QUESTION
I’m a 19 yr old male looking to be a 75th Ranger. I plan on joining within the next 3-4 months if possible. I came across Mtntactical and purchased the monthly subscription. However, I am emailing you to ask for your guidance and which course to get ready for Basic & RASP. For context, I am not in the best shape really just out of shape. So what would be the best place to start? Any advice helps honestly.
ANSWER
Email any questions that come up.
– Rob
QUESTION
I just joined as a subscriber and wanted some advice on which fitness plan to use? I have an APFT on in 5 weeks and a goal of 55 push-ups, 65 sit-ups, and a 15:00 two-mile. I’m coming off a long layoff due to injury and work 3 days on (1.5 gym time available only) and 3 days off (can work out as much as needed).
ANSWER
Work through the first 5 weeks of the
APFT Training Plan, then take 2 days of total rest before your APFT.
This training plan is assessment-based – so it will automatically scale to your incoming fitness then continue to push you as your fitness improves.
– Rob
QUESTION
I reached out to you right after completing the Minneapolis GoRuck Tough event regarding carrying heavy sandbags during the event. For the last 7 weeks I changed it up and completed your Ultimate Meathead training plan and really enjoyed doing some strength training in the gym.
I’m now preparing for my first GoRuck Heavy in November. I would love to continue doing some strength training in addition to the ruck training. Do you have a strength program that one can supplement while ruck training?
ANSWER
– Rob
QUESTION
Thank you for all of the resources you write/post! They are extremely encouraging and insightful!
I’m currently beginning training to climb Acongagua within the next year, but I also am preparing for an ironman triathlon.
Would the triathlon training be sufficient for the climb?
Additionally I’m trying to get my wife to climb as well, would the Denali plan be sufficient for her? She recently came off of a badly broken leg and her 1-mile run time is about 11 minutes (she’s a civilian, so not much experience with rucking/hiking/extreme fitness events).
Should she ease into it with a different plan? And if so which plan(s) do you suggest?
Thank you so much for always answering my questions!
ANSWER
Tri for climb? Certainly there will be some transfer, but best not to train for both at the same time. Depending upon the climb – whether your self supported or guided – this will impact your pack weight and thus strength needed. I’d recommend focusing on the triathlon now (assuming that event is first) – then giving yourself 4 weeks to prepare for the climb. Use our
Big Mountain Training Plan for Aconcagua (first 4 weeks).
– Rob
QUESTION
I’m looking for a plan the help me get back into shape I’m a bigger guy at my peak I was 250lbs some back story I am a prior army 19D was 4-23 as part of there Recon/sniper platoon. During COVID I let myself go as we didn’t do group PT ended up busting tape and being kicked out in Feb of 2021 Since then life has been life and I’ve been lazy Re working out lol I’m now working as a lvl2 FF in central Ohio and just got my red card. I’ve always been great at rucking so you can imagine the disappointment I felt when I barely made the time hack for the pack test. I was hoping you could point me in the right direction for a plan you might have to help me get back into shape just something to allow me to be more at the level to use outher plans in the wildland and possibly back to the military plans you have provided on MTN. Thanks for taking the time to respond to me. My end goal it to be a hotshot type 1 crew but I need to be on par with my type 2IA crew this upcoming fire season. I don’t have easy access to a gym but I can make an effort to get to one or find alternative ways to workout if necessary.
ANSWER
Email back after you’ve completed Military OnRamp.
– Rob
QUESTION
I am an athlete subscriber to the MTI app and have a trip scheduled to climb kilimanjaro in early January 2023.
Is there a specific program in the app you’d recommend in preparation for the climb?
I am 5′ 11′ and 200 lbs. Moderately active working out 4-5x per week and just completed ‘The Gladiator’ program.
ANSWER
– Rob
QUESTION
Just bought a few more plans – I now have four of your plans.
My Winter:
Start of ski season at local resort – Whitefish Mountain – 12/10
New Years – 4 day heli trip – BC
Mid Jan – 5 day ski touring/skinning trip – BC
End of Jan – 4 day cat trip – BC
End of Feb – Europe trip – chair and touring – France
Early April – 4 days heli in Alaska
My plan: I’m going to start pre-season training 11/1 ish – once I complete plan – will stay in shape by downhill skiing and skinning until trips. I own the in season training but have preferred to ski mid week then train.
Questions:
Which pre season plan?- was gonna do the backcountry with the step ups given the proximity of the touring trip and that should give me plenty of strength for the slightly earlier heli trip – thoughts?
Do you mostly agree that after completing a pre season workout, skinning up the mtn 2-3 times a week and downhill skiing 2-3 times should keep up enough of the fitness from pre season training for my trips?
FYI – I’m 51 years old, genetically on average I’m the bottom of the top third in most things, I have reasonably good endurance but I’ve never been fast at anything that involves cardio and my fitness weakness is my anaerobic cardio ability. Re weakness that is more genetic than unwillingness to train at that level. It is no excuse and I try to maximize what I have been given and try as hard as I can; however, I’m realistic as over the years it has proven to be the case vs my friends. That comes into play while doing Touch jump touches and leg blaster re rest interval.
Touch jump touch – in the heli prep its prescribed as a % of max and in the other plans its a progression of seconds with fixed rest. Which do you feel is better? I could do the % of max in the touring pre season or keep as prescribed. FYI – in past years when doing touch jump touch – I can get to 20 rounds of 20 seconds with 30 second rest and then 25 seconds I’ve had to increase my rest to 35 – 40 seconds I and max there and do not do the 30 seconds as I am not able to recover cardio vascually enough
Similarly – on the leg blasters – no problem on the 10 mini’s with 30 second rest but as I move to the full blasters – in the past to get 5 fulls – I’ve had to increase the rest interval to 40 – 45 seconds rest.
Any comments on how I’ve adapted the rest periods?
ANSWER
I’d recommend the Heliski Presason Plan prior to your Jan season because of the Heliski BC Trip. Heliski runs are so long, being able to power through them will mean more skiing for you each day.
Yes on maintenance – with your ski/skin schedule. however, I would definitely recommend t/j/t intervals, at least, before your AK Heliski trip …. or training on the Hill with long runs and no stopping.
Rest intervals changes – these are fine. T/j/t intervals are near the most intense work capacity we’ve ever done. I’ve seen US Ski Team members and former Olympians smoked by these.
– Rob
QUESTION
I feel like I’ve emailed you a bunch in the last week.
I saw that you had prenatal fitness plans, but I was curious if you had a postpartum training plan. I didn’t see one in the app. My wife is approaching 6 weeks postpartum and wants to start working out again, and I was hoping maybe you had a plan or maybe a recommendation for an existing plan.
ANSWER
Congrats!
– Rob
QUESTION
I am completing the back country program and looking tk progress into a more rounding program.
Do you have a program that is strength focus but is able to completed with a barbell without a rack?
ANSWER
– Rob
QUESTION
I hope you’re doing well. I am in the FBI Special Agent pipeline and have a fit test coming up in 60 days.
My diagnostic test went very poorly (I scored 0 points). I broke my shoulder four months or so ago and have been rehabbing it and am cleared for full activity, so it’s not much of a surprise that my pushups and sit-ups sucked. I’ve been running because it’s about the only thing I could do for the past four months, but I just totally gassed myself for that portion and ended up running the 1.5 a full two minutes slower than my usual pace.
Needless to say, I need to improve a lot. I am not trying to shoot for the minimum and want to shoot for getting as high a score as possible. What would you suggest for training over the next 60 days? I just bought the FBI SA PFT plan, but it’s six weeks (assuming the six weeks immediately prior to the official test). Any thoughts on the few weeks before then? Any advice will be very helpful.
I have lost 35 pounds this year (probably still have 60 or so to go, I was a 300# powerlifter type until I applied for the Bureau) from following your nutritional guidelines and running and I know that will help as I keep losing as well. Thanks for all you do.
ANSWER
Week 1
Week 2
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 4
Week 5
Week 6
… the plan is assessment-based which means it will automatically “scale” to your incoming fitness and continue you to push you as your fitness improves.
– Rob
QUESTION
Need some counsel. I’ll be completing SF60 Charlie in 3 weeks so I am planning for next cycle.
My initial thought is to run SF60 back again, all three phases, with increased weight or reps as appropriate. I would also like to mix in some TAC SEPA elements to train that capability but I am unsure how to approach that. The additional time needed per workout will be fine.
I have reviewed other base fitness plans e.g. Grunt PT, 3 Stooges, Humility etc. and Apache etc. that incorporate TAC SEPA but all those have movements that will light up my knees. So I think those are all out.
I’d appreciate any thoughts, direction or counsel. Thanks in advance Coach.
ANSWER
You could switch it up with the
SF55 plans … or re-do the
SF60. The Humility and other plans will hit your joints.
– Rob
QUESTION
What’s the difference between Greek Packet & Virtue Packet? I’m contemplating which packet to start. Does one emphasize something over the other? They both seem like balanced workouts. Should virtue packet be done before doing Greek packet?
ANSWER
Both packets have similar goals. The
Virtue Plans were originally designed first (most have been updated, however) – but in general, the primary emphasis of the virtue plans is a little heavier. Plan by plan, the
Greek Hero plans are more “balanced.”
Do the Virtue Plans first.
– Rob
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