QUESTION
Rob, I enjoyed your article/presentation on the nutritional guidelines. I’m looking to drop about 5 more pounds (6’00”/190), I’m a federal officer who is prepping for SWAT tryouts at the end of April. During my training, I sometimes train 2 times a day. How would you design your meals throughout the day if you were to be training twice a day on the P.E. Diet? Thanks in advance.
ANSWER
Eat when you’re hungry. When you eat, eat clean as prescribed.
Not being a dick, but don’t overcomplicate it.
– Rob
QUESTION
I’m currently in the application process for a&s with a projected class of August. I plan to do your program 11 weeks out from August. My run times are much slower than usual. I lift twice a week, swim 5 days a week and run about 20 miles a week. My run times are slower than usual (22:47 3 mile) and I’m averaging a 13:30 min/mile on my rucks. Should I be lifting for MARSOC prep or focus more on the graded events like running, rucking and swimming? Thanks for your time
ANSWER
MARSOC isn’t a strength event, it’s an endurance event. Strength will help make you a little more durable, but durability doesn’t matter if you can’t make the grade run/ruck/swim times. MTI’s A&S plan has a heavy endurance focus. Now you want to be training multi-modal, strength, endurance (run, ruck, swim), work capacity, chassis integrity – to build your “base” before starting the A&S Plan.
By my count you have 21 weeks until Aug 15. Here’s what I’d recommend:
Weeks. Plan
– Rob
QUESTION
Can a trap bar be used for the hinge lift? I have lower back issues, and every time I try to deadlift I end up eventually pulling my lower back. But I find that the trap bar, is easier on my back than the straight bar
ANSWER
Yes.
– Rob
QUESTION
Some planning/progression methodology for the 300 meter sprint would be helpful.
ANSWER
– Rob
QUESTION
I was referred to you by a colleague that you helped succeed with one of your plans. I have an upcoming SRT tryout for my agency and would like to request a workout plan or your advice to which plan would be most beneficial for my upcoming tryout. The tryout is on April 20, 2021. The requirements are as seen below.
SRT Physical Skills Test
The minimum standards are as follows:
Event #1: Climb over six-foot wall in full tactical gear
Event #2: Minimum of six dead hang pull ups (no gear)
Event #3: Continuous event in 8 minutes or under in the following order:
- 100-yard dash
- 25 burpees
- 100-yard dash with 20 pounds vest and ram (two hands on ram at all times)
- 25 burpees with 20 pounds vest
- 100-yard dash with 20 pounds vest
- 200 pounds dummy drag for 25 yards with 20 pounds vest
- Complete 75-yard dash with 20 pounds vest
My main area of concern are the burpees which tend to tire me out rather quickly. Any help is appreciated.
ANSWER
– Rob
QUESTION
I am reaching out to ask if Mountain Tactical could point me in the direction of a program that would be good preparation for Marine Corps Summer Mountain Leaders Course in Bridgeport, CA.
I have approximately nine weeks to train. Summer Mountain Leaders course involves rigorous hiking and mountain climbing in and around Bridgeport, CA in the Sierra Nevada mountains.
ANSWER
This is a 6-week plan as built. Repeat weeks 2, 4 & 5 to stretch it to 9 weeks.
– Rob
QUESTION
I work as a Firefighter/EMT in SoCal. I’m about to start MTI’s Big Cat Program. I have a couple of questions for you all about when to train and overall training volume.
First off, I work a 72 hour hour shift (3 days on-duty) followed by 96 hours off (4 days off duty). How would you recommend completing the four days of prescribed training? Should each work out be followed by a rest day or would it be OK to do 3 of the 4 weekly workouts while on duty followed by a day or two of relative rest before completing the last work out at home?
Secondly, how would you recommend avoiding overtraining? We not only work out at the fire station but also train on firefighting techniques daily in between responding to structure, wildland, vehicle accidents, EMS calls…etc. Am I good to postpone a workout until later on in the week if we have a particularly taxing fire or rescue?
Finally, I recently joined an MMA gym and would like to continue working towards my goal of fighting at the amateur level. How much would training BJJ/Muay Thai on my days off from work interfere with the Big Cat Program and/or result in overtraining?
Obviously, getting fitter for my job is more important than MMA training and, if need be, I would cut that out to reap the benefits of your Urban Fire/Rescue programming.
Anyway, thank you for your time and help with all of this. I really appreciate it. I hope you’re well!
ANSWER
1) 3 sessions on duty, last at home.
2) Sure … but understand overtraining decreases with increasing fitness.
3) Not sure – it depends on your incoming fitness. Pull back if you’re not recovering and/or not making the progressions in the plan.
– Rob
QUESTION
Do you have recomendations for just starting out Backpacking? Going from near zero to this plan seems a recipe for hy old fat butt to be injured. Possibly half of each workout for the duration of the program, then the full plan?
ANSWER
– Rob
QUESTION
A good friend trains with Mountain Tactical, so I’m curious how it works.
I primarily participate in backcountry skiing, downhill skiing, mountain biking, hiking, and some trail running.
Is there a way to create a plan for me based on the season? or do I need to purchase a pack?
Also – most of your packs have Sat/Sun as full rest or easy spin – this is when I often chase objectives with friends, so would lose the benefit of rest. How do we account for that in the training?
ANSWER
We design two types of programming ….
(1) Base Fitness – multi-modal day to day fitness. The plans in the Greek Heroine Packet are designed as base fitness for multi-sport, mountain athletes and concurrently train strength, work capacity, mountain endurance (run, uphill under load), chassis integrity (functional core) and climbing (rock) fitness.
(2) Event/Sport-specific programming – this is focused programming designed to prepare for a sport season (bc skiing, rock climbing, MTB, etc.) or a specific event (Denali, Everest, Grand Canyon Rim to Rim).
The way to use the programming is to drop back and forth between the two types of programming as your mountain year proceeds. For example –
April 15-May 15 – Base Fitness with the Greek Heroine Plans
July 15-Oct 15 – Base Fitness with the Greek Heroine Plans
Sat/Sun Training? In general, fitness training should never interfere with mountain performance because of fatigue/soreness – so skip Friday’s session and the weekend work if you’ve got a trip planned.
– Rob
QUESTION
Long time follower of your program with excellent results – I greatly appreciate your work, thank you! If you have time to answer, what is your latest recommendations for dieting and programming for a Dad, part time SRT (fed LEO), 37+ YOA beer drinker?
ANSWER
– Rob
QUESTION
I’m a police officer in Richmond Virginia. I’m going to tryout for our ERT team and I’m wondering what plan would work best for me given the time frame. The tryout is expected to be in the fall of this year.
ANSWER
Then drop into the plans/order in the
Gun Maker Packet – which is designed as day to day programming for full time SWAT/SRT …
Then re-complete the SWAT Selection Training Plan the weeks directly before selection.
– Rob
QUESTION
I have recently returned to Adventure Racing, mainly competing in shorter races 4-12 hours. I am looking for every day base training to maximize my fitness for this sport that involves wilderness navigation on foot, bike, and kayak/canoe. I just wrapped up the SF45 Echo plan, which I loved. I am currently trying out Patsy, mainly because it has a day of rucking. Although the pack in the AR races is essentially a day pack, you wear it throughout the race, and so rucking with a heavy pack will make that feel like nothing. I will also be doing some hiking in my spare time over the next several months so the rucking is useful.
With that said, I am looking for a plan that will provide me total fitness with an emphasis on endurance. Over the last several months, I have developed a knee problem, so I need to keep the running to two days a week. At 59, I need to be cognizant of what my body can and can’t do. I currently add a day of mountain biking on top of whatever MTI training I do. In one of your videos, you stated that we want to be “swift, strong, and durable.” That is exactly what I am looking for. The sport obviously demands endurance, but I also want a good foundation of strength training and the durability that comes with that. I appreciate any thoughts you might have on how to approach my training.
ANSWER
I’d recommend the plans/order in our
Greek Heroine packet designed as day to day programming for multi-sport mountain athletes. These have a significant mountain endurance component.
– Rob
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