Q&A 8.22.19

by SSD

QUESTION

Is it feasible to perform the ACFT Improvement Plan in the morning in conjunction with the Rucking Improvement Plan in the evening after work (more specifically the block of weeks which train the 6 mile ruck assessment)? I’m relatively fit and want to ensure that I’m training all aspects of military fitness, but want to minimize injury. Any advice would be appreciated.

ANSWER

It depends upon your fitness. If you stop making the progressions on either plan, pull back from one.
– Rob

QUESTION

I am a cop in Philadelphia, having trouble putting on size. I had the same issue in the army. I have a super fast metabolism. I want a plan that will add size but still keep my core tight , because we fight a lot with bad guys in Philly. So I guess what I’m asking is what would you recommend to but on size but still maintain endurance?

ANSWER

I’d recommend focusing on hypertrophy for a cycle, then moving to a mission-direct training plan.
Start with our Hypertrophy Plan for Skinny Guys. This plan is laser-focused on adding mass. Be sure to increase your protein intake while completing this plan – drinking whole milk is an easy way to do this.
Follow it up with Whiskey, which is the first plan in our Spirits Packet of plans for full time LE Patrol and Detectives. These plans concurrently train strength, work capacity, short endurance, chassis integrity (core), tactical agility and upper body hypertrophy.
– Rob

QUESTION

I am greatly interested in the monthly subscription but, have many questions!  First I am not 100
5 sure where to start.  Im a 30 year old Active Duty Marine in OK physical condition.i have tried SEALFit for a number of years and haven’t  worked past the first few week preliminary plan to even start the 8 week program.  What I need is a better base I need to slow down and develope better roots of fitness and strength.  So my question is where do I star? I see “base” workout plans with many sub catagories and not sure what road to take.  My end goal is to Prep for A&S / MARSOC 2-2.5 years down the road (with an actual goal of SOCS attached to MARSOC not actually a Raider- shooting for stars hoping to land on clouds). One last question, are the work out plans printable, or PDF downloadable, or does it require internet access?  How compatible is it with apple?  Thank you so much for your time all info is greatly appreciated.

ANSWER

I recommend our the plans and order in our Pirate Packet of plans. These are designed for LE/Military SOF with water-based mission sets, and include swimming/pool work.
Plans are all online, accessed via a computer online or smartphone via our app.
– Rob

QUESTION

I’m just about to start Week 2 Build phase (Everest Training Plan). I feel healthy and strong. I was wondering if the easy pace per mile was programmed as a maximum or minimum pace for the longer runs. I’ve been running faster than recommended but understand that this could cause more fatigue or potential injury, etc. Is it ok to run as fast as I feel comfortable? should I make myself slow down and stick to the advised paces?

ANSWER

Easy Per Mile Pace is the maximum pace. It should feel really slow. Don’t go faster … we’re training aerobic base with this slow stuff.
– Rob
FOLLOWUP
Also, I suffered an injury during box squats yesterday. It was a sharp pain in my adductor area that reached its most severe pain when I was low and pressing up. Since then it’s radiated around my ham and quad and caused discomfort in the back of my knee. I seem to remember something similar that came and went a few years ago when climbing. After my self diagnosis from internet research 😉 it seems like it could be a minor impingement.
As you know, I’m on a tight training schedule. Given that, would you rest a day (more – until it subsides)? Or continue with the program and avoid exercises that antagonize it?
I want to push through – in my previous experiences most injuries will sort themselves out.
What do you recommend?
ANSWER
I expect athletes to train hurt, but not injured. The difference? Training hurt won’t make it worse. Training injured will.
Use your best judgment.
– Rob

QUESTION

I’m nearing the end of a trail running program and I’m looking for a program to start to get ready for ski season and gain overall body strength again. I haven’t been in the gym in quite some time and will be looking to do backcountry skiing but I’m not starting from a strong gym base. Where should I start and how should I progress later into the preseason?

ANSWER

I’d recommend starting back at strength with the MTI Relative Strength Assessment Training Plan.
After, complete Wrangell St. Elias, then Bob Marshall form our Wilderness Packet of plans.
7 weeks out from your ski season, drop into and complete the Backcountry Ski  Preseason Training Plan the 7 weeks directly before your season starts.
– Rob

QUESTION

I used your Afghan training plan prior to deployment in 2010 – thank you for sending it to me.  It got me in great shape to run up and down mountains made of lose shale with a bunch of Army 18-25 year olds (I was 41).  Since then my son has gifted me your Combat Dive training plan (I dive for work) and he has bought a few of your plans for himself (he gets commissioned and goes active duty Army in December.)

I turn 51 in November and have a question about age.  I have found very little research on the body’s changing nutrition and supplement needs as it ages – specifically goes over 50.  What I have found on the internet says that generically the substances that help when you are younger (protein (from food and/or powder), creatine, beta alanine, etc) keep on helping performance as you get older.  It is hard for me to believe that supplement companies have not or are not specifically looking at aging athletes and what they need for their bodies to keep performing at a high ability level.  The folks I know at 50+ have a LOT more money now that they could spend on supplements and quality food than they had when they were younger.

Have you and MTI looked at this issue – nutritional and supplement needs of 50+ athletes?

ANSWER

We don’t recommend any nutritional supplements. Eat real food. I would say that you’ll need to get super strict on your diet … HERE are our guidelines. Not in terms of caloric intake, but avoiding bad carbs and all sugar. I’m 51 and in January cut out my cheat day. It’s made a huge difference in my weight and fitness performance. Older I get, the more my metabolism slows down, and less I can get away with diet cheating.

The only supplement I recommend and am prescribed for, is testosterone. This will make a huge difference for you. If you haven’t already, have your doc get you a blood test for this.
Finally, in terms of programming, our SF45 Programming is specifically built for tactical athletes ages 45-55, and makes allowances for knees, etc.
– Rob

QUESTION

Just signed up for MTI and I’m looking for a good plan to fit my needs, I like strength and hypertrophy training but I’m also trying to lose weight and enjoy some short endurance cardio or circuit type training to assist with that as well  as help with just getting in overall better shape. I’ve looked at the officer sessions and those have some good training points that appeal to me but I am not a LEO, what would you recommend ?

ANSWER

Yes on the LE Programming. It includes upper body hypertrophy, plus strength, work capacity, short distance endurance, chassis integrity, and tactical agility.
Start with Whiskey.
Lots of civilians do our tactical programming. No worries.
– Rob

QUESTION

Not sure which plan is best for me? 16 year SR NCO of the ARSOF community. I recently did a 40 minute grass drill team PT event with some Co workers and realized how far i have dropped off; i was the anchor limiting our success. Current ball park times: 2000m row-6:55, 2 mi run-16:30, 5 mi run-49:00, 12 mi ruck-2:50:00. Goals: increase overall aerobic capacity with some lifting mixed in to keep my sanity (just finished 12 week conjugate lifting block). At first i was drawn to the ultimate work capacity plan, but also saw benefits of the valor plan. The plan was to do one of these then jump on a running plan, thoughts?

ANSWER

Go right to our Greek Hero plans designed for full-time soldiers and military SOF. Start with Hector.
These plans concurrently train strength, work capacity, chassis integrity, tactical agility and military endurance (run/ruck).
– Rob

QUESTION

I spent some time browsing through your plans and have been having issues narrowing down the options- hoping you can help me out. Specifically I was looking at your backcountry big game program- I guide in Southwest Montana and am looking to get better conditioned for the upcoming season. I am not sure how to gauge my current conditioning level so I am struggling with whether that plan is right for me or if I need to look at something else, also due to the fact that the season opens in just a little over a month- so I realize I may be behind but I guide through December so would need to keep the fitness level up.

ANSWER

You’ll want to do as much of the Backcountry Big Game Hunting Training Plan as possible before your season starts.
The plan is progressive – it gets harder as you work through it.
– Rob

QUESTION

I bought the program for my son, he is going to try and become a Navy Seal or SARC
( Special Amphibious Recon Corpsman), just wondering what program he should be using? He is going to boot camp in November. He is going to try and get a Corpsman in order to go SARC. But if that doesn’t happen he is going to try fo Seals.

ANSWER

I’d recommend he start with the Military OnRamp Training Plan, then follow it up with Barbossa from our Pirates Packet of plans. These plans are designed for LE and Military SOF with water-based mission sets and concurrently train strength, work capacity, chassis integrity (core), endurance (run, ruck, swim), and tactical agility.
– Rob

QUESTION

I’ve been doing the LE officer sessions and was wondering what are your thoughts about adding an extra strength workout 2x a week to bring up my bench or DL?

ANSWER

Better would be to drop out of the LE Sessions for a cycle and focus on strength with one of our strength plans, then move back to the Officer Sessions.
Options:
1) Big 24 Strength – awesome programming. Replace the Walking Lunges in the plan with the Dead Lift and follow the same progression for the dead lift as does the Back Squat in the plan.
2) Big 3 + Run – focuses on the Back Squat, DL and BP, plus running!
– Rob

QUESTION

Do you know when you will be holding the next Advanced Tactical Programming course?

ANSWER

Looking at the first week of November. We’ll announce it in our newsletter, Beta.
– Rob

QUESTION

I have a question regarding the strength portion of the Big 3 + Run plan. From what I can see in the sample training, this program is strictly working percentage-based progressions for the 3 lifts throughout the plan. Is that correct, or do auxiliary lifts get incorporated along the way?

ANSWER

Plan deploys what we call “density” training, which combines a percentage based work and a clock.
Focus is on the Big 3, plus pull ups only. No auxiliary strength work. Strength sessions will run 50-60 minutes as designed.
– Rob

QUESTION

I am a trooper in MD and a K9 handler.  We are thinking about adding dogs to our SWAT team.  I am wondering do you have a daily swat workout and what plans you would suggest for passing the initial PT test.  Thank you in advance.

The test is one day. Below are the details:
Timed 22 mins
1.5 mile run
Weighted rope climb 25 lbs
62 sit ups
30 push ups
5 weighted pull ups 25 lbs
2 sets of stairs run.  Approx 15-20 steps
All exercises completed in under 22 mins

ANSWER

Do the pull up assessment, and follow on progressions, in a 25# weight vest. The plan doesn’t include a rope climb … so make sure you can do that. Technique is key for doing it in a vest.
– Rob

QUESTION

I am a TAC at the United States Military Academy Prep School and was recently put in charge of the Sandhurst Team for this upcoming year. This year there is an informal Sandhurst competition at the end of OCT and then the actual international competition is in April.

I can begin training August 5th and will have to approximately October 26-27th for the fall competition. And then I will have from post fall competition until April to train for the international competition.

My original thought was to do 2 weeks of the Ramp-up program and then the 8 week Sandhurst prep for the fall competition and then continue the build from there.

Looking for your recommendations on how to properly program with the endstate of being ready for the Spring Competition but the fall one is mandatory for us to participate in.

ANSWER

Your plan is solid. After the Oct event, drop into the plans/order in the Virtue Packet (skip OnRamp and start with Humility) until you’re 8 weeks out from the April Comp, then re-do the Sandhurst Prep Plan.
– Rob

QUESTION

Quick questions for you- is there a big difference between the busy operator plans? If so, how do they differ? Thanks for the info! If it helps, I’m going to Civil Affairs selection October.

ANSWER

Each Busy Operator Plan has the same general goal – multi-mode training for SOF where strength, work capacity endurance (ruck/run) and chassis integrity (core) are trained concurrently.
The specific way each individual plan trains strength, work capacity and endurance are different, but the overall goals are the same and the plans can be completed in any order.
– 6 weeks, 5 days/week
– Weeks 1-2 have a strength emphasis
– Weeks 3-4 have a work capacity emphasis
– Weeks 5-6 have an endurance emphasis
– 6 Weeks, 6 Days/week
– Weeks 1-2 have a strength emphasis
– Weeks 3-4 have a work capacity emphasis
– Weeks 5-6 have an endurance emphasis
– 6 Weeks, 5 days/week
– Every week is relatively balanced and includes 2x strength sessions.
– Rob

QUESTION

I had surgery to repair torn quadricep tendon on my left knee. I am in a brace from my hip to my knee and currently have to keep my left leg straight. I looked at the MTI leg injury program but several of the exercises require the injured leg to bend. Do you have any additional suggestions?

ANSWER

You could do most of the exercises in the Leg Injury Training Plan. Some would be awkward, but it could be done. This is the plan from our stuff I recommend.
– Rob

QUESTION

I am currently deployed and was referred to you by my XO and DET Commander. I purchased a subscription and have been browsing over the last two days, I have to say your programs look to be top notch but the selection is a bit overwhelming and I cant seem to pin point which one I want to start with, I was hoping you would be willing to take the time to help me out.

Currently, I am aboard the airfield in Kuwait so I have access to a decent amount of equipment and nutrition (which can be supplemented if necessary)

A little about me

Current stats 31 years old 73” 215lbs average build, approximately 29% BF

Initial goals 190 @ 10% BF with an overall improved fitness level.

Up until about 5 months ago I was very active with biking, snowboarding, running and two a days in the gym. I am not a stranger to putting out but also listening to my body and not over training (too much too soon). If we could work towards a program to get me back on my feet, in the gym, motivated and moving in the right direction I will be eternally grateful.

I have 6 months to dedicate to reaching my goals of (PFT and CFT high scores and possible competitions upon returning to the states. My XO also wants me to join him for a Marathon a few months after returning but that isn’t my focus right now.

ANSWER

As well, fix your diet. HERE are our dietary recommendations. You can’t outwork a shitty diet – clean it up and you’ll shed fat.
Email back after completing the OnRamp Plan.
– Rob

QUESTION

I am in the Army SF Q-Course. I have been doing the bodyweight training plan, however I feel like my overall strength is declining. I was wondering if you have a plan that includes bodyweight training (mostly for apft’s), endurance training (rucks/runs), as well as gym based strength training? I guess I’m looking for one that hits it all. Any recommendations?

ANSWER

Instead of trying to train for everything at the same time, we’d rather have you train the mission-direct fitness demands of a soldier (“base fitness”) until your 3-6 weeks from the next APFT, then drop into a focused APFT Training Plan into the assessment. After the assessment, go back to base fitness programming.
However, our Airborne School Training Plan includes focused training for the APFT, as well as weight-room based strength work, multi-modal work capacity (think sandbag cleans to a 200m run), and chassis integrity (core).
Better for you now would be to do Hector from our Greek Hero Packet now. This plan concurrently trains strength, work capacity, chassis integrity (core), tactical agility and military endurance (run, ruck run), then use the APFT Training Plan directly before your next scheduled APFT.
– Rob

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