By Rob Shaul BLUF (Bottom Line Up Front): A systematic review of 43 studies (6,373 participants) found that 85% of Emergency First Responders (firefighters, paramedics) suffer from sleep deprivation during 24-hour shift, and this plus poor sleep quality, high workload, and psychological stress contributie to chronic to fatigue in EFRs. Fatigue impairs cognitive function, […]
Knowledge
An In-Depth Interview with Strength Coach Dave Hageman, Ph.D.
“Trying to do too much in a session dilutes the benefits of any single lift. Keep it simple, effective, and consistent.” – Dave Hageman, Ph.D. Introduction Dave Hageman, Ph.D., brings over two decades of strength and conditioning expertise shaped by a multifaceted career: high school football player under a Russian-trained Olympic lifting coach, West Point […]
Wyatt Jobe: Ice, Mountains, and the Pursuit of Precision in Valdez
By Rob Shaul MTI Athlete Wyatt Jobe, is an experienced climber and paramedic based in Valdez, Alaska. For the mountain athlete familiar with Alaska’s conditions, Jobe’s approach to climbing, ski mountaineering, and risk management is both pragmatic and relentless. His Climbing ethos is straightforward: endure, adapt, and come back alive. Wyatt was recently on the […]
Gym-Based Mental Fitness – Does it Transfer to the Real Thing?
By MTI Staff Mental fitness and resilience are increasingly discussed within the worlds of mountain sports, tactical professions, and strength and conditioning. To explore these concepts, Rob Shaul, founder of MTI (Mountain Tactical Institute), hosted a roundtable discussion with members of the MTI athlete team, including Wyatt Jobe (alpinist and wilderness paramedic), Steven Swingle (law […]
MINI STUDY: “Power-Focused” Programming Increases Tactical Power Across 4 Assessments While Also Improving Max Effort Strength
By Rob Shaul, MTI Founder BLUF (Bottom Line Up Front): Four weeks of power-focused programming—incorporating max effort strength, speed strength, ballistic strength, and plyometric/sprint-focused tactical agility drills—improved Tactical Power across four assessments for six remote “lab rats.” Results are detailed below. Background In classic strength and conditioning, “power” is defined as the ability to exert […]
Research Review: Physiological Predictors of Performance in Competitive Ski Mountaineering
By Rob Shaul BLUF (Bottom Line Up Front) A 2021 study of 21 male Austrian SKIMO athletes (including National Team members) found that VO2max, velocity at VT2, and peak lactate levels were the strongest performance predictors in a simulated vertical race. The study also found that in a controled laboratory setting, the elite SKIMO […]
MTB Pros Drill Fundamental Skills to Improve – I Had to Do the Same
By Alex Ackerly, MTI Athlete Team, S&C Coach As a strength and conditioning coach specializing in mountain biking, I’ve spent years helping riders build the physical capabilities to ride harder, longer, and with more resilience. I understand biomechanics, the demands of the sport, and how to develop strength, endurance, and durability off the bike. But […]
Research Round Up: A Systematic Review of the Impact of Combat Rations on Military Performance
BLUF (Bottom Line Up Front) A systematic review of 30 studies examining the effects of combat ration (CR) use over 3 to 40 days found that military personnel consistently lost body weight (BW), fat mass (FM), and fat-free mass (FFM) while consuming operational rations such as Meals Ready to Eat (MRE’s). These losses were most […]
Arete 2.5.24
Military, National Defense, Foreign Policy Trump to ‘Post’: Gazan relocation plan will happen, Egypt and Jordan won’t say no, JPost.com How Trump’s ‘Iron Dome for America’ upends four decades of nuclear doctrine, Breaking Defense A Decisive Month for Germany, The National Interest The Taliban Is Selling America’s Lost Afghanistan Arsenal, The National Interest Trump administration […]
MTI Barbell Complex Challenge
Barbell Complex Challenge Results We wanted to see who could meet the standards of our Barbell Complex Challenge. This is a tough one… The lift consists of the following movements… 6x reps of each: You can’t put the barbell down during the complex – it has to be completed in one go. Full hip extension […]