QUESTION
I was wondering which training program you would recommend for me. I will be hiking the timberline trail around Mt Hood (not going to the top) in one day. It is 40 miles with a 10,000 ft elevation gain. I plan it taking 14-17 hours. I have experience hiking, just not this long in a day. I am former Marine infantry and have experience with your workouts back when it was military athlete. Below is the link to the trail.
ANSWER
Ultra Pre-Season Training Plan, but ruck/hike instead of run in the plan and use the same load you expect to carry on your event. Do as much mileage on trails as possible.
– Rob
QUESTION
I recently used your SFAS ruck based selection v5 or 6 (2016 edition) with my buddy, and it worked well for selection and I loved every aspect of it. I am looking for a training program to begin by July that would give me an 8-12 week program that builds on SFAS and gets me prepped for SFQC. If you have any recommendations I would be interested.
ANSWER
– Rob
QUESTION
Back and Front Squats both aggravate an issue I have in one of my knees. It causes significant pain. I am working on the knee issue and hope to resolve it in due time. Deadlifts or Hinge Lifts do not cause this pain.
Do you recommend that I can substitute Back/Front Squats in your programs for Dead/Hinge Lifts instead? If so, how much of a disadvantage is it to do Dead/Hinges Lifts instead of Back/Front Squats?
ANSWER
These exercises work different muscles. Dead/Hinge’s focus on the butt/hamstrings and Back/Front Squats focus on the Butt/Quads.
All are good – just know you’ll be missing some strength work with your quads.
A couple things you can try first:
– Trap Bar Dead Lifts – if you have access to one of these bars. I consider the trap bar dead lift a “combo” exercise which seems to hit everything – and you don’t have to squat down as much – which means less knee flexion and possibly less pain.
– Box Squats with a high box …. again if your knee isn’t aggravated with less flexion perhaps you can still train the squat movement and just limit your flexion
– Back Squats/Front Squats but not going down as far …
– Rob
QUESTION
What program would you recommend for someone thinking about applying for the Ministry of Defence Police?
ANSWER
– Rob
QUESTION
I’m planning on starting the Humility Plan today, but was wondering if you would have any suggestions for potentially modifying Humility to target upper-body strength beyond bodyweight endurance work. This is one of the weaknesses that I was hoping to work on this summer, and my plan as of now to work through Humility and then the TBS training plan before my report date in September doesn’t include much in the way of emphasis on upper body strength.
I appreciate the balanced nature of Humility, and that it will be easy to work around potentially limited access to weights if I’m traveling. The potential adjustments I had in mind were a) training 25-lb weighted pull-ups instead of bodyweight pull-ups b) replacing some of the bodyweight exercises with barbell work or c) adding barbell work on the day of the medium distance run or one of the other two days of the week. Curious to hear what you think.
ANSWER
Yes on adding load to the pull ups.
And, I’d recommend replacing the upper body, bodyweight pressing exercises with barbell work – bench press, military press, push press. Think a 6×4 set/rep scheme – increasing load rapidly until 4x reps is hard but doable.
– Rob
QUESTION
I actually completed the ruck intervals based off the previously suggested times because I didn’t know the calculator wasn’t functioning correctly.
I was able to complete the intervals. I see that the updated interval times are a little slower. When I did the run on Monday, my average pace was about 11:10 per mile and my heart rate averaged at about 173 and kept creeping up to about 183.
Whenever I do ruck workouts my heart rate always tends to get on the higher side compared to others I workout with. What are your thoughts on using heart rate metrics for workouts? Are these ruck workouts meant to keep me at a pretty elevated level? Is it more important to maintain the pace and should heart rate just be ignored?
I’m asking because some of our coaches:
a) think that I’m rucking too much
b) mentioned something about maffertone method that involves training at lower heart rates
I also redlined a couple years ago during a ruck run when my heart rate was around 210 for approximately 20 minutes. This is one of the reasons why I’m working on improving my rucking.
Also, do you mind sharing the algorithm that comes up with the interval ruck times? I’m just curious how it’s calculated.
Thanks again for the response.
ANSWER
Heart Rate? No — I don’t care about your heart rate. All we care is about increasing your rucking speed. These intervals should be at a threshold pace …. at or near max effort.
Heart Rate training? Long ago we decided to go to pace based programming and have found that for selection, threshold and moderate pace efforts have the best results in terms of increasing rucking speed.
Algorithm? Sorry – no – these paces have been tested and developed over years of hard work.
– Rob
QUESTION
I was referred to this program and given this email address by a friend that uses your program. I have tried various programs from push, pull, legs to CrossFit programs. I currently work out 5-6 times a week and have about 2 years of experience in lifting. I am currently serving in the army and I am looking for a program that has a balance between strength and weight training but also calisthenics to prepare me for military schools such as ranger, sapper, and/or special forces. In simpler terms, I am looking for a program that will get me in shape as a well-rounded soldier that I can accomplish a v
ANSWER
– Rob
QUESTION
Working on developing my endurance to tackle my first full marathon in October. I Start the max effort marathon plan in six weeks and was wondering about diet.
Is the P:E diet a good fit for training? Should I stick with it through race day? Can I use goos during my longer runs?
Any tips or a point in the right direction would be super helpful. Thanks Coach!
ANSWER
Use P:E as your day to day nutrition. If you have any runs longer than 2 hours you can supplement during the run with gels or similar. But .. you don’t need to add any carbs to your regular diet.
– Rob
QUESTION
Been an MTI user/fan for a while. My son is 16 1/2. Two-sport varsity athlete (soccer and lax). Plays very high-level club lax as well. Being looked at for college lax. Just finished sophomore year. Looking for a summer program to help him build strength, explosive power, and speed–goal to make him the best athlete he can be.
What program would you recommend for summer training? He is quite fit and has experience in gym. Hasn’t done much heavy lifting yet as he is still growing (hopefully).
ANSWER
– Rob
QUESTION
My A&S class has officially shifted to April of 2022. Roughly 42 weeks before attending, what are the best base fitness programs you highly recommend prior to getting on the 9-week prep?
ANSWER
I’d recommend the plans/order in the
Pirate Packet for military SOF with water-based mission sets.
– Rob
QUESTION
I have a back country hunt coming up about 11 weeks out. What would you recommend in terms of training programs for your back country hunt? Just purchase the 8 week pre hunt program and recycle through the weeks or would you start with base 1 or 2 until I hit that 8 weeks out then start the pre season?
ANSWER
Options –
1) First 3 weeks of Backcountry Hunting Build 2 .. then into the Pre-season plan the 8 weeks directly before you depart.
2) Repeat weeks 2, 3 and 5 of the Backcountry Hunting Pre-Season Hunting Training Plan to stretch it to 11 weeks.
– Rob
QUESTION
I’m just getting into the Mountain Tactical Institute, you came recommended from a former boss of mine.
I just subscribed to the monthly athlete access. I guess I’m just not sure where to start.
Currently: ACFT-584, my run is the weak point otherwise I love the test.
Current Big 3 lifts: Bench: 385, DL: 515, BS: 500
I don’t go as heavy as I used to, I’m 34 and my joints/body don’t like the heavy days as much as they use to, or I don’t give enough rest.
Goal: Stay strong, get leaner, get my run closer to 1515/1530, current run was 1550.
Is there a good starting program? Open to recommendations and suggestions.
ANSWER
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