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 force quickly or the rate at which work is performed. It is a critical component of athletic performance, particularly in sports requiring explosive movements like sprinting, jumping, or lifting.
Power = Work / Time or Power = Force × Velocity
Traditionally, power enhances explosive athletic movements (e.g., sprints, jumps, Olympic lifts) by balancing strength and speed, enabling athletes to apply force effectively in dynamic environments. Team sport strength and conditioning programs often include power blocks following strength blocks, focusing on plyometrics (e.g., box jumps, depth jumps), sprints, Olympic-style lifts (e.g., power cleans, hang cleans, snatches), and medicine ball throws. Common power assessments for team sport athletes include 1RM tests for cleans and variations, vertical jump height, force plate metrics, standing broad jumps, and medicine ball throw distances.
In contrast, “Tactical Power” for tactical athletes (military, law enforcement, fire/rescue) lacks a robust tradition. Currently, the US Army ACFT assesses it solely via the 10-pound medicine ball Standing Power Throw (SPT). Our goals for this mini-study were threefold:
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Define “Tactical Power.”
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Develop mission-direct assessments for Tactical Power.
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Test traditional power-training methodologies to improve these assessments.
Defining “Tactical Power”
Our first step was to define “Tactical Power” in relation to the mission-direct demands of tactical athletes. Here’s the working definition we adopted:
“Tactical Power is the integrated capacity to explosively generate and apply force rapidly across strength, speed, and agility-based movements under load, fatigue, and dynamic conditions, directly enhancing the operational effectiveness of tactical athletes in high-stress environments. It is characterized by the ability to perform mission-critical tasks—such as throwing objects, lifting under time constraints, or accelerating with equipment—with maximal efficiency and speed, as quantifiable through distance, time, and load metrics.”
Using this definition, we identified four assessments of Tactical Power:
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ACFT Standing Power Throw (SPT):
This assesses explosive upper-body power and coordination by measuring the distance a 10-pound medicine ball is thrown from a standing position. It reflects the ability to generate rapid force in a ballistic movement. We included this event due to its current use but note its flaws: technique, hand size, ball size, and other non-fitness factors can skew results. -
60-Pound Rotational Sandbag Throw:
This measures rotational power and core stability under load, simulating the need to move or throw heavy objects (e.g., sandbags, gear) in a tactical context. It emphasizes explosive power in a rotational plane, critical for tasks requiring torso rotation, such as maneuvering under load or throwing objects during combat or rescue operations. -
5x Power Clean + Push Press @ 75% Bodyweight for Time:
This evaluates explosive lower- and upper-body power, coordination, and endurance under a significant load (75% bodyweight). The time component adds fatigue and speed elements, reflecting the ability to perform repeated, high-intensity lifts rapidly—key for tasks like lifting casualties, equipment, or barriers in tactical scenarios. -
75m Prone-to-Sprint Shuttle (25m lengths) Wearing a 45# Ruck:
This assesses speed, power, and agility under load, starting from a prone position (simulating crawling or low-profile movement) and transitioning to explosive sprints across three 25m segments. It mirrors the need for rapid transitions, acceleration, and movement under fatigue in tactical operations, such as advancing under load or evading threats.
Elements of Tactical Power Derived from the Assessments
Explosiveness Across Multiple Planes:
The ACFT Standing Power Throw (SPT) and 60-pound rotational sandbag throw measure vertical and rotational power, respectively, reflecting the ability to produce rapid, ballistic force—hinging on a high rate of force development (force × velocity)—in tasks like throwing equipment, breaching obstacles, or manipulating heavy objects in confined or unpredictable spaces. These multi-planar movements align with the dynamic and complex demands of tactical operations, emphasizing operational relevance for real-world scenarios.
Strength-Speed Integration Under Load:
The 5x Power Clean + Push Press @ 75% bodyweight for time assesses the capacity to repeatedly generate explosive force with a submaximal load, combining lower- and upper-body power with speed. This mirrors operational needs such as lifting gear, moving obstacles, or assisting personnel under time pressure and fatigue, showcasing load specificity (e.g., 75% bodyweight) and endurance under fatigue as critical hallmarks of tactical performance.
Load-Bearing Acceleration and Agility:
The 75m prone-to-sprint shuttle (25m lengths) with a 45# ruck evaluates the ability to transition rapidly from a prone position to explosive sprints under load, emphasizing speed, coordination, and power endurance. It replicates tactical movements like advancing under load, moving under fire, or recovering from ground-based positions in combat or rescue contexts, integrating load specificity (e.g., 45# ruck) with dynamic, transitional movement patterns essential for mission-specific effectiveness.
Synthesized Characteristics:
Tactical Power is distinguished by its reliance on rapid force production, enabling quick, powerful actions under time constraints across all four assessments. The consistent use of external loads (e.g., 60# sandbag, 45# ruck, 75% bodyweight) reflects the weighted gear tactical athletes carry, setting it apart from traditional power measures. Its dynamic and functional nature—spanning vertical, rotational, and linear planes, as well as transitional movements—meets the unpredictable demands of tactical operations. The time-based (PC+PP) and repeated-effort (shuttle) components underscore endurance under fatigue, ensuring sustained power output during prolonged or repeated tasks, while each assessment supports practical application in throwing, lifting, or sprinting tasks critical to tactical environments.
Mini-Study Design
With the Tactical Power assessments established, we designed a 4-week, 5-day-per-week training cycle to improve them without “training to the test.” The first and last days were designated “assessment days.” The remaining sessions deployed traditional power-training methods: Max Effort Strength, Speed Strength, Ballistic Strength, Contrast Training, and Plyo/Agility.
Weekly Schedule:
- Monday: Max Effort Strength, Speed Strength, Ballistic Strength, Plyos/Agility
- Tuesday: Max Effort Strength, Speed Strength, Ballistic Strength, Plyos/Agility
- Wednesday: Rotational Strength/Power, Recovery Endurance
- Thursday: Max Effort Strength, Speed Strength, Ballistic Strength, Plyos/Agility
- Friday: Max Effort Strength, Speed Strength, Ballistic Strength, Plyos/Agility
Training Details:
Max Effort, Speed, and Ballistic Strength were trained four days per week using four primary exercises: Back Squat, Bench Press, Power Clean + Push Press, and Hinge Lift (Deadlift). Each session began with an exercise-specific warm-up, followed by a 1RM assessment, then “cluster sets” at 85% of 1RM. Speed Strength was trained at 50% of 1RM, and Ballistic Strength used 30% of 1RM or a related exercise with similar movement patterns. Following strength work, 10 minutes were dedicated to a combination plyometric and sprint Tactical Agility drill from MTI’s exercise library.
Example Training Session:
Objective: Strength, Power, Plyo/Sprint
Objective: Strength, Power, Plyo/Sprint
Warm-Up:
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3 Rounds:
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8x Back Squat (increase load each round)
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3x Scotty Bob
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Instep Stretch
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Lat + Pec Stretch
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Training:
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Work up to 1RM Back Squat
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5 Rounds (Cluster Sets):
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1x Back Squat @ 85% 1RM, Rest 30s
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1x Back Squat @ 85% 1RM, Rest 30s
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1x Back Squat @ 85% 1RM, Rest 2min
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3 Rounds (Speed with Contrast Training):
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3x Back Squat @ 50% 1RM (explosive concentric lift)
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Rest 30s
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1x Box Jump & Leap
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Hip Flexor Stretch
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3 Rounds (Ballistic with Contrast Training):
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3x Squat Jump with Barbell @ 30% 1RM
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Rest 30s
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1x Box Jump & Leap
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3rd World Squat Stretch
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3 Rounds (Plyo/Agility):
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2x TAC SEPA (Tactical Burpee Box Jump Drill, 20″ boxes)
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Walk back to start
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Pigeon Stretch
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Max Effort Strength was trained four days per week, with one daily focus on Back Squat, Power Clean + Push Press, Bench Press, or Hinge Lift (Deadlift).
Results & Discussion
We recruited nine veteran athletes for this mini-study, of whom six completed the 4-week training cycle. Their Tactical Power pre- and post-cycle assessment results are below:
Performance Summary:
Performance on the four Tactical Power assessments improved across the board.
Max Effort Strength (e.g., 1RM Back Squat, Bench Press, etc.) also increased, though specific gains varied.
Notable Observations:
- The program achieved consistent improvements across all Tactical Power assessments, with the greatest improvement in the 75m Prone-to-Sprint Shuttle @ 45# Ruck. This is encouraging, as no part of the cycle specifically “trained to the test,” suggesting broad applicability of the training methods.
- It’s unclear which component—Max Effort Strength, Speed Strength, Ballistic Strength, or Plyos/Agility—most influenced Tactical Power gains, warranting further investigation.
- Strength gains were smaller than expected for a 4-week cycle with veteran athletes. This could indicate that frequent 1RM testing (four days/week), high strength training volume, or overall intensity led to fatigue, potentially restricting maximal strength improvements.
Next Steps:
- Refine the definition of “Tactical Power” and iterate assessment events for enhanced mission-direct applicability.
- Conduct a future mini-study with reduced strength training intensity and volume to test whether lower demands yield greater gains.
- Consider integrating “Tactical Power” as a mission-direct training attribute for tactical athletes, incorporating it into MTI’s Fluid Periodization method.