretch
Instep Stretch

******************

THURSDAY
SESSION 4
Obj: Strength, Chassis Integrity

Warm Up:
3 Rounds
Dumbbell Complex @ 15/25#
Lat + Pec Stretch

Training:

(1) 5 Round Grind …
3x 2-Handed Kettlebell/Dumbbell Clean + Strict Press - increase load each round until 3x is hard, but doable
5x Kettlebell Floor Press - increase load each round until 5x is hard, but doable
5x Dumbbell/Kettlebell Front Squat - increase load each round until 5x is hard, but doable
8x Renegade Row - increase load each round until 8x is hard, but doable

“Grind” = work steadily, but not frantically through this circuit. Expect it to take around 25 minutes

(2) 15 Minute Grind …
5x Dumbbell Crawl @ 15/25#
5x Keg Lift @ 40/60# Sandbag
5x Sandbag Clean & Press @ 40/60#
10x Good Morning @ 40/60# Sandbag

“Grind” = work steadily, but not frantically through this circuit. Expect it to take around 25 minutes

(3) Foam Roll Legs, Low Back

******************

FRIDAY
SESSION 5
Obj: Work Capacity, Upper Body Hypertrophy

Warm Up
3 Rounds
6x Power Clean + Push Press @ 55/75#
6x Hand Release Push Ups
6x Box Jumps @ 20”
6x Goblet Squats @ 12kg
Instep Stretch

Training:

(1) 15 Rounds, Every 60 seconds ….
3x Power Clean + Push Press @ 85/115#
6x Box Jumps @ 20/24”

(2) 6 Rounds
8x Bench Press - increase load rapidly each round until 8x is hard but doable
8x Alternating Dumbbell Curl - increase load rapidly each round until 8x is hard but doable
Lat + Pec Stretch

1) Mission Direct

Gym numbers mean nothing. All that matters is mission performance.

To this end, MTI’s fitness solutions and programming are not boxed in by convention, tradition, orthodoxy, public opinion or any other artificial constraint driven by inside or outside forces.

We begin with the raw fitness demands of the mission and build a fitness solution which directly prepares the athlete for those demands.

2) Fitness Solutions Built from the Ground Up

MTI’s programming is not “re-tread” bodybuilding, football, CrossFit, kettlebell, strength or general fitness programming. We’ve built our fitness programming for mountain and tactical athletes from the ground up.

The Fluid Periodization methodology we deploy to concurrently train multiple fitness attributes is completely original and has continued to evolve and improve over the years.

Our mid-section training methodology, Chassis Integrity, is also original, as is our endurance programming, 7 strength training progressions, tactical agility, and work capacity programming.

Our mountain sports pre-season training plans, tactical PFT, selection, school, course, and fitness improvement training plans across military, LE and Fire Rescue are MTI-developed, tested and athlete-proven.

Over the years hundreds of athletes and coaches have taken our advanced programming and unit fitness leader programming courses and MTI is widely recognized within the mountain and tactical professions and fitness media as a thought leader in fitness programming for military and tactical athletes.

3) The MTI Method

→ Research: MTI begins program design with extensive research of the fitness demands of the mission, sport or event, identifies the exercises and progressions which sport-specifically meet those demands, chose end-of-cycle goals, and program backward to design the training plan.

→ Deploy & Assess: We deploy the training plan “Lab Rats” at our Wyoming facility. Training session and cycle issues are identified and fixed as we work through the training plan. Post cycle we assess the programming’s effectiveness and efficiency. We keep the stuff that works, and fix or toss the stuff that doesn’t.

→ Publish & Assess Again: Plan is published for purchase as an individual training plan and made available to our subscribers. Feedback/results are assessed.

→ Iterate: We take what we learn from lab rats and athletes, re-visit, update and improve already published training plans. Several of our individual training plans are on their 4th or 5th version.

4) Mission-Direct Research

MTI exists to “Improve Mountain and Tactical Athletes mission performance and keep them safe.” To that end, we have developed a unique research methodology aimed at identifying real world areas of improvement and identifying immediately deployable mission-direct solutions. Click HERE to learn more about MTI’s Mission-Direct Research methodology, and Here to read about just few of our research efforts.

5) Field Proven

Our stuff works. Weekly we receive unsolicited reviews of our programming and testimonials to its effectiveness.

6) Programming Breadth

MTI’s library of 200+ sport-specific fitness plans for mountain and tactical athletes is unmatched. Resources range from specific programming for tactical special forces selections, to specific plans for climbing Rainier and Denali, to general fitness solutions such as running improvement, to post-rehab from injury.

Over the past decade, MTI has partnered with hundreds of athletes throughout their individual mountain and tactical careers, and provided fitness solutions as they face new mountain objectives, tactical schools, selections, PFTs and deployments, and came back from injury.

7) Worldwide Influence

Our work is not limited to US Athletes.

We’ve developed selection-specific training plans for Canadian, UK, Australian and German Special Forces Selections and worked with individual military personnel from Scandinavia, South, and Central America.

Canadian, Australian, UK and western European law enforcement and fire/rescue athletes have used MTI programming for mission-direct fitness.

On the mountain side, Alpinists from Japan to Slovakia have consulted with MTI and used MTI’s programming to prepare for mountain objectives.

8) Mission Performance beyond Fitness

MTI’s exists is to improve Mission Performance for mountain and tactical athletes and keep them safe.

This focus on “mission direct” solutions, enhancements and improvements drives our work and research and extends beyond fitness solutions to include training, leadership, gear, team culture, and safety.

Fitness is just one area of our work.

Our non-fitness research has included tactical cultures, combat uniforms, and gore-tex performance, and effect of stress on marksmanship.

Our work on defining what it means to be a Quiet Professional has had penetrating influence and driven healthy conversations with both mountain and tactical professionals.

9) Direct, Honest, Clear Answers

Since 2007 we’ve taken and answered dozens of questions weekly from mountain and tactical athletes. We’ve saved these individual Q&A’s and now thousands are archived on our site.

We’re not salesmen, and our answers are noted for their directness, honesty, and clarity. Our stuff isn’t for everyone. If we can help, we’ll let you know. If we can’t, we’ll let you know that, too.

– Rob Shaul, Founder

All of the Above is Backed Up By Our Promise: Our Stuff Works. Guaranteed.

Our Stuff Works. Guaranteed.

By Rob Shaul

I received notes frequently from athletes hesitant to purchase a subscription or training plans asking me to sell them on why they should make the purchase.

While I understand the question, I’m not a salesman – so I can’t put a hard sale on anyone for our programming.

I can tell them the process we go through to design our programming.

We begin with extensive research on the fitness demands of the event, identify the exercises and progressions which sport specifically meet those demands, chose end-of-cycle goals, and program backward to design the plan.

Then we test the cycle on ourselves and our lab rats here in Wyoming. We document, note what works and doesn’t work, re-assess, and make changes and modifications.

Then we publish the programming in the form of one of our plans or as part of our subscription daily training sessions for tactical and mountain athletes.
We don’t stop there – our daily programming is the “tip of the spear” for our programming evolution. We use these sessions to learn and make continuous improvement.

As we learn more and improve, we go back, and update the sport-specific training plans on the website. For example, we’re currently on Version 5 of our Ruck Based Selection Training Plan and Version 3 of our Dryland Ski Training Plan and Version 4 of our Big Game Back Country Hunting Training Plan.

We understand our programing isn’t cheap, but we believe it’s a great value. The $79 for the Ruck Based Selection Training Plan, and $39 for the Dryland Ski Training Plan reflect the, research, work, innovative theory, iteration, testing and feedback we’ve put in and received to make these plans effective.

All that matters for us is outside performance, and we feel strongly that Our Stuff Works in the real world.

Here’s our guarantee:

1) Individual Training Plan Purchase:
If you purchase an individual training plan, follow it as prescribed before your season/event/pft/selection, and if you don’t feel you were physically ready for your season/event/pft/selection, and/or didn’t see dramatic improvements in your early season performance, we’ll refund your money, no questions asked.

2) Athlete’s Subscription
If you purchase an Athletes’ Subscription, follow the training sessions as prescribed, and are not satisfied with the quality of the programming, notify us within 30 days of purchase, and we’ll refund your money, no questions asked.

Questions?
Email: rob@mtntactical.com

COMMON QUESTIONS:

Do you have any reviews or testimonials from athletes who have used your Athlete’s Subscription
Yes. Click HERE.

Is it true you guarantee your stuff works?
Yes. If you purchase an Athletes’ Subscription, follow the training sessions as prescribed, and are not satisfied with the quality of the programming, notify us within 30 days of purchase, and we’ll refund your money, no questions asked.

How is MTI programming different than CrossFit?
This is a common question. Read our answer HERE.

You have a lot of competitors. Why should I choose MTI?
MTI is driven to improve mountain and tactical athletes’ mission performance and keep them safe. This emphasis and focus on mission performance sets us apart. Read about more that sets us apart HERE.

If I purchase a plan or subscription, how do I access the programming?
All of our plans are online, accessible via username and password.
You can log in through our →Website or Mobile App →IOS and Android.

Do you have downloadable .pdf’s of the training plans?
No. But you can print the programming, by week, from your browser. You access individual training plans online via a username and password.

Do you have a mobile app?
Yes, we do. Available for IOS and Android.

What is the difference between purchasing an individual training plan, packet of plans or an Athlete’s Subscription?

Plan – Like purchasing the DVD of the first Star Wars movie. You own it forever, including any updates we make to the plan.
Packet – Like purchasing the DVD’s of all the Star Wars movies. You own them forever, including any updates we make to the plans.
Athlete’s Subscription – Like subscribing to Netflix. You get access to all 200+ plan in our library, but lose access if you unsubscribe.

If I purchase an Athletes Subscription Can I cancel on my own, anytime?
Yes.

Do I have to contact MTI to cancel or can I do it myself?
You can do it yourself. Instructions HERE.

If I purchase a subscription and have questions about where to start or what plans(s) to use for my goals, will you help?
Yes. We answer dozens of training questions from athletes weekly. Email coach@mtntactical.com.

If you add new plans or update existing plans after I subscribe will I have access to them?
Yes. We are continuously adding training plans and packets (2-5/month) and updating plans. With your subscription you’ll have access to all new plans, new courses and plan updates.

What Equipment is Required?
Click the “Required Equipment” tab to find out what equipment is required for the specific plan you are interested in.

Where do I find unfamiliar exercises?
See our Exercise Library HERE. The Run and Ruck Calculators are listed as exercises.

What about nutrition?
See our Nutritional Guidelines HERE.

Can I see sample training?
Click the “Sample Training” tab to see the entire first week of programming. You are encouraged to do it before purchasing.

What if I have more questions?
Email rob@mtntactical.com

Testimonials

3/27/22
First, I’ll be starting Whiskey in two weeks and also plan to get back in the pool one day a week to rebuild some swim skills I need for dive work. When following Whiskey what day would I best be able to add a swim (skill work totaling less than 1000m) as a second workout?

Secondly, I want to share my experience with Tequila. I caught COVID while working overseas in November. My aerobic capacity was destroyed as was my overall strength due to low energy levels and inability to lift. After a few weeks of cycling, I was in a place to get back on a structured plan. I’ve been using your plans almost exclusively since 2014 and previously been through the virtues a few times plus have purchased quite a few others. However, they all seemed too daunting at this time. Tequila seemed like a good choice with the run capped at a single mile, DB/KB strength circuits that had potential to build work capacity and strength simultaneously, and the core circuits that could increase my work capacity and help set conditions to get back to heavier lifting.

This ended up being the perfect plan for what I was trying to accomplish. I had to scale weight for some of the movements, but I am feeling great now. I start week 6 tomorrow and as early as week 4 my teammates, Commander, and my wife started commenting on seeing a visual difference in physique. Could easily run this program again and increase weights, but I’m moving to Whiskey next mostly because the runs seem like a manageable progression (current top priority), plus I am hungry to get back under a barbell.
Thank you for putting out quality products!

**********************************

"Just wanted to let you know how your program has impacted me. I’m only on week 4 of the Tequila program but have already seen drastic changes. I used to only weight lift and didn’t incorporate anything else. I have seen my cardio get better and I even feel better. I am State Trooper assigned to help the New Orleans Police Department in the French Quarter. Today I was involved in an incident dealing with a subject on “mojo” and had to wrestle with him for about 10 minutes until backup arrived. I think your program has helped me tremendously for situations just like that. Thanks for what y’all do, I’m looking forward to using some of the other plans."

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