Thank you to all who responded to last week’s MTI Collective Question, “What book has had the biggest influence on your professional life?” The response comes from across the spectrum of military, law enforcement, fire, mountain, law, and business experiences. We’ve taken the liberty of linking all book recommendations to an Amazon listing should you […]
Charlie Bausman
Planning a Year of Training for the Multi-Sport Mountain Athlete
We often receive questions from athletes who participate in mountain sports year-round on how to schedule out their training to retain a high level of readiness and long-term durability development, as well as timing on when to drop into a sport-specific preseason plan. Periodizing a year of training isn’t easy, so let’s break it down. […]
Trekking Pole Research Round Up
Do trekking poles help athletes with speed, efficiency, and stability? BLUF: Trekking pole use in varied terrain has a higher overall metabolic demand, although the extra demand is not perceived by the athlete. The demand is “spread out” to the upper body, somewhat relieving the focused demand on the legs. Trekking poles reduce the ground […]
ACFT or APFT at Army Schools?
We’ve received inquiries from Army Soldiers requesting that MTI update it’s Army schools to the ACFT. However, we’re unsure if the Army has formally adopted the ACFT as the entry PT test of record for its formal schools such as Air Assault, Airborne, Ranger, etc. Additionally, it appears that Congress has recommended the ACFT be […]
Snapshot of Special Operations Selection Attrition Rates
The recently released document from the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) headquarters provides an insightful and detailed overview of the attrition rates within the elite units of SOCOM’s operational forces. This comprehensive data sheds light on the rigorous selection processes and the intensely competitive nature of the training programs across different branch components. In […]
MTI Collective Responses: What’s the worst piece of career advice you’ve ever received?
We received incredible responses to our first MTI Collective question, “What is the worst piece of professional advice you’ve received?”. The respondent’s professional experience range from military, law enforcement, fire, and private industry. Thank you to the respondents for sharing your lessons learned, as we hope others will be able to utilize these anecdotes in […]
Mini Study: A Snapshot of the Sleep Patterns, Activity and Stress of Urban Firefighters at a Mid-Sized US City
BLUFThis Mini Study offers a 2-week snapshot of sleep patterns, activity, and stress levels among a group of full-time firefighters over a two-week period, aimed at contributing to the ongoing research on the daily rigors of first responders. Firefighters in this snapshot averaged close to 8 hours of sleep per night, with relatively high sleep […]
Q&A 1.4.24
QUESTION I am applying to the Air Force Academy, West Point, and the Naval Academy. I currently am in decent shape, but am definitely not going to show up off the couch. My parents were smokejumpers and hotshots, so they are telling me I need a targeted training plan geared toward the PT test. Which […]
MONSTER FACTORY
The Athletes HADLEY HAMMER “Cowboy” SPONSORS: Mountain Athlete, Marmot, Smith Optics and Helmets, Line Skis, GU Energy, Runa, AION, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, backcountry.com FAVORITE TRAINING CYCLE: I enjoy each of the training cycles. Work Capacity because it tests my mental strength and I have an odd love of sprinting, Strength because it fills you with confidence […]
Nutrition Coaching with the Tactical Dietitian
Who is the Tactical Dietitian? My name is Susan Lopez. Professionally, I am a registered sports dietitian with over 12 years of experience working with athletes from the tactical community. I have spent my career working with individuals and organizations from fire, law enforcement, conventional military, and special operations. My passion is educating […]