MTI GPP Sessions

MTI’s GPP Sessions serve as our high-level, year-round, multi-modal, day-to-day “Base Fitness” programming for civilian athletes.

This is multi-modal, concurrent training. To be a capable generalist, you cannot afford to specialize. Unlike varied sport-specific plans, MTI’s GPP (General Physical Preparedness) programming trains strength, work capacity, chassis integrity (functional core) and endurance, simultaneously. These daily sessions deploy the proprietary programming methodology we’ve developed for mountain and tactical athletes, adapted for the civilians who want the sophistication and intensity of MTI’s mountain and tactical mission-direct programming without the tactical loadout or mountain sport specificity.

Do not let the “civilian” label fool you. This is precision, professional-grade programming that far exceeds the demands of typical fitness plans. The foundational methodology is identical to the programming we design for Tier 1 tactical operators and elite mountain athletes.

We call this “Base Fitness” for a reason. It sits at the bottom of MTI’s Fitness Mountain, serving as the crucial foundation for your athletic life. This high level of GPP allows you to seamlessly pivot to our intense event-specific programming—such as a plan to climb Denali, run a competitive ultra, or tackle a backcountry hunt – or any other event or sport-specific programming.

The GPP Sessions are programmed on a monthly schedule. Each cycle is 4 or 5 weeks long, depending on the number of Mondays in that particular month. Twelve cycles per year, and you’ll train 5 days/week, with an occasional, optional endurance day on Saturdays. Most sessions are 60 minutes long.

MTI GPP Fitness Attributes

• Strength and Power: Full-body strength using classic barbell, dumbbell/kettlebell, bodyweight and strongman movements and progressions.
• High Work Capacity: Training for short (3-20 minute), intense events to build “horsepower.”
• Endurance: Unloaded running, gym-based stamina and even occasional light rucking.
• Chassis Integrity: Functional core strength using MTI’s proprietary “Chassis Integrity” method.
• Durability: Injury prevention and longevity though high base fitness

Programming Tested and Approved

All of our programming methodologies have been tested, revised, and improved via our work with MTI Research Teams and operational units. While this program is for civilians, it is built on the same valid, effective, and efficient framework used by the world’s most elite tactical units, mountain professionals (guides, ski patrol, rangers, wardens), and professional mountain athletes (sponsored skiers, climbers, kayakers, etc.)

What Makes MTI Different?

1) We program for performance outside the gym. Our programming focuses on training that transfers to real-world performance and durability. Gym numbers are meaningless; all that matters is what you can do outside the gym. We are not wedded to one programming theory—our approach constantly evolves as we learn and improve.

2) Fluid Periodization. Conventional strength and conditioning fails the multi-modal athlete. Unlike team sport, or competing individual athletes, many tactical athletes and mountain professionals can’t program their training calendar around pre-determined off-season, pre-season and in-season periods. Because of the unpredictable nature of tactical mission-sets and mountain emergencies, many tactical athletes and mountain professionals have to be fit across a wide spectrum of fitness attributes at all times. These are true, “multi-modal” athletes.

The programming challenge presented by Tactical Athletes and Mountain Professionals is how to concurrently train multiple fitness attributes in the same cycle and steadily improve or maintain fitness across all the attributes.

Conventional wisdom in the strength and conditioning world is this cannot be done, well. Conventional strength and conditioning programming sees only the two extremes of programming, “linear” or “random”.

At one end is linear periodization, where we could train just one fitness attribute at a time including detailed progression. For example, typical football-based strength and conditioning starts with a Hypertrophy Cycle, followed by a Strength Cycle, followed by a Power Cycle. During these cycles, the set/rep and loading/volume schemes are manipulated specifically to increase that cycle’s focus. So moderate loading, high volume for Hypertrophy, low volume, high weight for Strength, and lightweight, low volume and high speed for Power. 

Similar approaches are seen in traditional endurance programming – where a “base” cycle of long, slow work is followed by a “build” cycle combining moderate distances and slow paces with short distances and faster paces, which is then followed by a “speed” cycle of short, fast work.

It’s true that linear progression concentration is the best way to improve fitness in that one attribute, but while training was focused on it, the other fitness attributes would decline. So, while the football players are training Strength, they are losing some of the mass they built during the Hypertrophy cycle.

At the other end of this balance is random programming, where all the fitness attributes are trained, but without a systematic approach or any type of progression. Random programming leads to all the fitness attributes being trained, but without any system or progression, gains within each are suspect, and overall improvement in Base Fitness is limited.

This has been one of the key criticisms of CrossFit by academics …. that because of random programming and without attribute focus, CrossFitters never get really good at anything – strength, work capacity or endurance.

MTI Founder, Rob Shaul, developed and refined “Fluid Periodization” – which sits in the middle of these two extremes.  Through MTI’s Fluid Periodization methodology, all the fitness attributes which make up Base Fitness are trained, but the approach is methodological and includes deliberate progressions both within each cycle and overall throughout the macrocycle. 

Using Fluid Periodization we are able to concurrently train the multiple attributes. Fluid Periodization concurrently trains multiple fitness attributes during the same Base fitness cycle, with either a balanced emphasis across all the attributes or a cyclic emphasis on one or two attributes. 

This proprietary methodology allows us to train Strength, Work Capacity, Endurance and Chassis Integrity, concurrently while maintaining detailed, mathematical progressions. We do not have an “off-season.” You need to be capable across all domains, all the time.

Fluid Periodization has two goals: (1) build and maintain the athletes “base” fitness across multiple fitness attributes, and; (2) lay the fitness foundation for more intense event or sport-specific training which builds upon this “base”.

3) We Don’t Guess. We Assess. Most fitness programming is random. Ours is mathematical. Many of our cycles utilize a “Test, Train, Retest” methodology. You will complete beginning, middle, and end-of-cycle assessments. Your daily training loads and pacing are then calculated based on your specific assessment results. This ensures you are constantly progressing at the exact intensity required to improve, preventing plateaus and “junk miles.”

4) Strength Focus. The best thing we can do for our athletes is make them stronger. Strength is the foundation of performance and durability. We train full-body strength heavy, hard, and often. Beyond full-body strength, we hammer the core and midsection daily. Our strength training targets the athlete’s “Combat Chassis”—legs, hips, and core.

5) We build durability. The best thing we can do for our athletes is have them as physically ready as possible for whatever physical demands they face at work or play. MTI’s Base Fitness programming does this by concurrently and intentionally training multiple fitness attributes often using assessment and progressions.

6) We understand the “burden” of constant fitness. Committed athletes can never allow themselves to get out of shape, but constant training can easily lead to staleness and boredom. Our programming cycles through different attributes, introduces new exercises, and builds in both intense depletion days and recovery “unload” weeks to challenge and protect the athlete.

7) We are our own “Lab Rats.” We do these sessions too, before they are published. Programming is as much a craft as it is a science, and there is no substitute for the coach experiencing the workout firsthand. We test it before you do.

8) Mission-Direct Research. Early on, we realized academic research was too narrow and slow for tactical athletes. MTI’s “Mission-Direct” research methodology involves rapid studies, assessment, and iteration. To date, MTI has conducted over 100 internal studies to test the effectiveness of our programming methodologies.

COMMON QUESTIONS

How long will sessions last?
These training sessions are specifically designed to be completed in 60 minutes.

Required Equipment?
Completion of the program requires a fully-equipped functional gym, complete with barbells, racks, sandbags and plyo boxes.

What if I miss a day?
Begin where you left off when you return to training. This program is progressed – each session builds upon the prior session – so don’t skip a session or skip around. Follow the training sessions in order, regardless.

Any modifications for women?
These are prescribed in the training plan. For example, if the session calls for Power Cleans at 85/135#, the first load – 85# – is for women, and the second load – 135# – is for men. If the plan calls for 5/10x push ups, this means women do 5x push ups, men do 10x push ups.

Where do I find unfamiliar exercises?
See our Exercise Library HERE. The Run/Ruck Calculator is listed as an exercise.

What about nutrition?
See our Nutritional Guidelines HERE.

How do I access the plan?
Access is online, via username and password. You can login either through our website or through our app (Mtn Tactical Fitness) available for IOS and Android.

Can I print out sessions to take to the gym?
Yes – you can print a week of programming at a time.

Can I see sample training?
Yes. Scroll down to see a typical week of programming. 

More Questions? Email: coach@annamtntactical-com

SAMPLE TRAINING