By Adam Scott, MS, CSCS Background: VO2max or maximal oxygen consumption is a measure of an individual’s ability to utilize oxygen during increased exercise demand. It is measured in absolute terms (liters of oxygen used per min – L/min) and relative terms (milliliters of oxygen used per kilogram per min – ml/kg/min). VO2max is typically […]
Research
Ruck Deep Dive – Study #2: Best Ways to Improve Rucking
By Adam Scott, MS, CSCS Summary In September 2015 Mountain Tactical Institute began the second official study in our Ruck Deep Dive research series. This study was designed to assess the effects of a 6-week training plan on rucking ability. Having already identified physical attributes which related to initial rucking performance (Ruck Study #1), […]
Study Results: Power Clean vs. Power Snatch. Which is Better at Creating Speed and Explosiveness?
Samuel McCue, USAW SPC-L1, CF-L1 Adam Scott, MS, CSCS Background Whether an athlete is a high school novice, a Tier-1 operator, or a working professional, training time is always at a premium. One of the most hotly debated topics is “if” and/or “how” to program Olympic Weight Lifting (OWL) for non-OWL athletes. Research has […]
Have a “Mission Direct” Research Idea? We Want to Hear It.
“Are you a tactical or mountain athlete familiar with our work who has an idea for one of our research studies? We want to hear it.”
Study: Moderate Stress Significantly Impacts Marksmanship
Study: THE EFFECTS OF STRESS ON MARKSMANSHIP Link to Full Study: MTI Stress and Marksmanship Study OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of stress on marksmanship performance, as applied through four variables: (1) Physical Activity, (2) Time, (3) Resources Constraints (Ammunition) and (4) Competition. METHODS Fifteen full-time members of […]
Study: Energy Drinks Can Help Maintain Marksmanship Performance
Study: THE EFFECT OF ENERGY DRINKS ON MARKSMANSHIP (LINK TO FULL STUDY: MTI Energy Drink and Marksmanship Study) By Adam Scott, MS, CSCS OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a popular energy drink (Monster Zero Ultra) on non-stressed and stressed marksmanship. METHODS: Fifteen full-time members of a state law enforcement […]
Backcountry Hunting Part II: The Physical Demands
By Adam Scott, MS, CSCS Our Backcountry Big Game Hunting Plan is specifically designed to prepare hunters for self-supported backcountry big game hunting in the Rocky Mountain West, Canada or Alaska. You’ll be chasing game in steep, rocky terrain, covering long distances, and carrying heavy loads. But, how steep is the terrain?…How long are the […]
Marksmanship, Stress and Energy Drinks – Initial Results
Adam Scott, MS, CSCS In October 2015, researchers from Mountain Tactical Institute (MTI) were in the Midwest to work with a full-time, state-wide law enforcement tactical unit on two marksmanship studies: 1. Examining the effects of stress, as applied through a single Range Fitness Drill, on marksmanship performance. 2. Examining the effects of energy […]
Developing a Work Capacity Standard Part III: The Results
This article was first published in October 2015. By Adam Scott, MS, CSCS A Quick Review For the last two months, we have been busy trying to develop a work capacity standard for operators. To do this we turned first to mechanical power outputs – specifically wattage production during various physical activities (Article #1). This […]
Burpee Beep Ladder…Can You Keep Up?
By Adam Scott, MS CSCS We developed an assessment that tested our athlete’s muscular endurance, anaerobic fitness, aerobic fitness, and mental toughness. We called this assessment the Burpee Beep Ladder (BBL). The BBL assessment consists of multiple, back-to-back one-minute intervals. In order to move “up the ladder” an athlete must complete a certain number of […]