Charlie Bausman

  Our ‘Ask Rob’ series is a direct line to MTI’s Founder, Rob Shaul. We’ll provide in-depth answers on training, coaching, gear, and mountain/tactical topics of any kind (within reason). If you sent a question this week and don’t see a response, don’t fret. We’ll publish the answer to your question in the following week. […]

  BLUF This study explored the effectiveness of velocity-based training (VBT) compared to 1RM percent-based training over eight weeks, focusing on improvements in athletic performance such as sprinting, jumping, change of direction (COD), and maximal strength. Velocity Based Training outperformed traditional 1RM percentage-based progressions in developing jump height, sprint speed, and agility among experienced athletes. […]

As marijuana becomes more widely accepted and legalized, athletes are increasingly curious about its impact on training, performance, and recovery. While THC, the psychoactive compound in marijuana, can provide relaxation and pain relief, it also impairs motor skills and cognitive function, which can interfere with athletic performance. This article provides research-based guidelines for athletes, emphasizing […]

BLUF The study “The Influence of Physical Fitness on Reasons for Academy Separation in Law Enforcement Recruits” analyzed 401 recruits from five academy classes at a Southern California law enforcement agency. It found that aerobic fitness (as measured by the multistage fitness test) and high-intensity, multi-directional running (measured by the 75-yard pursuit run) were the […]

Alcohol consumption is a heavily debated topic in the sports and fitness world. Many coaching gurus will call for quitting alcohol entirely. Ultimately, this isn’t a reasonable approach for a drinking culture as strong as most western countries.  The bottom line is that people drink. This is especially true with the tactical and mountain populations […]

We’ve been hard at work updating our training plans and converting them to work with all of the new features available in the MTI App available in the Apple & Google Play stores. Over the next few weeks, the app will be updated based on our Athlete Survey to increase the app’s capabilities and ease […]

Wildland Fire season continues to be a significant problem for the U.S. It sounds like a broken record, but fire season is longer, more intense, and involves far more land than it ever has. This is paired with continued challenges in recruiting and retaining Wildland Firefighters, who are most often seasonal employees who earn no […]

I have been Mountain Biking for four years and consider myself to be an intermediate rider. The local riding is primarily enduro-focused, with the terrain dictating a steep climb followed by a long, steep descent. Recently, something has ‘clicked’ in my riding, where my confidence and riding performance has increased dramatically. Tight, fast turns and […]

MTI recently traveled to Camp Lejeune in North Carolina to work with small unit leaders at 2nd Battalion, 6th Marines. The intent behind the education was to teach a plug-and-play style methodology of implementing intentionally designed fitness training, specific to military athletes. We led three classes, one per day, consisting of 40-50 Marines, of Squad […]

The current military commissioning pathways require a bachelor’s degree, limiting opportunities for many capable enlisted personnel to advance to officer ranks. This requirement, though rooted in a desire to ensure professional and intellectual standards, overlooks the practical experience and leadership skills that many enlisted members bring to the table. The Current Landscape In the U.S. […]