QUESTION
I’m interested in the fat loss and strength training program, but I don’t have a sandbag. I have a dumbbell set (20kg), a physioball, and just ordered a plyobox. I’m 42 years old, 5’7″, 170 lbs, and have about 25% body fat. I’m try to strengthen and tone, but to also continue to play in the mountains (ski, bike, climb). Oh and I live in Jakarta, Indonesia. What do you suggest?
ANSWER
Also – fix your diet. You can’t outwork a shitty diet and nutrition is 90% of fat loss. Here are our recommendations:
– Rob
QUESTION
I’m inquiring to see what plan would work best for me. I’ve asked before but, I specifically need to get my run times down and keep my strength. I am on SWAT and leave for 19th SFG in October and have SFAS probably near January don’t have the exact date yet.
ANSWER
– Rob
QUESTION
Long time MTN Athlete here coming from the U.S. Army. Looking for a recommendation for a summertime training plan with some specific caveats.
I’m on the tail end of recovery for a 2-year injury to my glute/IT band that has landed me in PT for the past month and a half. As a result, I recently invested in a Gorilla Bow as a means back to physical fitness relying on resistance training, especially while all the gyms remained closed. I also have a 60 lbs sandbag I can employ.
Any plan you would recommend that can be readily modified for resistance training? Looking for all around fitness with emphasis on chassis integrity, high rep-to-set ratio.
ANSWER
– Rob
QUESTION
How do you develop progression throughout a program? Does it progress day to day or week to week? For instance in the Sandbag programs will Monday’s strength progress to the next strength day or to the following Monday?
Do you think an athlete could meet the relative strength standards without using barbell training? Using body weight, sandbag, or dumbell?
Do you have a relative strength standard for non-barbell exercises?
ANSWER
1. 30 second burpees, 30 seconds rest
2. Progression depends on the program and the details can’t be answered in an email. I’d recommend you consider our programming courses to learn more about MTI Programming.
3. No.
4. No
– Rob
QUESTION
I want to start off by saying that I’m really enjoying this ON RAMP program. The one question I have is; what do you recommend for someone deployed that doesn’t have a sweet ass workout sandbag? I tried using the standard army green ones but the durability of those, as we all know, is goshdangmuthafu***** terrible. I’ve supplemented the sandbag clean and toss with standard clean and jerks(cant exactly throw the expensive ass rogue bar and plates the army is letting me use), and the keg lifts with 50lb plates. Any ideas that would get me close to the sandbag experience would be awesome.
ANSWER
You can use a ruck, and avoid the throw sandbag exercises to minimize damage …. or lots of duct tape.
– Rob
QUESTION
Are there any exercises to replace the dumbbell and sandbag elements of the backcountry ski pre-season program?
I’ve purchased the plan to get ready for the Australian snow season but gyms won’t open for two weeks and equipment is either sold out or stupidly expensive.
I ask with the understanding that this may compromise results.
The plans you produce are excellent; thank you for your consideration and hard work.
ANSWER
You can use an old backpack for the sandbag. No good sub for the dumbbells – but you can replace with similar sandbag exercises and bodyweight exercises.
– Rob
QUESTION
I have question regarding the second half of the training portion for session 2 of fortitude. Is there rest between the sets in the round i.e. 3x bench press straight to walking lunge or is it 3x bench, rest 30 seconds, and go into walking lunge. Thank you for the help.
ANSWER
It’s not a crossfit wod done at frantic pace. Work steadily, not frantically, through the circuit. It’s okay to take rests between exercises. Most important is getting heavy, fast.
– Rob
QUESTION
I recently graduated and completed an Army ROTC program and commissioned active duty as an Infantry Officer. From my understanding of the profession, physical fitness, specifically the 2 mile run for the APFT as well as the 5 mile event for the RPFT, are the biggest indicators for high performers. I was referred to your programs by a ranger battalion guy, and I figured if it worked for him I need to get on the program too.
I have 16 weeks until IBOLC begins for me at Ft. Benning, and I wanted to make sure I’m doing the right things in preparation for IBOLC and Ranger School, as my previous attempts to get in the best shape possible have gotten me in decent shape, but nowhere near where I’d like to be.
Where I’m at now:
After increasing my training load a little to quickly and probably improperly, I was diagnosed with medial tibial stress syndrome and am seeing a physical therapist to rehabilitate my legs to avoid future injury. In the meantime I have been biking and rowing to keep my cardio up without further injuring my legs and have been doing calisthenics workouts in addition to the physical therapy. I’ve also started the low carb/sugar diet from your nutrition page.
My Current COA:
Once I am cleared by my physical therapist, presumably in the next two to three weeks, I plan on starting your Post Rehab Leg Injury Training Plan. After that program I’m planning on doing the Army IBOLC Training Plan in the 6 weeks leading up to my IBOLC class.
Until I am cleared to run/ruck again, I was planning on doing a modified Body Weight Foundation plan, substituting the running for biking or rowing.
Please let me know if this COA is sound, or if there is anything else you would recommend I do in order to get into fighting shape for IBOLC and eventually Ranger School and beyond.
Thank you for these resources and training plans, I’m looking forward to completing them.
ANSWER
Plan is solid.
– Rob
QUESTION
I just subscribed to your service and am ready to start the training in hopes that i will be more fit for my Colorado Elk hunt in September. I have previously had -2- L5/S1 discectomies (5 years ago) which do not bother me anymore but my doctor suggested that i find other cardio options outside of running to avoid any unneeded stress on my back. Is there a substitution you would recommend for running in the training plans? I’m ok to try shorter distances of running but would like some other options if running doesn’t work out for me..
ANSWER
Rucking (walking with pack) or cycling (double the distance) … the plans include running to build event-specific mountain performance, but decrease the impact from excessive rucking.
Cycling is okay, but does not transfer best to hiking/rucking – which is what you’ll do while hunting. At some point, you’ll stop adding to your mountain endurance and just improve your cycling.
– Rob
QUESTION
I’m doing Humility. I trained to be a tactical athlete for a eight years and dropped down to a much lower intensity level three years ago. I was not severely deconditioned, but I was pretty complacently degraded.
I’ve seen good results with Humility. Progression from Test Series 1 to Test Series 2 averages about >25% improvement in raw scores and a minute off the 2 mile time. My work capacity has definitely improved, and I feel better. I realize how far I’ve fallen though.
I’ve seen your emails warning against individualizing plans, the dangers of gravitating towards what you’re good at and not meeting mission requirements. Since my purpose in doing Humility is to get strong enough for Peak Bagger and given that Humlity is a general fitness plan, I felt comfortable swapping some events to better suit that goal. I add weights to the weeks with step ups and swap the burpees in the work capacity session for heavy step ups when there are no step-ups that week. Quadzilla is working out great, and I think that I will be ready for the leg blasters. Also, weighted running seems like a bad idea for my joint health and I have no need of it, so I swap it out for a ruck.
Program access is all good. The only other thing I have a question on is the Founder type exercises. Are you supposed to contract the back to tilt the hips forward? I got out of PT a while ago and opt to use the Founder type exercises to practice a protective, neutral spine by engaging the deep core.
ANSWER
Humility is actually one of our tactical plans.
Founder – these are isometric strength exercises for the low back. You don’t contract the back to tilt the hips forward. Rather, you contract the back, then hinge forward …. and you’ll feel an increased intensity in your back.
– Rob
QUESTION
I’ve just finished the run improvement plan and my results are insane.
I’m looking to now complete the ruck improvement plan but I’m concerned about rucking 4 times a week and overdoing it and getting injured.
How can I combat this? Shall I swap an impact session for a non impact or just maintain mobility and recovery to combat injury?
ANSWER
I’m not sure there’s a problem to begin with … but you could replace one of the interval rucking days with interval running. Just do the same distance at a threshold pace – as fast as possible.
– Rob
QUESTION
I am looking into buying a low impact cardio machine and wanted to know your opinion on the 3 listed machines. Do you have an opinion on these and the functional transfer of training with them as a tactical athlete?
ANSWER
My thoughts about these –
Assault Bike – only seen it used for short events – not for longer efforts – 60 minutes … not sure how that would work – transfer is limited as you’re not supporting your weight.
Rower – I’ve gone up to 5K on one – 20 minutes – transfer is limited – as you’re not supporting you’re weight.
Ski Erg – If it’s the arms only, no good.
Best low impact cardio that transfers? My recommendation right now would be unloaded step ups. Cheap too!
– R
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