By Rob Shaul, Founder The Diamond Mountain Hotshots, located in Northern California, fight fires in Region 5 North Ops. Last May, near the end of their spring training camp and before the fire season kicked off, 18 members of the Diamond Mountain Shotshots took the MTI Wildland Fire Fitness Assessment. The Crew’s average score was […]
Rob Shaul
Introducing the Tactical BJJ “Action Hero” Training Packet
By Charlie Bausman With the surge of popularity of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ), we’ve received many emails from athletes inquiring about best methods for strength and conditioning training. Some are current Tactical Athletes (Military, Law Enforcement, Fire Rescue) who want to balance the fitness requirements of the profession with BJJ physical demands, while others […]
Arete 12.9.21
Military S-67 Blackhawk: What Could Have Been, Sandboxx Armor Crews Fire New Barricade-Busting Tank Round, Army Times Can-Do Is Not Working, Proceedings Biden to warn Putin U.S. will add troops in Eastern Europe if Russia invades Ukraine, Axios Austin Warns Against Over-Hyping Recent Chinese Weapons Tests, Defense One A mix of 4,000 Marines and Japanese soldiers will run a series of […]
Arete 12.2.21
Military Russia’s Growing Secret Submarine Fleet, USNI News The U.S. Army’s Uncomfortable Role in a War Over Taiwan, War on the Rocks What About China’s Hypersonic and Nuclear Capabilities? Real Clear Defense The Folly of Generals, Strategy Bridge Space Force: U.S. Satellites Are Being Attacked Every Day, The War Zone How to Make It Through Special Forces Selection, WATM Pentagon Report Recommends […]
“Life is What Happens When You’re Busy Making Other Plans”
By Rob Shaul I first saw this John Lennon quote in Curtis P’s kitchen – yes, that Curtis P – the exercise namesake. An oilfield welder and weight room meathead, Curtis was also a poet-philosopher, with a rare purposeful focus on his life at a young age. Lennon’s phrase was on display in his kitchen […]
Mini Study: 3 Weeks of “Big 36” Progression Leads to an average of 9.5% Strength Gains across 5 Exercises
By Rob Shaul BLUF Remote MTI Lab Rats showed nearly 10% strength gain over 5 strength exercises following a new “Big 36” strength progression for 3 weeks. Eight remote lab rats completed the cycle. Below are the average 1RM strength gains: Back Squat – 12.08% Bench Press – 7.13% Hinge Lift – 10.82% Push […]
Things I’ve Learned From MTI
By Anonymous This is not a complete list. Some of these things I learned directly from Rob’s writing, and others are realizations I came to while digesting his work, doing the work myself, and then reflecting on the work. Not everything on this list is directly from MTI, but the majority is derived […]
Arete – Thanksgiving Day, 2021
Military ‘Almost a Melding’ of U.S., U.K., Aussie Services Coming, BrDef They were painted as rogue Green Berets. This is the truth the Pentagon doesn’t want you to hear, Task & Purpose Navy Pay Delays Have Forced Some Sailors to Take Out Loans, Military.com A Navy SEAL, an Impossible Mission, a Medal of Honor, Sandboxx News Defense Innovation Unit publishes […]
Arete 11.18.21
Military Gen. Hyten Gives Details About China’s Hypersonic Weapons Test, CBS The Commercial Gear That Could Be the Future of Warfighting, Sandboxx News Is the U.S. Navy’s F/A-18 Super Hornet Doomed?, Real Clear Defense Past as Prelude? Envisioning the Future of Special Operations, Strategy Bridge A harrowing night in Afghanistan earns A-10 pilot the Distinguished Flying Cross, 10 years later, […]
Introducing MTI’s “Busy Dad” Training Plans
By Rob Shaul Over the past few months, I’ve received more than the normal number of emails from athletes describing themselves as a “busy Dad” and in need of a relatively short, super-efficient training plan. Sometimes these come from civilian athletes, but more often than not they come from mountain or tactical professionals, or former […]