Q&A 3.11.23

by Mintra Mattison

QUESTION

I’m writing you all after another Sunday morning run.
I’ve used you all before – namely your Ranger school preparation course, which was extremely effective.

I’m an active duty Marine officer going on 15 years.

I’ve found that my fitness is primarily based around a long run and the same weight lifting exercises time again. Admittedly, these are the big 3 weight lifts (squat, bench, deadlift) because beyond that my knowledge is severely limited.

I’m looking for a way to remain engaged in the gym, functional in my fitness (infantry/reconnaissance officer by trade), and where a rest day doesn’t feel guilty.

I currently have no selections/schools upcoming, so I’m interested in the long haul.

What would you all recommend? I’d like to sign up under you all, but an unsure which program/subscription is right for me.

Thank you, and I look forward to hearing from you.

ANSWER

Complete the plans/order in the Greek Hero Packet. These are multi-modal training plans designed as day-to-day programming for infantry/SOF, and concurrently train strength, work capacity, chassis integrity, tactical agility and endurance (ruck, run).
Start with Hector.
– Rob

QUESTION

Question on you Ruck Based Selection Training Program: Due to timeline constraints, is there any sections of the program that can be skipped or are they all necessary?
I am training for tryouts for selection, they call it SFRE(Special Forces Readiness Eval).

As far as I know it’s a push ups, sit ups, pull ups, 5 mile run and 12 mile ruck with 45/50lbs. With a possible 100meter swim in uniform.

I have selection tryouts in 30 weeks so trying to see what I can skip seeing how the program timeline is 52 weeks long.

ANSWER

Here’s what I recommend:
Weeks           Plan
1-7                Humility
8-15              Valor (Repeat week 6 to stretch this plan to 8 weeks)
16-23            Fortitude (Repeat week 6 to stretch this plan to 8 weeks)
24-30            SFRE Training Plan – complete the 7 weeks directly before SFRE
– Rob

QUESTION

I’m doing the meathead cycle.  Overall I love this cycle and workouts.  Question on the work capacity days, is there a formula to substitute the outdoor running? I have a 16-24 box in my garage any Formula for box jump subs?  Or any other ideas for subs? Everything is pretty slick outdoors right now.

ANSWER

For sprints you can sub box jump and time. So if the shuttle sprint lasts around 60 seconds, do 60 seconds of box jumps.
– Rob

QUESTION

I purchased the FBI Academy Training Plan a while back and I now have a known start date. Since I’m about 12 weeks out from starting, I was hoping you could advise on the best way to use your plan to prepare for Quantico. I just finished Stew Smiths FBI PFT training plan, and right before that had completed your FBI PFT training plan.

My home gym has: Treadmill, adjustable weights 5-57.5lbs, EZ curl bar with various plates up to 25 lbs, bands, 16 lb vest, adjustable bench, agility ladder,  doorframe pull-up bar.
However, I have access to a gym as well, which is fully equipped

ANSWER

Here’s what I recommend:

Weeks      Plan
6-12        FBI Academy Training Plan – 7 weeks directly before reporting
Since you’ve been doing primarily bodyweight strength and running for several weeks, I’d recommend you take a break from that and spend 5 weeks building free-weight-based relative strength using our Relative Strength Assessment training plan. In addition to classic strength training, this plan includes work capacity, chassis integrity, and one day/week of running. You could add in an additional moderate pace run, 5-8 miles, on Saturdays.
Then, 7 weeks directly before reporting, complete the FBI Academy Training Plan to prepare sport-specifically for that event.
– Rob

QUESTION

I’m finishing week 7 of the hunt base tomorrow. How important is it to take the total rest days Thursday through Sunday before beginning hunt build 1.

I feel great, have worked through the hypertrophy for skinny guys and was thinking I’d supplement Thursday through Friday with a few days or the ruck/run improvement plans.

I know I am going to go stir crazy with nothing planned. 🙂

What would you recommend?

ANSWER

It’s important – both physically and mentally.
Follow the programming as designed. Light outdoor recreation is okay, but no focused training.
– Rob

QUESTION

I am reaching out because I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed at choosing a starting plan. Your programs were recommended to me from a senior NCO in a National Guard unit I was in after not being successful at Army OCS.

My background is that I have been in the Army National Guard since 2009 and am currently a police officer working graveyard patrol. Additionally, I am a wife and mother of 3; my body hasn’t quite felt the same after the birth of my 3rd child.

I initially purchased the OCS program in hopes to better myself for OCS in the future, but I needed to be honest with myself and realized I need to build a better base of fitness first. To give a general idea of where my fitness levels are at, I scored minimums in all areas of the most current ACFT.

I’ve perused through all base fitness plans for both military and law enforcement and am having a hard time deciding where to start. I’m full time law enforcement but have military minded goals: 1) I want to re-start OCS with a much higher level of fitness than my first attempt (no timeline at the moment) and 2) have an improved ACFT score so that I’m not “that person” at the bottom as I’ve always been.

Thank you so much for your time and consideration.

ANSWER

Email back on the other side.
– Rob

QUESTION

I’m an infantryman in the Army. Just took an ACFT and got a 528. Only events maxed were the plank and the run. 250 on the deadlift, 8.4 on the ball throw (yikes), 44 hand release pushups, and 1:39 on the Sprint Drag Carry. I’m 5’8 and 150 pounds. I’m week 2 into the Big 3 plan with 2 mile run. Sleep schedule could use improvement and diet is okay. Just started using creatine (5G a day) and whey (one shake a day).
My goal is to improve overall strength and a higher ACFT would be great too. I have two questions: 1. Am I on the right track? 2. Would supplementing some ACFT work on the run days (or even every day) be a good idea? Push-ups, planks, even throwing around a ball?
Thank you so much for taking questions reading these has been helpful.

ANSWER

Stick with the Big 3 + 2 Mile Run Plan now. Prior to your next ACFT you’ll want to complete our ACFT Training Plan – which is 6-7 weeks long and will prepare you specifically for that event.
Email back after Big 3 + 2 Mile with your progress and the time before your next ACFT.
– Rob

QUESTION

I am an Army FA FSO, I have a 5 man team including myself. What program (if you have one) would you recommend for a 5 man team to do for morning Pt? My goals for the team are to weight lift, do a ruck once a week (or maybe switch it up with a run) and along with that ruck or run, do a run once a week. My team will also be pting on their own, primarily weight lifting. We have the ability to use a gym however it’s sometimes very crowded. This gym does not have sandbags, however it has lots of barbells, free weights, machines, sleds and a 50 meter turf strip. Any advice or recommendation would help.

Thank you!

ANSWER

A great place to start would  be the Big 3 Strength + 3 Mile Run Training Plan. You could replace one of the running interval days with a ruck if you want – but I’d recommend sticking with the run and improving your running speed.
– Rob

QUESTION

I’ve really been enjoying the Busy Dad Full Gym 3 program.  I was wondering if you had a similar plan like those in the Busy Dad Full Gym series that had shorter workouts but with a hypertrophy emphasis?
I was thinking of just doubling the reps and reducing the weight on the BDFG#3 plan but wasn’t sure if that would be the best modification to add some hypertrophy training.

ANSWER

Not shorter training sessions ….. but you are right to increase the reps to 8-15/set, and decreasing the weight accordingly. Know that increasing the reps will also increase the time it will take to complete the training session … so you may need to cut a round or two to keep in the 45-min time frame.
– Rob

QUESTION

I’m considering buying the SF40 Packet. But first I’d like to make sure I understand its purpose exactly. If you have a blog entry on this I’m sorry for asking, but I did look and couldn’t find one (closest I found is this (The Training Lifecycle: A 50 Year Guide for Strength and Conditioning – Mountain Tactical Institute (mtntactical.com)) but it doesn’t cover the SF Programming packets specifically).

My understanding is that SF40 Alpha/Bravo/Charlie plans are meant to be done one after the other. That they are designed to be “internally consistent” (each training session considers the previous, and the whole plan is designed as a progression that makes sense), but also to be consistent between each other. That there’s a purpose to the ~6 months it takes to do all three programs, for a balanced overall result.

If that’s the case, I’d also like to understand how long we’re supposed to wait between each plan. I usually wait a week (and maybe a second week with easy activities I enjoy, like easy runs or base building) between training cycles, and I wonder if this packet is designed with this short break in mind.

ANSWER

Yes … the plans are internally consistent with progression- so you only want to work on one plan at a time, and complete it before moving to the next.
You don’t necessarily need to complete the plans in the A, B, C order …. but you might as well.
You can begin one plan directly after completing the previous one. The last week in each plan is an unload week for this purpose.
– Rob

QUESTION

Rob, I’m in the beginning of the Big 24 V4 and just moved to Winter Park, CO. I can’t find space to do sprints as everything is covered in snow, do you have any suggestions? A big set of Yakima Spikes?

ANSWER

30 second box jump
30 second rest
– R

QUESTION

I’ve been doing 2-a days for some time now. I run in the AM and lift at night. My question is, what do you recommend for achieving “tactical athlete” strength standards (I’m a full time patrol cop).

Ultras and backcountry bowhunting take priority and what I focus my training on, but I don’t want to lose a fight or be a liability to my team for lack of strength.

I have the Big 24 v4 plan, but wondering if you recommend something els

ANSWER

Big 24 is solid. … and intense. Complete it.
– Rob

Subscribe to MTI's Newsletter - BETA