Q&A 4.15.23

by Mintra Mattison

QUESTION

Is your program good for another sports? (Bjj, basketball, ecc)

ANSWER

We have a sport specific training plans for BJJ, but none for basketball.
– Rob

QUESTION

I’m looking for a plan to help in my workouts in the gym
I do powerlifting and Olympic weightlifting

ANSWER

– Rob

QUESTION

I am a coach, I work with individuals going into LEO and MIL and had 2 general questions that I couldn’t find in some of your articles.

How long should a prospective LEO or MIL individual train before they ship out? I have a 90% success rate in training individuals who either failed originally, or had generally low scores, getting them to pass with good to excellent scores. I ask you this question as you guys have seen a broader trend, and this would help refine our gyms pipeline for the tactical category.

I have an individual who is training for AFSPECWAR, I recommended your STO/CRO program. I have all of the tools, and time to train with this individual to ensure that injury prevention, training, and recovery are all monitored. How many times should an individual run this program before their report date? I figure that 1-2 rotations is sufficient for adaptation, however I do not want to run him into the ground before he ships out.

Thank you for your guidance, and I look forward to your response.

ANSWER

1) For basic training or a basic LE academy, you should be able to get a unfit person ready in 6-8 weeks – if they cut fat via a diet.
2) That plan is too intense to run back to back as are all our selection plans. You could run the plan once, then have them do Barbossa for 7 weeks, then re-run the plan. If you don’t have time for this, then Barbossa, then the plan.
– Rob

QUESTION

I am going to be putting in for the BORTAC Team. Selection will be 7 months out. Is it okay to start the 8-week program, maintain, and then start the program again before selection? What do you recommend?

ANSWER

Yes – BORTAC Selection plan now, then the plans/order in the Gun Maker Packet for full time SWAT/SRT, then re-complete the BORTAC plan directly before selection.
– Rob

QUESTION

I just started a job as a corrections officer and plan to start training to make it on the SRT at my prison. I am hoping after that to continue to potentially join the S.T.A.R. team. I have to be off probation which is a year away. I have just been doing my own workouts at the gym. Thanks for getting back to me. I have been asking members of these teams and they just keep telling me it is a mile obstacle course.  Has activities such as a dummy drag and performing tasks in a gas mask. Not sure if that helps at all. Which plan would you recommend? I have not been running much but I am willing to do what I have to achieve my goal. Thanks for any information you can provide.

ANSWER

I’d recommend starting with the SWAT/SRT Selection Training Plan now – completing this plan now will give you a no-shit evaluation of your mental and physical fitness.
Follow it up with the plans/order in the Gun Maker Packet. These are designed as day-to-day programming for full time SWAT/SRT and concurrently train strength, work capacity, chassis integrity (functional core), tactical agility and endurance (run, ruck).
Then, re-complete the SWAT/SRT Selection Training Plan in the 7 weeks directly before selection.
Also – if you have access to the O-Course, try to do it once per week. O-courses are as much obstacle technique as fitness – and working on technique will pay off big time during selection.
– Rob

QUESTION

I am just inquiring if you have a recommendation for training for the gerkin vo2 max treadmill test? I have to prepare for it this summer and wanted to get a head start. Could you let me know if there is a plan that would be geared to it !?

ANSWER

I don’t have a plan specifically for this assessment. However, we’ve seen great aerobic endurance improvement from our running plans – specifically for this I’d recommend the 1.5 Mile Run Improvement Training Plan.
You could run it twice, back to back, before your assessment.
– Rob

QUESTION

I am training to test for Homeland Security Investigations and I purchased your plan to help me do so. So far I am liking the program as I am 3 days into it. My only question thus far is if there is a set amount of time that I should be resting between exercises. I noticed most exercises note a resting time between rounds for that exercise, but once each one is finished I am unsure how long to rest before beginning the next. I hope you can help. I appreciate anything you have to offer. Thank you.

ANSWER

Unless there is a programmed rest, then no rest. Work steadily, but not frantically.
– Rob

QUESTION

I’m attempting Goruck Selection in 30 weeks assuming I start next week.
What training plans would you recommend to get ready? I was considering the SFAS selection packet, but I do not have time for all of the plans. Then I transitioned to Big 24, Fortitude, Valor, and capped off with Ruck-based Training Plan. That gives me 3 “bonus” weeks to either catch up on delayed workouts or rest.
Thoughts? Would you recommend a different series of plans?

ANSWER

Weeks        Plan
1-7             Humility
8-14          Valor
15-20        Fortitude (Week 1-6)
21-30        GoRuck Selection Training Plan. – 10 weeks directly before selection.
– Rob

QUESTION

I’m currently training for the DEA PTA. I am scheduled in a couple months to take the first test/time. I’m a full time firefighter with a family it’s very difficult for me to do 2 a days. What training program do you recommend for me to be ready for the DEA PTA?

ANSWER

– Rob

QUESTION

I’m 36 years old and a 17 year Army service member. I’ve spent the first 12 years as an Infantryman and now I’m an Aviator. I’m 165 lbs and 5’8” so I’m in accordance with your recommend heigh/weight charts. My BF% is 18.1% based on Bodpod results from yesterday. In reality I would consider myself “skinny fat” based on those results. However, I’m a runner at my core and find fulfillment in endurance exercises (specifically running). With that said, my strength is below your programming markers pretty significantly. I feel pretty weak. Would you recommend that I follow a hypertrophy training program for one or two cycles or that I stick to one of your strength focused programs that are more holistic? My over-arching goal for fitness at this point in my life is general health and longevity since my job is not very physically demanding. Of course there is an physical aesthetics consideration to my goal as well but it’s not paramount. Thanks for taking the time to read and follow up.

ANSWER

Focus on strength – and you can do this an improve your running too. I’d recommend the Big 3 Strength + 2 Mile Run Training Program to start.
– Rob

QUESTION

I’m a relatively fit guy (talking I can hack a 35 pound pack on some hills for a couple miles in a hunting trip and can run for at least a mile) with some prior military service and I’m jumping back into the Army as a Chaplain. Would the OCS V2 workout or an ACFT plan work better for me? I’m 5’ 10’ and 186 lbs and I haven’t worked out in a formal training plan for over 2 years. It’d be good if the plan lost me some weight as well.

My only constraint is time. If I get up at 5am I have about a little over an hour and forty minutes to work out before I have to be at work. Suggestions?

ANSWER

Go with the US Army OCS Training Plan – it includes training for the ACFT.
– Rob

QUESTION

I have the big 36, TLU, ultimate meathead, and tammy programs.
Is there an optimal way to order these if I want to train year-round if my main goal is max strength/aesthetics more than hypertrophy?

ANSWER

Only the Ultimate Meathead plan has programmed hypertrophy – and it’s just for the upper body. The lower body training in this plan is strength focused.
In terms of aesthetics – the dominant factor there is excess bodyfat, and 95% of that is diet related. You can’t outwork a shitty diet. Our nutritional guidelines are HERE … but in general, avoiding all processed sugar and limiting fruit and white carbs will get you a long way towards being lean. Click HERE to see my ideal bodyweight for you based on your height.
In terms of using these plans year round, know that only Tammy is a multi-modal plan, the other three are strength-related. So you’ll be training strength 3/4 of the time – which for me is too much. Your work capacity and endurance will suffer. So … the best way to do this would be to work in Tammy every other plan … so Big 36, Tammy, TLU, Tammy, Ultimate Meathead, Tammy, etc.
– Rob

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