By Rob Shaul Through the Mountain Tactical Institute, we have several mountain-focused studies in the works which we hope to complete this fall and winter. 1) FreeSkier Fitness Testing, Pre and Post Dryland, Pre and Post Ski Season The first two day’s of this year’s dryland training for our pro FreeSkiers was spent on fitness […]
Knowledge
A Week on Rob Shaul’s Diet
By Rob Shaul Below is a typical weekly menu for me. On our current schedule, I start coaching in the morning at 7am, and generally wake up at 4 or 4:30 am. I have time to run and read in the morning, and often cook a couple eggs for breakfast. I try to eat “clean” […]
Kit DesLauriers: Priorities and Perspective in Training for the Mountains
By Kit DesLauriers I live, train and ski professionally in the Rocky Mountains but just woke up from spending my third consecutive night at sea level and am now sitting on a porch overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. This may sound idyllic except for the fact that after I go home to Jackson, WY in a […]
Rethinking “Physical Readiness” in the Modern Military
In 2009 the United State Marine Corps formally implemented the Combat Fitness Test (CFT). The CFT was a departure from decades of stale physical readiness thinking. For the first time the US military had a test which incorporated performance related components of fitness which were modeled on the rigors of combat. Now, Commander David Peterson, […]
Leadership’s Role in a Unit’s Fitness Culture? (Hint…. It’s Hard To Respect A Tactical Leader Who Isn’t Fit)
Through the Mountain Tactical Institute, we’re developing a “Fitness Culture Assessment” for tactical units. Key to the assessment results will be leadership’s support, or lack of support for fitness at the unit. Last week we posted a survey asking three important questions about leadership’s role in unit fitness and received nearly 150 responses. Below are […]
You’re Doing Your Push-Ups Wrong
Outside Online published this article about some of the mistakes we commonly see athletes make with push-ups. Link to the original article. By Meaghen Brown According to Mountain Athlete strength and conditioning coach Adam Scott, a perfect push-up can challenge even the fittest athletes when done correctly, but can also be rendered completely useless when done […]
Lessons and Observations From The Firehouse Expo
Adam Scott, MS, CSCS We spent three days at the National Firehouse Expo in Baltimore, Maryland. Our Fire/Rescue (F/R) Athlete programming has been in the works for sometime now, and with the publication and release of our three new F/R Athlete Training Plans we saw this expo as a chance to reach out and engage […]
Plan Focus: Low Back Fitness Training Plan
By Rob Shaul Lower backs are a mystery. I’ve read every book I could find on low back injuries, their causes, and possible fixes. I could find no consensus. Causes listed include too much sitting, to poor hip/hamstring/low back flexibility, “tight hip flexors” and overall job and family stress. The only “easy” low back injuries […]
Fire Rescue Professionals: Take our Culture of Fitness Survey
By Dr. Kristen Ouellette In the tactical community, it is understood that fitness is an important component of job performance. However, when it comes to training habits and accountability for ones own fitness, the methods for testing and maintaining fitness within various units is inconsistent. Recently, we have been developing a system to assess the […]
The Barbell Shackle
By Rob Shaul Part of our hiring process for a new coach here is a programming assignment. The candidates who make the first cut – a resume review – are sent a programming task and given a week to complete it. We work with such a unique set of athletes, the programming assignment is […]