SFRE Training Plan

SFRE Training Plan

$89.00

• 7-Week Training Plan specifically to prepare for the SFRE
• Includes Focused Gate Work
• Rucking Intensive
• Includes mini-events and work capacity smoke sessions to prepare you for team events
• This training plan is one of the 450+ Plans included with an Athlete’s Subscription.

Description

Updated Oct 2024

PROGRAM OVERVIEW:
The following is a 7-week program designed specifically to help candidates prepare for the United States Army Special Forces Reserve Evaluation.  SFRE is a 3-day assessment conducted on a drill weekend for reservists, and serves as a precursor to Special Forces Assessment Selection.  Candidates must pass this evaluation conducted Reserve Special Forces units prior to attending SFAS and entering the SF training pipeline. This plan is a culmination of all available open-source information and draws from our ruck based and mini-event programming theory that we have successfully implemented in past programs.  It is designed with an emphasis placed on improving your endurance, stamina, rucking ability, and mental fitness.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION:
This program follows a general format and gets progressively more difficult each week.  Training is designed in a Monday – Saturday format, 5-6 days on, 1-2 days off.  If you are unable to follow this format, complete the training sessions in order on the available days of the week. Do not skip ahead or around.

This program is designed to be completed exactly 7-weeks prior to attending SFRE. Week 7 of the plan is an unload/taper week.

TRAINING OVERVIEW:

  • Mondays: PT Assessment or PT Assessment Intervals
  • Tuesdays: 5-Mile Run Assessment or 5-Mile Interval Work
  • Wednesdays: Ruck Volume Build or Ruck Intervals
  • Thursdays: PT Assessment Intervals
  • Fridays: Ruck Volume Build or Ruck Intervals
  • Saturdays: Mini Event or Rest
  • Sundays: Rest/Recovery

The PT Assessment and Pull-Ups:
The standard Army PFT consists of max hand release push-ups in two minutes, max pull ups, and a timed two-mile run.

Mini-Events:
One of the most challenging portions of the SF selection process is the grueling mini-events and team building exercises that candidates endure.  These extended smoke sessions typically encompass a wide range of physical disciplines including, but not limited to rucking, land navigation, and calisthenics.  You’ll complete increasing-duration mini events on three Saturdays during this training plan.

Ruck Training:
The first three weeks focus on building ruck volume to 12 Miles. The second half of the training program focuses on interval work to improve your ruck times.  You will use the Ruck Interval Calculator to calculate your pace for the intervals sessions based off of your initial assessment.

Land Navigation:
Land navigation is a key skill required in the SF community and will likely be a component of SFRE. This is a fitness-focused training plan. If your land navigation skills are suspect, or rusty, we recommend you complete specific land navigation training prior to SFRE. You may include a land navigation component into your long Saturday rucks, if you so desire.

Running Intervals:
Throughout this program you will complete interval runs.  For these intervals, you will run at prescribed paces. The plan has two running assessments: (1) The 2-Mile Run as part of the PT Assessment; (2) 5-Mile Run for Time. and your interval run paces will be determined by your most recent 2-mile or 5-mile running assessment.

The interval distances are shorter than your assessments, and the pace faster than your assessment pace. You’ll find these paces using our Run Calculator here: Running Calculator.  All of your runs should be completed at the “Interval Pace” from the Running Calculator.  This pace should be slightly challenging and work to develop the necessary aerobic conditioning and mental toughness to improve on the ACFT. For the intervals you will be using the “400m Interval Pace” and “800m Interval Pace” and “Per mile Interval Pace from the calculator.

TRAINING PROGRAM REQUIRED EQUIPMENT:

In order to complete this program, you’ll need the following equipment:

  1. Timepiece or stopwatch
  2. Course of known distances or GPS enabled devise to measure distances. A GPS will make your running and rucking interval distances and paces much easier to track. We recommend a Garmin Forerunner 15.
  3. Ruck Weighing @ 55#
  4. Rubber Rifle or Dumbbell/Sledgehammer weighing 10#
  5. 60# Sandbag
  6. Pull-Up Bar
  7. A Set of 25# dumbbells
  8. Foam Roller
  9. Individual Body Armor or 25# Weight Vest

TRAINING ATTIRE:
We recommend you train in your required PT uniform.  You may train in utilities at your own discretion, however, understand that it is likely some or most of the physical training sessions during the course may require you to wear the combat utility uniforms.  We always recommend doing rucks in full combat utilities. 

COMMON QUESTIONS:

How long will the sessions take?
Each of the training sessions is designed to take approximately 60 to 90 minutes to complete.  Long Rucks and Mini-Events will take anywhere from 2 to 6 hours, thus the necessity to program them on Saturday.

I don’t have a full 7 weeks before SFRE. What do I do?
Start at the beginning of the plan and work your way through as far as you can before your start date. Don’t skip ahead.

Unfamiliar Exercises?
All exercises are hyperlinked to demonstrations

Required Equipment

REQUIRED EQUIPMENT:


  • Timepiece or stopwatch

  • Course of known distances or GPS enabled devise to measure distances. A GPS will make your running and rucking interval distances and paces much easier to track. We recommend a Garmin Forerunner 15.

  • Ruck Weighing up to 60#

  • Rubber Rifle or Dumbbell/Sledgehammer weighing 10#

  • 60# Sandbag

  • Pull-Up Bar

  • A Set of 25# dumbbells

  • Foam Roller

  • Individual Body Armor or 25# Weight Vest

Sample Training

SESSION 1

Objective: PT Assessment #1

Warm Up:
3 Rounds:

  • 5x Hand Release Push Ups
  • 2x Pull Up
  • 4x 25m Shuttle
  • Instep Stretch
  • Lat + Pec Stretch

Training:

  • Max Hand Release Push Ups - in 2 Minutes
    • Note: Rest position is in the front leaning rest position (high plank)
  • Rest 2 Minutes Between Events
  • Max Pull Ups
  • Rest 5 Minutes
  • Run 2 Miles for Time

Record All Scores

SESSION 2

Objective: Ruck Assessment

Warm Up:
2 Rounds:

  • 200m Run
  • Hip Flexor Stretch
  • Shoulder Sweep

Training:

  • Run 5 miles for Time - PT Gear
    • Record Finish Time

SESSION 3

Objective: Ruck Assessment

Warm Up:
Training:

  • Ruck 6 Miles for Time
    • Aim for a Sub-15 Minute per Mile Pace. We will build rucking volume over the next 3 weeks.
    • Load: 55# Dry + 10lb Rubber Rifle/Sledge/Dumbbell

SESSION 4

Objective: Work Capacity, Chassis Integrity

Warm Up:
3 Rounds:

  • 200m Run - easy pace
  • 10x Push Ups
  • 10x Squats
  • 10x Sit Ups
  • Instep Stretch

Training:
8 Rounds for Time:

  • 3x Sandbag Craig Special @ 60#
  • 200m Run with Sandbag
  • 3x Scotty Bobs @ 25#

15 Minute Grind:

  • 50m Sandbag Bear Hug Walk - 60#
  • 5x Sandbag Kneeling Half Moons - 60#
  • 50m Sandbag Hold And Farmer’s Carry - 60#
  • 20/20 Standing Founder

Grind = work steadily not frantically for the prescribed time or rounds. Pace yourself, but don’t stop to rest.

3 Rounds:

  • Pec & Lat Stretch
  • Foam Roll Quads/Low Back

SESSION 5

Objective: PT Assessment Work

Warm Up:
3 Rounds:

  • 5x Hand Release Push Ups
  • 2x Pull Up
  • 4x 25m Shuttle
  • Instep Stretch
  • Lat + Pec Stretch

Training:
6 Rounds, Every 75 Seconds:

  • 30% Hand Release Push Ups - from SESSION 1’s PT Assessment

Example: You scored 50x HRPU on your PT Assessment #1.
50 x .3 = 15

With the 75 second clock running, complete 15x HRPU’s. Whatever time remaining is your rest. Repeat this for 6 rounds.

6 Rounds Every 75 seconds:

  • 30% Max Pull Up - from SESSION 1’s PT Assessment

Example: You scored 12x Pull Ups on your PT Assessment #1.
12 x .3 = 3.6 ... Round Up to 4

With the 75 second clock running, complete 4x Pull Ups. Whatever time remaining is your rest. Repeat this for 6 rounds.

4 Rounds:

  • 800m Interval Run - Use your SESSION 1 2-Mile Assessment and the Run Calculator to find your goal pace and rest intervals

2 Rounds:

  • Toe Touch Complex
  • 5x Shoulder Dislocates

SESSION 6

Objective: Mini Event

Warm Up:
Training:

  • 30 Minutes
    • Ruck Run @ 55# + 10lb Rubber Rifle/Sledge/Dumbbell

20 Minute AMRAP:

  • 5x Sandbag Pick & Carry - 60#
  • 5x Sandbag Getups @ 60#
  • 5x Pull Ups

Drop your Ruck for this section.

  • 30 Minutes
    • Ruck Run @ 55# + 10lb Rubber Rifle/Sledge/Dumbbell

Testimonials

"I just complete the Best Warrior for the state of Arkansas utilizing your SFRE program. I won the competition and after the last event within 10mins felt like I could complete another event if I had to! Thanks to you guys for the program !"

***************************

"I just wanted to say I think you guy's are great. I purchased, as you know, your SFRE training plan and i was successful my first time at SFRE last weekend (I got my welcome letter and am currently going through the administrative hurdles to transfer to the group). So now I'm currently building my game plan for the next 12 months I have until I have to go to SFAS and pass. I have 12 months as a member of the training team to be told I'm ready to go to SFAS. Grip strength, cardio speed and endurance are the 3 things i need most improvement on. my ruck time is optimal and i meet the minimum 2 mile and 5 mile run times at this moment. the current goal of mine is to be ready for SFAS in 6 months just in case i dont make it through so that i will have time for another training cycle this year to go again."

1)  Mission Direct

Gym numbers mean nothing. All that matters is mission performance. 

To this end, MTI’s fitness solutions and programming are not boxed in by convention, tradition, orthodoxy, public opinion or any other artificial constraint driven by inside or outside forces.

We begin with the raw fitness demands of the mission and build a fitness solution which directly prepares the athlete for those demands.

 

2) Fitness Solutions Built from the Ground Up

MTI’s programming is not “re-tread” bodybuilding, football, CrossFit, kettlebell, strength or general fitness programming. We’ve built our fitness programming for mountain and tactical athletes from the ground up.

The Fluid Periodization methodology we deploy to concurrently train multiple fitness attributes is completely original and has continued to evolve and improve over the years.

Our mid-section training methodology, Chassis Integrity, is also original, as is our endurance programming, 7 strength training progressions, tactical agility, and work capacity programming.

Our mountain sports pre-season training plans, tactical PFT, selection, school, course, and fitness improvement training plans across military, LE and Fire Rescue are MTI-developed, tested and athlete-proven.

Over the years hundreds of athletes and coaches have taken our advanced programming and unit fitness leader programming courses and MTI is widely recognized within the mountain and tactical professions and fitness media as a thought leader in fitness programming for military and tactical athletes.

 

3) The MTI Method

→ Research: MTI begins program design with extensive research of the fitness demands of the mission, sport or event, identifies the exercises and progressions which sport-specifically meet those demands, chose end-of-cycle goals, and program backward to design the training plan.

→ Deploy & Assess: We deploy the training plan “Lab Rats” at our Wyoming facility. Training session and cycle issues are identified and fixed as we work through the training plan. Post cycle we assess the programming’s effectiveness and efficiency. We keep the stuff that works, and fix or toss the stuff that doesn’t.

→ Publish & Assess Again: Plan is published for purchase as an individual training plan and made available to our subscribers. Feedback/results are assessed.

→ Iterate: We take what we learn from lab rats and athletes, re-visit, update and improve already published training plans. Several of our individual training plans are on their 4th or 5th version.

 

4) Mission-Direct Research

MTI exists to “Improve Mountain and Tactical Athletes mission performance and keep them safe.” To that end, we have developed a unique research methodology aimed at identifying real world areas of improvement and identifying immediately deployable mission-direct solutions. Click HERE to learn more about MTI’s Mission-Direct Research methodology, and Here to read about just few of our research efforts.

5) Field Proven

Our stuff works. Weekly we receive unsolicited reviews of our programming and testimonials to its effectiveness.

 

6) Programming Breadth

MTI’s library of 200+ sport-specific fitness plans for mountain and tactical athletes is unmatched. Resources range from specific programming for tactical special forces selections, to specific plans for climbing Rainier and Denali, to general fitness solutions such as running improvement, to post-rehab from injury.

Over the past decade, MTI has partnered with hundreds of athletes throughout their individual mountain and tactical careers, and provided fitness solutions as they face new mountain objectives, tactical schools, selections, PFTs and deployments, and came back from injury.

 

7) Worldwide Influence

Our work is not limited to US Athletes.

We’ve developed selection-specific training plans for Canadian, UK, Australian and German Special Forces Selections and worked with individual military personnel from Scandinavia, South, and Central America.

Canadian, Australian, UK and western European law enforcement and fire/rescue athletes have used MTI programming for mission-direct fitness.

On the mountain side, Alpinists from Japan to Slovakia have consulted with MTI and used MTI’s programming to prepare for mountain objectives.

 

8) Mission Performance beyond Fitness

MTI’s exists is to improve Mission Performance for mountain and tactical athletes and keep them safe. 

This focus on “mission direct” solutions, enhancements and improvements drives our work and research and extends beyond fitness solutions to include training, leadership, gear, team culture, and safety. 

Fitness is just one area of our work.

Our non-fitness research has included tactical cultures, combat uniforms, and gore-tex performance, and effect of stress on marksmanship.

Our work on defining what it means to be a Quiet Professional has had penetrating influence and driven healthy conversations with both mountain and tactical professionals.

 

9) Direct, Honest, Clear Answers

Since 2007 we’ve taken and answered dozens of questions weekly from mountain and tactical athletes. We’ve saved these individual Q&A’s and now thousands are archived on our site.

We’re not salesmen, and our answers are noted for their directness, honesty, and clarity. Our stuff isn’t for everyone. If we can help, we’ll let you know. If we can’t, we’ll let you know that, too.

– Rob Shaul, Founder

 

All of the Above is Backed Up By Our Promise: Our Stuff Works. Guaranteed.

Our Stuff Works. Guaranteed.

By Rob Shaul

I received notes frequently from athletes hesitant to purchase a subscription or training plans asking me to sell them on why they should make the purchase.

While I understand the question, I’m not a salesman – so I can’t put a hard sale on anyone for our programming.

I can tell them the process we go through to design our programming.

We begin with extensive research on the fitness demands of the event, identify the exercises and progressions which sport specifically meet those demands, chose end-of-cycle goals, and program backward to design the plan.

Then we test the cycle on ourselves and our lab rats here in Wyoming. We document, note what works and doesn’t work, re-assess, and make changes and modifications.

Then we publish the programming in the form of one of our plans or as part of our subscription daily training sessions for tactical and mountain athletes.
We don’t stop there – our daily programming is the “tip of the spear” for our programming evolution. We use these sessions to learn and make continuous improvement.

As we learn more and improve, we go back, and update the sport-specific training plans on the website. For example, we’re currently on Version 5 of our Ruck Based Selection Training Plan and Version 3 of our Dryland Ski Training Plan and Version 4 of our Big Game Back Country Hunting Training Plan.

We understand our programing isn’t cheap, but we believe it’s a great value. The $79 for the Ruck Based Selection Training Plan, and $39 for the Dryland Ski Training Plan reflect the, research, work, innovative theory, iteration, testing and feedback we’ve put in and received to make these plans effective.

All that matters for us is outside performance, and we feel strongly that Our Stuff Works in the real world.

Here’s our guarantee:

1) Individual Training Plan Purchase:
If you purchase an individual training plan, follow it as prescribed before your season/event/pft/selection, and if you don’t feel you were physically ready for your season/event/pft/selection, and/or didn’t see dramatic improvements in your early season performance, we’ll refund your money, no questions asked.

2) Athlete’s Subscription
If you purchase an Athletes’ Subscription, follow the training sessions as prescribed, and are not satisfied with the quality of the programming, notify us within 30 days of purchase, and we’ll refund your money, no questions asked.

Questions?
Email: rob@mtntactical.com

COMMON QUESTIONS:

Do you have any reviews or testimonials from athletes who have used your Athlete’s Subscription
Yes. Click HERE.

Is it true you guarantee your stuff works?
Yes. If you purchase an Athletes’ Subscription, follow the training sessions as prescribed, and are not satisfied with the quality of the programming, notify us within 30 days of purchase, and we’ll refund your money, no questions asked.

How is MTI programming different than CrossFit?
This is a common question. Read our answer HERE.

You have a lot of competitors. Why should I choose MTI?
MTI is driven to improve mountain and tactical athletes’ mission performance and keep them safe. This emphasis and focus on mission performance sets us apart. Read about more that sets us apart HERE.

If I purchase a plan or subscription, how do I access the programming?
All of our plans are online, accessible via username and password.
You can log in through our →Website  or Mobile App →IOS and Android.

Do you have downloadable .pdf’s of the training plans?
No. But you can print the programming, by week, from your browser. You access individual training plans online via a username and password.

Do you have a mobile app?
Yes, we do. Available for IOS and Android.

What is the difference between purchasing an individual training plan, packet of plans or an Athlete’s Subscription?

  • Plan – Like purchasing the DVD of the first Star Wars movie. You own it forever, including any updates we make to the plan.
  • Packet – Like purchasing the DVD’s of all the Star Wars movies. You own them forever, including any updates we make to the plans.
  • Athlete’s Subscription – Like subscribing to Netflix. You get access to all 200+ plan in our library, but lose access if you unsubscribe.

If I purchase an Athletes Subscription Can I cancel on my own, anytime?
Yes.

Do I have to contact MTI to cancel or can I do it myself?
You can do it yourself. Instructions HERE.

If I purchase a subscription and have questions about where to start or what plans(s) to use for my goals, will you help?
Yes. We answer dozens of training questions from athletes weekly. Email coach@mtntactical.com.

If you add new plans or update existing plans after I subscribe will I have access to them?
Yes. We are continuously adding training plans and packets (2-5/month) and updating plans. With your subscription you’ll have access to all new plans, new courses and plan updates.

What Equipment is Required?
Click the “Required Equipment” tab to find out what equipment is required for the specific plan you are interested in.

Where do I find unfamiliar exercises?
See our Exercise Library HERE. The Run and Ruck Calculators are listed as exercises.

What about nutrition?
See our Nutritional Guidelines HERE.

Can I see sample training?
Click the “Sample Training” tab to see the entire first week of programming. You are encouraged to do it before purchasing.

What if I have more questions?
Email rob@mtntactical.com

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    Ruck-Based Selection (SFAS) Training Packet
    • Includes 7 training plans and 52 weeks of training to lead you into selection
    • Begins with our Military On Ramp Plan, then proceeds to intense bodyweight training and transitions to gym-based strength, running and rucking
    • Packet finishes with selection-specific Ruck Based Selection Training Plan -intense focus on rucking, running, work capacity “smokers”, core strength and durability
    • This training plans in the packet are included with the other 250+ MTI Plans that come with an Athlete’s Subscription.
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